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An exploratory investigation toward the development of a research design for a study of youth work transition

University of British Columbia

In this study a research design for a study of youth work transition is developed and pretested. Available statistics on the scope and severity of youth unemployment are examined and it is concluded that the problems of unemployment are more severe for those under 25 than for any other age group and that the situation is likely to get worse as young people in the next ten years will encounter a situation where ahead of them in the occupational structure are a large number of older, but still young, workers. It is suggested that the problems faced by youth in the work world could be alleviated if more information were available on what variables determine job success and on what effects various educational and training programs have on youth's work transition. However, such research is a major undertaking and much preliminary work to select effective instruments for measuring work attitudes and for developing effective methods of data gathering is required. Preliminary work carried out in this study includes determining an optimal sample size, compiling a questionnaire composed of a number of tested attitude scales, and the development of an optimal methodology for using mail questionnaires. A pre-test was carried out and the 24-page questionnaire was sent out to 600 high school leavers. A response rate of 64% was obtained even though time and budget constraints meant only a portion of the mail questionnaire methodology could be used. A multivariate analysis of the results from the questionnaire showed the attitude scales had a significant explanatory effect on a number of variables related to job success. It is hoped that this study will prove useful to future researchers who plan to study the problems of youth work transition and that the excellent response to the pre-test will encourage government to grant the support and commitments such studies deserve.

Text

2010-02-16

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/20234

Business Administration

University of British Columbia

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