Abstract
Recent suggestions for expanding the work experiences of school age youth make sense only if such experiences are in fact valuable or can be had at little real cost. These issues are explored using data from the Young Men NLS, focusing on the effects of school interruption and of work while in school on subsequent wage rates. While the interpretation of the results is clouded by self-selection problems, there is no evidence in the data that interruptions or work while in school lead to any negative effects. Expanding work opportunities for the young is unlikely to detract from their future academic and economic achievement.
This is also the conclusion of Meyer and Wise (1979) who examined the effect of working in high school on subsequent wages for the 1972 National High School Class survey. They found a significant positive coefficient of work while in school in a wage equation. Self-selection into work provides probably the most direct interpretation of their result.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Chamberlain, G. & Griliches, Z.: Unob-servables with a variance components structure: Ability, schooling and the economic success of brothers. International Economic Review16, 422–49, 1975.
Epstein, W. H.: Work and schooling: A preliminary study using the National Longitudinal Survey. Harvard University, unpublished manuscript, 1974.
Featherman, D. L. & Carter, T. M.: Dis-continuities in schooling and the socio-economic life cycle. In Schooling and achievement in American society (ed. W. H. Sewell et al), pp. 133–160. Academic Press, New York, 1976.
Griliches, Z.: Errors in variables and other unobservables. Econometrica72 (6), 971–998, 1974.
Griliches, Z.: Wages of very young men. Journal of Political Economy84 (4), Part 2, 569–586, 1976.
Griliches, Z.: Estimating the returns to schooling: Some econometric problems. Econometrica45 (1), 1–22, 1977.
Griliches, Z.: Earnings of very young men. In Griliches, Z. et al, Income Diatrvbution and Economic Inequality, Campus Verlag, West Germany, pp. 209–219, 1978.
Griliches, Z., Hall, B. & Hausman, J. A.: Annales de L’INSEE, No. 30–31, pp. 137–176, 1978.
Heckman, J.: Sample selection as a specification error. Econometrica47 (1), 153–162, 1979.
Meyer, R. & Wise, D.: High school preparation and early labor force experience. NBER Working Paper No. 342. Forthcoming in The youth employment problem: Ita nature, causes and consequences (ed. R. B. Freeman and D. Wise). University of Chicago Press, 1980.
Parnes, H. et al.: Career threaholda, vols. 1–4. U.S. Department of Labor, Man-power Research Monograph No. 16. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1970–1974.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1981 The Scandinavian Journal of Economics
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Griliches, Z. (1981). Schooling Interruption, Work While in School and the Returns from Schooling. In: Matthiessen, L., Strøm, S. (eds) Unemployment. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-05966-9_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-05966-9_11
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-05968-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-05966-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Economics & Finance CollectionEconomics and Finance (R0)