Limitation of local market, lack of high-skilled labor force, tax and customs administration, limitation of available funding are stumbling blocks for the companies’ economic growth. Such conclusion was made by the authors of “National Competitiveness Report of Armenia,” who conducted survey among local companies in the understanding of the possible limitations of economic growth. Businessmen indicate that all of these hamper their willingness to invest for the growth. The authors of the report state argument that, it is true that Armenia does not have a lack of people with higher education, however, the current level for suggesting qualified human resources is the key impediments to economic growth. According to statistics, more than half of the population of our country (the relevant age group) has higher education. In this figure, Armenia even exceeds a number of countries with higher income level. However, the survey conducted among graduates showed that 70% of graduates in agriculture and 50 % of graduates in medical sectors are not working by their profession. The inconsistency between labor and study in main specialties is about 30%. The authors of the report taking this fact as a basis came to a conclusion that the labor-related problems in our country are radically associated with the quality. “According to a survey among the employers, 90 % of respondent-managers of 17 companies believe that the current level of labor force quality can stumble blocks for the growth of their industry. The prevailing view is that the graduates, in general, are not prepared to work in their professional fields due to the lack of theoretical, as well as practical knowledge and skills. Thus, there is a large gap between improved level of educational system and the real demand in economy,” the report reads. In addition, the experts of the report noted that on the results of a recent survey among graduates regarding growth limitations, the lack of high quality labor force is the second key obstacle to the growth of companies.
Lusine BUDAGHYAN
