Unemployment and subsequent earnings for Swedish college graduates: a study of scarring effects

Unemployment immediately upon graduation is associated with substantial and permanent future earnings losses. Even for very short unemployment spells the estimated earnings losses are statistically significant. These results are stable for the inclusion of a rich set of observable control variables, including grade point average from high school and parental educational level, and for choice of method i.e. OLS and propensity score matching. This lends some support for the interpretation that unemployment upon graduation has the causal effect of reducing future earnings prospects.Scarring; State dependence; Higher education; College-to-work

The study pace among college students before and after a student aid reform: some Swedish results

In 2001, the Swedish system of student aid for college students was substantially re-formed; the grant-share of the total aid was increased, students were allowed to earn more without a reduction in student aid, and the repayment schedule of the loans was significantly tightened. In this paper, we examine the effects of the reform on individual study efficiency, measured as the number of credit points achieved each semester. We use all program students with a first registration at a Swedish college between 1995 and 2001(before the reform) and estimate a linear regression model including individual fixed effects. There is a slightly positive and significant effect of the reform on the ag-gregate level. However, dividing the sample conditionally on the parental educational level reveals that the individual study efficiency has increased only for students from a strong academic background. In other words, the relative study efficiency has decreased for students from a weak academic background. The different results between students from different parental backgrounds appear to be related to the reallocation of time be-tween work and studies.study efficiency; time-to-graduation; university education; student aid

Stability of college rankings - A study of relative earnings estimates applying different methods and models on Swedish data

The ranking of colleges varies both across methods and model specifications. Still, earnings equations tend to be consistent with regard to which colleges that on average are found in the top and bottom half of the earnings distribution. Moreover, there are no systematic differences in the ranking of colleges dependent on the age of the college, i.e. old versus new colleges. Although ranking by earnings equations provide some information about the relation to earnings, endogeneity issues preclude any causal interpretation of the rankings presented here.University education; college chocie; ranking

The importance of education for the reallocation of labor: evidence from Swedish linked employer-employee data 1986-2002

Using employer-employee data covering the whole Swedish economy over a uniquely long time period from 1986 to 2002, we examine how job flows and worker flows have been distributed both on an aggregate level and across educational levels. We find that job and worker flows vary by educational level, not only with respect to magnitude and variation, but with respect to direction as well. Our results show that analyses that do not account for the educational level of workers can be very misleading.Linked employer-employee data; job and worker flows; education

The importance of age for the reallocation of labor. Evidence from Swedish linked employer-employee data 1986-2002

Using employer-employee data covering the whole Swedish economy over a uniquely long time period from 1986 to 2002, we examine how job and worker flows have been distributed across age groups. We find that job and worker flows vary by age groups, not only with respect to magnitude and variation, but with respect to direction as well. The differences between the age groups are mainly driven by the job creation rates. Further, estimating a multinomial logistic model, we investigate the importance of age for leaving, changing or entering a new employment. Even though controlling for a number of factors, estimated age effects are substantial.Linked employer-employee data; job and worker flows; cyclicality; age

The importance of education for the reallocation of labor. Evidence from Swedish linked employer-employee data 1986-2002

Using employer-employee data covering the whole Swedish economy over a uniquely long time period from 1986 to 2002, we examine how job flows and worker flows have been distributed both on an aggregate level and across educational levels. We find that job and worker flows vary by educational level, not only with respect to magnitude and variation, but with respect to direction as well. Our results show that analyses that do not account for the educational level of workers can be very misleading.Linked employer-employee data; job and worker flows; education

The College-to-work Transition during the 1990:s. Evidence from Sweden

This paper analyzes the time it takes for Swedish college graduates to start a full-time job that lasts for six month or more. The focus is on the transition from college-to-work during the period 1991–1999. This period covers both upturns and downturns of the business cycle, providing a unique opportunity to consider the importance of the timing of graduation. The results show that the risk of unemployment and the unemployment duration have varied considerably with the business cycle, both within and between cohorts. For example, field of education is more important for the studied outcomes during recessions. Further, the relative risk of unemployment has decreased across time for individuals with the highest degree of education whereas the unemployment duration has increased, indicating that the selection into unemployment for this group may have changed over time. This is interesting, not least in the light of the rapid expansion of the higher educational system during the studied period.college graduates; work; college-to-work-transition; unemployment; education

