19 in 2005 - Scotland's Young People: Findings from the Scottish School Leavers Survey

2 MAIN ACTIVITY AT 21-22

This chapter looks at the main activity status of young people who took part in the survey. It begins by discussing what respondents felt their main activity was at the time of the survey (Spring 2005). Various factors are used to contextualise main activity status such as: stage of leaving school; gender; level of qualification; and parental social class. Next, education and training are explored in more detail. This section looks first at where respondents were studying, the qualifications they are likely to receive and the likelihood of participating in education or training by parental social class. The third section discusses: the type of occupation and industries respondents were working in, along with their employment status; number of hours worked by week; weekly take home pay; the ways young people found their job; the level of training they received; and, lastly, part-time workers. It then looks at young people's attitudes to current employment and the type of career guidance they had received, before finishing with some analysis of student debt and levels of income.

2.1 Activity status

At the time of the survey just under half (45%) of respondents were studying full-time - 35% in higher education and 10% in other full-time education. Around a quarter (26%) were in a full-time job with no Government Training Programme ¹ ( GTP); a further 9% were in a job which included a GTP or were not employed but on a GTP; 9% were working part-time; 8% were out of work; 2% were looking after the home/family and the and the remaining 1% were doing something else.

In 2005, as in previous years, there were notable differences between the activities of males and females. The latter were more likely to be in full-time higher education (38% compared with 32%), whereas the former were more likely to be undertaking a GTP (12% compared with 5%). Females were also more likely to be looking after the home/family than males (3% compared with 0%).

Table 2-1 Main activity by gender

All respondents	Male	Female	Total
Main Activity:	%	%	%
Full-time job no GTP	28	25	26
GTP	12	5	9
Full-time higher education	32	38	35
Other full-time education	10	11	10
Part-time work	8	9	9
Out of work	9	7	8
Looking after family/ home	-	3	2
Other	1	2	1
Base (weighted)	1630	1598	3228
Base (unweighted)	1351	1880	3231

Comparison of these findings with previous cohorts of the same age shows little change over time. Differences of significance (when compared with the 1999 and 2001 data) were an increase in the number of respondents undertaking other full-time education (from 7% in both 1999 and 2001 to 10% in 2005) and an increase in the number of respondents undertaking part-time work from 3% in 2001 to 9% in 2005.

Table 2-2 Main activity at age 19, Spring 1999, 2001 and 2005

All respondents	Cohort aged 19 in Spring 1999	Cohort aged 19 in Spring 2001	Cohort aged 19 in Spring 2005
Main Activity:	%	%	%
Job no GTP	27	27	26
GTP	10	14	9
Full-time higher education	38	37	35
Other full-time education	7	7	10
Part-time work	5	3	9
Out of work	9	8	8
Looking after family/ home	3	2	2
Other	2	2	1
Bases (weighted)	2479	5003	3228
Bases (unweighted)	2484	5003	3231

2.1.1 Comparison with 2003

Comparison of main activity results in 2005 with those for the same cohort in 2003, highlights a large increase in the number of respondents who are employed (8% in 2003 and 35% in 2005) ². This is, of course, consistent with the fact that the cohort is two years older and that many respondents will have completed their secondary school education and gone into employment. It should also be remembered that this includes respondents who have a part-time job as their main activity. Not surprisingly, there was a corresponding reduction in the number of respondents whose main activity was other full-time study, e.g. school (68% in 2003, 10% in 2005). Lastly there was an increase in the number of respondents who were studying full-time in higher education from 9% in 2003 to 35% in 2005.

Further analysis of individual level change in main activity since 2003 can be found in chapter six.

