An analysis of skill gaps of Dutch business and administration (associate) professionals in the era of automation : a two-step approach

This thesis examines the skill gap emerging in the Dutch labor market as a result of increasing automation. The bulk of employment prospects in the Netherlands will be trained for highly skilled jobs and professions, according to Cedefop’s country report on skills forecasts. As a result, future skill sets must be investigated utilizing data analysis, which provides new insights into the predicted skill compositions of both business and administration professionals. Therefore, this thesis attempts to determine the emerging skill sets needed for “business & administration professionals” and “business & administration associate professionals” over the next 10 to 15 years, applying a two-step approach. A quantitative analysis of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database was conducted throughout the first step. We specifically analyzed standardized importance ratings of skills required to succeed in one’s chosen occupation. As a second step, qualitative, semistructured interviews with experts currently in the field were conducted. Finally, the findings were related to the database’s findings in the Netherlands. Participants were recruited for this study based on their employment or their prior research conducted in the area of business administration professionals.