The disconnect between education, job growth and employment in Jordan

The economic volatility evident in Jordan has been driven largely by Jordan’s dependence on workers’ remittances and foreign aid. Furthermore, conflict in the region has fundamentally changed the economy and demography of Jordan.

In this article, the authors investigate whether Jordan’s economy can fully break away from its rentier characteristics and create a labour market that can harness the talents of an increasingly educated workforce and persistently high levels of youth unemployment. The authors suggest that educational reforms and employment policies can help bridge the gap 

Suggested educational reforms include: 

• increasing budgets and expanding facilities for extracurricular and participatory activities where students can develop non-academic skills 
• addressing the social stigma associated with vocational education

Suggestions for employment policies: 

• assist youth from lower-income households through programmes such as employment services, training and skill development 
• raise incentives for those who remain voluntarily unemployed such as offering social protection measures, employment benefits and discourage those indefinitely waiting for a government job by banning the general applications not relating to a specific job
• encourage female labour force participation by supporting a work-family balance through the provision of child-care facilities and encouragement of flexible work arrangements 

The authors conclude that policies and measures aiming to ensure youth inclusion are key to mitigating the effects of the high costs of human depletion and the out-migration of skills.