Research summary: Effects of Student and Family Background on Education and Labour Market Outcomes
Title of the report: Effects of Student and Family Background Characteristics on Post-Secondary Education Access, Persistence, and Completion, and Labour Market Outcomes in British Columbia
Author of the report: Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)
Alternate formats
Effects of Student and Family Background on Education and Labour Market Outcomes [PDF - 284 KB]
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Why this study
This research looked at how early student, schooling, family, and neighbourhood factors impact postsecondary education (PSE) and employment.
What we did
The research uses British Columbia Kindergarten to Grade 12 (BC K-12) data, the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS), and the Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS). This research looks at student and family background characteristics of British Columbia students.
What we found
When looking at students who graduated from PSE, this research found that they were more likely to:
- be female than male
- speak Chinese, East European language, or Korean than English
- be enrolled in a French immersion program than in an English-language program
- have attended a preparatory/international baccalaureate or Catholic school than a public school
- have high Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) scores than only meeting FSA expectations
When looking at the earnings of postsecondary graduates, this research found that those with higher earnings were more likely to:
- be male than female
- have studied trades than Bachelor's
- have high numeracy scores in FSA than meet expectations
When looking at students who only graduated high school, this research found that those who were active in the labour market were more likely to:
- be female than male
- have attended a French immersion program than an English-language school
- have met FSA expectations than exceed FSA scores
- be from a rural neighbourhood
High school graduates with higher earnings were more likely to:
- be male than female
- have attended an English-language school than a French immersion school
- have experienced a mandatory school change than those who did not change schools
- meet FSA expectations than exceed FSA expectations
What it means
The findings of this research provide up-to-date information on the education and employment of youths in British Columbia. The research shows how barriers to higher education can be seen at an early age. Understanding these findings could help the development of policies and programs that support young Canadians in accessing PSE or get employed without PSE experience.
Contact us
Learning Branch, Learning Policy & Services Directorate, Planning, Policy and Partnerships Division
Email: esdc.nc.sspb.research-recherche.dgpss.cn.edsc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca