Linking Transportation Inadequacies to Negative Employment Outcomes

Authors

  • Marion M. Jones
  • John R. Graham
  • Michael L. Shier

Abstract

Individuals in advanced industrialized countries with difficulties in labour market participation are frequently presented with life and social skills training courses, and labour market integration policies, that seek to provide skills attributable to the individuals. Scholarship, though, has not provided sufficient attention to barriers that are considered external to individuals. One such external barrier creating limits on positive labour market participation is access to adequate transportation. This article highlights the relationship between transportation accessibility and positive employment outcomes from the perceptions of people who have difficulties in securing and maintaining employment. The experiences of seventy-two interviewed participants provide strong evidence of how inadequate access to transportation can influence access to jobs, inhibit employment retention, and intersect with other dimensions of social capital that are essential to labour market participation. The article concludes that transportation is central to economic and social policies regarding labour market participation, and proposes strategies that might better equip vulnerable populations for participation in labour markets. Keywords: labour markets, employment, skills training, social policy, transportation Les citoyens des principaux pays industrialise's ayant des difficulte's h inte'grer le march6 du travail ont souvent la possibilite' de suiwe des fornations afin d'acque'rir des aptitudes sociales et pratiques, et be'nkficient de politiques d'inte'gration au marche' de l'emploi, les toutefois, ne s'est pas suffisamment penchie sur les obstacles h l'emploi indpendants des personnes concernkes. Cacds h un moyen de transport adiquut constitue un des obstacles externes qui limitent la participation positive au rnarchi de l'emploi. L'article met en lumi?re la relation entre l'acc?s au transport et des risultats positifs en muti?re d'emploi, du point de vue des personnes qui iprouvent des difficulte's h trouver et h conserver un emploi. L'expirience vicue par les 72 participants interrogis prouve de fason convaincante qu'un acc?s i d q u a t h un moyen de transport influence l'acc2s h l'emploi, entrave la r6tention des travailleurs concernis et recoupe d'autres facettes du capital social essentielles h la participation au march6 de l'emploi. Cauteur conclut que le transport est un ikment central des politiques iconomiques et-sociales relatives h la participation au march6 du travail, et propose des stratigies qui pourraient permettre aux personnes vulnirables de participer plus activement au march6 de l'emploi. Mots clh : marchis du travail, l'emplois, les aptitudes sociales et pratiques, politique sociak , transport unes et les autres visant l'acquisition de compe'tences par des particuliers. La recherche

Published

2008-05-01

How to Cite

Jones, M. M., Graham, J. R., & Shier, M. L. (2008). Linking Transportation Inadequacies to Negative Employment Outcomes. Canadian Review of Social Policy Revue Canadienne De Politique Sociale, (60-61). Retrieved from https://crsp.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/crsp/article/view/34208

Issue

Section

Articles