Visualising the school-to-work transition: An analysis using optimal matching

(2013) - Richard Dorsett, Paolo Lucchino

Journal: Journal of Social Policy
Link::
DOI::
Links::
Tags:: #paper #Transition #school-to-work #SequenceAnalysis
Cite Key:: [@Dorsett2013]

Abstract

This paper explores the school-to-work transition in the UK with the aim of achieving a richer understanding of individuals' choices and activities in the ve years after reaching school-leaving age. Through the technique of `optimal matching', we assess the degree of similarity between individuals' post-16 experiences in a way that captures the full detail of their ve-year histories. We consider individuals reaching school-leaving age between 1991 and 2003 and, on the basis of the measures of similarity, identify a small number of distinct transition patterns. Our results suggest that while 9 out of 10 young people have generally positive experiences post-16, the remaining individuals exhibit a variety of histories that might warrant policy attention. We assess the extent to which characteristics at age 16 can predict which type of trajectory a young person will follow. Our results con rm the predictive power of school attainment (grades), family background (parental quali cations, parental and sibling labour market status) and gender. These characteristics are known to be strongly correlated across individuals and raise concerns about the degree of socio-economic polarisation in the transition from school to work.

Notes

“paper explores the school-to-work transition in the UK with the aim of achieving a richer understanding of individuals' choices and activities in the ve years after reaching school-leaving age.” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 1)

“`optimal matching', we assess the degree of similarity between individuals' post-16 experiences in a way that captures the full detail of their ve-year histories” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 1)

“Our results suggest that while 9 out of 10 young people have generally positive experiences post-16, the remaining individuals exhibit a variety of histories that might warrant policy attention.” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 1)

“Our results conrm the predictive power of school attainment (grades), family background (parental qualications, parental and sibling labour market status) and gender” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 1)

“The school-to-work transition has increased in complexity over the years” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 20)

“We identify six key groups, which we have called Planned interruption?', Partial recovery', Long-term worklessness', NEET from 16', NEET from 18' and withdrawals from the labour market'.” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 21)

“The ability to identify in advance who is at risk of an unsuccessful transition into the labour market provides important clues as to the type of policy that might be eective and who it should target.” (Dorsett and Lucchino, 2013, p. 21)