Table 2-3 Change in main activity over two years

All respondents	Cohort aged 17 in Spring 2003	Cohort aged 19 in Spring 2005
Main Activity:	%	%
Job no GTP	8	35
GTP	7	9
Full-time higher education	9	35
Other full-time education	68	10
Out of work	4	8
Looking after family/ home	1	2
Other	3	1
Bases (weighted)	4755	3228
Bases (unweighted)	4838	3231

2.2 Main activity by stage of leaving school

Respondents who left school after S5 were the group most likely to be in full-time higher education at the age of 18-19 (49% compared with 5% of S4 leavers). Consequently, respondents who left school after S5 were the least likely to be in full-time employment (21% compared with 36% of S4 leavers and 40% of S5 Christmas leavers). S4 leavers were the most likely to be out of work (18% compared with 4% of after S5 leavers) and most likely be looking after the home or family (5% compared with 1%). Not surprisingly, then, the longer young people stay in school the more likely they are to move onto full-time education.

Table 2-4 Main activity by stage of leaving school

	Stage of leaving school
All respondents	S4	S5 Xmas	After S5	Total
Main Activity:	%	%	%	%
Job no GTP	36	40	21	26
GTP	16	15	5	9
Full-time higher education	5	8	49	36
Other full-time education	10	10	11	11
Part-time work	9	9	8	8
Out of work	18	15	4	8
Looking after family/ home	5	3	1	2
Other	1	1	2	1
Base (weighted)	719	228	2175	3122
Base (unweighted)	415	152	2591	3158

2.3 Main activity by qualification

In 2005, as in previous years, level of highest educational qualification was another powerful predictor of current main activity. Around a third (30%) of those with no qualifications, for example, were out of work and a quarter (24%) working in a full-time job. Those with standard grades or level 1-2 qualifications as their highest level of qualification were most likely to be working full-time (37% and 46%). Not surprisingly full-time higher education was the main activity for the majority (57%) of those with highers as their highest level of qualification.

Table 2-5 Main activity by highest qualification achieved aged 18-19

All respondents	None	Standard Grades	Level 1-2	Highers	Level 3	Level 4-5	Total
Main Activity:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Full-time job no GTP	24	37	46	18	28	20	26
GTP	6	16	18	4	15	2	9
Full-time higher education	-	6	5	57	15	57	35
Other full-time education	18	11	15	9	8	10	10
Part-time work	13	11	7	7	14	9	9
Out of work	30	15	7	3	17	1	8
Looking after family/ home	4	4	1	0	1	1	2
Other	6	1	1	2	2	-	1
Bases (weighted)	71	1085	155	1730	88	94	3223
Bases (unweighted)	34	693	105	2246	60	89	3227

2.4 Main activity by parental social class

The likelihood of being in full-time education at the age of 18-19 was strongly linked to parental social class, with respondents from lower socio-economic groups less likely to have continued to further or higher education - 32% from routine & semi-routine occupations compared with 70% from professional backgrounds. Respondents from higher socio-economic groups were correspondingly less likely than those from lower socio-economic groups to work full-time - 14% amongst respondents whose parents were professionals, compared with 34% whose parents were in routine & semi-routine occupations.

Table 2-6 Main activity by parent's social class

	Social class of respondent's parents
All respondents	Higher managerial & professional	lower professional & managerial/ higher technical & supervisory	Intermediate occupations & self employed	lower supervisory & technical	routine & semi-routine occupations	Total
Main Activity:	%	%	%	%	%	%
Job no GTP	14	24	30	31	34	27
GTP	4	8	10	12	7	9
Full-time education	70	53	41	35	32	47
Part-time work	6	8	8	7	11	8
Out of work	3	4	11	9	12	7
Looking after family/ home	1	1	0	3	4	2
Other	2	2	1	2	1	2
Base (weighted)	340	1085	668	458	414	2965
Base (unweighted)	452	1268	646	394	299	3059

2.5 Education and training courses

This section looks, first, at where respondents were studying and the type of qualifications they were likely to receive. It then explores further the likelihood of participating in full-time education by parental social class.

2.5.1 Place of study and type of qualification

In Spring 2005, 49% of respondents were in full-time education (higher or further) or a training course, 7% were studying part-time and 1% were studying through distance learning. Therefore, over half (57%) of respondents were undertaking some sort of education of training course. Of those who were studying 7% were working full-time as well.

