The demand for qualified personnel: a case study on Northern Italy

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate on the employability of graduates from the standpoint of employers by presenting original empirical evidence from a case study on Piedmont, in Northwestern Italy. Design/methodology/approach The empirical material of this paper provides an encompassing view of the educational system and of the labor market, based on qualitative data collected from 98 qualitative interviews and two focus groups that involved employers, teachers, school administrators, and public service authorities. Findings Despite important differences between big and small companies, the findings show some common traits that influence decisions on hiring: interpersonal skills, reliability, and motivation to learn and adapt to change are highly valued; social networks play a central role in finding a job, with consequences in terms of equality of opportunities; firms tend to establish long working relationships with the new hirees (especially college graduates), considering them as investments whose potential will be fulfilled in the long run. Originality/value The focus on the aspect of the demand is the added value of this paper. In fact, while scholars have largely addressed the supply of human capital, the demand side has received little attention and little evidence is available on employers’ decision-making process in hiring new personnel. In addition, the Northwest of Italy is known for its good economic performance but also has some potential weaknesses due to a production system that is rather traditional. Although geographically delimited, the case study provides interesting insights on the employers’ demand, which can be generalized to other contexts. The findings of this work can also have significant applications in other European contexts with similar characteristics, particularly Southern European countries.