It is well established that a successful transition to the labour market has long-term social and economic implications for both individuals and society. However, the journey from school to the world of work is not straightforward and needs to be better understood. Based on data from the 2006 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth…

The rise of China as the world factory in the last few decades has been accompanied by a rapid expansion in vocational education. A growing number of youth from rural backgrounds now have the chance to receive post-compulsory education in vocational training schools. Using human capital theory as an analytical focus, this study examines their…

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) are a series of nationally representative surveys of young people, which follow their transitions from compulsory schooling to postschool education and into employment. The survey program is administered by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) on behalf of the Australian…

Despite the massive expansion of higher education in China since 1998, the cohort trends of urban and rural "hukou" holders in college attendance have widened sharply. Prevailing explanations emphasize the advantages of urban students over rural students in school quality and household financial resources. We propose the structural…

This article examines cross-country variations in adult skills inequality and asks why skills in Anglophone countries are so unequal. Drawing on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's recent Survey of Adult Skills and other surveys, it investigates the differences across countries and country groups in inequality in both…

Young people in Africa encounter many difficulties in entering the labour market and in searching for decent and productive jobs. Research on the links between formal education and vocational training and their economic returns are especially crucial in understanding the inadequate demand for their labour. This article presents evidence based on…

Successive governments, agencies and employer organisations have stressed the need for school leavers to be better prepared for working life, in particular, to achieve what are frequently termed employability skills; schools are expected to contribute to this policy agenda. Some academic commentators, however, criticise the concept of…

The school-to-work transition is a crucial life stage for young people, and research has often shown that this stage has important effects on their entire life courses. In recent years, young people willing to enter the labour market have been challenged by increasing uncertainty and comparatively high unemployment. These labour market trends have…

Workers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields play a direct role in driving economic growth. Yet, because of how the STEM economy has been defined, policymakers have mainly focused on supporting workers with at least a bachelor's (BA) degree, overlooking a strong potential workforce of those with less than a BA. This report…

To what extent do local governments use vocational education and training as a staff retention strategy? Human resources personnel from a selection of councils around Australia believed that a lack of career development or training opportunities might cause an employee to leave their organisation. They had some reservations about the quality and…

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION WAS EXPLORED WITH RESPECT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERU. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROBLEM WAS TO IDENTIFY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT APPEAR TO BE INSTRUCTIONAL IN ACHIEVING PERUVIAN NATIONAL GOALS. THE ASSUMPTION OF THE STUDY WAS THAT, ALTHOUGH EDUCATION MAY BE A PREREQUISITE FOR ENTRANCE IN AN OCCUPATION, IT IS THE…

The article offers a cursory look at how women faculty members in public community colleges perceive their career opportunities, what their advancement possibilities and career aspirations are, and how they see the dual role of managing home and career. (Author/MW)

Using data gathered from 15 local agencies, this study sought to identify the number of physically handicapped individuals who could benefit from educational experiences in existing technical and occupational programs in the city colleges of Chicago. Answers were sought to questions such as the following: (1) What are the categories of…

Though women are entering the paid work force in increasing numbers, their distribution across occupational categories is far from even. Women workers are clustered in traditional women's work jobs and represent only five percent of the nation's craft workers. In an effort to discover the motivations, experiences, and attitudes of women in…

THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR POST-HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, THE ABILITY OF EXISTING FACILITIES TO MEET THE NEEDS, FACTORS WHICH RESTRICT THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND COURSES OF ACTION FOR MEETING LOCAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, ADULTS, MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN BUCKS COUNTY, AND…