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5 QUALIFICATIONS OF 23-24 YEAR OLDS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter focuses on the qualifications that young people have achieved or are continuing to study towards by the age of 23/24. In recent years there have been significant changes made to the nature of qualifications in Scotland, in an attempt to continue to upgrade the qualification profile of young people and to meet the demands of a modern competitive economy. This is reflected in the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework ( SCQF), with its 12 hierarchical levels from Access 1 to a University Doctorate - a system that promotes progression through a flexible qualification system and formalises equivalences within and between vocational and academic qualifications. In addition, many of the previous age-based restrictions (in particular, in relation to work-based qualifications) have been removed, providing further flexibility. As a result, young people may now pursue a vast array of vocational and academic qualifications at different levels and from different awarding bodies. For ease of presentation the qualification categories presented within tables are reported according to broad qualification types based on equivalences within SCQF. They therefore do not directly reflect the wide range of qualifications studied.

The table below, taken from the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework website, illustrates the 12 levels and the equivalent qualification.

Table 5-1 SCQF level and equivalent qualifications

In the discussion that follows, for ease of presentation, we shall use the following phrases as shorthand:

• 'equivalent to SVQ Level 3 or above' will include the following qualifications: SVQ Level 3, Highers, Higher National Certificate ( HNC) or Higher National Diploma ( HND), SVQ Levels 4 and 5, ordinary, honours and higher degrees
• 'equivalent to SVQ Level 4/ HNC or above' will include SVQ Levels 4 and 5, HNC, HND, and ordinary, honours or higher degrees.

5.2 Highest Qualification obtained by age 23/24

At age 23/24 the vast majority (80%) of young people had obtained some form of qualification through post-compulsory education, although a significant minority of around one in five (20%) had obtained no qualifications aside from those attained at Standard Grade. Half (50%) of the respondents by this stage had obtained qualifications equivalent to SVQ Level 4/ HNC or above. Comparing qualifications by gender suggests that females were more likely to have completed a higher-level qualification, with 53% of females having achieved a SVQ Level 4/ HNC qualification or above compared with 47% of males.

Table 5-2 Highest qualification achieved at age 23/24 by gender

There was a strong association between the stage young people had left school and whether or not they had obtained additional qualifications. Around half (48%) of those who left school at the end of S4 had not obtained any qualifications aside from those achieved at Standard Grade. Although many of those who left school at the end of S4 did not achieve further qualifications, a significant minority (26%) had achieved a qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 3 or above by the age of 23/24. S5 Christmas leavers, on the other hand, appear more likely to achieve further qualifications among this cohort ² than those who leave from S4, never the less two-fifths (40%) still had only Standard Grade qualifications at age 23/24.

Among those who remained at school to the end of S6, by age 23/24 over half (57%) had obtained a university degree, and nearly three-quarters (71%) a qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 4/ HNC or above.

Table 5-3 Highest qualification at age 23/24 by stage of Leaving School

There were significant differences in the highest qualifications obtained according to the young person's parental social class based on the highest ranked occupation of either the mother or father. In particular, compared with those from the Professional or Intermediate social class those from the Skilled and Semi and Unskilled social classes were over represented among the lower levels of qualification. For example, among the Professional or Intermediate social class only 14% held a qualification at SVQ Level 2 or below, compared with 24% and 20% within the Skilled and Semi and Unskilled social classes respectively. Those in the two lower social classes were also over represented among vocational qualifications. This was not restricted to lower level vocational courses, since over a quarter of young people from the Skilled and Semi and Unskilled social classes, 24% and 30% respectively, held higher-level vocational qualifications ( SVQ Levels 3-5) compared with only 13% among the Professional and Intermediate social class. Over half (54%) of young people from the Professional and Intermediate social class had already obtained a university degree. This contrasts sharply with the other social class groups, where 27% of those from the Skilled social class had obtained a degree and only around one in five (21%) of those from the Semi and Unskilled social class group.