[Table not shown]

Just under half (45%) of these were studying (full-time or part-time), at university, 39% at further education colleges and 16% at some other institution. The most popular higher education institutions in Scotland were the universities of Strathclyde (8%), Glasgow (7%), Edinburgh (4%), Aberdeen (4%), and Glasgow Caledonian (4%). The most popular further education colleges were Aberdeen College (2%), Dundee (2%), Falkirk (2%) and James Watt (2% of the total student population). In total, 3% of the cohort were studying outside Scotland - split fairly evenly amongst higher and further educational institutions.

[Table not shown]

2.5.2 Type of qualification

Around half (46%) of respondents who were undertaking an education or training course were studying for an ordinary, honours or higher degree . Females were more likely to be undertaking a degree course than males (47% compared with 37%). Around a quarter were studying for an HNC, HND, NVQ/ SVQ Level 4 and 5, RSA Higher Diploma or equivalent.

Table 2-7 Qualification likely to result from current education

All respondents undertaking an education or training course	Male	Female	Total
Qualification likely to result:	%	%	%
Access 3 Intermediate 1or 2, Standard grade GCSE or equivalent	1	3	2
Higher, Advanced Higher, A level, AS level, Scottish Group Qualification or equivalent	3	7	5
NVQ/ SVQ Level 1 or 2, BTEC First Diploma, City and Guilds Craft, RSA Diploma or equivalent	10	9	9
NVQ/ SVQ Level 3, City and Guilds Advanced Craft, RSA Advanced Diploma or equivalent	11	6	8
HNC, HND, NVQ/ SVQ Level 4 or 5, RSA Higher Diploma or equivalent	22	22	22
Ordinary Degree	9	9	9
Honours Degree	33	37	35
Higher Degree	2	1	2
Professional Qualifications (for example teaching, accountancy)	2	3	2
Other	6	4	5
Base (weighted)	880	891	1771
Base (unweighted)	852	1209	2061

The majority (94%) of respondents who were undertaking a degree course were studying at university. Not surprisingly the majority of respondents studying non-degree courses were more likely to study at college than university (85% compared with 4%).

Table 2-8 Qualification likely to result by place of study

All respondents undertaking an education or training course	College	University	Other	Total
Qualification likely to result:	%	%	%	%
Access 3 Intermediate 1or 2, Standard grade GCSE or equivalent	4	-	3	2
Higher, Advanced Higher, A level, AS level, Scottish Group Qualification or equivalent	12	0	1	5
NVQ/ SVQ Level 1 or 2, BTEC First Diploma, City and Guilds Craft, RSA Diploma or equivalent	12	0	28	9
NVQ/ SVQ Level 3, City and Guilds Advanced Craft, RSA Advanced Diploma or equivalent	12	0	22	8
HNC, HND, NVQ/ SVQ Level 4 or 5, RSA Higher Diploma or equivalent	45	4	17	22
Ordinary Degree	3	16	6	9
Honours Degree	1	72	12	35
Higher Degree	0	3	1	2
Professional Qualifications (for example teaching, accountancy)	1	3	3	2
Other	9	1	7	5
Base (weighted)	685	799	278	1762
Base (unweighted)	608	1190	256	2054

As found in the previous sweeps (19 in 1999 and 19 in 2001) participation in an education or training course (full-time or part-time) was clearly related to the same factors as school qualifications. For example, the proportion of respondents participating in an education or training course increased with parent's social class, ranging from 42% of those whose parents were classed as routine and semi-routine to 77% of those whose parents belonged to the higher managerial and professional social class.

