Institutional Network member Geoff Mulgan co-wrote a new piece for the Nesta blog introducing the idea for a collaborative data network to better assist those active in the labor market. “Open Jobs: Making labour markets smarter and empowering jobseekers” outlines the purpose of the Open Jobs platform, detailing the data it would include, who it would benefit and how.
The idea behind Open Jobs is to create a public workshop of tools that integrates all of the data accessible from public and private sectors alike to assist job-seekers, employers and government agencies in all aspects of the employment market. The platform would connect people with jobs and list the skills required to get them.
Nesta, in conversation with job-seekers, determined that the Open Jobs platform must be able to efficiently provide people with specific data relevant to their job search, employee search or preferred field without overloading them on superfluous content. In addition, it is important that the data remain consistent across different categories, skill sets and fields of work.
Mulgan argues:
“The data needs to cover: local jobs/skills demand and supply; future jobs forecasts that indicate the reliability of different career pathways; and other factors influencing employability and pay and other outcomes. This then needs to be personalised to fit users’ needs.
The outcomes we aim to achieve are: better informed decisions; better matching of skill supply and demand; higher resilience for those at risk of unemployment and underemployment (young people, LMI, older working population); and increased social mobility.”
He goes on to provide a list of benefits of such an approach would provide to jobseekers:
- See a local map of real time job adverts and employment opportunities - skills supply and demand
- Explore the future job landscape in 2030, including skills needed by occupation and future industry growth or fall
- Educate careers navigators (the middle man, i.e. careers advisors, parents, teachers) on the longevity of occupations and skills - demand now and what will be needed in the future
- Design upskilling training programmes and educational curricula based on future industry needs
- Compare different jobs by skills required and job outcomes: salary / future proof / satisfaction / location
- Create and track your career journey based on your skills and stage in career journey – become aware of moments of hard choice and moments for inspiration
- Connect employers and educational institutions to job-seekers through push outreach and targeted communications for employment and educational opportunities
- Experience industries and occupations through video stories and live social media connections with employers and mentors”
The first prototype of this network, which would be a coalition of several, already-successful tools Nesta has created to compile job advertisements, support career-seeking teenagers, etc., is still in the design stages. Nesta hopes to release an initial version of the platform targeting key labor market areas in several locations, soon.
