Early School Leavers: Who Are They, Why Do They Leave, and What Are the Consequences?

There are concerns that a proportion of young people, especially those who do not complete secondary schooling, are at risk of experiencing long periods of unemployment, interspersed with short periods of low skilled, part-time or casual employment in their transition from school to work. This paper looks at the following issues: (1) Who are the early school leavers? (2) What are the reasons given by young people for school non-completion? (3) What are the consequences of school non-completion? Data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) project is used and the paper concludes with a brief discussion of areas requiring policy attention.