This dissertation presents three separate essays. The first two essays explore the gender wage gap and its dynamics in urban China from 1995 to 2018. The first chapter decomposes the gender wage gap based on the observed wage for workers with a precise measure of the hourly wages. The first chapter examines the observed average gender wage gap in…

This qualitative exploratory study sought to understand highly educated Iraqi and Syrian refugees' perceptions of their learning experiences during economic integration in Luxembourg. This research sought to elucidate how these new migrants learned to integrate in a country with a long tradition of migration but little exposure to Arabic-speaking…

This dissertation study focuses on upper secondary technical and vocational education (TVE) in China. It empirically examines the characteristics of TVE participants and the labor market impacts of participating in upper secondary TVE relative to attending general high schools. Using nationally representative datasets from China, this study has…

This dissertation study focuses on a current and controversial phenomenon in Chinese universities and colleges--student working during academic semesters. The massification of Chinese higher education since the year of 1999 raises the level of competition in the job market of college graduates. More and more undergraduate students participate in…

The purpose of this study was to explore Bulgarian immigrants' narratives with respect to their perceptions of immigrant work challenges; learning at work; work or occupational preferences; immigrant careers, including job transitions and professional development; strategies with respect to work; support at work; satisfaction gained from work; and…

The study examined the association between race and employment experiences among Veterans with disability to determine if employment experience differed for White and Black Veterans in the labor market. The research revealed typical characteristics of employment experiences, which suggest that work is completed at multiple levels, based on…

Although becoming increasingly diverse over the last 50 years, American occupations remain highly segregated and black workers are still underrepresented in managerial and professional occupations. To better understand the documented racial inequality in access to high status positions within the American labor market, this study investigates the…

College degree attainment is an important predictor of labor market outcomes. Earning a degree beyond high school has an impact on participation in the labor force, occupational status, and earnings. Black males in the United States are at risk of not pursuing or completing post-secondary education and are underrepresented in professional and…

This study investigates the recruitment and retention challenges, facing municipal government IT organizations in Southern California, by examining the relationships between worker demographics, competencies, experience levels, tenure, and training within the organizations. Utilizing a mixed method, non-experimental design, the study examines…

The future employment market will require college graduates to possess strong and effective leadership skills. It is crucial that higher education provide numerous and practical opportunities for students to develop these skills. Research confirms that preparing students for leadership roles is one of the founding tenets of American higher…

After the fall of the Soviet Union and its transition in the 1990s towards a democratic form of government, Mongolia was forced to embark upon a complete series of reforms within society, including within its education sector. Mongolia's higher education sector was significantly affected by this change. Private higher education institutions…