Labor Market Effects on Education

Schools and labor markets have a variety of mutual influences. While there is more research on the effects of the educational characteristics of individuals on their subsequent labor market outcomes, the effects of labor markets on education are equally sociologically significant. The various effects of labor markets on education operate at individual, organizational, and institutional levels. Labor markets influence the behavior of high school and postsecondary students primarily by providing the sort of information and motivation that inculcates educational and occupational aspirations and expectations. Students at all levels orient their educational behavior and cognition toward their anticipated or desired occupational futures. To varying degrees students perceive their educational experiences as preparation for the workplace and select coursework and programs of study commensurate with their anticipated ...