The Labor Market Transitions of Young Workers
Allen Grace M. Sarmiento
Discipline: human resource management
Abstract:
There is greater concern about unemployment levels among university fresh graduates. This may
be due to an overabundance of young graduates with qualifications over available levels of professional
job demand in the current economic environment. This influx of young workers into the labor market has
been a serious financial issue. Even the most educated youth consider the likelihood of securing stable,
good-paying jobs in the future as challenging. In light of this, the research aims to examine how young
workers transition to the labor market, specifically to observe the condition of youth employment and
unemployment levels, factors affecting labor market transitions, and the overall condition of the labor
market for youth through a systematic literature review. The study presents 20 studies specifically targeting
their sources of data, measures, variables, geographical settings, data analysis treatment, and other
concepts or variables related to labor market transitions of young workers. The results reveal that higher
education and technical skills increase employment opportunities and job quality, but regional and sectorspecific
variations also require targeted policy responses. Overall, this study illuminates the intricacies
involved in young workers’ transitions in the labor market, highlighting salient elements such as education,
vocational training, job stability, and wage determinants.
References:
- Alfonsi, L., Bandiera, O., Bassi, V., Burgess, R., Rasul, I., Sulaiman, M., & Vitali, A. (2020). Tackling youth unemployment: Evidence from a labor market experiment in Uganda. Econometrica, 88(6), 2369–2414. https://doi.org/10.3982/ecta15959
- Alpaydin, Y. & Kultur, K. (2022). Improving the transition from higher education to employment: a review of current policies. Education Policies in the 21st Century. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1604-5_5
- Atherwood, S., & Sparks, C. S. (2019). Early-career trajectories of young workers in the U.S. in the context of the 2008–09 recession: The effect of labor market entry timing. PLOS ONE, 14(3), e0214234. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214234
- Baba, C., Giri, R., Srinivasan, K. (2024). Asia’s economies can embrace services to boost growth and productivity. IMF Blog. https://tinyurl.com/4x6tbv6f
- Bandara, A. (2018). Youth labor market expectations and job matching in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from school-to-work transition surveys. Applied Economics, 51(8), 762–780. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2018.1512742
- Bekker, S., & Deurzen, I. (2019). Photographs of young generations on the Dutch labour market. International Labour Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12139
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). The unemployment rate inches up during 2023, and labor force participation rises. U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://tinyurl.com/ty2vpas2
- Carnevale, A., Campbell, K., Cheah, B., Gulish, A., Quinn, M., & Strohl, J. (2022). Limits to educational affordability, work-based learning, and career counseling impede progress toward good jobs. JP Morgan Chase & Co. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED624515.pdf
- Cortes, M. (2022). Heterogeneous labor market impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. ILR Review, 76(1).
- Dorsett, R., & Lucchino, P. (2018). Young people’s labour market transitions: the role of early experiences. Labour Economics.
- Eberlein, L., Pavlopoulos, D., & Garnier-Villareal, M. (2024). Starting flexible, always flexible? The relation of early temporary employment and young workers employment trajectories in the Netherlands. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 89 (1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2023.100861
- Fry, R. (2021). First-generation college graduates lag behind their peers on key economic outcomes. Pew Research Center. https://tinyurl.com/yc2yj7ub
- Gashi, L., Berxulli, D., Konjucfa, J., & Cakolli, L. (2023). Effectiveness of career guidance workshops on the career self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and career goals of adolescents: an intervention study. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2281421
- Gebel, M., Unt, M., Bertolini, S., Deliyanni-Kouimtzi, V., & Hofäcker, D. (2021). Introduction: Youth transitions in times of labour market insecurity. Bristol University Press Digital Press.
- Giotis, G. (2024). Labor market institutions and employment. Encyclopedia, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia4010021
- Hall, C. (2016). Does more general education reduce the risk of future unemployment? Evidence from an expansion of vocational upper secondary education. Economics of Education Review, 52(3).
