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Preparing for Successful Transitions between Education and Employment in the Twenty-First Century

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Abstract

The restructuring of the labour market due to the twin forces of rapid technological changes and globalisation has changed the employment landscape, thus, impacting upon transitions between education and employment. Young people seeking to avoid low-skill, low-paid employment have been encouraged to complete high-level educational qualifications before entering the labour market. Thus, youth are experiencing protracted transitions between education and employment and the period during which they are dependent on their families is lengthening. Whether these investments in high-level educational credentials are rewarded in the labour market is the focus of this study. Drawing on survey data collected by the Life Patterns project, I find that the association between having a high level of education and securing permanent full-time employment is weaker than expected. Furthermore, level of education is not associated with levels of job satisfaction. Analysis of comments provided by the participants suggests that there is a level of disenchantment with the breakdown of the relationship between high levels of education and full-time employment.

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Funding

This phase of the Life Patterns research program titled “Learning to make it work: education, work and wellbeing in young adulthood” is funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) from 2016 to 2020 (DP160101611). The Life Patterns team includes Professor Johanna Wyn, Professor Helen Cahill, Professor Carmen Leccardi, Associate Professor Dan Woodman, Associate Professor Hernan Cuervo, Dr. Eric Fu, Dr. Mark Mallman, and Dr. Andres Molina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Jenny Chesters

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  1. Jenny Chesters
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Correspondence to Jenny Chesters.

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Conflict of Interest

The author is a colleague of Associate Professor Hernan Cuervo, the Editor of this journal

Appendix

Appendix

Table 5 Comparison of the wave 1 characteristics of the original sample and the 2018 analytical sample
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Chesters, J. Preparing for Successful Transitions between Education and Employment in the Twenty-First Century. JAYS 3, 133–151 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43151-020-00002-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43151-020-00002-8

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