Table 2-9 Participation in education or training course by parent's social class

	Social class of respondent's parents
All respondents undertaking an education or training course	Higher managerial & professional	lower professional & managerial/ higher technical & supervisory	Intermediate occupations & self employed	lower supervisory & technical	routine & semi-routine occupations	Total
Studying/training Spring 2005:	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	77	65	53	50	42	58
No	23	35	47	51	58	42
Base (weighted)	338	1088	662	459	413	2960
Base (unweighted)	451	1272	639	393	299	3054

2.6 Jobs and training

This section examines the nature of work undertaken by respondents who classed their main activity as employment - whether full-time (either with or without a GTP) or part-time. As shown in Table 2.1, this accounts for 44% of respondents. We look, first, at occupation and industry classification, and then at employment status including: the number of respondents who were employees and employers; the level of responsibility the respondent had; and the duration of their contract. Next, number of hours worked by gender is discussed, along with level of pay, ways of finding employment, and the level of training received through employment. Part-time workers are then looked at in greater depth and, finally respondent attitudes to their work are discussed.

2.6.1 Occupation and industry

In order to classify industry and occupation, respondents were asked a number of questions about their job or GTP. Overall the most common industry respondents were likely to be working in was the wholesale, retail or repair sector (24%). However, the proportion was significantly larger in part-time employment than full-time (43% compared with 18%), suggesting that jobs in this sector tend to be seen as an add-on to other activities, rather than a career in their own right.

Looking solely at part-time workers, there was little gender variation between respondents with the only significant difference between males and females being those working in the banking/financial/renting/business activities sector, with women more likely to work in this sector than men (9% compared with 2%). There were, however, far more significant gender variations between respondents working full-time. For example, men were more likely than women to be working in the construction and manufacturing industries (26% compared with 2% and 13% compared with 6% respectively), whereas women were more likely to found in education/health social services (21% compared with 1%).

Table 2-10 Industry worked in ( SIC) by gender and type of employment

Respondents in Employment as main activity	Full-time job (with or without GTP)			Part-time job			All with jobs
Respondents in Employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Industry:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Agriculture/hunting/fishing/mining/quarrying	4	1	2	2	1	2	3	1	2
Manufacturing	13	6	10	4	2	3	11	5	9
Energy & water supply	1	1	1	-	-	-	1	1	1
Construction	26	2	16	3	-	2	21	1	12
Wholesale/retail/repair	19	16	18	42	44	43	25	23	24
Hotels/restaurants	8	14	11	15	14	14	9	14	11
Transport/communication	5	4	5	1	1	1	4	4	4
Banking/financial/renting/ business activities	7	14	10	2	9	6	6	12	9
Public admin/defence	7	6	7	-	-	-	6	4	5
Education/health/social services	1	21	9	11	13	12	3	18	10
Other community/social /personal services	5	11	7	13	10	11	6	11	8
Other / non classifiable	5	5	5	7	7	7	6	6	6
Bases (weighted)	637	465	1102	127	138	265	898	728	1626
Bases (unweighted)	442	461	903	94	142	236	611	708	1319

Occupation was coded using the SOC 2000 coding schema ( see Appendix A for further information). Overall, young people were most likely to be working in craft and related occupations (24%). However, this did vary significantly by gender with the most common occupations for women being personal and protective services and sales occupations (each 25%), whereas for men craft and related occupations were most common (42%). Not surprisingly, very few young people were yet working in professional occupations (1%) or as managers/administrators (1%); this varied little by gender.

Looking solely at those working full-time, craft and related occupations remain the most common (30%), but this did vary by gender. Men, working full-time, were more likely to work in the craft and related service than women (51% compared with 2%), whereas women were more likely to work in the personal and protective services (30% compared with 1%).

