Journal of Vocational Behavior 16, 158-162 (1980)

Relationships among Vocational Training, Income, and Job Complexity of High School Dropouts and High

School Graduates

DAVID L. REDFERING

University of West Florida

AND

DARYLCOOK

Florida State Employment Division

High school dropouts (N = 100) and high school graduates (N = lOO), of which half of each group had received vocational training and the other half had not, were compared on data taken from the inactive employment applications of the Fort Walton Beach, Florida State Employment Office. The sample (N = 200) consisted of an equal number of males and females while 30% were minority group members. A two-way analysis of variance showed that completing vocational training was positively correlated with higher income and job complexity level. The existence or absence of vocational training was a more potent influence on income level and job complexity than was completion of high school.

Concern over the problem of dropouts is legitimate, but one unfortu- nate outcome of this concern has been the “anti-dropout” campaign. The dropout has been discredited in order to keep students in school. Posters and pamphlets have shown the dropout to be a failure, useless to society, and having little hope for the future. A major argument often used against dropping out of school is the notion that without a high school diploma a person is less likely to get a job and that the only type of job available is poorly compensated and unattractive. This view regards the high school diploma as a credential for the world of work.

Long-range effects of dropping out are still undetermined. What can dropouts do after they are in their midtwenties? Vocational training seems a logical solution yet government programs such as Job Corps require

Send requests for reprints to: Dr. David L. Redfering, Faculty of Psychology, University of West Florida. Pensacola, FL 32504.

158

OOOI-8791/80/020158-05$02.00/O Copyright @ 1980 by Academic Press, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.

INCOME, TRAINING, AND JOB COMPLEXITY 159

individuals to be under 22 years of age, and many vocational schools require a high school diploma before acceptance. McHugh (1974) and Ballo (1973) found that high school completion was not a significant factor in distinguishing between graduates and nongraduates of vocational train- ing programs. Yet many vocational schools will require a high school diploma as a prerequisite to enrolling. Ballo (1973) found most vocational technical schools used criteria that were not based on research but on requirements that may or may not be valid indicators of success.

The present study explores whether the dropout is significantly hand- icapped in terms of annual income and job complexity and considers the variable of vocational training in comparing the dropout with the high school graduate.

METHOD

Subjects

From over 5000 applications to the State Employment Office of a small northwest Florida city (population approximately SO,OOO), a fixed internal schedule was used to select four groups of 50 each: Group 1 -high school graduates with vocational training (Mdn age = 38); Group 2-high school graduates without vocational training (Mdn age = 36); Group 3-dropouts with vocational training (Mdn age = 35); Group 4-dropouts without vocational training (Mdn age = 39). All groups consisted of 25 males and 25 females and 30% were minority group members.

Individuals who use the Florida State Employment Service range from a few highly skilled professionals to the high school dropout with no work experience. About 50% are female, 25% are economically disadvantaged, .05% are handicapped, 37 are minority group members, 20% are on welfare, 20% are veterans, 25% are unemployment compensation claim- ants, 20% are under 22 years of age, and 23% are over 45 years of age. The highest proportion of applicants are semiskilled individuals who have had some previous work experience, usually having more than one previous employer.

Procedure

A high school dropout was defined as one who had not secured a regular high school diploma. Vocational training was defined as any type of organized training other than high school or college curricula. Employ- ment applications were selected by taking every tenth application from the inactive file of more than 5000, until each group was represented by an equal number of males and females and were composed of 30% minority members.

The annual income of each subject was rounded to the nearest $100. Job complexity was determined by identifying the last three digits of the occupational code (Dictionary of Occuparional Titles, 1977) which de-

160 REDFERING AND COOK

scribed each subject’s present or immediate past occupation at the time of job application. The lower the number from the occupational code the more complex the job. The annual income and the occupation code were recorded for each subject in each group.

RESULTS

Table 1 shows the means and standard deviations of annual income and job complexity for all the groups.

