Title: The differential effects of work experience during vocational college on employment and wage outcomes

Authors: Sun-Hye Nam; Young-Min Lee

Addresses: Graduate School of Human Resource Development, Sookmyung Women's University, #1019, Sunheon-gwan, Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04310, South Korea ' Department of Public Administration, Sookmyung Women's University, #809, Suryun-gwan, Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04310, South Korea

Abstract: This study analyses the impact of work experience during college on employment and wages among vocational college students. The findings suggest that work experience gained during college has a positive impact on employment success. However, the average wage level for participants in work experience was found to be 6.3% lower than that of non-participants. This disparity is attributed to the fact that short-term jobs do not significantly contribute to the development of professional knowledge and skills. Based on these results, the study suggests policy implications for providing youth with work experience opportunities that offer substantial and practical benefits. Furthermore, this study offers insights applicable to international labour markets and economies facing similar youth unemployment issues, highlighting the importance of systematic experiential learning.

Keywords: work experience during college; vocational college students; youth labour market; labour market outcomes; employment success; wage outcomes; experiential learning; higher education policy; human resource development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTGM.2026.155757

International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 2026 Vol.22 No.3/4, pp.297 - 304

Received: 13 Aug 2024
Accepted: 01 Aug 2025
Published online: 13 Aug 2026 *

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