Table 2-11 Occupation by type of employment and gender

Respondents in employment as main activity	Full-time job (with or without GTP)			Part-time job			All with jobs
Respondents in employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Occupation:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Managers/administrators	0	1	1	-	2	1	0	1	1
Professional	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1
Associate prof/technical	7	4	6	3	2	2	6	3	5
Clerical and secretarial	6	27	15	3	7	5	6	21	13
Craft and related	51	2	30	12	2	6	42	2	24
Personal and protective services	1	30	13	15	14	14	3	25	13
Sales occupations	9	17	13	33	47	40	14	25	19
Plant and machine operators	7	2	5	2	-	1	6	2	4
Other occupations	17	16	17	33	27	30	22	20	21
Bases (weighted)	604	446	1050	117	133	250	830	692	1522
Bases (unweighted)	422	439	861	86	138	224	572	674	1246

2.6.2 Employment status

Of those whose main activity was a job (including part-time employment if this was their main activity), work placement or GTP almost all (98%) were employees and just 2% were self-employed or employers with employees. Men were more likely than women to be self employed or be an employer with employees (3% compared with 0%).

Table 2-12 Employment status by gender

Respondents in employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total
Employment status in Spring 2005:	%	%	%
Employee	97	100	98
Self-employed with no employees	2	0	1
Employer with employees	1	0	1
Base (weighted)	734	582	1316
Base (unweighted)	516	582	1098

One quarter (25%) of respondents who said their main activity was either full-time/part-time work or a GTP were working with a temporary contract, with no variation by gender. The industry where respondents with a temporary contract were most likely to be found working in was wholesale/retail/repair (21% of those with a temporary contract).

[Table not shown]

2.6.3 Self emplyment

A small minority of respondents (2%) were currently, or had been, self-employed. However around a quarter said they had thought about starting their own business (18%), buying into an existing business (2%), or becoming self-employed in another way (7%). Men were significantly more likely then women to consider self-employment.

[Table not shown]

2.6.4 Hours and pay

On average, young people whose main activity was work (this includes full-time and part-time work and GTPs) worked 34.9 hours per week. This increased to 38.8 hours per week for those who worked full-time and 40 hours per week for those working on GTP. The average number of hours per week worked by part-time workers was 21.2 .As found for previous cohorts (those who were 19 in 1999 and 19 in 2001) young people who were on a GTP worked slightly longer hours than those working full-time only (64% of those on a GTP worked more than 39 per week compared with 52% of those working full-time). In all types of employment ( i.e. full-time, GTP, part-time and overall total) young men were significantly more likely to work more than 39 hours per week than young women. Again these results are similar to those found for previous cohorts surveyed at the same age.

Table 2-13 Hours by type of job

Respondents in employment as main activity	Full-time job			GTP			Part-time job			Overall total
Respondents in employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Average weekly hours worked:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
34 or less	9	18	13	3	12	5	92	97	94	25	37	30
35-36	14	24	19	5	29	12	2	2	2	10	18	14
37-38	15	19	17	21	12	19	1	-	0	13	13	13
39-40	38	29	34	44	31	40	1	-	0	32	22	27
Over 40	24	11	18	27	17	24	5	1	3	20	10	16
Mean	-	-	38.8	-	-	40	-	-	21.2	-	-	34.9
Base (weighted)	424	368	792	183	77	260	121	129	250	851	689	1540
Base (unweighted)	296	375	671	127	64	191	88	136	224	580	673	1253

Turning now to look at weekly income, the average take home pay for those whose main activity was employment was £141. Across all types of employment men were more likely to earn over £201 per week than women, however results were only significant for the full-time (23% compared with 15%) and overall total (16% compared with 10%) categories. It should be remembered that males were significantly more likely than females to work an average of over 40 hours per week (24% compared with 11%) and this may contribute to the disparity in income.

Table 2-14 Pay by type of job

Respondents in employment as main activity	Full-time job			GTP			Part-time job			Overall total
Respondents in employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Average weekly wage:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
£50 or less	0	2	1	2	5	3	7	9	8	2	4	3
£51 to £75	1	2	1	4	9	6	15	25	20	4	8	6
£76 - £100	3	6	5	9	20	12	37	24	31	11	12	11
£101- £725	7	7	7	7	7	7	18	18	18	9	9	9
£126 - £150	19	23	21	33	36	34	12	13	13	22	22	22
£151 -£200	47	47	47	35	17	30	4	8	6	36	34	35
Over £201	23	15	19	10	7	9	6	3	4	16	11	14
Mean	-	-	159	-	-	134	-	-	93	-	-	141
Base (weighted)	409	372	781	195	76	271	121	128	249	726	576	1302
Base (unweighted)	288	376	664	136	63	199	94	136	230	518	575	1093

2.6.5 Finding the job

Table 2-15 shows that the most common method for finding a job was through friends and family (40%) followed by external job advertisements (15%).

