Education, religion and the 'first destinations' of recent school-leavers in Northern Ireland

This paper uses data forma cross-section survey of recent school-leavers in Northern Ireland to examine the relationship between personal and social characteristics and first destinations approximately 6 to 9 months after leaving school. Six destinations are distinguished - employment, YTP, unemployment, higher education, further education and other activity. Particular attention is paid to the roles of religion, qualifications and subject choice. Nested logit models are estimated and subjected to a battery of mis-specification tests. The results suggest that, after controlling for a standard range of factors, religion and number of qualifications, but not subject choice, are significant in explaining post school destinations. In particular, Catholic males who leave from fifth and lower sixth form are significantly less likely to be employed and more likely to be on a YTP scheme.

A hard copy is available in UCD Library at GEN 330.08 IR/UNI