Non-formal education programmes to boost young people's development are increasingly common in the Global South. There is clear evidence of short-term impacts but much less is known about how far they lead to lasting change. Longitudinal studies from the Global North provide insights into the long-term effects of participation in extra-curricular…

A survey was conducted of young people who left school in Scotland in the 1993-94 academic year (the 1994 leavers). The survey sought information on the educational and employment activities of young people after they leave school, and their views and experiences of school itself, as well as background characteristics, such as parents' level of…

The rise of the service sector is a major trend common to all western, industrialized countries. Employment in the service sector has increased in 1960-1986 in all 10 countries participating in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation Human Resources project (Japan, Belgium, France,…

Official German unemployment statistics were analyzed along with data from Germany's microcensus and other published sources to identify recent labor market trends and to clarify the relationship between qualifications and employment opportunities in the new German economy. The analysis revealed that, as has been true for years, the lower the…

The question of whether inequality in skills explains inequality of earnings across advanced countries was examined through a review of data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), which examined the prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills of adults in 12 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and…

In order to develop conclusions about future policy aimed at addressing the challenge of workers at risk because of low skills, the NEWSKILLS project combined scientific analysis with consultation with social partner representatives, policy analysis, and field work in firms. Population proportions in International Standard Classification of…

Data drawn from 3 cycles of data collection for the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) were analyzed to identify the levels and distributions of literacy skills in the adult populations of 20 countries. The following were among the main conclusions: (1) in 14 of the countries, at least 15% of all adults have literacy skills at only the…

Efforts to improve career outcomes for youth in the United States and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries were reviewed. The review focused on the following topics: trends in the employment and schooling levels of youth in OECD countries; the emerging consensus on preparing all youth for careers; and approaches…

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted a thematic review to identify changes in young people's transition to working life during the 1990s and to identify those policies and programs that are effective in delivering successful transition outcomes for young people. The review focused on 14 countries with widely…