Econometric Evidence on the Impact of Language and IT Courses on Rural Employability in Uzbekistan

Rural unemployment is a significant issue among developing countries, especially in Uzbekistan, where a lack of industries other than agriculture restricts employment. There have been recent central and state government initiatives to fix the gaps through IT and language training but very little is known quantitatively about these initiatives. Very few such educational programs have been evaluated rigorously with respect to their economic impact on rural employability in Uzbekistan. It evaluates the effect of short-term IT and language training programs on employability and income in rural Uzbekistan. It provides strong evidence that IT and language training raises rates of employment by 45-65%, and high levels of attendance and internships lead to further increases in income. This is the first econometric assessment of these rural training programs in Uzbekistan, and it adds to prior literature in the domain of applied labor economics. The research highlights the need for specific educational programs and public-private partnerships to drive countryside growth and sustainable jobs.