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How Skills and Parental Valuation of Education Influence Human Capital Acquisition and Early Labor Market Return to Human Capital in Canada

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  • Michael J. Kottelenberg
  • Steven F. Lehrer

Abstract

Using the Youth in Transition Survey, we estimate a Roy model with a three-dimensional latent factor structure to consider how parental valuation of education, cognitive skills, and noncognitive skills influence endogenous schooling decisions and subsequent labor market outcomes. We find that the effect of cognitive skills on adult incomes arises by increasing the likelihood of obtaining further education. Furthermore, we find that both noncognitive skills and parental valuation for education play a larger role in determining income at age 25 than cognitive skills. Last, our analysis uncovers striking differences between men and women in several of the estimated relationships.

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  • Michael J. Kottelenberg & Steven F. Lehrer, 2019. "How Skills and Parental Valuation of Education Influence Human Capital Acquisition and Early Labor Market Return to Human Capital in Canada," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(S2), pages 735-778.
  • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/703355
    DOI: 10.1086/703355
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    1. Xu, Hui & Zhang, Zheyuan & Zhao, Zhong, 2023. "Parental socioeconomic status and children’s cognitive ability in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • C38 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Classification Methdos; Cluster Analysis; Principal Components; Factor Analysis

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