Wellbeing Outcomes for Learner Cohorts: by Workforce Development Councils - Plum, Alexander; Turcu, Alexandra; Pacheco, Gail (New Zealand Policy Research Institute - Te Kāhui Rangahau Mana Taurite, 2024)
A post-school qualification (PSQ) opens pathways to better labour market outcomes, but the benefits of a PSQ can go beyond employment and earnings and can also affect one’s wellbeing. This study aims to quantify the wellbeing impacts of vocational education and training PSQs ranging between level 1 and level 7 (excluding Bachelor’s degrees). We use Stats NZ’s Integrated Data Infrastructure, a large body of administrative and non-government information, to assess how: (i) physical (accident-related) and mental health; (ii) benefit receipt; and (iii) criminal offending and victimisation, change in the ten years after attaining a PSQ. Our findings are broken down by Workforce Development Council (WDC), sub-groups and qualification level, and further stratified by gender and ethnicity, as well as whether the individual is working in an industry related to their PSQ.
Keywords: Data analysis; Longitudinal data; Ethnicity; Training employment relationship; Education work relationship; Outcomes of education and training; Social aspects; Employment status; Employment outcomes; Mental health; Wellbeing; Outcomes; Gender; Demographics; Vocational education and training; Qualifications