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Success Stems from STEM Fields: An Analysis of Italian Graduates

Author

Listed:
  • Antonella Rocca

    (University of Naples Parthenope)

  • Claudio Quintano

    (University of Naples Parthenope)

Abstract

The school-to-work transition in Italy is very long. In this paper, we measure the differences in the school-to-work duration for Italian graduates in the STEM and non-STEM fields using data from the ISTAT Professional integration of Graduates survey. We used different parametric and non-parametric approaches based on survival analysis. In particular, through competitive risk analysis, we control even the possibility that the job search ends with a transition to the status of inactivity, still very frequent among Italian people, especially women. Further, we compare STWT durations conditioned to several relevant characteristics. We find that the STWT has an average duration of 14 months for those who graduated in health sciences, 24 for other scientific fields, and more than two years for those graduating in a humanities field. Other significant differences arise when we account for gender, especially when we consider an exit from the STWT for inactivity, for region of residence, family background, and even for active participation in university activities. Further, the analysis highlights the existence of a dual labor market, with shorter transitions to stable and satisfactory jobs and longer transitions for jobs with opposite characteristics. The findings open up many policy implications. Actions that could help in reducing the duration of the STWT are: stimulating more young people, in particular women, to choose STEM disciplines; reducing the Italian territorial divide, reinforcing universities in the South and their connections with the productive system, incentivizing students to actively participate in courses, and other activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonella Rocca & Claudio Quintano, 2024. "Success Stems from STEM Fields: An Analysis of Italian Graduates," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 10(2), pages 761-793, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:italej:v:10:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s40797-023-00255-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s40797-023-00255-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    School-to-work transition; Competing risk analysis; STEM; Italy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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