Have Patterns of Learning and Working Changed for Youth?

📖 The Scoop

In the last decade, there has been a greater demand for high skills to match jobs in the new economy. Are youth changing the time spent in schooling and work? Are youth studying longer? Are they working earlier? Are they combining work and studying? Are they training more? And finally, did the changes come at a price? Using the General Social Survey cycles 8 and 12 data on time use, this study attempted to investigate changes in patterns of time spent at school and work by Canadian youth (15-24- and 25-29-year-olds). In each age group, the data were analyzed separately for those who spent most of their time in school and those who spent most of their time working. The study found the following: Over time, more youth seemed to be studying longer, thereby gaining more skills. Many students also reported working while in school, which allowed them to gain work experience, and this figure also increased over time. There was also an increase in the participation in formal and informal training. Their income improved between 1992 and 1998. However, these positive changes came at a price, with an increasing majority that often felt rushed. Among those youth who were working, a high proportion worked in paid employment and only a small proportion were self employed. However, significant differences were observed between younger and older youth. There was an increase in formal and informal training among the younger youth between 1992 and 1998 but these figures decreased for the older youth. Working youth reported being very busy and often rushed during their regular day. A bibliography is included. (Contains 13 tables.).

Genre: Business & Economics / Labor / General (fancy, right?)