Researchers found increasing dispersion in the returns to graduate education, linked to a rising number of graduates who were in jobs for which they were overqualified.
Source: Francis Green and Yu Zhu, Overqualification, Job Dissatisfaction and Increasing Dispersion in the Returns to Graduate Education, Manpower Human Resources Lab DP5, Centre for Economic Performance/London School of Economics (020 7955 7673)
Links: Paper | Abstract | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Dec
Two linked studies examined research evidence on the likely impact, benefits, and challenges associated with the government's proposal that, from 2015, all young people should be required to participate in some form of education or training until they reached the age of 18.
Source: Thomas Spielhofer, Matt Walker, Kerensa Gagg, Sandie Schagen and Sharon O'Donnell, Raising the Participation Age in Education and Training to 18: Review of existing evidence of the benefits and challenges, Research Report RR012, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260) | Emily Hunt and Steven McIntosh, Raising the Participation Age: An Assessment of the Economic Benefits, Research Report RW026, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report (1) | Brief (1) | Report (2) | Brief (2) | DCSF press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Nov
A report said that educational initiatives which were well targeted – particularly at key junctures in young people's educational careers – produced benefits worth an average £15 for every £1 spent.
Source: Boston Consulting Group, Investing for Impact: A report on the returns to investments in educational programmes, Sutton Trust (020 8788 3223)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Oct
An article examined the returns to schooling and job-specific experience in 16 different industry sectors over the period 1994-2001. The rising information/communications technology intensity of capital was associated with a rise in the return to schooling, and a reduction in the return to job-specific experience.
Source: Simon Kirby, 'ICT and the returns to schooling and job-specific experience', National Institute Economic Review Volume 201 Number 1, National Institute for Economic and Social Research (020 7654 1901)
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
A paper examined evidence on the labour market value of basic skills, as measured by both earnings and employability. Having better basic skills was significantly associated with the likelihood of being in employment and full-time employment at age 33-34.
Source: Anna Vignoles, Augustin De Coulon and Oscar Marcenaro-Gutierrez, The Value of Basic Skills in the British Labour Market, DP77, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Date: 2007-May
A paper estimated the external return to schooling for a repeated cross-section of individuals over the period 1994-2004. A one-year increase in the industry average level of schooling was associated with an increase in individual wages of 2?-4 per cent - between 40 and 70 per cent of the private return to schooling.
Source: Simon Kirby and Rebecca Riley, The External Returns to Education: UK evidence using repeated cross-sections, Discussion Paper 291, National Institute for Economic and Social Research (020 7654 1901)
Links: Discussion paper | Summary
Date: 2007-Mar
A report highlighted the economic benefits associated with higher education qualification attainment. Gross additional lifetime earnings were approximately £160,000 - or 20-25 per cent - more for individuals with a higher education qualification than for those with two or more A-levels.
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, The Economic Benefits of a Degree, Universities UK (020 7419 5435)
Links: Report | UUK press release | NUS press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Feb
A report examined a measure of returns to education based on the probability of 'labour market success' associated with different levels of qualification. In every region of the United Kingdom, better qualifications were significantly and strongly associated with higher probabilities of labour market success.
Source: Vani Borooah, Education, Occupational Class, and Unemployment in the Regions of the United Kingdom, Department for Employment and Learning/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9025 7777)
Links: Report | Summary | NIE press release
Date: 2007-Jan
