Bulgarian Labor Expert: Higher Education Gets Outdated in 5-6 Years

Ivan Neykov, former Minister of Labor and Social Policy and current Chair of the Balkan Institute for Labor and Social Policy, has emphasized the need for constant update of employee qualifications. Photo by BGNES

Knowledge and skills acquired through higher education 'expire' in 5-6 years, after which they no longer match the requirements of the labor market, according to Ivan Neykov, head of the Balkan Institute for Labor and Social Policy and former Minister of Labor and Social Policy.

Speaking Sunday at a conference of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) on the labor market, Neykov cited data of the World Bank indicating that knowledge acquired at secondary schools expired in 9-13 years, while the training acquired at primary schools held valid for 20-22 years.

Neykov, as cited by Monitor daily, argued that the challenge was unprecedented, requiring constant update of workers' qualifications.

He went on to reject the assumption that workers knew everything in their line of work once they had completed a qualification.

The Chair of the Balkan Institute for Labor and Social Policy emphasized that World Bank statistics demonstrated how dynamic knowledge in the 21st century was, given the pace at which that knowledge became outdated.

"This means that in a few years' time, you are no longer competitive," Neykov commented, adding that these trends were setting new parameters to the calculation of payments received by various employees.

The expert underscored that it was inadmissible for monthly salaries to be calculated on the basis of 20th-century schemes and principles.

"Some people are as productive as half a company, which is why the so-called split pay model must be considered, under which each job is divided into sub-jobs," Neykov stated.

Meanwhile, CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov reminded that Bulgarian heads of companies in certain spheres paid less than BGN 1 per year for the training of an employee.

"The total indifference of employers, especially at small and medium-sized companies in sectors like construction, hotel and restaurant business etc, is plain to see. They want labor productivity in exchange for petty coins," Dimitrov added.

CITUB representatives reminded that the trade union had long insisted on sectoral training and qualification funds.

Dragomir Stoynev, head of the Parliamentary Labor and Social Policy Committee, said that employers could not expect increased productivity without investing in their employees and stimulating them financially.

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