Results from a Longitudinal Study of STC Graduates

School-to-career (STC) initiatives aim to help students transition to productive adult careers either directly from secondary school or via post-secondary training and education. To date, however, few studies have tracked important educational and employment outcomes that occur post-high school graduation. Employing a comparative longitudinal design, this study tracked the progress of graduates from LAMP, a sophisticated STC initiative in Michigan, and a matched comparison sample. Both samples are contacted twice a year following graduation and are asked to report on such measures as educational and employment status and career plans. The main objective of this research is to examine the relative advantage of participation in LAMP on transitions from school to higher education and to work. Two years into this five-year study, analyses indicate that LAMP students have an advantage over their Non-LAMP counterparts. LAMP students are enrolling in postsecondary education at rates higher than the comparison group, they are doing a better job at sustaining enrollment, and they report being better prepared for the postsecondary school environment. LAMP students are more active than their NonLAMP counterparts in seeking career development opportunities such as researching career goals, obtaining work experience, exploring further training or graduate school, and preparing for entrance exams. LAMP students have achieved higher levels of compensation from their jobs and report being better prepared for the challenges and responsibilities of the work environment. Additional longitudinal research is required to determine if the advantages that accrue to LAMP students are common to graduates of STC initiatives more broadly.