Kerly Espenberg

The Reasons for the Interruption of Vocational Training in Estonian Vocational Schools.

Abstract Dropping out of school before achieving any qualification is a serious problem both at an individual and societal level. This study provides an insight into the lives of young people who have dropped out or are at a risk of dropping out of vocational schools in Estonia and gives an overview of the reasons behind the interruption of their studies. The study is based on in-depth face-to-face personal interviews in 10 Estonian vocational educational institutions with those who have interrupted vocational training, those in danger of interruption and representatives of vocational educational institutions. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Personal, family-related, school-related and economic reasons for leaving school as well as possible measures to prevent dropping out of vocational schools are discussed.

Is the world of work stimulating middle-class growth in the Baltic states?

While recent studies have highlighted the phenomenon and risks of increased inequalities between the top and the bottom of society, little research has so far been carried out on trends relating to the median income range that generally represents the middle class. This volume examines the following questions: what are the main transformations in the world of work over the last 20 years in terms of the labour market, social dialogue, and conditions of work, wages and incomes that may have affected the middle class? How has the middle class been altered by the financial and economic crisis? What are the long-term trends for the middle class in Europe?

Does a university degree pay off in the estonian labour market

Does a university degree pay off in the estonian labour market? While graduates of real sciences are considered crucial to the development of the knowledge-based economy, most European countries are still characterised by the low proportion of young people choosing to study natural and life sciences. The current research is motivated by a desire to compare the labour market performance of graduates of various disciplines to see whether there is any evidence of an over-supply of social science graduates. In this study we use the data from two waves of an Estonian survey of university alumni to analyse the labour market positions of young people with different educational backgrounds, during and after graduation, through both an economic boom and a deep recession. The results show that many students work during their studies, mostly for economic reasons. There are some signs of over-qualification and a mismatch between subjects studied and current jobs. There is a wage-premium observable between social science and real science graduates only at the master/doctoral level, not at bachelor level. This is partly explained by examining the sectors and companies where social and real sciences graduates are employed; however, a part of the gap remains unexplained.