Scottish Government

Andy Biggart, Fiona Dobbie, Andy Furlong, Lisa Given and Lyn Jones
The Scottish Centre for Social Research (formerly NatCen Scotland)

Prepared for the Scottish Executive Education Department July 2005

ISBN 0 7559 2679 X (Web only publication)

This document is also available in pdf format (696k)

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

List of tables and figures

Summary of Findings
1.1.1 Introduction
1.1.2 Method and Sample
1.1.3 Key findings
Main Activity
Domestic circumstances
The future
Qualifications
The Disadvantaged

1 Introduction
1.1 The Scottish School Leavers Survey Series
1.2 The 2004 survey
1.3 This report

2 Main activity at 23-24
2.1 Activity status
2.1.1 Comparison with previous sweeps (1997 and 1999)
2.2 Main activity by region
2.3 Main activity by parental social class
2.4 Education
2.4.1 Place of study and type of qualification
2.5 Jobs and training
2.5.1 Occupation and industry
2.5.2 Employment status
2.5.3 Hours and pay
2.5.4 Finding the job
2.5.5 Training
2.5.6 Part-time work
2.5.7 Attitudes to job
2.6 Career guidance
2.7 Student debt and overall income
2.8 Key points

3 Domestic circumstances
3.1 Children
3.2 Living arrangements
3.3 Leaving the parental home
3.4 Key points

4 The future
4.1 Attitudes towards the future
4.2 Feelings of control over life
4.3 Key points

5Qualifications of 23-24 year olds
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Highest Qualification obtained by age 23/24
5.3 Respondents studing towards a Qualification at age 23/24
5.4 Higher Education Qualifications
5.5 Key points

6 The disadvantaged
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Types of disadvantage
6.2.1 Characteristics of the sample
6.2.2 Characteristics of the sample
6.3 Disadvantage and educational participation
6.4 Unemployment
6.5 Out of labour force
6.6 Poor jobs
6.7 Key points

7 Key issues for further exploration
7.1 Continuation in full-time education/training
7.2 Outcomes in relation to highest qualification obtained
7.3 Part-time study
7.4 Employment
7.5 Student debt
7.6 Gender
7.7 The disadvantaged

8 Bibliography

9 APPENDIX A: TECHNICAL NOTES
9.1 Percentages
9.2 Bases
9.3 Estimating the precision of estimates
9.4 Combining columns of a table
9.5 School type
9.6 Social Class
9.7 Sample size
9.8 Survey non-response

10 Appendix B

The views expressed in the report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Executive or any other organisation(s) by which the author(s) is/are employed.

The Scottish Executive is making this research report available on-line in order to provide access to its contents for those interested in the subject. The Executive commissioned the research but has not exercised editorial control over the report.

The Executive has published this web only report to accompany 'Research Findings No.9: Findings from the Scottish School Leavers Survey: 24 in 2004'. These have been published along with 'Research Findings No 8: Findings from the Scottish School Leavers Survey: 22 in 2004' and its accompanying full report, as well as historical reports on 'Scotland's Young People in 1999: Findings from the Scottish School Leavers Survey' and '19 in 2001 - Scotland's Young People: Findings from the Scottish School Leavers Survey'

A limited print run of the two Research Findings is available from the Dissemination Officer, Information, Analysis & Communication Division, Scottish Executive Education Department, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ (telephone 0131-244-0316). All documents are placed on the Scottish Executive website, and can be found in the education research area www.scotland.gov.uk/insight/

All reports were published in August 2005.

The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and
do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers.