Abstract
In this article, we address four hypotheses on the developments in the labor market success of low educated people in the Netherlands. We use a stacked data set of large-scale labor force surveys collected by Statistics Netherlands’ Labor Force Surveys, ranging from 1977 to 1998 (N=231,725 male respondents). Indicators of the labor market situation are employment and job level. We found evidence that, compared to the highest educated men, especially young low educated men have a limited chance to participate on the labor market. This educational effect becomes even stronger in times when many people have attained higher diploma’s. For occupational status however, no evidence was found that low educated men are increasingly facing disadvantages over time. Adverse economic conditions barely increase the disadvantages for the low educated. Although signs of marginalization are barely found, young unqualified men experience serious disadvantages. For them, it became increasingly difficult to find a job.
