Evaluating the Returns to Education and On-The-Job Training in Informal Sector Employment
Article Sidebar
Employment,
Informal Sector,
on-the-job Training,
PRISMA
Main Article Content
Jamiu Adeniyi Yusuf
Muinat Abiodun Ibrahim
Abstract
Background of the Study: A significant section of the workforce in many developing nations is employed in the unorganized sector, which is frequently marked by volatility and lax regulation. Developing equitable and sustainable labor and development strategies requires an understanding of how education and vocational training affect job outcomes and wages in this sector.
Aims and Scope of Paper: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the financial benefits that informal workers receive from education and on-the-job training. It also examines research trends, significant authors, and thematic areas of interest.
Methods: A bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer was conducted to support a qualitative systematic review that was carried out utilizing the PRISMA 2020 methodology. This method made it possible to map academic papers quantitatively and include qualitative insights.
Results: Although the effects of formal education and job-specific training vary by location, gender, and educational quality, they generally increase the salaries, employability, and job stability of informal workers. Bibliometric analysis shows uneven regional presence and growing research clusters.
Conclusion: Programs for education and training that are targeted, equity-driven, and adapted for the informal sector are essential. Particularly in low- and middle-income nations, such programs can close the gap in human capital, raise individual incomes, strengthen labor resilience, and advance social justice and overall economic stability.
Downloads
Article Details
Copyright (c) 2025 Jamiu Adeniyi Yusuf, Muinat Abiodun Ibrahim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
(ILO). (2018). Women and Men in the Informal Economy:A Statistical Picture(third edition). In International Labour Office – Geneva (Third).
Akem, F. A., Wirba, E. L., & Baye, F. (2019). IUSSP Population , Poverty and Inequality Research Conference Ann Arbor ( Michigan ), United States , 27-29 June 2019 Gender Differentials in the Informal Labour Market of Cameroon. Conference Paper, June. GOOGLE
Alla-Mensah, J., & McGrath, S. (2023). A capability approach to understanding the role of informal apprenticeship in the human development of informal apprentices. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 75(4), 677–696. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2021.1951332
Campbell, K. A., Cammer, A., Moisey, L. L., Orr, E., Whitmore, C., & Jack, S. M. (2024). Critically appraising and utilising qualitative health research evidence in nutrition practice. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 37(1), 377–387. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13259
Chang, F. H. (2024). The impact of education costs on income inequality. International Review of Economics, 71(3), 553–574. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12232-024-00452-z
Chowdhury, S. R., Mendy, J., & Rahman, M. (2023). A Systematic Literature Review of GHRM: Organizational Sustainable Performance Reimagined Using a New Holistic Framework. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097513
Hao, X., Yang, X., Kou, K., Zhang, Y., & Guo, C. (2023). Research on the Contribution Mechanism of Vocational Human Capital Characteristics to Income. Education Sciences, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030246
Issofou, N., & Aicha, P. (2021). Heterogeneity in returns to schooling in Cameroon an estimation approach considering selection and endogeneity bias. In African Economic Research Consortium (Vol. 462, Issue 1). https://publication.aercafricalibrary.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f7b98f4c-3359-4832-bc15-a2f48f122a7c/content
Maximilien, K. O. U. L. N. (2023). Does the Accumulating Human Capital Determine the Decision to Work as Self-employed? Evidence from Cameroon. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(2), 5769–5793. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01179-y
Nanda, R. (2016). Financing high-potential entrepreneurship. IZA World of Labor, April, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.15185/izawol.252
Nikolov, P., & Jimi, N. (2019). What Factors Drive Individual Misperceptions of the Returns to Schooling in Tanzania? Some Lessons for Education Policy. SSRN Electronic Journal, 50(44). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3414636
OECD. (2023). Informality and Globalisation IN SEARCH OF A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT. OECD Ilibrary. https://doi.org/10.1787/c945c24f-en
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Bmj, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Torm, N. (2023). Training Returns Among Informal Workers: Evidence from Urban Sites in Kenya and Tanzania. In European Journal of Development Research (Vol. 36, Issue 6). SECO Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-024-00652-x
Vuc, D. E., & Stroe, V.-D. (2025). A Bibliometric Analysis on Overeducation, Undereducation, and Employability. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, 19(1), 1689–1699. https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2025-0130