Low work levels for those less educated
Although school completion rates here are now among the highest in Europe, with about 90% of people of school-leaving age doing the Leaving Certificate, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development analysis shows how comparatively poor the rates of work are for those who leave school early.
The figures emerge after a record 74,500 people applied for college places through the Central Applications Office by Sunday’s main deadline. The numbers are up 2% on the figure of just over 73,000 for the same stage last year, and are almost 5% higher than in February 2013.
While prospective applicants can still register late with CAO — but only during March or April and for an increased fee — applications are now closed for courses that count scores in auditions, interviews, and portfolios towards CAO points in addition to Leaving Certificate results.
The OECD study of the effects of educational attainment on labour market participation includes comparisons of employment levels among people aged 25 to 34 with qualifications below Leaving Certificate, or the equivalent in other countries.
While 90% of men of those ages in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico with such low levels of education had jobs in 2013, the figure was less than half for comparator groups in Ireland and Slovak Republic. These were the two lowest rates across 37 countries, for which the average employment rate for similar-aged low-qualified men was almost 70%.
The likelihood of not finishing school is higher for men in most countries, but the difference is greater here than on average across the OECD, with 16% of Irish men aged 25 to 34 — but just 11% of women — in this category.
However, the gap is over 10% in Portugal and Spain, where more than 40% of younger men have education levels below school completion. The recession has also seen more boys and girls now remaining in school to Leaving Certificate.
As highlighted in numerous recent international reports, the fact that the majority of younger Irish adults have a third-level qualification makes this country an exception. The report shows the OECD average is 40%, while less than 30% hold one in many countries, including Germany, Italy, Austria, Portugal, and Czech Republic.
The latest evidence of the advantages of higher qualifications may strengthen arguments for a new system of college fees. Although the student contribution paid by those who do not qualify for grant support has risen sharply to €3,000, colleges have seen total funding drop considerably over a five-year period in which student numbers have grown in line with youth population.
A report last week by an expert group examining possible funding mechanisms for higher education showed that someone with a college degree is likely to earn twice as much as somebody whose education finished at Leaving Certificate, a far higher earning premium than in most other countries.