Table 2-15 Method of finding job by gender

Respondents in employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total
Method of finding job:	%	%	%
The Job Centre	9	10	9
Careers Scotland/ local careers office	8	8	8
Careers Advisor/key worker	3	3	3
External job advertisement ( e.g. newspaper)	13	17	15
Internal job advertisement	3	6	4
Employment agency	1	3	2
Training programme	4	2	3
Friend or family member	42	37	40
Recruitment fair/Milk round	2	1	1
Internet	2	2	2
Approached employer directly	5	4	4
Other	9	7	8
Bases (weighted)	848	684	1532
Bases (unweighted)	578	665	1243

2.6.6 Training

The vast majority (91%) of those in a job (full-time or part-time) or on a GTP in Spring 2005 were receiving some kind of on-the-job or off-the-job training. Overall, 47% were receiving on-the-job training from a supervisor, trainer or experienced colleague, with the exception of those whose main activity was a GTP; these respondents were more likely to receive training at college (50%). There was a significant difference between the proportions of men and women who said they received training at college - 27% of males compared with 10% of females.

Table 2-16 Training received by job type and gender

Respondents in employment as main activity	Full-time job			GTP			Part-time job			Overall total
Respondents in employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Type of training:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
On the job training	49	50	50	17	23	19	70	65	68	45	50	47
Training at firms own training centre	14	18	16	2	18	7	4	8	6	9	16	12
Training at college	19	8	14	59	31	50	5	4	5	27	10	19
Training somewhere else	10	15	12	23	26	24	5	7	6	12	15	13
No training	9	9	9	-	1	0	16	16	16	8	10	9
Bases (weighted)	429	369	798	183	77	260	121	125	246	731	571	1302
Bases (unweighted)	299	374	673	127	64	191	89	135	224	515	573	1088

Just under half (47%) of those receiving some kind of training in their job or government training programme will obtain a qualification on completion of the training. Not surprisingly respondents whose main activity was GTP were more likely to receive a qualification on completion of their training than those working full-time (91% compared with 41%)

[Table not shown]

2.6.7 Part-time work

As shown in table 2-1, 9% of respondents said their main activity was part-time work. However, a further 30% had a part-time job in addition to their main activity, making a total of 39% of respondents with a part-time job. Looking at all part-time workers ( i.e. those who said it was their main activity and those who said it was an addition to their main activity) over half (57%) of females were working part-time in comparison with 43% of males.

[Table not shown]

Among those respondents with a part-time job in addition to their main activity, the majority (90%) were studying in higher or further education, 6% were working full-time and 3% were doing a GTP. Looking at the figures in another way, 61% of respondents whose main activity was studying also had a part-time job.

2.6.8 Attitudes to job

In order to assess how respondents felt about their job, those who classed their main activity as a full-time or part-time job or a GTP were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with a set of statements about their attitudes towards their job or training. These findings are presented in table 2-17.

Just over three fifths (64%) reported that they would leave their current job or programme if they could get a better job, with little variation by gender. However, the majority appeared to be relatively positive. Around nine out of ten felt their current job or programme was teaching them useful skills (89%) and was good experience (83%). Over half (54%) were involved in work that they would like to do in the future, with men more likely to agree with this statement than women (59% compared with 47%). Despite the overall positive attitude towards their current job or programme, over half (57%) said that they were mainly doing their job for the money.

