Previous research has explored various channels in the aid-growth relationship such as the real exchange rate, changes in manufacturing output, institutional capacity, and governance. This paper puts forward a new mechanism: human capital accumulation. International organizations financially support and/or directly collaborate with educational institutions to establish courses. The development sector, borne out of aid, demands skilled workers. The workforce in turn develops human capital to meet this demand. There is a consequent change in the skills composition in the host country, and thus the types of skills available to employers in the labor market. This may have implications for long-run growth. These mechanisms are explored through mixed-methods analysis of human capital accumulation at the tertiary level in Sierra Leone, a small low-income, aid-dependent country. The data show that post-war interventions have given rise to courses that develop skills that are demanded by local and international non-governmental organizations, but not the formal private sector. This shift toward development-type qualifications has led to excess supply of these graduates, alongside a shortage of graduates with training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The latter are highly demanded by the private sector.

先前的研究探索了援助与增长关系的各种渠道，例如实际汇率，制造业产出的变化，机构能力和治理。本文提出了一种新的机制：人力资本积累。国际组织在经济上支持和/或直接与教育机构合作建立课程。没有援助的发展部门需要熟练的工人。劳动力反过来发展人力资本来满足这一需求。结果，东道国的技能构成发生了变化，因此雇主在劳动力市场上可获得的技能类型也发生了变化。这可能会对长期增长产生影响。这些机制是通过对塞拉利昂（一个小规模的低收入国家）的第三级人力资本积累进行混合方法分析而探索的，依赖援助的国家。数据表明，战后干预产生了一些课程，这些课程培养了当地和国际非政府组织（而非正规私营部门）所需的技能。向发展型资格的转变导致这些毕业生的供应过剩，同时缺乏受过科学，技术，工程和数学培训的毕业生。私营部门强烈要求后者。技术，工程学和数学。私营部门强烈要求后者。技术，工程学和数学。私营部门强烈要求后者。