ROA: Getting to grips with hard labour
Maastricht is thriving as a student city but when it comes to finding a job after graduation, is the knowledge of the labour market given by the education institutes really relevant or is it a case of pot luck?
An institution has been aiming to come up with answers to this question since 1986: ROA (the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market).
Its labour market research is carried out through periodic surveys, finding out the level of need in a diverse range of local employment markets, such as the shortage of assistant chemists in the area. Its data can then be used by employers, employees and policy makers in the field.
International comparisons
“It is an independent institute” explained ROA director Prof Hans Heijke, “But there are growing relations between UM and ROA.
We are more part of an element in the strategies of the Faculty concerning its research policy. Now we are working on integrating ROA in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration”.
But its research is not just confined locally it goes on to make international comparisons to find out the supply-demand profile in the European labour market.
Moreover, it also provides insight into initial jobs and the performances of graduate students.
And even though ROA’s initial task was to provide information to Dutch ministries, it proved to be successful in gaining acceptance in international academic circles as well for example, with EALE (European Association of Labour Economists), an international academic association with a secretariat located at ROA in Maastricht.
“We are forecasting the developments and give a picture of shortages and supplies in the labour market,” said Prof Heijke.
In fact, ROA played a major role in the Netherlands with research into the transition from school to work. Their studies in this area cover the entire field of education and give a clear picture of how far programmes and schools fit the requirements of the labour market.
Over-education is just one example of these studies. ROA is also interested in the effects of training during professional life when it comes to keeping people in the labour market. Special importance is given to examining the shifts in the demand for certain skills in the job market. For example, their research showed that, aside from students, teaching computer skills to older workers proved to be essential to keeping them employed.
ROA has an annual report which includes information about their research and a list of their other publications.
EALE
As an international organisation with more than 425 members from 25 different countries, EALE (European Association of Labour Economists) aims to promote labour economics since 1989 in Europe and elsewhere. EALE organises international conferences and panels in a different European country every year.
Source: Crossroads print issue, March 2003
