Continuing education, training and life chances: a linear structural relations analysis

This study investigates the contribution of continuing education and job training in complementing and mediating the effects of initial (formal) education on the life chances of a group of Swedish men born around 1928 and followed up from 1938 (age 10) to 1988 (age 60).
The findings indicate that the level of formal education attained early in life, i.e., before entering the labor market, influences the chance of participation in adult education and training programs. With respect to earned income, the effects of initial education increase sharply from age 25 to 40 and diminish gradually thereafter. The effects of continuing education on job status increase over time. The regression of earnings on indicators of participation in continuing education programs is not significant at any stage in careers. However, since job status has a large effect on earnings, and because the effect of continuing education on job status is highly significant, particularly in late career, the correlation between earnings and continuing education is significant and positive. Thus, the economic pay-off to the individual of participation in continuing education depends on whether or not the individual gets a new job for which a higher skill level is required and a higher wage paid.