Cognitive Foundation Skills Following Vocational Versus General Upper-Secondary Education: A Long-Term Perspective

Abstract

The present study aims at investigating the long-term cognitive effects of vocational education and training (VET) in Sweden and Denmark using data from the PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills. While Sweden has moved towards a more academic vocational education, Denmark has kept the apprenticeship system. Using multiple regression analysis we estimate the contribution of VET versus general upper-secondary education to the proficiency in literacy. The results show a higher literacy performance in those Swedish age groups in more academic VET programmes compared to the older Swedish age groups and to all the Danish age groups. A reasonable interpretation is that the amount of cognitively challenging subjects at the upper-secondary level gives a lasting imprint on literacy proficiency later in life.