2014年-世界发展银行全球_STEP_Skills_Measurement_Surveys___Innovative_Tools_for_Assessing_Skills_104页_2mb

Summary of the STEP Skills Measurement Surveys

Core Content

The Skills Towards Employability and Productivity (STEP) program is a World Bank initiative aimed at developing standardized survey instruments to measure skills in low- and middle-income countries. These surveys are designed to support policy analysis by creating comparable datasets on skills supply and demand, which are essential for understanding labor market dynamics and human capital development.

The program includes two main surveys: the Household Survey and the Employer Survey, which together provide a comprehensive picture of skills in the population. The STEP surveys are part of a broader effort to assess not only cognitive skills but also socio-emotional and job-relevant skills, offering a more holistic view of human capital.

Main Views and Key Information

1. Skills Measurement Framework

• Three Types of Skills:

  • Cognitive Skills: Include literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, and the ability to understand complex ideas.
  • Socio-emotional Skills: Cover personality traits, behaviors, and attitudes (e.g., conscientiousness, extraversion, self-control).
  • Job-relevant Skills: Task-specific skills such as computer use, technology proficiency, and interpersonal skills.

• Objective:

  • To capture a broader concept of human capital than just educational attainment.
  • To identify skills gaps and mismatches between workers and job requirements.

2. Survey Design and Implementation

• Development Timeline:

  • The surveys were developed between 2010 and 2013, involving expert consultations and testing in several countries.
  • The first wave of implementation included seven countries in 2012 and a second wave of six countries in 2013.

• Implementation Process:

  • Household Survey:
    • Conducted in Lao PDR, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Yunnan (China), with the household survey also implemented in Bolivia and Colombia.
    • A random individual from the household (aged 15–64) is selected to complete the individual questionnaire.
    • Includes a literacy assessment, both basic and extended, depending on the country’s implementation.
  • Employer Survey:
    • Implemented in Armenia, Georgia, and Macedonia.
    • Collects data on hiring, training, compensation, and employer perceptions of skill needs and utilization.

3. Data Collection and Processing

• Household Survey:
  • Collects data on household composition, dwelling characteristics, and individual skills.
  • The survey includes modules on education, employment, personality, and literacy.
  • Uses a random selection process to ensure unbiased data collection (see Figure 2).
• Employer Survey:
  • Focuses on skill requirements and job performance in sampled sectors.
  • Includes questions on hiring practices, skill screening, and the types of skills employers value.

4. Technical Standards and Data Quality

• The surveys are designed to ensure comparability and consistency across countries.
• A standardized implementation protocol is used, including training for interviewers, fieldwork preparation, and data processing.
• Factor Analysis is used to construct the asset-based wealth index, which serves as a proxy for household wealth.
• Cronbach's Alpha is employed to assess the reliability of the constructed indices.

5. Data Use and Aggregation

• The STEP data is publicly available through the World Bank Microdata Catalog.
• Users are provided with guidance on aggregating skills indicators and using the reading literacy assessment data.
• The data can be used to analyze the relationship between education and employment, and to assess the impact of skills on productivity and employability.

6. Support and Collaboration

• The STEP program was supported by a wide range of experts and institutions, including the World Bank, Education Testing Services (ETS), and the OECD.
• Technical support was also provided by Angela Duckworth, David Margolis, and others.
• Financial support came from BNPP, MDTF, and READ Trust Fund.

Key Innovations

• The surveys use innovative and critical questions to measure skills that are not traditionally captured in labor market data.
• The literacy assessment includes core components such as word meaning, sentence processing, and reading comprehension.
• The reading literacy proficiency scale is used to classify respondents into different proficiency levels (see Table 11).
• The Household Survey includes unique modules on personality, behavior, and language background, which provide deeper insights into skill development and use.

Way Forward

• The STEP program aims to expand its reach to more countries and to refine the skills aggregation methodology.
• There is a need for continued technical and financial support to maintain the quality and consistency of data collection.
• The program also seeks to improve the understanding of the relationship between education and job requirements.

Conclusion

The STEP Skills Measurement Surveys are a comprehensive and innovative tool for assessing the supply and demand of skills in low- and middle-income countries. By capturing cognitive, socio-emotional, and job-relevant skills, the surveys offer valuable insights for labor market analysis and policy formulation. The program’s standardized approach ensures data comparability and reliability, making it a useful resource for researchers and policymakers alike.