Labor Market Performance Gaps and the Role of Secondary Vocational Education at Meister High School in Korea

This study explored the mechanism of labor market performance by confirming the role of secondary vocational education for young Korean employees of high school graduates. To this end, we focused on the Meister High School (MHS) policy for fostering the lead in secondary vocational education in Korea. In comparative perspective, data from 2,344 Korean employees who graduated from MHS or Specialized Vocational High School (SVHS) were analyzed. Firstly, it was found that MHS graduates obtained better objective performance conditions even if the crucial reginal and parental effects are controlled. Next, MHS graduates maintained higher job satisfaction focusing on their horizontal mismatch level. Moreover, MHS graduates with higher achievement in vocational courses were satisfied with their school life. Our findings found the significant roles of the Korean secondary vocational education policy by applying assumptions of the status acquisition model.