Search Results

This paper highlights some of the significant trends, consequences and changes that have taken place in the area of young people's transition from initial education to the labour market in the United States. The paper begins with a brief summary of differences and similarities in the current youth labour market in comparison with twenty years ago. The author then investigates empirical evidence relating to the consequences of early unemployment for school leavers on their subsequent labour market experience. The discussion then focuses on critical issues relating to the basic skill competencies of young people entering the labour market for the first time. In conclusion, the findings from empirical evidence are briefly summarised. Tables and graphs contain statistical data in support of the text.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper presents an overview of the current situation of the youth labour market in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. In particular, the emphasis is on trends and policy developments since the end of 1970s. The paper begins with an analysis of the situation of young people in initial education and examines the ways in which young people are prepared to enter the labour market. The youth labour market is described in terms of labour supply, demand and earnings. The paper then examines the transition from initial education to the labour market, from both short and long-term perspectives, and discusses various strategies designed to improve youth labour market prospects. The authors address the major issue of developing integrated and effective educational, labour market and social policies to facilitate successful transition to work for young people, in particular those in disadvantaged groups.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper examines the reasons for the current condition of the youth labour market in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in light of the deterioration of career employment and earning opportunities for youth over the last two decades. The author investigates the response of young people to these conditions through increased enrolment in higher education, a shift in choice of fields of study and occupation from science and liberal arts to business related areas, and a delay in the formation of families and longer residence in parental homes. Possible strategies to improve the conditions of the youth labour market are fielded. Statistical tables are included to support the text.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper attempts to interpret the educational problems experienced by at-risk students, demonstrate the outcome of initiatives designed to redress the disadvantage, and, by conceptualising the problems in terms of action by individuals, schools and systems, identify key lessons for policy and practice to improve the educational performance of at-risk students. The paper defines at-risk students as those at serious risk of educational failure and unlikely to succeed in the transition from school to work. The authors discuss several factors associated with educational failure, including individual causes such as lack of intellectual ability, family and school factors, characteristics inherent in education systems, and employment opportunities. Previous attempts to protect at-risk youth from the effects of educational failure are identified and described under three categories. These are specific programs in individual schools, focused intervention programs, and system reform. However, evaluative evidence has shown none of these to be as effective as planned. The authors conclude with an outline of eight key lessons for future policy development and practice.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper reports on the labour market status of young people under the age of 25 in several Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and examines the evolution of their situation during the 1990s. The discussion explores the factors commonly used to explain differences between countries, including demographic factors, wage costs, and training. Finally, the author investigates the underlying dynamics of labour markets and employment systems, with particular focus on the issue of youth labour utilisation within the productive system.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper presents an overview of youth employment programs, referred to as active labour market policies (ALMPs), initiated in response to increasing youth unemployment. An analysis of two decades of experience with these programs attempts to draw conclusions useful to the future implementation of such policies. The review is restricted to experiences in France, Sweden and the United Kingdom, although some aspects are compared with North American experience. The analysis begins with an investigation of subsidised job programs in the European context, then examines the effects of such programs on youth and the overall employment situation. The final section presents conclusions that could benefit future ALMP development. The author recommends that effective programs require accurate targeting of young people in terms of their degree of employability and likely benefits from participation, and implementation rather than design seems essential to success. However, overall economic reform aimed at creating employment, is the most crucial factor in the effectiveness of youth employment programs.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper describes production schools, a Danish Ministry of Education strategy initiated at the end of the 1970s as one response to increasing youth unemployment and low participation in postcompulsory education. The example of the Korsor production school is used to demonstrate the unique combination of craftsman's skills, integrated theoretical education, personal development, student guidance and cultural education offered in these schools. These schools offer broad training to cater for a wide range of students with various social backgrounds and levels of education. The production schools have evolved into independent schools operating within a broad legislative framework but with the freedom to adapt activities to suit local conditions and maintain local involvement. The authors discuss various aspects including the role of the schools within the educational framework, target groups for the schools, school organisation, tasks, objectives and flexibility, teaching and learning methodology, and outcomes. Statistical tables are included to support the text.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This report presents a selective overview of the issues and evidence drawn from two decades of research into the school-to-work transition of young people in advanced economies. The report begins with a discussion of the problems in the school-to-work area, noting the similarities and differences between various advanced economies. The paper concentrates on the experiences of the USA, France, Japan and Germany to highlight the issues. The discussion provides a detailed examination of path dependence, where school-to-work transition outcomes are affected by events in transit, such as educational failure or unemployment, mobility in the youth labour market, and youth employment shares. Government policies in response to youth unemployment are also evaluated. Finally, the author examines the potential of national institutional programs for transition from school to work resulting from sustained development and ongoing expenditure. The German mass apprenticeship system and the Japanese system of school-employer linkages are two such examples used to demonstrate that these approaches have the potential to be the most effective.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This paper reviews active labour market policies (ALMPs) implemented in Europe with the aim of improving the employability of disadvantaged youth and facilitating their integration into the labour market. The author begins with an examination of the concept of 'disadvantaged youth' and identifies obstacles to participation in labour market programs. The paper then provides a brief overview of the effectiveness of ALMPs and compares the level of effectiveness between programs employing various modalities, such as job training, recruitment subsidies and direct employment programs. Finally, the discussion focuses on recent trends and perspectives in policy where social protection is provided in exchange for individual commitment to integration through community service, training or participation in work experience programs. Research reveals that ALMPs are most effective when the most disadvantaged groups are selectively targeted and the author concludes with implications for the development of effective ALMPs in the future.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/IRD 88.133. Show less

This conference, organised jointly by the US Departments of Labor and Education and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), examined the problems of youth unemployment twenty years on from the previous OECD conference held in 1977. The focus of the 1999 conference was on the transition of young people from initial education to the labour market and the major concern of youth unemployment. The conference sought to assess the effectiveness of current government policies implemented by different countries to address educational, labour market and social problems. It identifies key considerations for future policy development including the importance of early intervention for disadvantaged youth and effective labour market policy design through the involvement of employers and accurate knowledge of local labour market conditions. Several workshops addressed the following issues: the protection of at-risk youth from educational failure; innovative practices in linking initial education to the world of work; facilitating the transition from initial education to the labour market; improving youth access to jobs and careers and the role of labour market institutions and regulation; policies to improve the employability of disadvantaged youth; and promoting job creation for disadvantaged youth. The document contains the following papers: Background report: giving young people a good start: the experience of OECD countries / Norman Bowers, Anne Sonnet and Laura Bardone; The youth job market problem at Y2K / Richard B. Freeman; Improving educational performance of at-risk youth / Peter Mortimore and Jo Mortimore; The Korsor production school and the Danish production schools / Gert Moeller and Verner Ljung; Improving pathways in the United States from high school to college and career / David Stern; The contribution of education and training to the employability of youth: changing concerns, debates and measures / Ulrich Teichler; Youth labour market entry in France / Patrick Werquin; The transition from initial education to the labour market: recent experience in the United States / Lisa M. Lynch; The Japanese employment system and youth labour market / Naoki Mitani; Youth unemployment in OECD countries: how can the disparities be explained? / Olivier Marchand; Labour market policies for disadvantaged young people in Europe / Ides Nicaise; Lessons from education and training for youth: five precepts / W. Norton Grubb; Promoting employment for youth: a European perspective / Jerome Gautie; Improving job market outcomes for youth: the US experience with demand side approaches / Robert I. Lerman; Rapporteur's report: the school-to-work transition twenty years on: issues, evidence and conundrums / Paul Ryan.

Selected papers are indexed from TD/INT 59.353 to TD/INT 59.367. Show less