Internal Career Opportunities and Labor Market Integration

Entry into the labor market and subsequent career development are crucial both for individuals’ living conditions and for understanding how inequality emerges in society. Amid growing concerns about an increasingly polarized labor market, policymakers and researchers have focused considerable attention on the factors influencing the chances of securing a first job. However, we know far less about what characterizes continued careers—something essential for creating more secure and stable life situations. To understand how people progress, we need knowledge about their starting points, how common it is to change occupations or workplaces, and which entry conditions facilitate upward mobility. This knowledge is vital for designing effective support measures.

In this project, we use Swedish longitudinal data covering the entire population to map occupational concentration at labor market entry for groups often in a weaker position—individuals born in non-Western countries and/or with only compulsory education. We also analyze how wage development relates to mobility between occupations, workplaces, and firms. Furthermore, we study how wage structures and workforce composition at the first employer affect the chances of moving upward.

By focusing on incremental improvements over the medium term for workers with limited opportunities, we shed light on a segment of the labor market with significant political relevance—where relatively small changes can have major effects on both individuals’ life chances and societal inequality.

Researchers

Cristina Bratu

Stefano Lombardi

Anna Thoresson

Oskar Nordström Skans

Olof Åslund