Youth in Transition Survey: Education and labour market pathways of young adults

Canada's young people are making the transition from school to the workforce through a complex set of pathways, rather than simply finishing their education and jumping straight into a full-time job, according to new data from the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS).

The survey, which tracked movements between high school, postsecondary education and the labour market, interviewed young people at two stages.

The first cycle assessed their education and labour market status as of December 1999, when they were 20 years old. Two years later, the same respondents, now 22, were re-interviewed and their activities measured as of December 2001.

YITS shows that finishing high school is a longer process for some youths than for others. Young people who drop out of high school may subsequently return to high school studies. Other high school dropouts may return to classes, but in some form of postsecondary education.

In December 1999, 12% of 20-year-olds were no longer in high school and had left high school without graduating. Two years later, this dropout rate had edged down to 11% as some of these young people had returned to high school.

Some high school dropouts went on to postsecondary studies without having completed their high school diploma. When this was taken into account, by the age of 22, only 9% of youths had dropped out of high school and had not pursued any further education.

Most youths, in fact, continue their education beyond high school. By the age of 22, 76% of youths had some postsecondary experience, up from 70% at age 20.

As with high school, pathways through postsecondary education are complex. By the age of 22, just over 1 in 10 youths had left their postsecondary studies without graduating, according to YITS. However, this did not necessarily mean they had called a halt to higher education; some may continue their education later.

Youths take a variety of pathways from initial education to full-time work. In December 1999, just over one-quarter of the 20-year-olds were out of school and working full-time. Two years later, the proportion of those out of school and working full-time increased to 34%.

Many high school dropouts take the opportunity to return to school

In December 2001, 87% of 22-year-olds had graduated from high school, and very few were still continuing their high school education. About 11% of youths were no longer in high school and were without a high school diploma.

Education systems in Canada generally afford a second chance to high school dropouts. In December 1999, 12% of 20-year-olds were no longer in high school, and had left high school without graduating. Of the youths who had dropped out of school by age 20, just over 1 in 10 had either completed high school or were continuing their high school education two years later. As a result of these dropouts who returned to high school, the dropout rate edged down in December 2001.

An additional 16% of high school dropouts continued their education at the postsecondary level, even though they hadn't obtained a high school diploma. When this was taken into account, only 9% of youths had dropped out of high school by age 22 and had not pursued any further education.

At the age of 20, dropout rates were much higher for males than for females. This gender difference in dropout rates remained at age 22; 14% for males compared with 8% for females.

As youths age from 20 to 22, more head into postsecondary education

More youths moved into some form of postsecondary education as they age from 20 to 22. In December 2001, 76% of young people had taken some form of postsecondary education by age 22. This was up from 70% in 1999, when those same youths were aged 20.

That such a high proportion of youths pursue postsecondary school indicates that they recognize more and more the importance of higher education.

As in the case of high school, pathways through postsecondary education are complex. While most youths went on to further studies, not all stayed until graduation. In December 2001, by the age of 22, about 11% of youths had left postsecondary education without graduating.

However, this did not necessarily mean they had called a halt to higher education. Thirty-five percent of those who had left postsecondary education when they were 20 returned to it by the time they were 22.

About one-third of youths completed at least one postsecondary credential by age 22. In December 2001, 13% of the 22 year-olds were continuing their postsecondary education after having already graduated; 21% had graduated and were no longer in postsecondary studies.

About one-third of youths are out of school and working full-time by age 22

Youths take a variety of pathways from initial education to full-time work, including multiple routes through postsecondary education. In December 1999, more than half of 20-year-olds were still in school and 27% were out of school and working full-time.

Two years later, the proportion of youths who were in school dropped to 44%, while the proportion of those out of school and working full-time increased to 34%.

The proportion of youths who were not working and not studying increased from 10% at age 20 to 14% by age 22. However, not all of those who were not in school and not working necessarily experienced difficulties in the transition from school to work. Some youths may choose to leave school and or the labour market to travel, to undertake volunteer activities or to care for family.

The transition from initial education to the labour market does not mean the end of continuing education. Once in the workforce, young people may still go back to school. About one in five youths who were working and not in school at the age of 20 returned to school by age 22.

In addition, many students combine school and work. Among youths who were in school both in December 1999 and December 2001, 58% combined school and work at age 20. By age 22, this proportion increased slightly to 61%.

Small group of young adults not working, not in school

This study identified a small group of individuals, about 3%, who were not in school and not working in December 1999 and again two years later in December 2001.

Forty-five percent of this group were high school dropouts, 28% were high school graduates and just 15% were postsecondary graduates.

The fact that this group was not in school or working consistently over a two-year period suggests that they may have been experiencing difficulties making the transition from school to work. However, some may have chosen to travel, to volunteer or to care for family for an extended period of time.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4435.

The report Education and labour market pathways of young Canadians between age 20 and 22: an overview (81-595-MIE2004018, free) is now available online. From the Our products and services page, under Browse our Internet publications, choose Free, then Education.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (1-800-307-3382; 613-951-7608; fax: 613-951-9040; educationstats@statcan.gc.ca), Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.