Study
finds
education
advantage
Advanced
education
leads
to
better
pay
and
benefits
By
Jennifer
Huygen
The
Gateway
(University
of
Alberta)
EDMONTON
(CUP)
As
Alberta's
job
market
continues
to
heat
up,
high-school
students
throughout
the
province
are
tossing
aside
their
textbooks
and
putting
on
their
work
gloves.
But
according
to
a
School-Work
Transitions
Project
study,
a
high-school
diploma
and
post-secondary
education
pay
off
in
the
long
run.
The
study,
led
by
Harvey
Krahn
and
a
team
of
researchers
from
the
University
of
Alberta,
followed
more
than
2,600
students
from
58
high
schools
in
the
graduating
class
of
1996
using
follow-up
surveys
to
track
their
career
progress.
The
last
survey,
conducted
in
2003,
showed
better
pay,
benefits
and
job
satisfaction
for
young
people
with
advanced
education.
While
the
Gateway
was
unable
to
reach
Krahn
for
comment,
Amanda
Henry,
a
vice-president
with
the
U
of
A
student
union,
said
the
results
of
the
study
reiterate
how
a
high-school
diploma
can
open
up
opportunities
for
advancement
and
job
security.
"A
high-school
education
is
really
important
in
guaranteeing
accessibility
as
you
get
older,"
Henry
said.
"Students
today
require
a
high
school
diploma
to
advance,
and
I
think
it's
really
important
to
have
that
basic
piece
of
education,
especially
in
Canada
with
its
current
move
towards
the
knowledge
economy.
"It's
been
proven
that
students
with
university
degrees
make
more
in
terms
of
a
cumulative
total
in
their
life,
and
they're
more
likely
to
get
into
higher
management
positions,"
she
added.
Taddes
Korris,
a
Grade
12
student
at
Archbishop
MacDonald
High
School,
plans
to
study
either
classical
music
or
environmental
sciences
at
a
post-secondary
institution.
He
agreed
with
Henry's
assessment.
"By
not
finishing
high
school
you
close
a
lot
of
doors
and
opportunities,"
Korris
said.
According
to
Statistics
Canada,
Alberta
currently
has
the
lowest
high-school
completion
rate
in
the
country,
with
a
three-year
completion
rate
of
69
per
cent
and
a
five-year
completion
rate
of
75-77
per
cent.
9
College
of
New
Caledonia
-
CNC
ion