TY  - RPRT
        AU  - McGuinness, Seamus
AU  - Kelly, Lorcan
AU  - Devlin, Anne
AU  - Whelan, Adele
        TI  - Vocational Education, Earnings and Job Satisfaction in Europe
        PY  - 2025/Sep/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 18134
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp18134
        AB  - This paper examines the earnings and job satisfaction of Vocational Education and Training (VET) graduates in the European Union (EU) using two definitions of vocational education: a self-reported definition and a more specific definition that incorporates work-based learning. The incidence of third-level VET falls from 74% to 29% under the stricter definition. Across the EU, the returns to vocational and academic qualifications are comparable for upper secondary, post-secondary and tertiary qualifications. Earnings premia vary between countries, with VET generating higher returns in just under one-third of all EU-28 members. Additionally, third level VET graduates enjoy higher levels of job satisfaction.
        KW  - work-based learning
KW  - european countries
KW  - job satisfaction
KW  - earnings
KW  - vocational education
KW  - on-the-job training
        ER  -