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| SECTION 1 – Employment Demand |
| In order to estimate the demand for employment during the course of the first four months of the year 2005, the newspaper job advertisements were analyzed. Both local and foreign job opportunities were taken in to account while giving care to avoid repeating advertisements. In addition, the vacancies received by the “Jobs Net”, the national employments sourcing and delivery system were also analyzed. Vacancies to which the Sri Lanka
Bureau of foreign employment has given approval for recruitment were also analyzed in this survey. |
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| 1.1: Analysis of Newspaper Job Advertisements : Jan - Apr 2005 |
| (Categorization as per ISCO 88 Major) |
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| Graph 1.1.1: No of Advertisements & Vacancies: Jan-Apr 2005 |
Graph 1.1.1.a: Trend in employment generation
Jan to Apr 2005 |
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| source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
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| Graph 1.1.2: Growth in Job Opportunities: Jan - Apr 2005 |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
| According to the survey, the public sector vacancies account for 8.8%, private sector 15.2%, foreign employment 46%, NGO 1% and informal sector 29% of the total demand. Opportunities in public sector has increased continuously. Demand in other four sectors has gone up from January to March but it has marginally decreased in April contributing to the reduction of total demand in April. The foreign employment sector ranks as the
largest, followed by the informal and private sectors in terms of number of vacancies occurred during the
period concerned. |
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| Graph 1.1.3: The Total demand for employment by sex : Jan - Apr 2005 |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
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| Graph 1.1.4: Percentage of foreign employment vacancies by Sex |
Graph 1.1.5: Percentage of local vacancies by sex |
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| Employment opportunities for males are higher than females both in the foreign and local labour markets. 85% of the foreign employment opportunities are for males and 35% of local employment opportunities are for males. |
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| Graph 1.1.6: No of vacancies by main occupational groups - Jan-Apr 2005 |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
| Among the foreign employment opportunities, elementary occupations consist of housemaids, helpers etc., that can be ranked as the highest in demand comprising of 16.52% of the total demand. However, the demand for technicians & associate professionals (15.7%), sales & service workers (15.8%), plants & machine operators and assemblers (16%) and craft & related workers (16.2%) are also relatively high. |
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| 1.1.7: No of vacancies by sectors: Jan - Apr 2005 |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
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| The highest demand in the public sector is for technicians and professionals which is about 81% of the total demand. Private sector demand is more,for sales & service workers, clerks, technical
& associate professionals and professionals. |
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| Graph 1.1.7.a: Demand in the NGO Sector Graph 1.1.7.b: Demand in the Informal Sector |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
| According to the news paper survey, employment opportunities generated in NGOO are less than in other sectors. There is a possibility that they recruit people on personal contacts rather than advertising the vacancies. But the informal sector plays a significant role in generating employment opportunities for elementary occupations such as craft & related workers, sales & service workers, plant & machine operators & assemblers, clerks & technicians and associate professionals. In the informal sector, the highest number of vacancies were for the occupational categories of elementary occupations (24.6%), craft and related workers (20.5%), and sales and service workers (18.6%) respectively. |
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| Table 1.1.7.c: Demand for Foreign Employment |
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46 percent of the total employment opportunities were reported from foreign labour markets. Plant & machine operators and assemblers, craft & related workers, elementary occupations, sales & service workers, technical & associate professionals and professionals were high in demand in the foreign employment sector. This is an important opportunity for the vocational training institutes both in public and private sectors to organise and conduct suitable training programmes with the collaboration of relevant foreign institutions to train and produce skilled persons to suit the foreign employment demand which can contribute to the reduction of unemployment problem in the domestic labour market. |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
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| In the foreign employment sector, the highest no of vacancies appeared were for the occupational category of plant & machine operators & assemblers (25.8%), for craft & related workers (20.1%), and for elementary occupations (17.9%). Demand for sales and service workers (15.3%), technicians and associate professionals (9%), and professionals (6%) was also significant. In the occupational category of plant & machine operators & assemblers, the demand for drivers, juki machine operators and machine operators were the highest. In the occupational category of craft and related workers masons, carpenters and welders were the highest in demand. |
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| Table1.1.10: No of vacancies by educational qualifications and experience |
| Main Occupational Categories |
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| Source: Newspaper Surveys, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
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| Table 1.1.9: Jobs in high demand by main occupational categories |
| Table1.1.9.a: Elementary Occupations |
Table 1.1.9.b: Craft & Related Workers |
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Table1.1.9.c: Plant & Machine Operators &
Assemblers |
Table 1.1.9.d: Sales & Service workers |
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| In the occupational category of elementary occupations, most of the opportunities were for helpers and labourers. It is also observed that technicians, electricians and program assistants in the occupational category of technicians and associate professionals are high in demand. Job opportunities for masons, carpenters, waiters, cooks, chefs, coommi, drivers, juki machine operators and machine operators are largely available in the
local as well as in the foreign labour markets. |
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| Table1.1.10: No of vacancies by educational qualifications and experience |
| Main Occupational categories |
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| Source: Newspaper Survey, LMI Unit MLR&FE |
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- Welders, mechanics, fabricators, service workers, technicians, electricians, engineers, surveyors,
accountants, senior officials and managers were expected to have work experience in the respective
fields.
- However the required work experiences were not specified for most of the job categories.
- Enterprises face the changes that are taking place in the economy. Introduction of new technologies and innovations, make it necessary for them to retain or hire quality employees. Non availability of
people with the required qualities is an obstacle faced by employers.
- There is a high demand for positions such as machine operators ,carpenters,masons,mechanics,etc. that require technical and craft skills training. However majority of the jobseekers who have
completed their secondary education are unwilling to take such jobs or to obtain such training , although such opportunities offer higher salaries, promotional prospects etc., as the educated youth
aspire for white collar jobs.
- Steps have to be taken to change their attitudes as well as to promote dignity of labour in the work
places and in the society at large.
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| Qualities necessary to secure and retain in private sector jobs successfully |
Enterprises require their employees to be equipped with quality and attainments
necessary in performing tasks required to cope with various changes that take place in the
business environment such as technological
innovations. |
They expect managerial / professional staff to be equipped with knowledge, good judgment and desirable attitudes. In particular they place more importance on knowledge for managerial and
administrative staff; and technical skills,
knowledge and desirable attitudes for other
workers. |
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| 1.2: Analysis of Jobs-Net data as at 06th june 2005 |
| Jobs Net is an employment sourcing an delivering system established under the Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment as a public private partnership. There are Jobs Net centers in all districts. Job seekers as well as employers can register with Jobs Net to obtain necessary employment
services. |
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| Table 1.2.1 summary of Jobs Net Table Performance |
1.2.2: Details in Respect of Job Seekers |
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| Source: JobsNet |
Note:
1. Education Level Unverified 11010
2. Re interviewing process is in progress and changes to job seekers personal records are taking place on ongoing basis.
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Tables 1.2.3: No of Job Orders Received by Level of Education
(Categorization as per ISCO 88 Major) |
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| Graph 1.2.1: Total No of Job Orders |
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| Graph 1.2.2: No of Job Orders Received by Level of Education |
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