The Determinants of Labour Market Transitions: An Exploration of Contrasting Approaches

This article reports the results of an event history analysis of the determinants of job transitions among a sample of young adults (18-24 year olds). It contrasts the status attainment model with a model of a segmented labour market and compares the utility of both in an attempt to explain the direction of job movement. The results show that the variables which affect the direction of job transitions operate in different ways across the various segments and so highlight the utility of the model of a segmented labour market. Educational qualifications which are accorded a central role in the status attainment model are found to have a reduced and variable influence on the direction of job transitions within the labour market. By contrast, the structural factors and work experience variables which are more central to the segmented labour market model are found to play a significant part in influencing the likelihood and direction of movement in all segments