Skills acquisition and economic mobility of Yemeni immigrant workers in Malaysia

Abstract

Migrant workers are characterized by no/low skills, no/low level of education, low income and less mobility based on the human capital theory. However, the concepts of their skills and mobility are not necessarily right when applying the sociological perspective. From this perspective, learning of skills is a social process that is embedded in social relations, social networks and ethnic niches thus function as important mechanisms of non-formal learning and skills development which build up to create upscale economic mobility. This study employs sociological perspective to understand the processes of skill acquisition, skill transfer and economic mobility of Yemeni migrant (restaurant) workers in the Malaysian immigrant labor market. Having this main purpose, this research studied a sample of ten Yemeni migrant (restaurant) workers in the State of Johor. Semi structured interviews with open-ended questions were used to gain insights about the work histories in their country of origin, work experiences in Malaysia, role of social networks and ethnic niches for non-formal learning and skills development and job jumping and mobility. Interviews were translated, transcribed and summarized in details and then coded into themes for analysis. This study found that many Yemeni immigrant workers arrived to Malaysia with some skills directly or indirectly relevant to their jobs in Malaysia which they acquired in their home/ third country. The study further found that Yemeni immigrant (restaurant) workers have acquired linguistic and occupational skills through social networks and ethnic niches that help them develop their career and/or move to jobs with high advancement opportunities that can ultimately improve their working conditions and build economic mobility pathways through job jumping and on-the-job learning.