Table 5-4 Highest qualification at age 23/24 by parental social class

By the age of 23/24 seven out of ten (71%) of young people had obtained a qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 3 or above, having exceeded the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework equivalent of Level 6. Reflecting their higher levels of attainment in general, females were more likely to have had obtained at least a qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 3, 73% having done so compared with 68% of the males.

Table 5-5 Percentage with a qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 3 or above by age 23/24

Figure 5-1 presents some selected characteristics of those who had not obtained an SVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification by this age. It shows the percentages of various categories of young people, defined according to these characteristics, who remained without a SVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification or above at age 23/24. For example, the second set of bars in the diagram shows that only 7% of those who left school after S6 remained without an SVQ Level 3 qualification or equivalent, whereas 73% of S4 leavers did so.

There is clearly a strong relationship between initial attainment at Standard Grade and the age at which a young person leaves school and whether or not young people achieve an SVQ Level 3 qualification or equivalent by age 23/24. Area deprivation also provides a strong predictor of educational attainment at this level, since we find that over two in five young people (45%) of those who have lived in areas of severe deprivation have not obtained qualifications equivalent to SVQ Level 3.

Figure 5-1 Selected Characteristics of those without a qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 3 or above

The vast majority of young people of this age have obtained their qualifications through full-time study; alternative modes of study such as those provided through part-time or distance-learning were relatively uncommon. Overall around one in ten young people had achieved qualifications through part-time study (14%), whilst 3% had obtained a qualification through Distance Learning. Part-time study was most common among those who had obtained work-based qualifications associated with Traineeships (equivalent to SVQ level 1-2, 31%) and Modern Apprenticeships (equivalent to SVQ Level 3, 22%), although 15% of those who had studied part-time had a higher level vocational qualification equivalent to SVQ Level 4-5. Compared with the same age cohort in 2004, more young people reported having gained an 'Other' qualification part-time (17%). Although this may be the result of sampling fluctuations due to the small numbers studying part-time it may also indicate increasing part-time study through paid employment outside of the mainstream qualifications.

Table 5-6 Qualification obtained through part-time study 23/24

* Note that SGA stands for Scottish Group Award. These are qualifications designed to prepare people for entry into further/higher education, training or employment.

Table 5-7 highlights the qualifications obtained at each of the three sweeps for the current respondents to the survey at age 23/24 and the major flows across categories. The columns show the percentage that have obtained each level of qualification at each sweep, while the arrows indicate the main flows of the overall cohort giving an indication of the main routes followed and progression. For example, from among those who achieved 5+ Standard Grades at grades 1-3 at age 16/17 (65% of the whole cohort), by the age of 18/19:

• a group representing 10% of the cohort had not upgraded their qualifications
• a group representing 26% of the cohort had achieved 1 to 4 passes in Highers
• a group representing 28% of the cohort had achieved 5 or more passes in Highers.

In other words, the majority had gone on to achieve some Highers.

It is important to note that the qualification data reported for sweeps one and two is restricted to SQA qualifications, whilst the data for this sweep at age 23/24 are based on self-reports. Therefore, the full range of qualifications is not presented and some of the qualifications reported in the latest sweep may have already been obtained by age 18/19.

The overall picture presented is a polarisation between a minority who do not achieve a reasonable level of success at Standard Grade and who fail to upgrade their qualifications and the majority who achieve at Standard Grade and go on to progress through the qualification system. Among the major flows across categories a number are worthy of note, in particular some of the flows between age 18/19 and 23/24. These highlight a significant number of young people who achieve a considerable level of qualification success at school either at Standard Grade or Highers who do not go on to achieve further qualifications by age 23/24. On a more positive note a group representing over one in ten (12%) of the cohort that achieve a moderate level of success at Highers (1-4 Highers) go on to achieve qualifications equivalent to SVQ Level 4-5 (7% of cohort) or an Honours or higher Degree (5% of cohort) by age 23/24.

