The Swedish government has overall responsibility for the education system and sets the policy framework at all education levels. National goals and learning outcomes are defined centrally but with decentralised implementation. Swedish vocational education and training (VET) starts after compulsory education at age 16 and includes programmes at…

Half a million higher education graduates enter the labour market every year in Mexico. While their labour market outcomes are considerably better on average than those of upper secondary education graduates, some higher education graduates face periods of inactivity and unemployment. Many graduates who find work end up being over-qualified or…

Governors plays a central role in ensuring that public educational institutions provide students with the knowledge and abilities required for a successful life and career. The systemic use of data from education and labor markets informs governors and other policymakers of the effectiveness and efficiency of their existing postsecondary systems…

Issues of postsecondary education access and attainment have a direct impact on individuals' social and economic mobility, the labor market, and the nation's ability to stay globally competitive. Sample surveys--cross-sectional or longitudinal surveys of a subpopulation of individuals--on precollege experiences and preparation, postsecondary…

Though a relative small part of the school sector, private schools have an important role in British society, and there are policy concerns about their negative effect on social mobility. Other studies show that individuals who have attended a private school go on to have higher levels of educational achievement, are more likely to secure a…

In the educational policy of Russia, considerable space is devoted to questions of how to bring the professional and qualification structure of cadre training on the different levels of professional education into conformity with the needs of the labor market. To accomplish these tasks it will be necessary, as is pointed out in the "Report on…

In this paper we attempt to measure the educational mismatch, seen as a problem of overeducation, using a multidimensional and fuzzy methodology. Educational mismatch can be difficult to measure because many factors can converge to its definition and the traditional unidimensional indicators presented in literature can offer a restricted view of…

Affirmative action policies in higher education are used in many countries to try to socially advance historically disadvantaged minorities. Although the underlying social objectives of these policies are rarely criticized, there is intense debate over the actual impact of such preferences in higher education on educational performance and labor…

This work reflects the results of a student survey and focus-group discussions and in-depth interviews with educators and policy practitioners to examine the connections between the higher education system and labour market demands in Azerbaijan. A notion of an Index of Students' Optimism regarding employment prospects has been introduced in this…

In 2006, there were an estimated 181,000 low-income children in the province, with British Columbia (BC) reporting the highest before-tax child poverty rate (21.9%) in Canada (15.8%) for the fifth year in a row. This was the news in the "2008 Child Poverty Report Card" recently released by the First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy…

In this chapter, the authors take a broad perspective on how to analyze issues of technology and equity for youth in the United States. They begin with "access" as a starting point, but consider not only whether diverse groups of youth have digital media available to them but also how that access is supported or constrained by…

Results from a comparative investigation of French and German industry are presented, and the close relationship between the national employment structures and respective educational and training systems is demonstrated. Conclusions are drawn about current debate in Germany about vocational training policies. (Author/MSE)

Argues that education can not guarantee social or occupational mobility, or even work, for minority groups in the United Kingdom. Presents evidence that labor market disadvantage for minority groups arises from direct racist discrimination, ethnocentric notions of "acceptability," and word-of-mouth recruitment of employees. Contains 54…

This review suggests that research on the relationship between higher education and the world of work has been closely linked to changing themes of policy and practice. A diversity of research approaches is noted, as well as a common core of issues. Suggests that research in this area be based on anticipation of changes likely in the future, e.g.,…

An Ontario (Canada) study used longitudinal data on high school seniors of 1973 to investigate educational and work decisions, looking at such factors as the influence of student characteristics on skill-to-job mismatch, predictors of mismatch for college versus university graduates, and effects of student exposure to alternative education on…