Young People in Jobs Without Training, 2007

<P>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</P><br>This is a qualitative data collection.<br>
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This research aimed to provide a greater understanding of young people who leave full-time education and who are characterised as having entered jobs without training. A sample of young people who were in jobs without training and who were not working towards or did not have, an NVQ level two (or above) qualification were interviewed. As part of the same study a sample of parents, employers and policy makers were interviewed. Only the young people’s interview transcripts are available from the UK Data Archive.<br>
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Two contrasting localities within England, Warwickshire (North and South) and Tees Valley (Middlesbrough), were selected to represent differences in terms of labour market conditions. A contrast between a rural and an urban location was chosen, in order to define the extent to which these factors impact on young people’s and employers’ behaviour. <br>
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The research objectives of the study were to:<ul><li>provide a thorough and contemporary understanding of the characteristics, history, experiences, attitudes, barriers, perceptions and ambitions of young people aged 16-18 years who are in a job without training towards a level two (or higher) qualification</li><li>provide a thorough understanding of the characteristics, experiences, attitudes and perceptions of their employers focusing in particular on attitudes to training and employment of this age group</li><li>determine the role of parents in influencing young people’s decision-making and in facilitating their entry into the labour market</li><li>inform the policy implementation of the Learning Agreement Pilot by drawing on an enhanced understanding of the client group, their parents and their employers generated by this research</li></ul>Further information can be found on the <a href ="http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-000-22-1786/read" title="Young People who enter Jobs without Training">Young People who enter Jobs without Training</a> ESRC Award web page.<br><br><B>Main Topics</B>:<BR><br>The young people interviews explored the following areas:<ul><li><i>background information</i>: respondent's characteristics, their current employment and parent's current employment</li><li><i>school experience and decision-making</i>: leaving school, qualifications gained, general experience at school, how plans were made for future, who gave advice and guidance, financial incentives</li><li><i>activities since leaving school</i>: description of activities, reasons for starting and leaving each activity, job hunting process, barriers which prevented young person entering specific type of employment</li><li><i>current employment and future plans</i>: reasons for taking their current job, qualification/entry requirements, selection process, how they found the job, current wage, hours worked, job description, training</li></ul>