Extracurricular Activity Participation during Elementary School Days and Initial Careers : A Study Focused on the Mediating Effect of Teamwork

In this paper, we analyze the effect of extracurricular activity participation on securing an initial job among Japanese undergraduate students, focusing on the mediating effect of their teamwork skills. Our study used the data set of web monitoring surveys that targets the students of Japanese higher education institutions. The survey was conducted in December 2017 and April 2018. The empirical results showed that extracurricular activity participation during elementary school days provided students with teamwork skills. In addition, after controlling for potential biases, teamwork skills led to an increase in the probability of securing a job. Extracurricular activity participation during elementary school days has a mediating effect on securing an initial job in the Japanese youth labor market. Our findings suggest that participation in organized activities outside school plays an important role in youth development and getting a job