Estonian Human Development Report
Estonian Human Development Report - Eesti Koostöö Kogu
Estonian Human Development Report - Eesti Koostöö Kogu
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Figure 6.3.3. Employed 15–74-year-olds 35<br />
700<br />
600<br />
500<br />
400<br />
300<br />
200<br />
100<br />
0<br />
1997<br />
1998<br />
1999<br />
2000<br />
2001<br />
2002<br />
2003<br />
Source: <strong>Estonian</strong> Statistical Yearbook, 2004, p. 208, 2007, p. 219, 2008, p. 188.<br />
2004<br />
The conformity of education with the needs of the<br />
labour market can be understood as setting restrictions<br />
on the supply of “less necessary” professions, by referring<br />
to possible unemployment. However, one must rec-<br />
2005<br />
2006<br />
2007<br />
Total<br />
employed<br />
Primary<br />
education<br />
Secondary<br />
education<br />
Tertiary<br />
education<br />
Figure 6.3.4. Unemployment among various education<br />
levels<br />
25<br />
20<br />
15<br />
10<br />
5<br />
0<br />
1997<br />
1998<br />
1999<br />
2000<br />
2001<br />
2002<br />
2003<br />
Source: <strong>Estonian</strong> Statistical Yearbook, 2004, p. 208, 2007, p. 219, 2008, p. 188.<br />
2004<br />
2005<br />
2006<br />
2007<br />
Primary<br />
education<br />
Secondary<br />
education<br />
Tertiary<br />
education<br />
Total<br />
Figure 6.3.5. 25–64-year-old population with at<br />
least secondary education in the European Union<br />
100<br />
90<br />
80<br />
70<br />
60<br />
50<br />
40<br />
30<br />
20<br />
10<br />
0<br />
Czech Republic<br />
Poland<br />
Slovakia<br />
Slovenia<br />
Lithuania<br />
Sweden<br />
Austria<br />
Belgium<br />
Ireland<br />
Finland<br />
Cyprus<br />
Hungary<br />
France<br />
ESTONIA<br />
Greece<br />
Latvia<br />
Bulgaria<br />
United Kingdom<br />
Denmark<br />
Romania<br />
Italy<br />
The Netherlands<br />
Germany<br />
Luxembourg<br />
Spain<br />
Malta<br />
Portugal<br />
Source: Social Life in Figures, 2007, p. 13.<br />
ognize that actual demand is quite a good indicator of the<br />
direction of the market and people are usually quite sensible,<br />
at least with regard to recognizing great risks, such<br />
as studying useless professions. The great difficulty of predicting<br />
labour market trends increases the probability of<br />
errors, especially when economic cycles are changing. At<br />
the same time, there is no guarantee that planning jobs<br />
and replacing the market with the political preferences of<br />
a “smart” government would be more successful in preventing<br />
these errors. All the more because, in the case of a<br />
small open economy, job-related decisions are often made<br />
at the headquarters of international companies located<br />
outside Estonia.<br />
Another important topic in the given field is the relationship<br />
between academic and vocational education. A<br />
more direct connection with enterprise exists in the case<br />
of vocational education than in the case of academic education.<br />
However, one must keep in mind that this concerns<br />
current enterprise, but sufficient information about<br />
enterprise in Estonia in ten years is unavailable. However,<br />
one can ascertain that the connection between vocational<br />
education and enterprise has significantly improved during<br />
the last ten years. Companies have invested in the<br />
infrastructure of vocational educational institutions, the<br />
connection between learning and practical training has<br />
intensified, and the financial resources of schools and<br />
companies have increased significantly. EU funds have<br />
played an important role in supporting these types of connections.<br />
According to the theories of economic growth, a<br />
positive correlation exists between more comprehensive<br />
and better education and economic modernization.<br />
Educated workers make the implementation of more<br />
complicated technology possible in order to develop<br />
the economic structure and make it more competitive.<br />
When the service economy started to develop, it<br />
was determined that employment would increase in<br />
the occupations that require a higher level of education<br />
(Bell, 1975). The increase of Estonia’s educational<br />
level has also promoted changes in the economic structure<br />
and thereby increased the incomes of people with<br />
higher education and improved their position in the<br />
labour market.<br />
Compared to the other European Union member<br />
states (Figure 6.3.5.), Estonia’s educational level indicators<br />
are somewhat higher than average. In Estonia in 2006, the<br />
ratio of those with secondary education among the 25–64-<br />
year-old population was 82%, while the EU average was<br />
77.8%. The number of people among 25–29-year-olds with<br />
higher education was significantly higher than the European<br />
Union average, 37.7% and 28% respectively. At the<br />
same time, there are great differences between the determination,<br />
quality and resource allocation of higher education<br />
by countries. This makes the comparability of formal<br />
indicators difficult. The ratio of people with at least secondary<br />
education is a slightly better general indicator for<br />
such comparisons.<br />
35<br />
Estonia’s educational levels: primary level or lowest level – without elementary education, elementary education, basic education,<br />
vocational education for young people without basic education; secondary education – vocational education based on basic education,<br />
general secondary education, secondary vocational education based on basic education, secondary specialized education based on<br />
basic education; tertiary education – secondary specialized education based on secondary education, higher education, master’s and<br />
doctoral degrees.<br />
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