Young Men and Women without a High School Diploma. Insights on Canadian Society
Author: Uppal, Sharanjit
Date: 2017-07-24
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Employment,Dropouts,Young Adults,Gender Differences,Dropout Characteristics,Educational Attainment,Unemployment,Occupations,Income,Canada Natives,Early Parenthood,Disabilities

Western countries have the highest levels of educational attainment in the world. Many individuals, however, do not have a high school diploma and consequently do not have any certification from the school system. For example, among Canadians aged 25 and over in 2016, 14% reported that their highest level of education was &quot;less than high school graduation.&quot; In the United States, the corresponding proportion was 12% in 2015. Research focusing on the reasons for dropping out of high school has identified a number of related factors, which can be grouped into several major categories: family-related; peer; school-related; individual; and economic. Family-related factors include low educational and occupational attainment levels of parents, low family income, and single parenthood. Poor academic achievement and poor quality schools are some of the school-related factors. Individual characteristics such as low self-esteem, low aspirations and teenage pregnancy are also related to dropping out of school. Lastly, if students with low cognitive skills expect that their wages might be similar whether they graduate from high school or not, their chances of finishing high school are lower. This article adds to the Canadian literature by examining the characteristics most likely to be associated with having less than a high school diploma. It then examines the extent to which the labour market and income characteristics of those individuals differ from those with higher levels of education among both men and women. The analysis is limited to individuals aged 25 to 34. This age group was selected based on several factors. First, almost all individuals who finish high school have likely done so by the age of 25. Second, a large majority of young adults in this age group have completed their education by this age, making labour market comparisons more relevant. Third, focusing on youth outcomes is more reflective of the future prospects of current high school students, who must decide whether they should drop out or not. Lastly, examining the performance of young adults is important, given that future career prospects are often related to the type of experience acquired by labour market entrants. The analysis is done separately for men and women, and comparisons are drawn with other educational attainment categories (high school diploma: trade certificate/college diploma; and university degree). The following questions are addressed: (1) How has the proportion of men and women, whose highest level of education is less than a high school diploma, changed over time?; (2) What are their sociodemographic characteristics?; and (3) How do their labour market outcomes--for example, employment rate, unemployment rate, type of occupation and income--compare to those with higher levels of education and how have these outcomes changed over time? Data from various sources are used, including the Labour Force Survey (1990 to 2016), the Canadian Income Survey (2012 to 2014), and the Canadian Survey on Disability (2012).