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Astruc-Le Souder, Mael, Olivier Bargain & Gedeao Locks (2026): A Question of Honor? The Labor Market Advantage of Academic Signaling. (IZA discussion paper / IZA Network @ LISER 18567), Esch-sur-Alzette, 39 S.

Abstract

"As tertiary education expands, employers increasingly rely on academic distinctions to screen among similarly qualified graduates. We study the labor-market effects of honors using administrative and survey data on Sorbonne master's graduates. We exploit France's fixed GPA thresholds for honors assignment to implement a fuzzy regression discontinuity design. Returns are concentrated at the intermediate distinction ("High Honors"), indicating that credentials are most informative when they separate above- from below-average students. We find that High Honors accelerate school-to-work transitions, increasing the monthly job-finding rate by about 40%. Honors also generate an initial wage premium, which fades within two years, and lead to persistent improvements in job quality, including greater access to master's-level positions and faster transitions to permanent contracts. These results highlight the role of academic distinctions as short-run signals that shape early career allocation rather than long-term earnings." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bonesso, Sara & Federica Bressan (2026): Women in STEM careers through the lens of career construction theory: A study on females' experiences in persisting in the engineering field. In: Journal of vocational behavior, Jg. 164. DOI:10.1016/j.jvb.2025.104204

Abstract

"The persistence of female segregation in many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational and occupational fields is largely ascribed to gender-specific barriers that women face during their lifespan. Relying on career construction theory, this study aims to increase the understanding of how women in STEM craft and develop their own career over time by attaining leadership positions, in comparison to their male counterparts. In this inductive qualitative research, drawing on career-based interviews on a sample of women and men in engineering, the narrative analysis reveals dynamic changes in women's career adaptability's resources (the 4C's: concern, control, curiosity, and confidence) across specific phases of the lifespan (education, early career, and upper leadership). This study expands our understanding of the role of women's agency in shaping their STEM careers, delineating the specific configurations of career adaptability resources they can deploy to constructively navigate their professional journey. Moreover, because career adaptability changes in response to environmental conditions, this study provides novel insights about the interplay between career adaptability resources and the most relevant contextual factors that support or inhibit women in the pursuit of their career development during each career phase. Overall, our research provides evidence that a lifespan approach to career development is particularly effective in sectors that are still characterized by gender norms. Practical implications are provided for women to help them self-regulate their careers, as well as for educational and organizational policies to help address the underrepresentation of women in the STEM workforce." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, ©2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.) ((en))

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Coda Zabetta, Massimiliano & Aldo Geuna (2026): Postdoctoral mobility and returnees' careers in Italian academia. In: Research Policy, Jg. 55, H. 4. DOI:10.1016/j.respol.2026.105456

Abstract

"This paper investigates the relationship between international postdoctoral stays and academic career advancement among researchers returning to the Italian university system. Using a unique dataset of Italian PhD holders observed over a 30-year period, we analyze how international postdoctoral stays are associated with two key career outcomes: (i) the time between PhD completion and first appointment as Assistant Professor (time-to-entry), and (ii) the time between Assistant Professor appointment and promotion to Associate Professor (time-to-promotion). We identify international postdoctoral stays by tracing foreign affiliations in researchers' publication records and examine how their association with career progression is moderated by institutional inbreeding, home-country linkages, and the persistence of international research networks. To explore these relationships, we apply a Cox proportional hazards model combined with entropy balancing. Our findings were validated by using curriculum vitae information for a subsample of researchers. We found that international postdoctoral stays are associated with slower entry into the academic system but are positively related to shorter time-to-promotion. Notably, this association is strongest for researchers promoted at universities other than their alma mater. We also observe that maintaining a strong home-country publishing network is associated with quicker entry as Assistant Professor, while sustained collaboration in postdoc-period co-author networks is linked to faster promotion to Associate Professor." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

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Hooper, Helen (2026): An Evaluation of the Gender Inclusivity of UK Senior Academic Job Advertisements. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 33, H. 4, S. 1179-1195. DOI:10.1111/gwao.70092