Stability of college rankins. A study of relative earnings estimates applying different methods and models on Swedish data

The ranking of colleges varies both across methods and model specifications. Still, earnings equations tend to be consistent with regard to which colleges that on average are found in the top and bottom half of the earnings distribution. Moreover, there are no systematic differences in the ranking of colleges dependent on the age of the college, i.e. old versus new colleges. Although ranking by earnings equations provide some information about the relation to earnings, endogeneity issues preclude any causal interpretation of the rankings presented here.University education; College choice; Ranking

Inkomstpremier av lärosäten för män och kvinnor som tog en examen under 1990-talet

Resultaten i den här studien visar att sambandet mellan lärosäte och inkomster ser mycket olika ut för kvinnor och män. För kvinnor är få lärosäten statistiskt säkerställda och resultaten är känsliga för olika modellspecifikationer. För män är flera lärosäten statistiskt säkerställda samtidigt som resultaten är stabila mellan olika specifikationer. Val av regional arbetsmarknad förklarar sambandet mellan lärosäte och inkomster för kvinnor men inte för män. Resultaten från kvantilregressioner tyder på att det finns lärosäten som har stor betydelse för inkomster i toppen av fördelningen för såväl män som kvinnor. Men det är olika lärosäten som är signifikanta för kvinnor och män. Dessutom har samma lärosäte sällan samma betydelse för kvinnors och mäns inkomster. De stora skillnaderna i resultaten mellan män och kvinnor kan vara ett tecken på att lärosätesestimaten på individnivå inte kan tolkas i termer av kvalitetsskillnader. Resultaten visar också att lärosätesestimat från mikrolöneekvationer inte lämpar sig för rangordning av lärosäten.samband lärosäten inkomster; inkomstpremier män kvinnor

An ethnographic case study: Analysing students’ learning goal orientations at a lower-middle decile secondary school

In Aotearoa/New Zealand young people generally commence their secondary school education at Year 9. The numerous changes associated with this transition can include new subjects, larger school populations, unfamiliar learning environments, different day-to-day structures and routines; all of which can affect students’ motivation and confidence in their learning. Research focusing on students’ transition from primary to secondary schooling has tended to indicate a lessening in students’ motivation and has shown the types of learning goal approaches of these students can also change. As a teacher with13 years’ experience of teaching at secondary school level, I noticed that achievement at NCEA levels, in my current school, have remained static since my arrival seven years ago. This drove my interest in exploring further the influence of achievement goals on student learning at Year 9. Goal theory research in the field of motivation has increased dramatically over recent decades. Contemporary theories on learning goals have focused on whether mastery, performance or multiple goals best suit the learning needs of students, and whether students develop certain preferences with regards their goals when it comes to learning and achievement. More recently, the relevance of social goals in relation to learning and achievement, and therefore to learning goal theory, has identified that students do not use learning goals in isolation. The type of goal or multiple goals student adopt in their learning has important implications for their motivation, engagement or success and by implication, teachers’ approaches to their teaching. This ethnographic case study explores how 26 Year 9 students at a lower-middle decile secondary school set their learning goals. The study establishes whether students intentionally adopt a specific type of learning goal and explores the reasons for particular preferences. It also examines whether social goals have any impact on the type of goals students preferred or adopted. Through a questionnaire and then semi-structured interviews, students reported their views on their learning and social goals. In addition, five students from the study formed a Student Advisory Group to offer advice and recommendations on issues relating to the research instruments used. This study found that participating students did not intentionally prefer a specific goal over another. Further to this, students were generally not aware of the particular types of goals that were available to them and therefore were not consciously adopting a learning goal to any extent or purpose. The students were unclear of how different learning goals supported their learning. However, these students were more perceptive when understanding the implications of how social goals influenced their learning. The results from this research show that heightened awareness and understanding associated with the adaptive nature of learning goals by students and teachers would support student achievement. This would enable students to make intentional and logical choices regarding the strategies related to learning goals. Teachers may find these findings useful when considering how their students set their learning goals, and what influences these decisions. It may also serve as a starting point for a discussion with students on how they focus their learning and why