(Un)equal careers Labor market inequalities between workers with general and vocational education over the life course

Societies continue to debate whether preparing students for specific occupations or equipping them with broad, adaptable skills yields more durable careers. Occupation-specific vocational education is widely viewed as offering smoother school-to-work transitions, while general education is believed to foster greater adaptability in later life. This dissertation examines disparities in employment outcomes such as wages, unemployment risk, occupational mobility, and job-related training between workers with vocational and general education over their careers. The findings question the primacy of skill specificity as the key driver of career inequality between the two groups, while highlighting variation across labor market outcomes and institutional contexts.