The data were analyzed by a two-factor mixed-design analysis of var- iance. Main effects show that completion of high school was not signifi- cantly related to annual income, F( 1, 96) = 1.88, ns, nor to job complex- ity, F( 1, 196) = 2.31, ns. Vocational training was significantly related to annual income, F( 1, 196) = 38.39,~ < .OOl, and job complexity, F( I, 196) = 106.69, p < .OOl. In addition a significant difference was due to the interaction of high school completion and vocational training on job complexity, F(1, 196) = 4.60, p < .05, but the interaction between high school completion and income on job complexity was not significant, F( 1, 1%) = .94.

A post hoc Duncan’s multiple-range test, applied to determine whether specific difference in mean annual income existed among the groups, revealed that dropouts with no vocational training had a significantly lower mean annual income (p < .Ol) than dropouts with vocational training. Dropouts with no vocational training had a significantly lower mean annual income (p < .Ol) than graduates with vocational training. Graduates with no vocational training had a significantly lower mean

TABLE I Means and Standard Deviations of Annual Income of Dropouts and

Graduates with and without Vocational Training

Group

Dropouts with vocational training

Dropouts without vocational training

Graduates with vocational training

Graduates without vocational training

Mean annual income

(9

6600

4236

6732

5010

SD

1428

2306

1568

3394

Mean job complexity

score

14.96

20.52

14.42

18.52

SD

1.30

3.52

4.68

3.08

INCOME, TRAINING, AND JOB COMPLEXITY 161

annual income (p < .Ol) than graduates with vocational training. Gradu- ates with no vocational training had a significantly lower mean income (p < .Ol) than dropouts with vocational training. No significant differences in mean annual income were found between dropouts with no vocational training and graduates with no vocational training, nor between dropouts with vocational training and graduates with vocational training.

Duncan’s multiple-range test was also applied to explore the differences among the groups on job complexity scores. Dropouts with no vocational training had significantly less complex jobs (p < .OOl) than dropouts with vocational training. In addition, dropouts with no vocational training had significantly less complex jobs (p < .OOl) than graduates with vocational training. Graduates with no vocational training had significantly less com- plex jobs @ < ,001) than dropouts with vocational training. No significant differences were found between dropouts with no vocational training and graduates with no vocational training nor between dropouts with voca- tional training and graduates with vocational training.

DISCUSSION

Although one should exercise caution in generalizing these results to other populations and settings, this study suggests that differences be- tween dropouts and graduates who did not go to college are not as great as generally believed. Dropouts receiving vocational training tended to se- cure more complex jobs than high school graduates without vocational training as well as dropouts without vocational training while they fared about the same as graduates with vocational training. Dropouts without vocational training fared only slightly worse than graduates without voca- tional training. However, dropouts without vocational training earned less and secured less complex jobs than graduates and dropouts with voca- tional training. These results indicate that the mere act of dropping out is not the problem.

It is a false assumption that all youth can profit by high school as the system currently exists. Kannel and Sayles (1974) believe most schools provide very little consideration for the rights of potential dropouts. Pickert (1974) is convinced that most curricula are chosen to meet the needs of the college-bound student. Providing alternatives for atypical students could actually facilitate the educational process for students who need the traditional high school program.

The results of this study suggest that high schools reevaluate their offering for potential high school dropouts. More vocational and occupa- tional courses as well as work-study opportunities might be useful to the potential dropout as well as keeping more students in high school. The results of this study also suggest that vocational schools should consider their entrance requirements. It is not clear that a high school diploma is necessary for profitable application of the things that they teach.

162 REDFERING AND COOK

REFERENCES Ballo, G. R. Comparison of vocational school graduates and dropouts. Journal of‘ Vocrr-

tional Behavior, 1973, 3, 323-328. Division of Occupational Analysis of United States Employment Service. Dictionary of

Occupational Titles, Vol. II: Occupational CIassiJication and Indastry Index. Washing- ton, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 1977.

Kannel, S., & Sayles, M. Dropout forum. Educational Leadership, 1974, 31, 694-696. McHugh, W. T. A discriminant function study of factor variables in short term occupational

choice. Dissertation Abstracts International, 1974, 34 (1 I-A), 6982-6983. Pickert G. C. An evaluation of high school preventive dropout program. Dissertation

Abstracts International, 1974, 34(11-A), 6982-6983.

Received: March 29. 1979.