Abstract

"Previous research demonstrates that small changes to the content of job advertisements can influence an applicant’s perceived fit with the role being advertised and has analyzed the effects of specific features on women. This paper presents an original gender inclusion analysis framework and reports on its use to critically assess 140 senior academic job adverts as an underexplored institutional mechanism that may help sustain gender inequality in academic leadership. This research concludes that such adverts are not gender inclusive, as most do not explicitly encourage nor support gender diversity, and many contain subtle signals that could increase women's perceived lack of fit with advertised roles; 41% of adverts utilized masculine wording, which could deter female candidates; just 15% (n = 21) prioritized women via a positive action statement; specific employee benefits, which could signal support for applicants with (child)caring responsibilities, were not prioritized, with 11% (n = 15) and 6% (n = 9) of adverts promoting family-friendly policies or an on-site nursery, respectively, and only 6% of roles were listed with a part-time working opportunity. 97% of institutes in this research held an Athena Swan Charter award in recognition of gender equality work, suggesting a lack of impact on recruitment and highlighting scope for development of gender-fair recruitment practices." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Kwon, Seoyoung, Jongkwan Lee & Joan Monras (2026): The Effect of Retaining High-Skilled International Graduates: Evidence from the STEM OPT Extension. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 21224), London, 61 S.

Abstract

"High-skilled migration programs exist around the world in the hope that immigrants complement native workers, allow firms to grow, and boost innovation. We study the effect of one such program by exploiting the 2016 extension of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which significantly prolonged the work authorization period for international STEM graduates. Using a synthetic difference-in-differences approach, we find that the policy successfully increased the local supply of high-skilled immigrants in exposed Commuting Zones. This local inflow stimulated firm creation and the demand for native high-skilled workers. The program might have also boosted innovation in certain sectors and startup investment, especially in Commuting Zones hosting top-ranked universities, where, overall, the effects tend to be larger." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Moffat, John & Duncan Roth (2026): Entry conditions and the transition from tertiary education to employment: a cross-country perspective. In: International Journal of Manpower, Jg. 47, H. 1, S. 114-133., 2025-10-22. DOI:10.1108/ijm-02-2025-0150

Abstract

"Purpose: This paper analyses the short-run effects of the unemployment rate at the time of graduation on the transition into employment. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical analysis is based on monthly data on tertiary education graduates in 19 European countries covering 2004–2017 from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey. Our methodology combines a Cox proportional hazards model with a two-stage residual inclusion approach. Findings: We find that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate reduces the hazard rate of transitioning from unemployment into employment by 6%. Consistent with evidence on cross-country differences in labour market rigidity, we find that the effect is stronger in Southern European countries. Within this group, the effect is almost entirely due to negative effects on female graduates. Originality/value: While the long-run effects of the conditions at the time of labour market entry have been widely studied, relatively little is known about their effects in the short run. This is partly due to the use of annual data in the extant literature. This gap in the literature is important since it is well established that unemployment at the beginning of an individual's career can have long-term “scarring” effects." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Nacache, Léa, Marie-Françoise Roy & Catherine Jami (2026): Towards gender equality in scientific organizations: assessment and recommendations. 126 S. DOI:10.24948/2026.03

Abstract

"Academies of science, medicine and engineering, along with international scientific unions, play an important role in shaping scientific agendas, recognizing scientific excellence, and advising policy-makers. In doing so, they influence whose expertise is visible and whose voices are heard in science. Persistent gender gaps within these organizations - relative to the share of women in the scientific workforce - raise questions about whether women scientists can participate, lead, and be recognized on equal terms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Neville, Ruth & Athina Anastasiadou (2026): Gender dynamics in international student mobility: the case of the United Kingdom. (MPIDR working paper / Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research 2026-004), Rostock, 12 S. DOI:10.4054/mpidr-wp-2026-004

