Durham E-Theses The transition from school to work in the Durham coaleld Kirton, Derek How to cite: Kirton, Derek (1987) The transition from school to work in the Durham coaleld, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6786/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk The Transition from School to Work in the Durham Coalfield Derek Kirton The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. August 1987 Thesis submitted for the degree 'of PhD, University of Durham The Transition from School to Work in the Durham Coalfield Derek Kirton ======================================================================= Abstract This study examines via questionnaire and interview data, various aspects of the transition from school to work experienced by young people in the Durham Coalfield during the 1980s. The aspects covered are those of education and careers guidance, unemployment, occupational choice, experience of work and its financial rewards, trade unionism, changes in family and leisure patterns, migration and certain political issues relating to youth unemployment. Analysis of data from prospective school leavers and young workers relating to these areas form the bulk of the study, but the context(s) for analysis are also of crucial importance. Data are analysed within two related contexts. The first is that of the history of the Coalfield - its economy and culture, class structure, sexual divisions and internal spatial variations. Particular attention is given to the decline of an economy based on coal and steel, and the rise of a 'branch plant' economy where factory employment suffers from considerable instability. The recent collapse of the youth 1abour market and its progressive replacement by state sponsored schemes provide the immediate context for the study. A second concern is to relate study of the transition to three major debates with industrial sociology, namely those relating to orientations to work, to labour market divisions and the issue of a 'dual labour market', and to the arrival of a 'post-industrial' society. Throughout, a critique is offered of empiricist and reductionist accounts of the transition and an attempt is made to provide a more adequate analysis based on concerns with structure, consciousness and action as catalogued in the testimony of prospective school leavers and young workers. It is also argued that the exchange of labour-power provides a crucial element in the framework for understanding the transition. (ii) This thesis is dedicated to Linda and Betty and to the memory of Tom and Lyn (iii ) The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. ( i v) CONTENTS List of Tables (v) List of Maps ( ix) Acknowledgements (x) Introduction 1 Chapter 1 : Background to the Study 50 Chapter 2: Education and Careers Guidance 128 Chapter 3: Unemployment 169 Chapter 4: Occupational Choice. 203 Chapter 5: Experience of Work 277 Chapter 6: Money and 'Instrumentalism' 342 Chapter 7: Trade Unions 370 Chapter 8: Family 421 Chapter 9: Leisure 455 Chapter 10: Migration 494 Chapter 11: The Politics of Youth Unemployment 529 Concluding Comment 553 Appendix A 568 Appendix B 572 Appendix C 574 Bibliography 580 ( v} Li st of Tab 1e s Table 1.1 Female activity rates in Durham County at selected ages (1921} 121 1.2 Comparison between Great Britain and County Durham in terms of industrial classification of workers 123 1.3 Comparison between Great Britain and County Durham in terms of R-G social class 124 1.4 (a} Employment of male school leavers in Co Durham by selected occupations (1974-5 and 1981-2} 81 1.4 (b) Employment of female school leavers in Co Durham by selected occupations (1974-5 and 1981-2} 81 1.5 (a} Percentage of men employed by industrial category and location (1981} 96 1.5 (b) Percentage of women employed by industrial category and location (1981} 97 1.6 (a} Percentage of male workers by R-G social class and location 100 1.6 (b) Percentage of female workers by R-G social class and location 100 1.7 Ratio of manual to non-manual jobs by sex and location 101 1.8 Percentage ownership of houses and cars by location 102 1.9 Destinations of school leavers by location 104 2.1 Young workers' views of the Careers Service by time since leaving school 155 2.2 Young workers' views of the Careers Service by educational qualifications 156 2.3 Views of the Careers Service from those holding 0 level passes 168 3.1 Young workers' periods of unemployment- number and duration 182 (vi) List of Tables (continued) Tables Page 3.2 Periods 'Of unemployment by sex 183 3.3 Periods of unemployment by time since leaving school 184 3.4 Periods .of unemployment by educational qualifications 184 4. 