Valencia, Horacio, et al. (2018). Labor Market Survey Data in Bolivia: 2015-2016. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/9jd6-m354

1. Spanish

Degree program

What information does the dataset include?

The dataset contains two primary data sources:
1. Labor Demand Surveys (2015–2016): Conducted with companies to assess hiring needs, job openings, and qualification requirements.
2. Labor Supply Census and Surveys: Collected from university and technical training centers, covering professional and technical education programs offered in Bolivia.

Together, these data sources reveal mismatches between employer needs and the qualifications of graduates entering the labor market.

What is the geographic coverage?

The survey focuses on the central economic corridor of Bolivia, covering the metropolitan areas of:
- La Paz
- Cochabamba
- Santa Cruz

Who conducted the study?

The research was developed with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and conducted by Bolivian partners specializing in labor market analysis and educational assessment.

How was the data collected?

• The labor demand component used structured questionnaires administered to companies during 2015 and 2016.
• The labor supply component drew on institutional censuses and surveys of universities and technical institutes, collecting information on academic programs, enrollment, and graduate profiles.

What are the main variables captured?

• Employment by sector and occupation
• Job vacancy rates and hiring needs
• Skills and qualifications demanded by employers
• Number and type of graduates by field of study
• Institutional characteristics of training centers

How can the data be used?

Researchers and policymakers can use this dataset to:
- Analyze Bolivia employment dynamics and labor market structure
- Evaluate the match between education and employer demand
- Identify high-demand occupations and skills gaps
- Design targeted workforce development and training programs

What is the temporal coverage of the dataset?

Data were collected between 2015 and 2016, reflecting pre-pandemic employment patterns and education-to-work linkages in Bolivia.

What are the dataset’s limitations?

• The dataset is focused on urban metropolitan areas and may not fully represent rural labor markets.
• Employer participation was voluntary, which could affect response balance across sectors.
• Comparisons over time should consider that surveys were conducted at different points in the business cycle.

What is included in the dataset?

The dataset includes:
- Excel files with survey results and indicators
- Metadata and resource documentation in Spanish
- Methodological notes explaining the survey design and variable definitions

What are the major industries for employment in Santa Cruz vs. La Paz?

The dataset shows that Santa Cruz has strong employment in Agriculture Forestry Agroindustry as well as in commerce and services reflecting its role as Bolivia’s agribusiness hub. La Paz, by contrast, concentrates employment in public administration education services consistent with its position as the political and administrative capital.

How do employment outcomes from vocational training compare with those from university degrees in Bolivia?

Vocational training programs (technical institutes) tend to place graduates into specific trades and applied sectors such as health services Communications industrial technology.

University degrees, however, lead to broader professional careers in administration, law, education, and medicine. The dataset indicates higher enrollment and graduation rates in universities, but vocational graduates often transition more quickly into targeted job markets.

What is the current state of the job market in Bolivia?

Based on 2015–2016 survey data, Bolivia’s job market was characterized by high demand in services, commerce, and health-related fields, with persistent mismatches between employers' needs and graduates' specializations.

Employers reported shortages in technical skills and applied sciences, while oversupply was noted in social sciences and humanities.

What are the major industries and sectors employing people in Bolivia?

The largest employment sectors include: Commerce Services Education Health, and Agriculture Technical graduates are absorbed into manufacturing, communications health services while university graduates dominate in administration law teaching

What are the regional employment differences within Bolivia: La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba?

• La Paz: Employment is concentrated in Government Education services reflecting its administrative role.
• Santa Cruz: Strong in Agriculture Forestry Agroindustry commerce driven by its agribusiness economy.
• Cochabamba: Balanced mix, with notable employment in Education Health manufacturing serving as a central hub for training and services. Overall, the dataset highlights regional specialization: Santa Cruz in agribusiness, La Paz in administration and services, and Cochabamba in education and health.