2004 Annual School Leavers' Survey Of 2002/2003 Leavers
15/02/2006
2004 Annual School Leavers’ Survey Of 2002/2003 Leavers
Embargo: 00:01 a.m. Wednesday 15 February 2006
Shirley Gorby, Selina McCoy and Dorothy Watson.
Published by The Economic and Social Research Institute in conjunction with the Department of Education and Science.
Members of the Media are invited to attend the briefing at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday 14 February, 2006, at the ESRI, 4 Burlington Road, Dublin 4.
This report, based on the findings from the 2004 Annual School Leavers’ Survey, gives an insight into the position, experiences and attitudes of school leavers one year after leaving second-level. The survey highlights trends (since 1980) in the circumstances of young people leaving school. It also identifies those at risk of unemployment during this early after-school period. The results are of particular interest to those concerned with educational and labour market policy.
Key Findings
- While levels of attainment at second-level remained largely unchanged, the proportion going on to further study has risen and now accounts for almost 60 per cent of those leaving school with the Leaving Cert.
- In 2004, a smaller proportion of school leavers entered the labour market than in previous years (50 per cent, compared to 53 per cent in 2002). Those who did enter the labour market, faced somewhat less favourable labour market conditions than in earlier years, with a higher proportion unemployed a year after leaving school.
- Previous rounds of the survey found important differences between males and females, and these differences persisted. Females are still more likely to go on to further and higher education. The small number of early leavers (those leaving before the Leaving Cert stage) are more likely to be male than female.
- Those leaving school with few or no qualifications faced particularly difficult labour market prospects.
- Among those who find a job, earnings and the distribution by sector and occupation are strongly affected by educational attainment.
- Class background remains strongly related to labour market success and progression to further study.
- A majority of school leavers had engaged in part-time work while at school. Some social class patterns emerge, particularly in terms of hours worked, with those from unemployed and intermediate non-manual backgrounds more likely to work longer hours.
Dr Selina McCoy, one of the authors of the report, said “While the bulk of school leavers make a successful transition to the labour market or further study after school, the experiences of those leaving school poorly qualified are less positive. Such young people face particular difficulty in accessing further education and encounter barriers to securing quality employment”