This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socioecono... more This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socioeconomic gaps in graduate outcomes. Our data come from a survey that collects information on several cohorts of students from all English universities and reports their destinations at 6 months after graduation. The results show that, when graduating in a recession, students from less advantaged family backgrounds are more likely to become unemployed, to work part-time, and to earn less than students from more advantaged families. There is evidence that professional networks established while at university are important in explaining some of these socioeconomic gaps in outcomes.
Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and not those of IZA. Research pu... more Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and not those of IZA. Research published in this series may include views on policy, but IZA takes no institutional policy positions. The IZA research network is committed to the IZA Guiding Principles of Research Integrity. The IZA Institute of Labor Economics is an independent economic research institute that conducts research in labor economics and offers evidence-based policy advice on labor market issues. Supported by the Deutsche Post Foundation, IZA runs the world's largest network of economists, whose research aims to provide answers to the global labor market challenges of our time. Our key objective is to build bridges between academic research, policymakers and society. IZA Discussion Papers often represent preliminary work and are circulated to encourage discussion. Citation of such a paper should account for its provisional character. A revised version may be available directly from the author.
Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent edu... more Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent educational attainment and wages. Drawing on a rich, nationally representative longitudinal sample of young children in Ireland, we present new evidence on whether the use of centre-based childcare (CBC) in infancy and early years promotes non-cognitive skills by school entry. We focus on the type of non-parental childcare used by mothers who are working when their child is 9 months old, comparing CBC with other forms of non-parental care. We consider the impact of childcare type on three domains of socio-emotional skills: externalizing, internalizing and prosocial behaviours. We find negative effects of CBC on both externalizing and prosocial behaviours. With a cumulative value-added model, we estimate that CBC at age 3 worsens externalizing behaviour at age 5 by 0.11 standard deviations compared to other forms of non-parental care, equivalent to 44% of the difference in externalizing behaviour between children with a mother with/without tertiary education. The effect of CBC on the externalizing dimension of socio-emotional skills of children entering school is consistent across several specifications and robustness checks. Given planned expansion of CBC for those needing subsidized provision, we conclude that such measures could exacerbate socio-emotional inequalities.
Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent edu... more Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent educational attainment and wages. Drawing on a rich, nationally representative longitudinal sample of young children in Ireland, we present new evidence on whether the use of centre-based childcare (CBC) in infancy and early years promotes non-cognitive skills by school entry. We focus on the type of non-parental childcare used by mothers who are working when their child is 9 months old, comparing CBC with other forms of non-parental care. We consider the impact of childcare type on three domains of socio-emotional skills: externalizing, internalizing and prosocial behaviours. We find negative effects of CBC on both externalizing and prosocial behaviours. With a cumulative value-added model, we estimate that CBC at age 3 worsens externalizing behaviour at age 5 by 0.11 standard deviations compared to other forms of non-parental care, equivalent to 44% of the difference in externalizing behaviour between children with a mother with/without tertiary education. The effect of CBC on the externalizing dimension of socio-emotional skills of children entering school is consistent across several specifications and robustness checks. Given planned expansion of CBC for those needing subsidized provision, we conclude that such measures could exacerbate socio-emotional inequalities.
Chapter 1 provides the first evaluation of a recent educational reform in England which reduced t... more Chapter 1 provides the first evaluation of a recent educational reform in England which reduced the content of the mathematics module studied by pupils aged 16-18. Using the National Pupil Database we look at the reform's impact on the probability that secondary school students will choose mathematics, and their attainment. We use information on previous academic achievement and other individual characteristics to understand which students have been mostly affected. We show that this reform sheds new light on one of the most important questions in education research: why women are less represented in STEM fields. In Chapter 2, we exploit variation in the labour demand to investigate whether the first job destination of graduates from different socio-economic backgrounds is differently affected by the business cycle. We use the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey and the Labour Force Survey across the period 2003-12. When the labour market is tight graduates from ...
