School-leavers who do not go on to further study are now more likely to become unemployed after leaving school than they would have been five years ago, according to the latest research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
The employment prospects are even worse for students who leave school after the Junior Cert, the report says.
The ESRI survey found that, in 2004, more than one-fifth of all students who had directly entered the labour market in 2002/2003 were unemployed, compared with 11 per cent in 1999. Almost 74 per cent of students who left school after the Junior Cert in 1999 were in employment one year later. This had fallen to 59 per cent by 2004. These students were not engaged in study, as the percentage entering further education remained the same during this time.
Dr Selina McCoy, co-author of the 2004 Annual School Leavers' Survey of 2002/2003 Leavers, said that early school-leavers faced particularly difficult labour market prospects.
"While the bulk of school-leavers make a successful transition to the labour market or further study after school, the experiences of those leaving school poorly-qualified are less positive," she said. "Such young people face particular difficulty in accessing further education and encounter barriers to securing quality employment."
The survey found that almost 60 per cent of Leaving Cert students went on to further study - a 4 per cent increase on 2002 figures.
Boys continued to leave school earlier than girls, with 85 per cent of girls doing the Leaving Cert in 2004 compared with 79 per cent of boys.
The research also found that more than half of school-leavers had participated in part- time work while at school. Of those who worked, almost 60 per cent did part-time work in their Leaving Cert year.
Those from unemployed backgrounds were far more likely to work longer hours than were those from professional or farming backgrounds. One-third of students from professional and farming backgrounds worked 15 hours or more per week compared with 55 per cent of students from unemployed backgrounds.
However, the research found no clear pattern linking exam performance and part-time work. Similar research in 2002 also failed to identify a link between these two issues.
The study highlighted a large increase in the percentage of people from unemployed backgrounds progressing to further study. Some 26 per cent took this route in 2004, compared with 12 per cent two years earlier. Dr McCoy said that the percentage was still quite low, but it was a significant improvement on previous years.