Table 2-17 Attitudes towards job by gender

Respondents in Employment as main activity	Male	Female	Total
Respondents in Employment as main activity	%	%	%
I would leave this job (or programme) if I could get a better job	63	65	64
I will probably leave this job (or programme) when I have got my qualification	29	31	30
This is the kind of work I want to do in the future	59	47	54
This is good experience and should help me to move on to something better	84	81	83
This is the *only* job I have had since leaving school	49	43	46
This job is teaching me useful skills	90	88	89
The *main* reason I do this is for the money	59	54	57
Bases (weighted)	666-714	541-562	1207-1275
Bases (unweighted)	472-502	540-563	1012-1064

2.7 Career guidance

Respondents were given a list of the different types or careers advice asked whether they received advice from each source or not. For all the sources of careers advice they had received they were then asked to tick whether the advice was helpful or unhelpful.

Responses to each type of careers guidance are presented in table 2-18. Looking first at the 'advice received' column the most common source of careers guidance was from a family member, with 71% receiving advice from this source. Other common sources of guidance were from a careers advisor at college or university (55%) or friends (53%). A telephone helpline was the least likely source of careers guidance for young people, with 2% reporting that they got advice from this source.

The most helpful sources of advice were 'other' (96%), family members (94%), friends (93%), and the internet (92%). Over a quarter of respondents (28%) rated advice they received from the JobCentre Plus/Benefits Agency as not helpful.

Table 2-18 Career guidance received

Respondents in employment as main activity	Advice received	Advice was helpful	Advice was not helpful	Bases (weighted)	Bases (unweighted)
Source of career guidance:	%	%	%	%	%
JobCentre Plus/Benefits Agency	27	72	28	757	598
Careers Scotland/Local Careers Office	42	80	20	1204	1065
Telephone helpline	2	82	18	40	37
Career adviser at college/university	55	80	20	1574	1666
Tutor at college/university	43	91	9	1216	1338
Employer	22	90	10	589	554
Workmates	24	90	10	652	619
Family member	71	94	6	2061	2118
Friends	53	93	7	1509	1559
Internet	35	92	8	975	1036
Other	3	96	4	45	45

Note: Percentages are row percentages.

2.8 Student debt, benefits and overall income

Over a quarter of respondents (27%) said they had a student loan and/or other debts from studying at college or university. The average total amount of combined student debt from a student loan or other studying debt was £2173; 16% of students had debts over £3001at age 19.

Table 2-19 Amount of student debt

Respondents who had studying debt	Student loan	Other studying debt	Total student debt
Amount of debt:	%	%	%
£500 or less	11	43	12
Between £501 and £1000	22	27	19
Between £1001 and £1500	13	16	14
Between £1501 and £2000	15	7	14
Between £2001 and £3000	26	4	25
Between £3001 and £4000	9	1	10
More than £4001	4	1	6
Mean	2002	958	2173
Base (weighted)	720	248	805
Base (unweighted)	989	321	1080

Note: respondents could have both a student loan and other debt from studying, therefore these bases will sum to more than the percentage mentioned above and the total student debt base figures.

Around one in ten (12%) respondents were receiving benefits in Spring 2005, with women slightly more likely to receive benefits than men (14% compared with 10%). Job Seekers Allowance was the most common benefit received (6%), with little variation by gender. Women were more likely to receive Income Support, Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit, which is not surprisingly considering that women were more likely to have a child than men (4% compared with 2%).

Table 2-20 Benefits by gender

All respondents	Benefits received
All respondents	Male	Female	Total
Benefits:	%	%	%
Job Seekers Allowance	6	5	6
Income Support	1	4	2
Child Benefit	1	4	2
Child Tax Credit	1	3	2
Incapacity Benefit	1	1	1
Disability Living Allowance	2	1	2
Invalid Care Allowance	0	1	0
Working Tax Credit	0	1	1
Housing Benefit	1	2	2
Council Tax Benefit	1	2	2
Other	1	1	1
Benefit suspended	0	0	0
None	90	86	88
Base (weighted)	1492-1493	1450-1451	2942-2944
Base (unweighted)	1212	1679	2891

Table 2-21 presents weekly income categorised by those whose main activity in Spring 2005 was working full-time, working part-time, full-time education and not working, by gender. This includes income from employment, benefits, bonuses and overtime. Not surprisingly those working full-time had the highest weekly income, with a mean figure of £155 in comparison to the mean figure of £54 for those not working. Men working full-time were also more likely to earn more than £201 per week than women (19% compared with 13%). Nearly half (45%) of those not working had a weekly income of less than £50.

