Millennium Nucleus for the Study of Labor Market Mismatches: Causes and Consequences LM2C2
About Us
The Millennium Nucleus for the Study of Labor Market Mismatches: Causes and Consequences (LM²C²) is a research center led by academics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC), Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB), and Universidad Diego Portales (UDP). The center focuses on studying labor market mismatches—the disparities between individuals' skills and the characteristics of their jobs. LM²C² seeks to identify the root causes of these mismatches, assess their economic and social impacts, and generate rigorous knowledge to inform the design of more effective and sustainable public policies.
Team and Leadership
Founded in November 2022, LM²C² is part of the Millennium Science Initiative of the Chilean National Agency for Research and Development (ANID). It is directed by Felipe Balmaceda, Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University and Associate Professor at Universidad Andrés Bello. The interdisciplinary team includes experts in applied economics, data analysis, sociology, and public policy: Paola Bordón (Universidad de Chile), Benjamín Villena (Universidad Andrés Bello), Andrea Canales (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Mauricio Bucca (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Mauricio Tejada (Universidad Diego Portales), Tania Hutt (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Junior Researcher.
Our Approach
To help close the gap between education and real labor market opportunities—and to make knowledge more accessible—LM²C² launched the Summer School of Economics and Sociology. This initiative offers 11th and 12th-grade students the opportunity to experience university life and gain tools to explore their interests and make more informed academic and career decisions. The program promotes awareness of labor mismatches and enthusiasm for research and higher education.
These goals are pursued through various initiatives, including graduate student mentorship, school community outreach, and partnerships with public institutions to support evidence-based policymaking. Main Areas of Work:
Outreach and Engagement
To help close the gap between education and real labor market opportunities—and to make knowledge more accessible—LM²C² launched the Summer School of Economics and Sociology. This initiative offers 11th and 12th-grade students the opportunity to experience university life and gain tools to explore their interests and make more informed academic and career decisions. The program promotes awareness of labor mismatches and enthusiasm for research and higher education.
Advanced Human Capital Development
LM²C² has actively integrated 17 master's and doctoral students into its research lines, who collaborate in the development of studies, data analysis, and publications while advancing their own theses related to labor market mismatches. This experience provides them with access to specialized training, academic mentoring, and research networks, strengthening their development as future researchers in applied economics and public policy. Some of these students have already earned their degrees, consolidating a new generation of researchers shaped around the core questions addressed by LM²C².
Our Collaboration Networks
To enhance the technical foundation of public policy design and evaluation, LM²C² has established various institutional partnerships and plays an active role in national and international research networks.
Benjamín Villena, Principal Investigator, serves as Academic Co-Director of the SABE Project, which analyzes labor supply and demand in Chile using real-time job posting data. Paola Bordón, Alternate Director, is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Commission on Labor Forecasting, a multi-sectoral body led by the Undersecretary of Labor that anticipates labor market trends to inform public policy. Together with Mauricio Tejada, she co-led a study with the Ministry of Labor on how technological change is transforming labor demand, using data from the National Employment Exchange (BNE).
Mauricio Tejada serves on the Technical Investment Council (CTI) of the Superintendence of Pensions, representing universities in evaluating pension fund investments and contributing evidence-based insights to the pension policy debate.
Andrea Canales, Associate Researcher, participates in the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), one of the world's most prominent databases for comparative research on inequality, income, and poverty. This allows LM²C²'s work to be contextualized within a broader global perspective.
Our Research Lines
LM²C² adopts a multidisciplinary approach, integrating economics, sociology, and data science to study labor market mismatches. Its six core research areas explore the mechanisms through which labor gaps emerge and persist:
- Job Design and Productivity
- Employment Platforms
- Inequality and Mobility in the Labor Market Informality
- Discrimination
- Human Capital Accumulation
- Why do some people struggle to access jobs that match their qualifications?
- How does social background shape career trajectories?
- What obstacles do informal workers face in improving their livelihoods?
- How do gender and racial biases limit access to employment opportunities?
English 
Español de Chile