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The effects of work experience during higher education on labour market entry: learning by doing or an entry ticket?

Author

Listed:
  • Felix Weiss

    (University of Cologne, Germany and GESIS Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences in Mannheim, Germany)

  • Markus Klein

    (University of Edinburgh, UK)

  • Thomas Grauenhorst

    (University of Mannheim, Germany)

Abstract

Graduates from higher education often enter the labour market with a considerable amount of work experience. Using German data, we address the question of whether early work experience pays off upon labour market entry. We compare the labour market benefits of different types of work experience. This comparison allows us to more generally test hypotheses about different explanations of why education pays off. Results indicate that tertiary graduates do not profit from work experience that is unrelated to the field of study or was a mandatory part of the study programme. Even though field-related and voluntary work experience helps graduates to realize a fast integration into the labour market, it is not linked to higher chances for entering a favourable class position or to higher wages in the long run. These results provide evidence for the signalling explanation of educational benefits in the labour market rather than the human capital explanation.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix Weiss & Markus Klein & Thomas Grauenhorst, 2014. "The effects of work experience during higher education on labour market entry: learning by doing or an entry ticket?," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 28(5), pages 788-807, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:28:y:2014:i:5:p:788-807
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Markus Klein, 2016. "The association between graduates’ field of study and occupational attainment in West Germany, 1980–2008 [Der Zusammenhang zwischen Studienfach und beruflichem Erfolg von Hochschulabsolventen in We," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 49(1), pages 43-58, July.
    2. Diego Mauricio Barragán Díaz, 2018. "La experiencia Estudiantil en una Sociedad Hostil. Una Aproximación a los Estudiantes Universitarios de Ibagué (2012)," Books, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Contaduría Pública, number 07.
    3. Teichert, Christian & Niebuhr, Annekatrin & Otto, Anne & Rossen, Anja, 2018. "Graduate migration in Germany - new evidence from an event history analysis," IAB-Discussion Paper 201803, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    4. Betina Lopes & Patrícia Silva & Ana I. Melo & Elisabeth Brito & Gonçalo Paiva Dias & Marco Costa, 2019. "The ‘Lunar Side’ of the Story: Exploring the Sustainability of Curricular Internships in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-22, October.
    5. Gavriil Agarkov & Daniil Sandler & Anastasia Sushchenko Anastasia Dmitrievna, 2018. "Financial and Social Success of University Graduates in the Ural Region," Economy of region, Centre for Economic Security, Institute of Economics of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, vol. 1(4), pages 1312-1326.
    6. Bastin, Sonja & Dingeldey, Irene & Fuchs, Carolin, 2017. "Motive studentischer Erwerbsarbeit: Zwischen Finanzierung und Qualifizierung," Reihe Arbeit und Wirtschaft in Bremen 17, Institut Arbeit und Wirtschaft (IAW), Universität Bremen und Arbeit­nehmer­kammer Bremen.
    7. Thomas Bolli & Katherine Caves & Maria Esther Oswald-Egg, 2019. "Valuable experience: How internships affect university graduates’ income," KOF Working papers 19-459, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    8. Di Meglio, Gisela & Barge-Gil, Andrés & Camiña, Ester & Moreno, Lourdes, 2019. "Knocking on Employment´s Door: Internships and Job Attainment," MPRA Paper 95712, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Scott-Clayton, Judith & Minaya, Veronica, 2016. "Should student employment be subsidized? Conditional counterfactuals and the outcomes of work-study participation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-18.
    10. Damian Whittard & Hilary Drew & Felix Ritchie, 2019. "Not Just Arms and Legs: The Impact of Student Working on Local Labour Markets," Working Papers 20191905, Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol.

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