The Social Observatory of "la Caixa" has awarded the projects "Does working while studying matter for graduates' employability? The role of job-field match" and "Evolution of the elements that characterize the precarious youth employment model between 2008 and 2018".

The Social Observatory of "la Caixa", in the "Call to support social research projects: vocational training, early school leaving and job insecurity" has awarded the following projects:

The project entitled "Does working while studying matter for graduates' employability? The role of job-field match" is coordinated by Dr. Antonio Di Paolo.

This project aims at investigating if working while studying affects the employability of Spanish university graduates, allowing for heterogeneous effects according to whether pre-graduation working activity is related to the field of study. We analyse the corresponding effects in terms of employment and job quality outcomes (earnings, stability, mismatch, satisfaction).

On the other hand, Dr. Maria Carme Riera i Prunera participates in the project "Evolution of the elements that characterize the precarious youth employment model between 2008 and 2018".

This research aims at analyzing the evolution of the factors that characterize the precarious youth employment model in Spain in the 2008-2018 period and thus if the current precariousness is more intense than in previous generations.

The research question the project addresses is twofold. On the one hand, if job offers in Spain aimed at young people since 2008 are characterized by greater temporality, involuntary bias, overqualification, and low wages, and show whether a new “model” of precarious employment is emerging. On the other, it intends to go deeper into the sectors in which this situation may have worsened.