Abstract

"The gender composition of international student mobility (ISM) to the United Kingdom (United Kingdom) has historically favoured female students, but recent trends indicate a decline in their proportions. This paper investigates the changing trends of female international mobility to United Kingdom higher education. It utilises data from the United Kingdom Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) on international undergraduate student applications by gender. This study examines evolving patterns of ISM from both European Union (EU) and non-European Union (non-EU) countries, as well as the trajectories of specific countries of origin. Our findings reveal a decline in the share of female students from non-EU countries since 2021, alongside a reduction in female applicants from the EU post-Brexit. Additionally, we observe that countries like Pakistan and India consistently send fewer female students, remaining below gender parity. Using a Generalised Linear Model (GLM), we model the share of female students and assess the influence of demographic, cultural, and policy factors on the share of female applications. Based on these findings, we provide policy recommendations aimed at promoting gender equity in international student recruitment to the United Kingdom." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Rudakov, Victor & Kai Mühleck (2026): Student employment in Europe and subsequent labour market outcomes. In: Higher education, S. 1-29. DOI:10.1007/s10734-026-01652-y

Abstract

"The study investigates the impact of student employment on the post-graduation employment and salaries of university graduates in 13 European countries. We use a unique and rich dataset of European graduates from the 2017 and 2021 cohorts, which allows us to account for potential selection on observables using OLS with entropy balancing weights and address potential selection on unobservables using an IV approach and the Oster test. In addition, we test human capital versus job-market signaling explanations for the returns to student employment by comparing returns for self-employed and employed graduates, as well as by examining how returns to student work experience evolve over time. The results indicate a positive effect of student employment on both employment and salaries after graduation, with larger effects for work related to the field of study and smaller effects for study-unrelated work. We find no evidence that these returns diminish over time or that they differ between employed and self-employed graduates, which supports a human capital explanation of the returns to student employment. The analysis reveals considerable cross-country variation: returns are higher in many post-socialist Eastern European countries, which have experienced significant massification of higher education over the past three decades." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Tosi, Francesca, Giulia Dugar & Livia Elisa Ortensi (2026): Early Occupational Outcomes of University Graduates in Italy. A ‘Centre–Periphery’ Geographical Approach. In: Population, space and place, Jg. 32, H. 2. DOI:10.1002/psp.70226

Abstract

"The diversification of young people's life trajectories in Europe over the past 50 years has been significantly influenced by more uncertain social and economic conditions, marked by high youth unemployment and increasing job insecurity. In Italy, precariousness has propagated unevenly across regions and social strata, particularly affecting women and young people from the South, exacerbating existing territorial disparities. This study adopts a centre-periphery approach to explore how the territorial features of Italian university graduates' places of origin impact their early occupational outcomes. Using individual-level data from the Istat Survey on the Professional Paths of Italian Graduates (2015) and Eurostat's territorial typology indicators, we employ Heckman modelling to estimate the risk of non-standard employment 4 years after graduation. Our findings reveal that graduates from marginal areas (predominantly rural, mountainous, or non-metropolitan) face higher risks of non-standard employment compared to those from central areas. No clear evidence links marginality in Southern areas to worse employment outcomes; instead, the highest internal territorial divide in terms of job insecurity is observed between central and marginal areas in Central Italy. Furthermore, we find that mobility during the school-to-work transition mitigates job insecurity risks, with movers from both central and marginal regions reporting better employment outcomes than stayers. This study contributes to the literature by adopting a new and underinvestigated geographical approach to the school-to-work transition, by highlighting the importance of territorial disparities in shaping young people's labour market trajectories and underscoring the complex interplay between territorial characteristics of places of origin and young people's employment prospects." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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VanHeuvelen, Tom, Natasha Quadlin & Jordyn Wald (2026): Regrets, she's had a few: Gender and regret of computer science and engineering degrees. In: Social science research, Jg. 135. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103298

