Youth Employment and Local Development: An Evaluation of Public Programs in Alignment with the 2024–2025 Development Plan of Santo Domingo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v4i4.442Keywords:
Youth Employment; Employability; Public Policy; CIPP Evaluation; Territorial Planning; Local Development.Abstract
Youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing socioeconomic challenges in Latin America. In Ecuador, the youth unemployment rate exceeds the national average, evidencing a structural gap between academic training and labor market demands. In the canton of Santo Domingo, despite its economic dynamism, young people continue to face barriers in their transition to formal employment. Within this context, the present study evaluates the effectiveness of youth employment programs implemented by the local government and analyzes their alignment with the 2024–2025 Development and Land-Use Plan (PDOT). A mixed-methods evaluative approach was adopted, guided by the CIPP model (Context, Input, Process, Product). Surveys were administered to 80 young people aged 18 to 25, complemented by interviews with 25 institutional and business stakeholders, as well as documentary analysis of the PDOT and labor indicators from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC, 2023). Content validity was ensured through expert review, and internal consistency reached a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.87. The findings indicate that local youth unemployment (11.2%) exceeds the national average, with major barriers including lack of work experience, mismatch between education and labor demand, and limited inter-institutional coordination. The evaluated programs —Municipal Internships, Youth Entrepreneurship, and Future Skills Training— exhibit limitations in coverage, sustainability, and monitoring. Only Future Skills Training demonstrates strong alignment with the PDOT, particularly by enhancing digital and soft skills, while the remaining programs require operational redesign and stronger linkages with the productive sector. The study concludes that the alignment between youth employment policies and territorial planning is partial, which reduces the impact and scalability of local strategies. Strengthening inter-institutional coordination, consolidating a local youth employability ecosystem, extending internship duration, promoting incentives for SMEs, and establishing continuous evaluation mechanisms are recommended. This study provides empirical and methodological evidence to support the redesign of public policies and strategic decision-making aimed at sustainable development and youth labor inclusion.
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