What is the best variable to identify if a person has completed voc tech training? There is nothing on the EDUC variable since it only includes high school, bachelors, masters, etc.
The EDUC99 variable includes information about degree; a code of 13 indicates an associate degree in an occupational program. However, this doesn’t capture vocational programs that do not lead to an associate’s degree. You might consider the following resources for capturing other vocational training.
- This table from BLS shows typical educational requirement by occupation–look at the occupations with a required education of “Postsecondary nondegree award”
- PROFCERT and STATECERT are available starting in 2015, and JOBCERT since 2016, for occupations requiring certification
- EDVOCA in the education supplement gives the current enrollment status in a vocational program
Many thanks!
I wanted to find the income impact of having either a PROFCERT or STATECERT compared to just a high school degree. I see that INCWAGE is in the ASEC only and PROCERT and STATECERT are only in the basic files. So, I guess I can’t make this comparison. Is that right?
Fortunately there is a way to combine these variables. If you download an extract containing both the ASEC and March Basic samples, you can merge the two samples together using CPSIDP as a linking key. Although not all individuals in the ASEC will have a match in the March Basic data, this will at least allow you to attach INCWAGE to the basic monthly sample.