Abstract

"In this article, we introduce a novel social fact that will be highly relevant for studies of gender inequality: women in computer science and, to a lesser extent, engineering fields report distinctly high levels of regret of their field of study compared to otherwise similar men. We develop expectations regarding gendered patterns of regret and examine them using nine waves of the Federal Reserve's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) between 2015 and 2023. Using regression decomposition techniques, we demonstrate that observed economic, occupation, industry, and sociodemographic characteristics fare poorly in explaining the high regret of women in these fields. In fact, these fields are defined by a uniquely large unexplained amount of regret among women. Our findings raise alarm for those who wish to open access to these critical CS/Engineering fields for women: such endeavors will likely fail unless deep cultural work is done to change the regret that many women feel after successfully entering these fields." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Published by Elsevier Inc.) ((en))

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Fabbri, Alessandro & Michele Pellizzari (2025): First-generation graduates in OECD countries. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20796), London, 21 S., App.

Abstract

"This paper examines earnings differences between first-generation and continuing generation college graduates across 24 OECD countries using data from the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). In all but two of the countries analysed, first-generation graduates earn less than their peers from college-educated families, with an average gap across all countries of approximately 8%. We investigate potential mechanisms behind this result and find that first-generation graduates are less likely to pursue postgraduate education, more likely to hold vocational degrees, and tend to have lower cognitive skills. These findings highlight the need for policy interventions to enhance educational mobility and promote equality of opportunity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gelbgiser, Dafna & Oded Mcdossi (2025): Diverging pathways: first-year college courses and the gender gap in STEM degree attainment. In: Social forces, S. 1-24. DOI:10.1093/sf/soaf174

Abstract

"Gender differences in occupational plans in high school are an important predictor of the low representation of women among degree recipients in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Yet even among STEM-aspiring students, women are substantially less likely than men to obtain a STEM degree. Building on the educational literature on “curricular momentum” and recent evidence of the social and academic contexts of STEM introductory courses, this paper sheds light on the role played by first-year college courses in the diverging career pathways of men and women. Drawing on detailed transcript information of a nationally representative sample of US college students, we demonstrate that the proportion of STEM courses college students take during their first year and the gendered association between these courses and attainment are key explanations of gender differences in STEM degree attainment. Among students with similar STEM plans, men take a higher proportion of STEM courses than women, contributing to their advantage in STEM attainment. Even more consequential is the gendered association between STEM courses and degree attainment. The proportion of STEM courses in the first year of college is more predictive of men’s attainment thanwomen’s, especially among STEM-oriented students. These findings suggest colleges should look closely at the courses men and women take in their first year and ensure the institutional and social contexts of introductory STEM courses allow all students to pursue their aspirations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hunt, Wil, B. Baldauf & C. Lyonette (2025): Horses for Courses: Subject Differences in the Chances of Securing Different Types of Graduate Jobs in the UK. In: Journal of Social Policy, Jg. 54, H. 1, S. 228-248. DOI:10.1017/S0047279423000041

Abstract

"Analysis of the 2010/11 Longitudinal Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey shows that overly-simplistic conceptions of graduate success underestimate the value of obtaining a degree in some subjects. Using a skills-based classification of graduate jobs the research finds that maths and vocationally-oriented subjects associated with higher earnings returns (Belfield et al., 2018a, 2018b) – engineering, architecture, computer science and nursing – increase the chances of having an ‘Expert’ job compared to the average for all graduates. However, more generalist subjects that have been linked with lower earnings such as creative arts, languages and mass communication and documentation are better for accessing graduate jobs where creativity and ability to communicate is key. The research demonstrates the value of using a more nuanced conception of graduate jobs and shows that debate about the value of higher education needs to move away from a narrow focus on earnings." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kleimann, Bernd, Thorsten Lenz, Carolin Luksche, Maike Reimer & Johanna Witte (2025): Etablierung des Karrierewegs der Tenure-Track-Professur im deutschen Wissenschaftssystem. Begleitstudie zum Bundesbericht Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler in einer frühen Karrierephase (BuWiK) 2025. Kassel, 193 S.

