Concept Paper: Directing Arts Undergraduates towards Increased Labour Force Participation in the Private Sector of Sri Lanka

Background Sri Lanka boasts the highest literacy rate in the South Asian Region. However, while the majority of female students are keen on receiving an education, the percentage of males in employment is higher than that of females. In the third quarter of 2018, the labor force participation rate of males was 72.7%, while females were only at 34% (Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey, 2015). Although the private sector has the highest number of female employees, which is 35.8%, one main current issue that is affecting the economic development of the country is that the majority of female graduates are economically inactive.

Many factors contribute to this situation, including the lack of recognition of the key role women play in handling household activities, and the societal expectation that women must prioritize their household duties over their careers. This situation is particularly prevalent among graduates of the Arts faculty in Sri Lanka.

Justification

By the end of 2017, the population of Sri Lanka comprised 48.4% males and 51.58% females. Of the female population, only 36.6% were engaged in employment, while 74.5% of the male population were in the labor force. Thus, there is a considerable number of females who are economically inactive, and strategies must be initiated to increase female labor force participation. The majority of undergraduates and graduates are from the Arts faculty, with 14,082 students recorded in 2016. The majority of these students are females who are unemployed or inactive due to their subject choices, which have limited their employment opportunities. Thus, they should be directed towards subjects that will help them find employment after graduation.

In February 2017, a task force under the aegis of the National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka was formed, and they recommended that the government should aim to increase the female labor force participation rate to 40% by 2020. This project aims to increase female labor force participation in the private sector of Sri Lanka and contribute to the task force's recommendation.

Objectives

The main objective of this project is to make female Arts faculty undergraduates aware of the current labor market and show them the path to becoming a future-ready workforce.

Sub-objectives • To ensure the relevance and increase the number of skilled female workforce supply. • To connect leading industries and institutions with the Arts Faculties of selected universities.

Expected Outcomes

By achieving the above-mentioned objectives, the ultimate expectation of this project is to increase female labor force participation and ensure the relevance of the leading sector by encouraging and directing Arts faculty undergraduates to follow the appropriate path.

Activities:

The following activities are planned to be executed to achieve the project objectives:  

·         Conduct career counseling sessions: Organize career counseling sessions for female Arts undergraduates to help them understand the current job market trends, the skills and qualifications required for various industries, and the potential career paths available to them.

·         Organize skills development workshops: Organize skills development workshops to provide practical training on skills required in the job market, such as communication skills, computer skills, and soft skills.

·         Facilitate industry-university collaboration: Connect the leading industries and institutions with the Arts Faculties of the selected universities, organizing industry visits, internships, and on-the-job training opportunities.

·         Promote entrepreneurship: Encourage female Arts undergraduates to consider entrepreneurship as a career option and provide support for those who want to start their own businesses.

·         Provide mentorship: Facilitate mentorship programs connecting senior female professionals with female Arts undergraduates to provide guidance and advice on career development.

·         Conduct awareness programs for first-year and final-year female undergraduates of Arts Faculties in selected universities and connect them with leading industries and training institutes.

 

Strategic Plan:

·         Identify target universities and faculties: Select universities and faculties with a high percentage of female Arts undergraduates and prioritize them for the awareness programs and skills development workshops.

·         Develop partnerships with industry leaders: Connect with industry leaders and training institutes to facilitate collaboration with universities and provide practical training opportunities for female Arts undergraduates.

·         Develop a comprehensive communication plan: Develop a communication plan to promote the awareness programs, skills development workshops, and industry-university collaboration to reach the target audience effectively.

·         Establish a monitoring and evaluation framework: Establish a monitoring and evaluation framework to track the progress of the program and measure its impact in terms of the number of female Arts undergraduates participating in the labor force.

Secure funding:

Secure funding from government agencies, private sector organizations, and international donor agencies to ensure the successful implementation of the program.

By implementing these additional activities and strategic plan, the project can help to achieve the objectives mentioned in the concept paper and increase the female labor force participation rate in the private sector of Sri Lanka. Ultimately, this project aims to make a positive contribution towards increasing female labor force participation in the private sector of Sri Lanka.