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Fully Integrating Upper-Secondary Vocational and Academic Courses: A Flexible New Way?

Author

Listed:
  • Polidano, Cain

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)

  • Tabasso, Domenico

    (UNHCR)

Abstract

The tracking of students in upper-secondary school is often criticised for narrowing the career prospects of student in the vocational education and training (VET) track, which in many countries leads to the stigmatisation of VET courses. To tackle this problem, Australia blurred the lines between the two tracks by introducing VET courses that count to both a national VET qualification and university entry. In this study, we estimate the impacts of taking these courses on academic achievement and university entry using administrative data, propensity score matching and a decomposition method developed especially. We find that among those who intend to go to university, taking a VET course is associated with 5 percent lower academic achievement, due mainly to relatively weak achievement in VET, and an 8 percentage point lower chance of receiving a university offer. These findings tell a cautionary tale on the merits of integrating VET and academic courses.

Suggested Citation

  • Polidano, Cain & Tabasso, Domenico, 2016. "Fully Integrating Upper-Secondary Vocational and Academic Courses: A Flexible New Way?," IZA Discussion Papers 9694, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9694
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anton B Andersson & Carlo Barone & Martin Hällsten, 2023. "Are upper-secondary track decisions risky? Evidence from Sweden on the assumptions of risk-aversion models," Rationality and Society, , vol. 35(3), pages 311-337, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    university access; vocational education and training; propensity score matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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