Table 2-21 Weekly income for all respondents

Weekly income for all respondents	Working Full-time			Working Part-time			Full-time education			Not working
Weekly income for all respondents	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Average weekly income:	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
£50 or less	1	3	1	7	9	8	31	33	32	49	42	45
£51 to £75	2	3	3	15	25	20	27	23	25	4	12	9
£76 - £100	5	8	7	37	24	31	18	19	19	16	16	16
£101- £125	7	7	7	18	18	18	12	13	12	6	11	9
£126 - £150	24	25	24	12	13	13	5	6	6	13	4	8
£151- £200	43	42	43	4	8	6	4	4	4	12	12	12
£201 or more	19	13	16	6	3	4	4	2	3	-	2	1
Mean	-	-	155	-	-	95	-	-	65	-	-	54
Base (weighted)	605	447	1052	121	128	249	528	634	1162	97	130	227
Base (unweighted)	424	439	863	94	136	230	543	897	1440	53	100	153

Note: respondents working on a GTP have been included in the working full-time category.

2.9 Key points

Around half (45%) of the sample were in full-time education in Spring 2005, and one quarter (26%) were in full-time employment. The main activity of one in ten respondents was a GTP. Females were more likely to be in full-time higher education than males (38% compared with 32%) and males were more likely to be undertaking a GTP (12% compared with 5%).
S4 leavers were the most likely to be out of work (18% compared with 4% of after S5 leavers) and most likely be looking after the home or family (5% compared with 1%).
The likelihood of being in full-time education at the age of 18-19 was strongly linked to parental social class, with respondents from lower socio-economic groups less likely to have continued to further or higher education - 32% from routine & semi-routine occupations compared with 70% from professional backgrounds.
Of those who were studying or taking part in a training course just under half (45%) were studying at university, 39% at further education colleges and 16% at some other institution. Females were more likely to be undertaking a degree course than males (47% compared with 37%).
The most common industry respondents were likely to be working in (whose main activity was full-time, part-time work or GTP) was the wholesale, retail or repair sector (24%). However, the proportion was significantly larger in part-time employment than full-time (43% compared with 18%), suggesting that jobs in this sector tend to be seen as an add-on to other activities, rather than as a career in their own right.
Men, working full-time, were more likely than women to be working in the construction and manufacturing industries (26% compared with 2% and 13% compared with 6% respectively), whereas women were more likely to found in education/health social services (21% compared with 1%).
One quarter (25%) of respondents who said their main activity was either full-time/part-time work or a GTP were working with a temporary contract, with no variation by gender.
In all types of employment ( i.e. full-time, GTP, part-time and overall total) young men were significantly more likely to work more than 39 hours per week than young women.
The majority (91%) of those in employment (full-time or part-time) or on a GTP in Spring 2005 were receiving some kind of on-the-job or off-the-job training. There was a significant difference between men and women who said they received training at college with 27% of males receiving such training in comparison with 10% of females.
Over a quarter of respondents (27%) said they had a student loan and/or other debts from studying at college or university. The average total amount of combined student debt from a student loan or other studying debt was £2173; 16% of students had debts over £3001at age 19.
Respondents working full-time had the highest weekly income, with a mean figure of £155 in comparison to the mean figure of £54 for those not working. Men working full-time were also more likely to earn more than £201 per week than women (19% compared with 13%). Nearly half (45%) of those not working had a weekly income of less than £50.

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Page updated: Tuesday, December 6, 2005

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19 in 2005 - Scotland's Young People: Findings from the Scottish School Leavers Survey

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