Lower-level qualifications as a stepping stone for young people

• Published in: Australian journal of labour economics 2014-01, Vol.17 (1), p.15-33
• Main Author: Oliver, Damian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Apprenticeship; Apprenticeships; Arbeitsloser Jugendlicher; Arbeitsmarktchance; Australien; Berufsausbildung; Berufschance; Berufseignung; Berufseinmündung; Beschäftigungseffekt; Beschäftigungsfähigkeit; Certificate courses; Control groups; Councils; Economics; Education; Employment; Gender differences; Inequality; Jugendarbeitslosigkeit; Labor market; Labour force; Learning; Longitudinal studies; Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY); Männlicher Jugendlicher; Niedrig Qualifizierter; Outcomes of education; Pathways; Public policy; Qualifications; Qualifikationsdefizit; Students; Studies; Surveys; Traineeships; Training; Vocational education; Vocational education and training; Weibliche Jugendliche; Well being; Youth; Youth employment; Übergang Ausbildung - Beruf; Übergang Schule - Beruf
• ISSN: 1328-1143

This article investigates whether lower-level qualifications (certificate I and II qualifications) serve as a 'stepping stone' to further study or into the labour market. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), the research matches certificate I and II graduates to other young people who share similar characteristics but who have neither completed, nor are undertaking, study or training at a higher level. Two years after completing a certificate I or II qualification, young males are more likely to have undertaken an apprenticeship or traineeship, when compared with other individuals with similar background characteristics. After two years, young female certificate I and II graduates are more likely to be employed and to have undertaken an apprenticeship or traineeship when compared with other similar females. At age 26, the benefits of completing a certificate I or II qualification are still apparent for males but at the same age, females in the control group have caught up to their counterparts who are certificate I and II graduates. [Author abstract]