Abstract

"Die vorliegende Begleitstudie verfolgt dementsprechend das Ziel, der interessierten Öffentlichkeit Informationen zu der Frage an die Hand zu geben, inwieweit die TTP in Deutschland bis zum Jahr 2022/2023 etabliert ist. Die Etablierung wird dabei als multidimensionaler Prozess verstanden, der die diskursive Auseinandersetzung, die förderpolitische Integration, die gesetzliche und satzungsbezogene Verankerung sowie die quantitative Verbreitung der TTP im deutschen Karrieresystem umfasst. Zur Beantwortung der Frage nach der Etablierung der TTP im deutschen Wissenschafts- und Hochschulsystem wurden – wie erwähnt – das DZHW in Hannover und das IHF in München vom BMBF beauftragt. Die Durchführung der Studie erfolgte zwischen November 2022 und November 2023 in einem mit dem Auftraggeber abgestimmten arbeitsteiligen Vorgehen von DZHW und IHF. Der Auftrag umfasste die Bearbeitung der folgenden Arbeitspakete: - Arbeitspaket 1: Hintergründe der Einführung der Tenure-Track-Professur im deutschen Wissenschaftssystem und Entwicklung der rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen - Arbeitspaket 2: Die Auswirkungen der Etablierung der Tenure-Track-Professur an den Hochschulen - Arbeitspaket 3: Die Tenure-Track-Professur im internationalen Vergleich. Der vorliegende Bericht stellt die Ergebnisse der Bearbeitung dieser Arbeitspakete vor. Er ist wie folgt gegliedert: Zunächst wird betrachtet, wie sich die wissenschaftspolitische Diskussion um Tenure-Track in Deutschland entwickelt hat. Das Kapitel informiert dabei über die Genese und den Verlauf des Diskurses um die TTP und über die Positionen der involvierten wissenschaftspolitischen Akteure. Es folgt ein Überblick über Förderprogramme für Wissenschaftler:innen in einer frühen Karrierephase, die von den Ländern, von wissenschaftlichen Einrichtungen und von Stiftungen aufgesetzt worden sind und das Tenure-Track-Programm flankieren oder ergänzen. Intention dieses Abschnitts ist es, einen Eindruck davon zu vermitteln, inwiefern der mit der breiten Einführung der TTP beabsichtigte Kulturwandel in der Ausgestaltung wissenschaftlicher Karrierewege im Rahmen des Fördersystems bereits erkennbar wird. Das anschließende Kapitel geht auf die Frage ein, in welcher Weise Tenure-Track auf der Ebene der Landesgesetzgebung verankert ist. Zur Strukturierung der Gesetzesanalyse werden dabei die Merkmale der TTP herangezogen, wie sie in der VV zwischen Bund und Ländern festgehalten worden sind. Dieselbe inhaltliche Strukturierung wird der folgenden Analyse der Satzungen von 35 Universitäten und gleichgestellten Hochschulen zugrunde gelegt. Beide Kapitel behandeln zusammen die Frage, in welcher Weise die TTP in Deutschland formal kodifiziert worden ist und welche Gemeinsamkeiten und Besonderheiten der Regelungen auf Landes- und Hochschulebene erkennbar sind. Im nächsten Kapitel werden statistische Daten zur Entwicklung der TTP in Deutschland im Vergleich zu etablierten, alternativen Karrierewegen (z. B. Juniorprofessuren ohne Tenure-Track, Nachwuchsgruppenleitungen sowie laufende und abgeschlossene Habilitationen) vorgestellt. Die zeitliche Entwicklung der unterschiedlichen Karrierewege wird anhand verschiedener statistischer Merkmale wie Geschlecht, Finanzierungsart, Beschäftigungsumfang und Beschäftigungsverhältnis aufgeschlüsselt. Zudem erfolgt eine Darstellung der fächergruppenspezifischen Verteilungsstrukturen der betrachteten Karrierewege zur Professur. Im letzten Schritt der Begleitstudie werden zur Einordnung des deutschen Tenure-Track-Systems in einen europäischen Referenzrahmen drei europäische Tenure-Track-Modelle porträtiert, nämlich diejenigen Österreichs, der Schweiz und der Niederlande, basierend auf einer kurzen Darstellung des US-amerikanischen Tenure-Track. Der Vergleich dient dazu, Gemeinsamkeiten des deutschen Modells mit Karrierestrukturen anderer Hochschulsysteme wie auch Unterschiede der deutschen Lösung im Vergleich mit der Handhabung von Tenure-Track in den benachbarten Ländern herauszuarbeiten." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