- International Labour Organization. (2025). World employment and social outlook trends 2025. International Labour Organization. https://tinyurl.com/44up68tt
- Hoidn, S., & Šťastný, V. (2021). Labour market success of initial vocational education and training graduates: A comparative study of three education systems in Central Europe. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 75(4), 629–653. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2021.1931946
- Högberg, B., Strandh, M., & Baranowska-Rataj, A. (2019). Transitions from temporary to permanent employment among young adults: The role of labour law and education systems. Journal of Sociology, 55(4), 689–707. https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783319876997
- Jetha, A., Shaw, R., Sinden, A. R., Mahood, Q., Gignac, M. A., McColl, M. A., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2019). Work-focused interventions that promote the labour market transition of young adults with chronic disabling health conditions: a systematic review. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 76(3), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2018-105454
- Kalleberg, A. L. (2020). Labor market uncertainties and youth labor force experiences: Lessons learned. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 688(1), 258–270. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716220913861
- Kluve, J., Puerto, S., Robalino, D., Romero, J., Rother, F., Stoterau, J., Weidenkaff, F., & Witte, M. (2017). Interventions to improve the labour market outcomes of youth. International Initiative for Impact Evaluation. https://www.3ieimpact.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/sr37-youth-employment_0.pdf
- Lim, T., Gottipati, S., & Cheong, M. (2024). Educational technologies and assessment practices: Evolution and emerging research gaps. Reshaping Learning with Next Generation Educational Technologies.
- Manzoni, A., & Gebel, M. (2023). Young adults’ labour market transitions and intergenerational support in Germany. European Sociological Review. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcad006
- Martins, A. (2024). Youth unemployment rising amidst political and economic instability. Health & Safety International. https://tinyurl.com/2hppmy9w
- McKinsey Global Institute. (2019). The future of work in America. McKinsey Global Institute. https://tinyurl.com/2w6ywzea
- Minnaugh, J. (2023). Employer perceptions of the skills gap in college graduates’ written communication. Walden University.
- Olofsson, J., & Panican, A. (2019). Labour market regulations, changes in working life and the importance of apprenticeship training: A long-term and comparative view on youth transition from school to work. Policy Futures in Education, 17(8), 945–965. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210319831567
- Oswald-Egg, M. & Renold, U. (2021). No experience, no employment: the effect of vocational education and training work experience on labour market outcomes after higher education. Economics of Education Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.102065
- Panakaje, N., Parvin, S., Bhagwath, A., Suvarna, H., Madhura, K., Pandavarakallu, M., Irfana, S., Anish, A., & Yatheen, A. (2024). Exploring the impact of training and placement cell on career transition to employment. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10 (4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2024.100383
- Pham, M., Lam, B., & Bui, A. (2024). Career exploration and its influence on the relationship between self-efficacy and career choice: the moderating role of social support. Heliyon. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31808
- Philippine Institute for Development Studies. (2024). Skills mismatch: a barrier to economic growth. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://tinyurl.com/mvn74m34
- Protsch, P. (2021). Employers’ recruitment contexts and hiring preferences in the German youth labor market. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 100608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2021.100608
- Rahmani, H. & Groot, W. (2023). Risk factors of being a youth not in education, employment or training (NEET): a scoping review. International Journal of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2023.102198
- Rönnlund, M., & Tollefsen, A. (2023). School-to-work transitions in rural North Sweden: staying on in a reviving local labor market. Journal of Youth Studies, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2023.2259323
- Sanderson, E. (2019). Youth transitions to employment: longitudinal evidence from marginalized young people in England. Journal of Youth Studies, 23(10), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2019.1671581
- Schoon, I. (2020). Navigating an uncertain labor market in the UK: The role of structure and agency in the transition from school to work. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 688(1), 77–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716220905569
- University of Wollongong, Australia. (2025). Systematic Review. https://uow.libguides.com/systematic-review/what-is-a-systematic-review
- Vandenberg, P. & Osborner, H. (2023). Job matching for youth in Asia and the Pacific: A transitions approach for positive labor market pathways. Asian Development Bank. https://tinyurl.com/4wkfz8rd
- Wachter, T. von. (2020). The persistent effects of initial labor market conditions for young adults and their sources. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 34(4), 168–194. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.34.4.168
- Wagle, U. (2024). Labor migration, remittances, and the economy in the Gulf Cooperation Council Region. Comparative Migration Studies, 12 (30). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-024-00390-3
- Watson, I. (2019). The youth labour market: From education to work before and after the global financial crisis. Journal of Industrial Relations, 62(1), 33–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022185619843959
- Yeung, W.-J. J., & Yang, Y. (2020). Labor market uncertainties for youth and young adults: An international perspective. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 688(1), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716220913487
- Yin, M., Garima, S., & Lin, D. (2022). Vocational rehabilitation services and labor market outcomes for transition‐age youth with disabilities in Maine. 42(1), 166–197. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22446
Full Text:
Note: Kindly Login or Register to gain access to this article.
ISSN 2984-8385 (Online)
ISSN 2984-8288 (Print)