Labour Market Outcomes of Vocational Education in Europe: Evidence from the European Union Labour Force Survey. Research Paper No 32

This report focuses on the outcomes of vocational education and, in particular, on the transition from education to work in the current employment situation for young adults in the European Union. Using anonymised microdata from the EU labour force survey 2009 ad hoc module, this is one of the first studies to undertake a large cross-country comparison of the labour market outcomes of different education orientations and levels. The report underlines that vocational education graduates experience initially positive labour-market outcomes relative to graduates of medium-level general education. Vocational graduates enjoy a faster transition to work, are more likely to have a permanent first job, and are less likely to find a first job with a qualification mismatch. Additional country level analysis is complemented by an investigation of national institutional features as a possible explanation for cross-country differences in VET labour market outcomes. Annexes include: (1) ISCED [international standard classification of education] definitions; (2) Empirical models used in analysis; (3) Labour market institutions and VET premiums: Theoretical links; and (4) Robustness of institutional analysis. [This report is the result of a team effort, with contributions from Cedefop colleagues under the supervision of Pascaline Descy (Head of Research and Policy Analysis). Alex Stimpson coordinated the study. Marco Serafini and Konstantinos Pouliakas finalised the report. Giovanni Russo and Nick Sofroniou provided valuable input and suggestions throughout. Cedefop is grateful to Emilio Colombo and Luca Stanca (University of Milano-Bicocca) for the research and drafting. This work was carried out under Cedefop's service contract No AO/RPA/ALSTIMSERA/ labour market outcomes of VET/008/10.]