Education

Research shows that the labor market payoff to vocational education in high school is quite large when graduates work in the occupation for which they trained. Less than one-third of those who learn occupationally specific skills get training-related jobs. The occupationally specific skills learned are seldom used on a job due to lack of emphasis on placement, insufficient involvement of employers, and training for jobs not in demand. High school vocational education has no significant positive or negative effects on the noneconomic aspects of schooling. Vocational education lowers dropout rates, but not dramatically. Basic skills cannot substitute for occupational skills. Skill obsolescence is less important than the risk of not using and forgetting skills. Studying occupationally specific skills does not necessarily lower academic achievealent if nonrigorous academic courses are sacrificed. Most occupationall