Transition from higher
education to work
Gender differences in employment outcomes
of university graduates in Greece
Dr. Maria Karamessini
Panteion University of Social and Political
Sciences
2009 IAFFE Annual Conference, Boston MA, June 26-28
Greece has the highest rate and largest gender
gap in youth unemployment in the EU-27
University graduates – highest incidence of
unemployment and temporary employment
among the 20-29 year olds
Greek women outstrip men in enrolments in
higher education and get on average higher
marks
Important gender differences in labor market
outcomes in the early careers of graduates
Purpose: study the determinants
LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES
5-7 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION
All graduates
Activity rate
Unemployment rate
All employed
Self-employment rate
Dependent workers
Public employment rate
Full-time employment rate
Permanent employment rate
Wage earners receiving >1100 euros
Job match with studies
Job satisfaction
MEN WOMEN GENDER
%
%
GAP
90.6
5.9
91.2
7.2
-0.6
-1.3
25.4
15.6
9.8
31.7
92.1
75.7
50.3
74.0
65.1
42.3
57.7
68.3
28.0
71.3
62.7
-10.6
7.0
7.4
22.3
2.7
2.4
GENDER DIFFERENCES STUDIED
Micro-data from a nation-wide survey among
13,615 university graduates from the 19982000 cohorts
Logistic regression analysis – to estimate the
odds, 5-7 years after graduation, of being:
Active vs. inactive, employed vs. unemployed,
employee or self-employed, in permanent vs.
temporary employment, full vs. part-timer,
well-paid vs. medium or low paid, in a job
matching vs. not matching the content of
studies, satisfied vs. non satisfied or indifferent
from the current job
Data, variables, methods (1)
EXLANATORY VARIABLES
a) Socio-demographic: Sex, social origin,
presence/No of children
b) Educational: field of study, motivation for
studies at entry, grades
c) Human capital accumulation during
undergraduate studies (traineeship, work
experience ) and after graduation (postgraduate studies, participation to ALMP
scheme, age or time lapse since graduation)
d) Job mobility: number of jobs held
e) Employer characteristics : private/ public
sector, size of firm
Data, variables, methods (2)
Direct effect of gender (coefficient of sex in the
equation)
Indirect effect of gender stemming from
gender differences in the other explanatory
variables except sex
- Mean values (quantitative variables)
- Dissimilar distributions (categorical variables)
Overall gender impact = direct + indirect effect
Data, variables, methods (3)
DEPENDENT VARIABLES
Logits
Active vs. non active
graduates with children
graduates without children
Employed vs. unemployed
graduates with children
graduates without children
Self-employed vs. wage earner
Employed in the public vs.
private sector
FIELD OF
FIELD OF STUDY
STUDYIN THE
NOT IN THE
EQUATION
EQUATION
9.86
1.42
9.25
1.40
3.83
0.89
4.26
1.03
1.68
2.30
0.62
0.54
Results: Direct gender effect (1)
DEPENDENT VARIABLES
Logits
Full-time vs. part-time worker
graduates with children
graduates without children
Permanent vs. temporary
worker
Receiving earnings higher vs.
lower than 1,100€
Job matching vs. non matching
with studies
Job satisfaction vs. non
satisfaction/ indifference
SUBJECT
SUBJECT AREAS
AREAS IN THE
NOT IN THE
EQUATION
EQUATION
2.63
1.31
3.61
1.65
*
0.84
1.71
2.22
*
1.33
**
*
Results: Direct gender effect (2)
1. Activity rate (GG= - 0.6 pp)
Gender differences
Presence of children: narrow
Age: narrow
Military service: widen
Post-graduate studies: widen
Parental income: widen
Mother’s educational attainment: widen
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (1)
2. Unemployment rate (GG = -1.3 pp)
Gender differences
Presence of children: widen
Undergraduate work experience: narrow
Time lapse since graduation: no gen. dif.
Number of jobs: narrow
Participation to ALMP scheme: widen
Traineeship during studies: narrow
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (2)
3. Self-employment rate (GG = 9.8 pp)
Gender differences
Presence of children: widen
Age: widen
Post-graduate studies: narrow
Parental income: widen
Father’s educational attainment: widen
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (3)
4. Public employment rate (GG = -10.6 pp)
Gender differences
Age: widen
Grade of degree: narrow
Post-graduate studies: narrow
Delay in completion of studies: widen
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (4)
5. Full-time employment rate (GG = 7 pp)
Gender differences
Presence of children: widen
Time lapse since graduation: no gend. dif.
Public/ private sector: narrow
Parental income: widen
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (5)
6. Permanent employment rate (GG= 7.4 pp)
Gender differences
Time lapse since graduation: no gend. dif.
Grade of degree: narrow
Number of jobs before current: narrow
Time lapse between current and previous job:
widen
Public/ private sector and firm size: widen
Post-graduate studies: widen
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (6)
7. Rate of highly paid employees (GG = 22.3
pp)
Gender differences
Undergraduate work experience: narrow
Time lapse since graduation: no gend. dif.
Post-graduate studies: widen
Presence of children: narrow
Public/ private sector and firm size: widen
Full or part-time employment: widen
Permanent or temporary employment: widen
Job match or mismatch: no impact
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (7)
8. Rate of employees with jobs matching their
studies (GG = 2.7 pp)
Gender differences
Delay in the completion of studies: narrow
Scientific interest for the field of study at
entry: narrow
Post-graduate studies: widen
Public/ private sector of employment: narrow
Field of studies: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (8)
9. Job satisfaction rate (GG = 2.4 pp)
Gender differences
Permanent or temporary employment: widen
Full or part-time employment: widen
Job match or mismatch: no effect
Advancement perspectives in current job:
widen
Public or private sector of employment: narrow
Grade of degree: widen
Results: indirect gender effect (9)