Selectivity and risks across educational transitions in Europe

This study explores education selectivity and educational and labour market inequalities across European countries. Firstly, we present country-level indicators encompassing two measures of educational selectivity. We distinguish between the percentage of individuals who achieve a particular educational level (referred to as outcome selectivity) and the percentage of individuals who attain a specific educational level among those who had attained the preceding one (referred to as transition selectivity). Subsequently, we use these indicators to examine their implications for labour market risks and inequalities across European countries. We define labour market risk as the likelihood of being employed in a low socio-economic status job. Additionally, we distinguish between individuals with parents who have attained tertiary education and those without. Thus, to gauge inequalities in tertiary attainment and the labour market, we concentrate on two key factors: i) the likelihood of transitioning to a tertiary education degree, and ii) the risk of ending up in a low socio-economic status job among those who do not attain tertiary education, considering parental educational backgrounds. Moreover, we examine the moderating role of transition selectivity at the country level to elucidate education and labour market inequalities patterns. From a theoretical standpoint, these indicators afford us the opportunity to delve deeper into the consequences of experiencing educational downward mobility vis-à-vis one's parents.