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König, Johannes, Anne Otto, Kolja Briedis & Stefanie Gäckle (2025): Karriereentscheidungen und -verläufe Promovierter unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Befristung. Begleitstudie zum Bundesbericht Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler in einer frühen Karrierephase (BuWiK) 2025. Kassel, 190 S.

Abstract

"Zielsetzung und Fragestellung der Studie In den letzten Jahren sind die Arbeitsbedingungen von Promovierenden und Promovierten im deutschen Hochschul- und Wissenschaftssystem zunehmend in das Zentrum einer kritischen Diskussion gerückt. Der Auslöser für diese intensive hochschulpolitische Debatte war insbesondere der hohe Anteil von befristeten Arbeitsverhältnissen beim wissenschaftlichen Personal. Ein wichtiger Kritikpunkt ist, dass Arbeitsverträge an Hochschulen oft deutlich kürzer ausfallen als die vorgesehenen Qualifikationsphasen. Wissenschaftliche Karrieren weisen daher oftmals keine durchgehende Beschäftigung auf, sondern zeichnen sich bestenfalls durch eine „lückenlose Aneinanderreihung mehrerer Arbeitsverträge“ aus. Wissenschaftliche Karrieren werden somit zu „gestückelten Kontinuitäten“ . Ein zentraler Kritikpunkt an dieser Befristungspraxis ist, dass der Wissenschaftsstandort Deutschland durch die aktuelle Befristungssituation Schaden nimmt, „der wegen der jahrelangen beruflichen Unsicherheit […] im internationalen Vergleich ebenso wie im Kontrast zu anderen Branchen kein attraktiver Arbeitgeber ist“ . Befürworter:innen der aktuellen Befristungspraxis sehen hingegen die Gefahr von einer „Verstopfung“ der Karrierewege, sodass nachfolgende Generationen mit schlechteren Zukunftsaussichten bei höheren Entfristungsquoten konfrontiert wären. Außerdem wird argumentiert, dass eine hohe Befristungsquote für eine „Bestenauslese“ unerlässlich sei, um Innovationen und Fortschritt weiterhin zu gewährleisten. Im Mittelpunkt dieser Studie stehen die Karriereentscheidungen und -verläufe von Promovierten unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von befristeten Beschäftigungsverhältnissen während und nach der Promotion. Es werden die folgenden Forschungsfragen analysiert: - Welche Verläufe weisen die Karrieren von Promovierten auf?  Welche Rolle spielt die Befristung von Beschäftigungsverhältnissen für Karriereentscheidungen und -verläufe von Promovierten inner- und außerhalb des akademischen Sektors? - In welchem Verhältnis stehen potenzielles Angebot an und Nachfrage nach Wissenschaftler:innen insgesamt für die kommenden Jahre in Deutschland? - Wie lässt sich vor dem Hintergrund der empirischen Befunde dieser Studie die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Hochschulen und AUFE auf dem nationalen Arbeitsmarkt einschätzen? Um die Bedeutung eines befristeten Arbeitsverhältnisses im Zuge von Karriereentscheidungen von Promovierten aufzeigen zu können, ist es zweckmäßig, die Karriereverläufe und -perspektiven im akademischen Sektor, aber auch in anderen Beschäftigungssektoren, zu analysieren." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

