Économie et Statistique n° 431-432 - 2010 Labor, Training and Occupational Skills

Economie et Statistique
Paru le :Paru le21/10/2010
Frédéric Lainé
Economie et Statistique- October 2010
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Occupational Mobility: Structural Factors and Specific Characteristics of the Paris Region

Frédéric Lainé

For persons in employment, occupational mobility encompasses several types of change: change in employer, tasks performed, position, or skill level. These forms of mobility depend on a person’s initial occupation status (e.g., skill level, occupational specialization, and firm size) and socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, educational attainment, and family status). Whatever the type of mobility examined, it is consistently far higher among young people, while women appear to be penalized by lesser access to promotion and a greater risk of downward mobility. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) fosters changes in job positions within the firm and changes in tasks performed; it is also correlated with a greater frequency of upward mobility. In terms of occupational mobility, the Paris region (Île-de-France) has a specific profile that sets it apart from the rest of France because of the higher frequency of certain types of changes: new employers, reassignments to new positions or tasks in-house, and promotions. These distinctive traits reflect the particularities of the Paris-region labour market, such as its vast size, high job density, and higher proportion of management-level jobs. Other explanatory factors pertain to the region’s specific economic fabric, which features a high proportion of large enterprise groups and corporate headquarters. Paris-region occupational paths more often combine paths in internal markets and occupational markets.

Economie et Statistique

No 431-432

Paru le :21/10/2010