Attainment, Gender and Minimum-aged School Leavers' Early Routes in the Labour Market

This article uses data from the Scottish School Leavers' Surveys from the mid-1990s to examine the impact of leaving school at the minimum age for low attainers, with a particular focus on the differences between young males and females. The findings question two general claims that have been made in terms of recent labour market trends: the 'feminisation' of the labour market, and the process of 'qualification inflation'. The article argues that current conceptions of these processes have failed to take account of the gendered and age-structured nature of the labour market. The analysis highlights the relatively favourable position of the young males in their early years in the labour market, compared to the females. Drawing on labour market segmentation theory, the article argues that low-attaining males have benefited from sheltered entry points within particular segments, whereas low-attaining females, although fewer in number, appear to be sidelined by employers in favour of adult women and better-qualified school leavers.