1 First and second occupational choices by R-G class 210 4.2 (a) Relationship between first and second choices - male 271 4.2 (b) Relationship between first and second choices - female 271 4.3 (a) (First) occupational choice by fathers' social class - male 211 4.3 (b) (First) occupational choice by fathers' social class - female 211 4.4 (a) Occupational choice by fathers' occupation (manua 1/non-manu a1) - rna 1e 212 4.4 (b) Occupational choice by fathers' occupation (manual/non-manual)- female 213 4.5 Occupational choice by fathers' occupation (school sub-sample) 213 4.6 School 'banding' by fathers' occupation 214 4.7 Occupational choice by school 'banding' 214 4.8 (a) Occupational choice by school 'banding' - fathers in non-manual occupations 272 4.8 (b) Occupational choice by school 'banding' - fathers in manual occupations 272 4.9 Percentage choosing manual occupations by sex and location 272 4.10 Leading five occupational choices for male and female pupils 217 4.11 Choices of priority from list of factors affecting occupational choice 219 {vii) List of Tables {continued) Table Page 4.12 Weighted index of priorities by sex 220 4.13 Weighted index for choice of 'interesting work' by occupational choice and sex 222 4. 14 Relative prioritisation of 'high wages' and 'interesting work' by occupational choice and sex 223 4.15 {a) Career continuity in 'subsequent moves' by time since leaving school 244 4.15 {b) Career continuity in 'subsequent moves' by number of moves 244 4.16 Comparison of continuity between first and subsequent moves 252 5.1 Frequency of expressed likes and dislikes by number 283 5.2 Ratio of likes to dislikes by number of likes 337 5.3 Number and ratio of likes and dislikes by occupational choice · 284 7.1 {Expressed) desire to join a trade union 371 7.2 Desire to join a trade union by fathers' occupation 372 7.3 Desire to join a trade union by occupational choice 373 7.4 Desire to join a trade union by sex 374 7.5 Desire to join a trade union by location 374 7.6 Reasons for trade union membership - general concepts 375 7.7 Reasons for trade union memebership - objects of activity 376 7.8 Reasons against trade union membership 381 7.9 Young workers' union membership and desire to join by employment status 399 7.10 Union membership and desire to join by sex 400 (viii) List of Tables (continued) Table 7.11 Attitudes towards union membership by level of contact with unions 419 8.1 Board payments- level and frequency 427 8.2 Average board payments by employment status 428 8.3 Level of participation in domestic labour by sex 441 8.4 Change in domestic labour participation by sex 443 9. 1 Frequency of 'going out' by emp 1oyment status 468 10.1 Questionnaire respondents verdicts on migration from home area 497 10.2 Verdicts on migration by fathers' occupation 497 10.3 Willingness to migrate in the event of being unable to find work 498 10.4 Preferred destinations of 'first' and 'second time' migrants 500 10.5 Preferred destinations by fathers' occupation 527 10.6 Reasons for remaining in the area 501 10.7 Reasons for leaving the area 506 10.8 Young workers' verdicts on migration 510 10.9 Young workers' verdicts on migration by fathers' occupation 511 10.10 Expressed views on home areas 512 10.11 Expressed views on home areas by sex 512 10.12 Expressed views on home areas by location 513 B l(a) Questionnaire respondents' fathers by social class and location 572 B l(b) Questionnaire respondents' mothers by social class and location 572 C 1 Parents of young workers by social class 574 ( i x) List of Maps Map Page 1 Contracting Coalfield - closure of drift and colliery workings in County Durham 64 2 Closure of Drift and Colliery Workings in County Durham 1950-70 65 3 Colliery Workings in County Durham 1971 66 4 Colliery Workings in County Durham 1987 67 (x) Acknowledgements Thanks are above all due to Huw Beynon, who has not only been an excellent supervisor, but whose own work continues to be an inspiration for those whose concerns go beyond writing •sociology for sociologists•.