This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socio-econ... more This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socio-economic gaps in graduate outcomes. Our data come from a survey that collects information on several cohorts of students from all English universities and reports their destinations at 6 months after graduation. The results show that, when graduating in a recession, students from less advantaged family backgrounds are more likely to become unemployed, to work part-time, and to earn less than students from more advantaged families. There is evidence that professional networks established while at university are important in explaining some of these socio-economic gaps in outcomes.
This paper shows that students are less likely to specialize in mathematics when exposed to a hig... more This paper shows that students are less likely to specialize in mathematics when exposed to a high share of male peers. I exploit a curricular reform that incentivized students to obtain a mathematics qualication post-16. I show that, for those students aected by the reform, the higher the share of same-gender classmates, the higher the likelihood of obtaining a mathematics qualication for boys, and the lower the likelihood for girls. I interpret this as suggestive evidence that one's perceived ability in mathematics, a boydominated subject, decreases when the share of male classmates increases. This further aects STEM participation in higher education.
What role does integration play in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minor... more What role does integration play in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minority and white majority populations? We shed light on this question by comparing the socio-economic positions of ethnic minorities in co- and inter-ethnic partnerships. We implement propensity score matching techniques to account for selection bias. We find that ethnic minorities in co- and inter-ethnic unions are rarely comparable and a large part of the labour market differences is explained by their individual socio-demographic characteristics. Finally, having a white majority group partner affects the occupational position and labour market participation of only some groups of women.
Non-technical summary High rates of unemployment, inactivity, and concentration in certain occupa... more Non-technical summary High rates of unemployment, inactivity, and concentration in certain occupations are among the most relevant issues concerning ethnic minorities in the UK. In this context it is important to understand what role integration plays in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minority and white majority populations. We shed light on this by considering having a partner of the white majority group as a proxy indicator of integration of ethnic minorities into British society. Using data from the first wave of Understanding Society (2009/2010) we compare the socio-economic positions of ethnic minorities in co-and inter-ethnic partnerships. We implement propensity score matching techniques to account for selection bias. We hypothesise the existence of several channels, such as social networks and language fluency, through which having a partner of the white majority population can help a member of the minority population to integrate into the society, ...
This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socioecono... more This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socioeconomic gaps in graduate outcomes. Our data come from a survey that collects information on several cohorts of students from all English universities and reports their destinations at 6 months after graduation. The results show that, when graduating in a recession, students from less advantaged family backgrounds are more likely to become unemployed, to work part-time, and to earn less than students from more advantaged families. There is evidence that professional networks established while at university are important in explaining some of these socioeconomic gaps in outcomes.
Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and not those of IZA. Research pu... more Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and not those of IZA. Research published in this series may include views on policy, but IZA takes no institutional policy positions. The IZA research network is committed to the IZA Guiding Principles of Research Integrity. The IZA Institute of Labor Economics is an independent economic research institute that conducts research in labor economics and offers evidence-based policy advice on labor market issues. Supported by the Deutsche Post Foundation, IZA runs the world's largest network of economists, whose research aims to provide answers to the global labor market challenges of our time. Our key objective is to build bridges between academic research, policymakers and society. IZA Discussion Papers often represent preliminary work and are circulated to encourage discussion. Citation of such a paper should account for its provisional character. A revised version may be available directly from the author.
Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent edu... more Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent educational attainment and wages. Drawing on a rich, nationally representative longitudinal sample of young children in Ireland, we present new evidence on whether the use of centre-based childcare (CBC) in infancy and early years promotes non-cognitive skills by school entry. We focus on the type of non-parental childcare used by mothers who are working when their child is 9 months old, comparing CBC with other forms of non-parental care. We consider the impact of childcare type on three domains of socio-emotional skills: externalizing, internalizing and prosocial behaviours. We find negative effects of CBC on both externalizing and prosocial behaviours. With a cumulative value-added model, we estimate that CBC at age 3 worsens externalizing behaviour at age 5 by 0.11 standard deviations compared to other forms of non-parental care, equivalent to 44% of the difference in externalizing behaviour between children with a mother with/without tertiary education. The effect of CBC on the externalizing dimension of socio-emotional skills of children entering school is consistent across several specifications and robustness checks. Given planned expansion of CBC for those needing subsidized provision, we conclude that such measures could exacerbate socio-emotional inequalities.
Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent edu... more Early development of non-cognitive skills has long-lasting benefits for children's subsequent educational attainment and wages. Drawing on a rich, nationally representative longitudinal sample of young children in Ireland, we present new evidence on whether the use of centre-based childcare (CBC) in infancy and early years promotes non-cognitive skills by school entry. We focus on the type of non-parental childcare used by mothers who are working when their child is 9 months old, comparing CBC with other forms of non-parental care. We consider the impact of childcare type on three domains of socio-emotional skills: externalizing, internalizing and prosocial behaviours. We find negative effects of CBC on both externalizing and prosocial behaviours. With a cumulative value-added model, we estimate that CBC at age 3 worsens externalizing behaviour at age 5 by 0.11 standard deviations compared to other forms of non-parental care, equivalent to 44% of the difference in externalizing behaviour between children with a mother with/without tertiary education. The effect of CBC on the externalizing dimension of socio-emotional skills of children entering school is consistent across several specifications and robustness checks. Given planned expansion of CBC for those needing subsidized provision, we conclude that such measures could exacerbate socio-emotional inequalities.
Chapter 1 provides the first evaluation of a recent educational reform in England which reduced t... more Chapter 1 provides the first evaluation of a recent educational reform in England which reduced the content of the mathematics module studied by pupils aged 16-18. Using the National Pupil Database we look at the reform's impact on the probability that secondary school students will choose mathematics, and their attainment. We use information on previous academic achievement and other individual characteristics to understand which students have been mostly affected. We show that this reform sheds new light on one of the most important questions in education research: why women are less represented in STEM fields. In Chapter 2, we exploit variation in the labour demand to investigate whether the first job destination of graduates from different socio-economic backgrounds is differently affected by the business cycle. We use the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey and the Labour Force Survey across the period 2003-12. When the labour market is tight graduates from ...
This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socio-econ... more This article uses variation in unemployment caused by the 2008 UK recession to analyse socio-economic gaps in graduate outcomes. Our data come from a survey that collects information on several cohorts of students from all English universities and reports their destinations at 6 months after graduation. The results show that, when graduating in a recession, students from less advantaged family backgrounds are more likely to become unemployed, to work part-time, and to earn less than students from more advantaged families. There is evidence that professional networks established while at university are important in explaining some of these socio-economic gaps in outcomes.
This paper shows that students are less likely to specialize in mathematics when exposed to a hig... more This paper shows that students are less likely to specialize in mathematics when exposed to a high share of male peers. I exploit a curricular reform that incentivized students to obtain a mathematics qualication post-16. I show that, for those students aected by the reform, the higher the share of same-gender classmates, the higher the likelihood of obtaining a mathematics qualication for boys, and the lower the likelihood for girls. I interpret this as suggestive evidence that one's perceived ability in mathematics, a boydominated subject, decreases when the share of male classmates increases. This further aects STEM participation in higher education.
What role does integration play in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minor... more What role does integration play in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minority and white majority populations? We shed light on this question by comparing the socio-economic positions of ethnic minorities in co- and inter-ethnic partnerships. We implement propensity score matching techniques to account for selection bias. We find that ethnic minorities in co- and inter-ethnic unions are rarely comparable and a large part of the labour market differences is explained by their individual socio-demographic characteristics. Finally, having a white majority group partner affects the occupational position and labour market participation of only some groups of women.
Non-technical summary High rates of unemployment, inactivity, and concentration in certain occupa... more Non-technical summary High rates of unemployment, inactivity, and concentration in certain occupations are among the most relevant issues concerning ethnic minorities in the UK. In this context it is important to understand what role integration plays in reducing disparities in the labour market between ethnic minority and white majority populations. We shed light on this by considering having a partner of the white majority group as a proxy indicator of integration of ethnic minorities into British society. Using data from the first wave of Understanding Society (2009/2010) we compare the socio-economic positions of ethnic minorities in co-and inter-ethnic partnerships. We implement propensity score matching techniques to account for selection bias. We hypothesise the existence of several channels, such as social networks and language fluency, through which having a partner of the white majority population can help a member of the minority population to integrate into the society, ...
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