Employment situation of young graduates of secondary education: a comparison between the graduates of technical-professional training and humanistic-scientific training

Abstract

It was compared the employment status of young people, aged 18 to 24, graduated from technical-vocational secondary education and humanistic-scientific of both sexes, in relation to their employment situation, the formal contract and the income of those who are employed. It was also compared the employment status of these young people before and after the reform of the secondary education in 1998. In general, graduates of technical and vocational training have slight advantages in respect of graduates of humanistic and scientific training. But more important are gender differences: male graduates have better working conditions than female graduates. This study shows evidence that the reform of technical and vocational secondary education did not mean a deterioration in the employment prospects of graduates, although they have reduced the duration of training in two years.