Choosing a career in Science and Technology
Ezequiel Tacsir
#2010-014
Student choice is at the center of many discussions about higher
education policy. At the same time, and regardless of the emphasis put
on achieving an important endowment of graduates trained in science and
engineering, participation in these fields is stagnated or declining.
Evidence suggests that the provision of additional scholarships for
science and engineering students or abolishing the tuition fees will
have practically no impact. The major problem seems to be that science
and engineering programs suffer from a poor image, including as being
difficult, leading to lower earning potentials than other
specializations. The present study contributes to our understanding of
the student choice process by highlighting by means of binomial probit
with selection model (Van den Ven and Van Praag, 1981) the factors and
dimensions that influence the choicew of field of study. Specifically,
we will show the role that non-pecuniary rewards play in the selection
process. Using results from a self-designed survey to young individuals
finishing high school in Argentina, we show that when factors as the
social respect and expected labour demand are considered, the income
expectations become irrelevant for the decision about what type of
career to follow at the university. Specifically, those inclined towards
science, technology and engineering fields are motivated by the belief
of obtaining important rewards in the form of social rewards (i.e.,
reputation) and the expectation of graduating from a highly demanded
university career.
JEL codes: J44, J48, J24, I21.
Keywords: Occupational Choice, Professions, Public Policy.
UNU-MERIT Working Papers
ISSN 1871-9872