Table 5-7 Qualification flows between age 16/17 and age 23/24

5.3 Respondents studying towards a Qualification at age 23/24

At age 23/24 the vast majority of respondents were not currently studying towards a qualification (76%), although one in four young people were still pursuing some form of qualification, with 12% remaining in full-time education, 7% following a part-time course and a further 6% engaged in distance learning. Among those who were still in full-time education the vast majority were continuing to pursue high level qualifications, with over a third (34%) continuing to study towards an undergraduate degree and two-fifths (39%) either studying for a postgraduate graduate qualification or a professional qualification such as teaching or accountancy. Among those studying part-time there was a greater spread of qualifications. Aside from the significant minority (39%) of this group who were pursuing professional or 'other' qualifications on a part-time basis, many were continuing to study vocational qualifications at various levels, including higher levels. Nearly a quarter (23%) were studying towards a qualification at SVQ Levels 3-5 or equivalent. In the case of distance learners nearly half were studying for professional or 'other' qualifications (48%), although a significant minority were also pursuing a SVQ Level 3 through this mode of study (16%). It should also be noted that the numbers studying through distance learning appears to have significantly increased since the last sweep of this age group in 2004 where the numbers studying through this mode were too small to report. Again, due to relatively small numbers this increase may be due to sampling fluctuations, however it may indicate an increasing popularity of this mode of study.

Table 5-8 Qualification currently being studied

5.4 Higher Education Qualifications

As highlighted above by age 23/24 the majority of young people have completed their initial stages of education, although a significant minority continue to pursue higher level qualifications, often at postgraduate or professional levels. In order to estimate the likely proportions who will eventually achieve a qualification at a higher education level, and to examine some of their characteristics, the following tables assume that the small proportion of young people who continue to study at this level will achieve their qualification. On this basis we can project that around two out of five (38%) of the cohort will eventually obtain some form of university degree. Again there were significant differences between males and females, 34% and 41% respectively, being likely to obtain a university degree qualification.

Table 5-9 Percentage with or expected to achieve a university degree, by gender

If a broader definition of higher education is used, that is to include those who have achieved or are expected to achieve a SVQ Level 4 qualification or above (including an HNC/ HND), as well as those who are expected to achieve a university degree, over half (53%) of the cohort are expected to achieve a qualification at this level. Adopting this broader definition of higher education the gender gap remains broadly the same with 56% of females expected to obtain an SVQ Level 4/ HNC qualification or above compared with 49% among the males.

Table 5-10 Achieved or expected qualification level, by gender.

Although continued attempts have been made to widen access to a university education for young people from different social backgrounds, when proportions from different class backgrounds that are likely to achieve a university degree are examined, we see a major polarisation between those with parents from the Professional and Intermediate social class and the other two social classes. Whereas a clear majority (58%) of young people from the Professional and Intermediate social class are likely to obtain a university degree, less than a third (31%) of the Skilled social class and less than a quarter (23%) among the Semi and Unskilled social class are likely to obtain a qualification at this level.

If the broader definition of higher education according to social class background is examined, a significantly improved position of those from the Skilled and Semi and Unskilled social classes emerges. This is reflected in the higher proportions achieving vocational higher education qualifications, compared with the Professional and Intermediate social class. Although the difference between the Professional and Intermediate social class remains wide, nearly half (48%) of the Skilled social class and two-fifths (38%) of the Semi and Unskilled social class are expected to achieve some form of higher education qualification.

Table 5-11 Achieved or expected qualification level, by social class

5.5 Key points

• By age 23/24 the vast majority of young people (71%) had attained a significant level of qualification success having achieved qualifications equivalent to SVQ Level 3 or above.
• There appears to be a continuing polarisation between a majority who achieve a significant level of qualification success and a minority of around one in five of the cohort who do not achieve any qualifications aside from their Standard Grades.
• Nearly two-fifths (38%) of the cohort are expected to achieve a university degree, whilst over half (53%) are expected to achieve a higher education qualification through academic or vocational routes.
• There were significant differences according to gender and social class among those likely to obtain a university degree or higher education qualification to the advantage of females and the Professional and Intermediate social class.
• Previous regression analysis on the 2004 sweep highlighted how social class differences in those who were expected to achieve a university degree or other higher education qualification remained after controlling for prior educational attainment.

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