Basic Skills in Adolescents' Occupational Preparation

(1997) - John M. Bynner

Journal: The Career Development Quarterly
Link:: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2161-0045.1997.tb00536.x
DOI:: 10.1002/j.2161-0045.1997.tb00536.x
Links::
Tags:: #paper #Transition #school-to-work
Cite Key:: [@Bynner1997]

Abstract

Occupational preparation is directed at giving young people access to continuing and rewarding employment. It attempts to impart personal qualities and competencies that will attract potential employers and provide the particular skills necessary for employment in different kinds of jobs. This article addresses the first of these two issues: what are the basic elements of employability, and how do young people acquire them?

Notes

“High levels of adult unemployment in areas of declining industry reduce job and training opportunities for 16-year-old school leavers (graduates) (Ashton & Lowe, 1991;Banks et al., 1992;Coleman, 1993” (Bynner, 1997, p. 1)

“Human capital theory maintains that employers value qualifications because of the investment in education and training, and consequent skill acquisitions that they represent, and because vocational skills relate directly to the work itself (Becker, 1975; Erikson & Goldthorpe, 1992” (Bynner, 1997, p. 1)

“social exclusion theory suggests almost the opposite. Employers are not particularly interested in the skills acquired through education; their interest lies in the selection embodied in high levels of certification on the part of job applicants (Collins, 1979).In other words, employers can use certification to select applicants who have what they view as the right social and personal qualities, so thatthe social structure comprised of privileged (middle class) versus underprivileged (working class) reproduces itself” (Bynner, 1997, p. 1) These are one and the same thing just with different normative frames

“In a survey to which this paper relates, women at the age of 21 with poor literacy skills were 5 times as likely to have had two or more children than were those whose literacy skills were “average”(Ekinsmyth & Bynner, 1994).” (Bynner, 1997, p. 2)

“n the case of young women, however, one role-that of mother-an effectively block out, at least temporarily, the role of employee or paid worker” (Bynner, 1997, p. 2)

“It is usefulto set these features of occupational skills in the context of the shaping of identity in general.According to Marcia (1966), building on Erikson's (1956)ideas, over the period of adolescence, individuals move through the phases of identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and attainment (see also Knoff, 1987). The labor market, and specific occupations within it, set particular limits on what constitutes employability” (Bynner, 1997, p. 3)

“Altogether, 16 literacy tasks and 14numeracy tasks of this kind were used in the test. Each answer was scored right or wrong, and aggregate literacy and numeracy scores were computed” (Bynner, 1997, p. 4)

“In addition to the literacy and numeracy tests and the questions about vocational training and early employment experience, respondents completed a work-related skills inventory.” (Bynner, 1997, p. 4)

“The literacy scores were highly skewed towards high scores: the majority of respondents could do most of the tasks. The numeracy scores, however, were much more evenly distributed. The means (M>and the 1%confidence intervals (CI)for the scores further reflect the different distributions (Literacy,M = 7.97, CI = .lo;Numeracy, M = 5.99;CI =. 14)” (Bynner, 1997, p. 6)

“Only one fifth of those with low literacy scores had stayed on in education, compared with two thirds of those with high scores.” (Bynner, 1997, p. 6)