Search results

Advanced search   My selection

Without a paddle: what to do about Canada’s young drop-outs

This report, based on data collected for an OECD study of young adults with low levels of education (the YALLE group), defined as ‘persons aged 20 to 24 years, who have not successfully completed high school, and who are not enrolled in education or in a work-study program’, examines their experience in the labour market in Canada and in other countries and identifies implications for Canadian policy-makers. The report presents the labour market outcomes of the YALLE group in comparison with those of other young adults with either higher levels of education, or longer experience in the labour market with the same low level of education. The objective of the study is to use international comparisons and the national patterns of labour market outcomes for young adults to try and identify lessons for Canadian employers, educators and governments. Key findings include: almost a quarter of a million young Canadians 20-to-24 years old have not successfully completed high school and are not pursuing further educational credentials; young men form the majority of the YALLE group in Canada; education has a much greater positive impact on employment opportunities than working experience; while young people in countries which offer strong vocational programs in high school have much better chances of finding a job in a skilled occupation, in Canada, almost all students who graduate from high school have been attending a program that is focused on preparing people for further education rather than for skilled jobs, and this accounts for the greater difficulties they face when they enter the labour market; and a third of Canadian 25-29 year olds with a college or university diploma moved into low-skilled occupations after graduation.

This report, based on data collected for an OECD study of young adults with low levels of education (the YALLE group), ...  Show Full Abstract  

Authors: Brouker, Patrice de
Corporate authors: Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN)
Date: 2005
Geographic subjects: North America; Canada
Resource type: Report
Series name: Work network research report
Subjects: Youth; Labour market; Outcomes;

VITAL Object