Job Creation

Jobs are among the most important determinants of a vibrant economy and healthy society. In developed countries people start feeling the pain when unemployment jumps above 5%, in most struggling countries unemployment has never been below 5%. However this is not for a lack of work opportunities, but rather skilled workers.

Skilled Workers

Many developing countries have problems both training and retaining skilled laborers, both in the technical and scientific fields. This is because the majority of training goes toward college graduates entering high paying fields, like medical research or computer science. Lower paying position such as nurses or mechanics go unfilled.

The shortage of laborers means that 100% of recently trained nurses and mechanics in India and Laos are employed within three months. Further, a nurse or mechanic can expect to earn 3 – 4 times the salary of a day laborer within the first year. Another benefit is that skilled technical workers tend to stay closer to their home towns to support their families and communities.

Entrepreneurship

While training workers to fill high demand positions is important, so is creating jobs for unskilled workers, and this is best accomplished with the help of entrepreneurs. Small businesses are an important part of any successful economy. They provide employment and contribute heavily to their communities. In the developing world for-profit companies, such a Lao Water Resources, who provide cheap long-lasting water filters, strive to better their communities by offering locally produced alternatives to expensive foreign imports, while employing a large number of locals. Supporting local entrepreneurs has become very popular in recent years because of the massive impact small donations can have when put in the hands of those who seek to better their own lives as well as the lives of their neighbors.