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Luchinskaya, Daria & Charikleia Tzanakou (2025): Under (employability and financial) pressure: the unequal effects of work experience on graduate earnings. In: Studies in higher education, Jg. 50, H. 5, S. 955-973. DOI:10.1080/03075079.2025.2490801

Abstract

"As students seek out work experience to become ‘employable’, many also do casual paid work while studying to ease financial pressures. But do different types of work experience affect graduates’ earnings differently? We explore this question in this paper and discuss whether our findings are consistent with human capital or signalling theoretical perspectives. If human capital – any skill-developing work experience would increase earnings compared to doing nothing. If signaling – only certain (e.g. competitive) work experiences would improve earnings. We extend the work on the effect of placements on graduate earnings by Delis and Jones (Citation2023) and respond to the authors’ calls to analyse a larger UK sample by using rich, nationally representative survey data on students’ higher education and post-graduation experiences (Futuretrack, N∼ = 3200). Using linear regression with extensive controls and sensitivity analysis, we demonstrate a hierarchy of work experience payoffs, with high, medium and low payoff groups, favoring internships and placements, career-related paid work, and casual paid work respectively. Career-related unpaid work shows no earnings advantages, and combining it with casual paid work may depress earnings, especially for female graduates. Our findings are therefore more consistent with the signalling, rather than the human capital, perspective. We further highlight that horizontal gender segregation in higher education subjects structures access to curricular work experience (sandwich and shorter placements) with differential earnings payoffs. We discuss the implications of our work for higher education institutions, careers professionals, employers and students regarding career information and access to work experience opportunities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lyttelton, Thomas, Dylan Nelson & Nathan Wilmers (2025): Are decredentialed jobs a route to upward mobility? (SocArXiv papers), 31 S. DOI:10.31219/osf.io/4kgj9_v1

Abstract

"Prominent employers, from Microsoft to the State of Maryland, are increasingly dropping college degree requirements when hiring. Does this provide upward mobility for workers without a college degree? Matching job postings to hires in US administrative data, we show that employers have reduced the share of posts requiring a college degree by more than 10% since 2011. Non-college workers who move to jobs that have dropped degree requirements see substantial and enduring upward mobility. Compared to similar workers on similar pre-hire earnings trajectories, they earn a $6000 per year premium that endures for at least five years after the job move and across subsequent transitions. These hires are more likely to be Black, Hispanic, and female than incumbent workers. Employers also see benefits, as removing degree requirements reduces labor costs: although non-college workers hired into decredentialed jobs earn more than similar non-college workers, they make less than college graduates hired in the same job. Despite these benefits, most employers that drop explicit college requirements continue to hire college graduate applicants into those positions. We find suggestive evidence that employers struggle to integrate new non-college hires and that they face backlash from existing employees. Overall, decredentialed jobs are a promising route to upward mobility for disadvantaged workers, but only when employers follow through beyond job posting language." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Mlakić, Vinka (2025): Entwicklung der Beschäftigung und Arbeitslosigkeit von Akademiker_innen. (AMS-Spezialthema zum Arbeitsmarkt / Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich), Wien, 8 S.

Abstract

"Der stetige Anstieg der Arbeitslosenzahlen von Akademiker_innen steht immer wieder im Fokus der Aufmerksamkeit. So waren zuletzt per Ende Jänner 2025 31.674 Personen (+18,0% ggü. Vorjahresmonat) mit akademischem Abschluss beim AMS als arbeitslos vorgemerkt. Aufgrund des steigenden Bildungsniveaus der Bevölkerung und der Tertiarisierung des Arbeitsmarktes wächst jedoch die Grundgesamtheit an Akademiker_innen proportional zu den Arbeitslosenzahlen. Dadurch bleibt die Arbeitslosenquote über Jahre und Jahrzehnte ausnehmend stabil auf einem niedrigen Niveau und robust gegenüber konjunkturellen Einflüssen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Weber, Enzo (2025): Tolle Fachkräfte auf dem Silbertablett. Gastbeitrag. In: BDA Agenda H. 12.