Determinants of participation and nonparticipation in job-related education and training in Shenzhen, China

In the fast‐growing market‐oriented economy of Shenzhen, China, most employees have continued to participate in job‐related education and training. We argue that as firms have acquired autonomy in their operations and individuals have gained the right to pursue their personal occupational aspirations, non–state‐sponsored education and training systems for the working population have developed to respond to the demands from firms, as well as individuals. With survey data from 3,475 employees in seventy‐six firms from Shenzhen, this study uses a multinomial model to examine patterns in employee participation in job‐related education and training. There are basically four options open to employees: taking part in education and training provided by a firm to its own employees, enrolling in education and training offered by institutions outside the firm, availing themselves of both options simultaneously, or not participating. Our findings suggest that these four groups of employees vary in terms of their cultural and symbolic attributes, their individual socioeconomic attributes in relation to their workplace, and the economic attributes of their firm.