Linking Occupational Concentration to Hourly Wages for Non-College Going Individuals

Jay Stratte Plasman

doi:10.21061/jcte.v34i1.a2

Abstract

One of the stated goals of career and technical education (CTE) is to improve the labor market outcomes of participants. One population of students for which concentration CTE may be particularly beneficial is those who determine they will not pursue postsecondary education. By exploring how occupational concentration—defined as earning three or more credits in a specific CTE cluster—relates to labor market outcomes for non-college participants, this study adds to a growing body of research on the benefits of CTE participation. In an effort to gain a more nuanced understanding of these labor market benefits, the current study further disaggregates these potential benefits across different CTE categories. Using a nationally representative dataset to explore the CTE concentration association with eventual earnings, results indicated that occupational concentration in general links to increased wages. However, these benefits are limited to a few specific CTE categories: health sciences, trades, and agriculture and natural resources. Implications for individual students, practitioners, and policymakers are discussed.

Highlights

There is growing concern in the United States that the generation of labor market participants is ill-prepared to succeed in the increasingly demanding and fast-paced economy
I explored the relationship between occupational concentration in high school and hourly wages three years after the anticipated high school graduation date
I was interested in looking at this relationship within the population of non-college going individuals to determine whether high school occupational coursework could be seen as a viable avenue to immediate postsecondary success in the labor market

Summary

Introduction

There is growing concern in the United States that the generation of labor market participants is ill-prepared to succeed in the increasingly demanding and fast-paced economy. Employers have expressed concerns that high schools are not adequately preparing youth to enter and succeed in the workforce (U.S Department of Education, 2010). This concern is further highlighted as more and more careers require both specific technical as well as employability (e.g., critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration) skills for which students do not have the appropriate training or expertise (Brand, Valent, & Browning, 2013). For the past decade and a half, the proportion of students who enroll in postsecondary education immediately after completing high school has hovered just below 70% (Mcfarland et al, 2019). If students continue to be ill-prepared for these labor market demands, the potential for a skills gap in the United States will continue to grow (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2010)

Methods

Results

Conclusion