Qualifications and Labour-Market Outcomes among 16-Year-Old School-Leavers

Young people's qualifications are strongly related to their occupational success. It is often assumed that this can be largely accounted for by employers' selection on the basis of attainment. A variety of attainment-related attitudes and behaviour among young people which may contribute to the relationship are examined. The findings suggest that qualifications subsume a variety of behavioural factors which have an important direct effect on young people's chances in the job market.