ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES: THE ROLE OF SKILLS IN WORKERS IN ECUADOR, MEXICO, PERU AND CHILE

THIS PROPOSAL CONSTITUTES THE THIRD STAGE OF A RESEARCH AGENDA FOCUSED ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN EDUCATIONAL AND WORK TRANSITIONS. THE FIRST PROJECT, FOCUSED ON SECONDARY SCHOOL, IDENTIFYING GAPS IN KEY INDICATORS FOR EDUCATIONAL CONTINUITY AND PROGRAMS WERE DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN SKILLS. THE SECOND, FOCUSED ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, STUDY HOW THOSE GAPS AFFECT ACCESS AND PERMANENCE. THIS PROJECT EXPANDS THE ANALYSIS TO AN AGE RANGE FROM 16 TO 64 YEARS, CONSOLIDATING A LINE OF RESEARCH THAT CONNECTS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY AND WORKING LIFE, AND WHICH IS ALSO PROJECTED TO THE REGIONAL LEVEL. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO INVESTIGATE HOW SKILLS AFFECT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES IN ADULTS IN ECUADOR, PERU, CHILE AND MEXICO, USING DATA FROM THE OECD PROGRAM FOR THE EVALUATION OF SKILLS IN ADULTS (PIAAC), WHICH ALLOWS TO INCORPORATE MEASURES OF COGNITIVE SKILLS AND NOT COGNITIVE. ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES WILL BE MEASURED IN THREE DIMENSIONS OF PARTICULAR RELEVANCE IN LATIN AMERICA: EMPLOYABILITY, WAGES AND INFORMALITY. SOCIAL INDICATORS WILL INCLUDE INTERPERSONAL TRUST, CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND PERCEIVED HEALTH. THE ANALYSIS WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY COHORT, WHICH WILL ALLOW DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS TO BE OBSERVED. AS A WHOLE, THE PROPOSAL SEEKS TO GENERATE ROBUST EVIDENCE ON WHICH SKILLS IMPROVE WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS IN HIGH INFORMALITY CONTEXTS. ITS RESULTS WILL BE ABLE TO GUIDE THE DESIGN OF PUBLIC LABOR AND EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF SKILLS - WHICH AND HOW THEY IMPACT - CONTRIBUTING TO BETTER ALIGN POLICIES WITH THE REAL NEEDS OF THE LABOR MARKET AND SOCIETY.

XXII UNIVERSITY COMPETITION FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS