The Relationship Between Education and Waithood: The Impact of Higher Education on Delayed Adulthood in China

Abstract

This research project is an in-depth quantitative case study that explains how higher education affects the notion of ‘waithood’. Waithood is defined as the state of waiting or the limbo that youth experience between adolescence and young adulthood, whereby they do not transition into young adults and are unable to attain usual markers of adulthood such as work, marriage, and financial independence. The study explores the impact of delayed employment and other aspects on young females in developing countries who join the workforce and other facets of adulthood immediately after acquiring their tertiary education. The survey is proposed to gather information on the subjects’ experiences, the number of years it takes to reach some stages of adulthood, and the factors that can hinder or enhance this process. To establish the correlations and trends in the effect of tertiary education on females, statistical approaches will be employed. This research reveals that support systems and policy reforms are seen as imperatives in higher education. These reforms have assisted young women in transitioning from educational institutions to the workforce and other aspects of life with less pressure while acquiring essential knowledge and skills. Policy recommendations include increasing learning options in order to develop flexible learning models, enhancing career services, and eradicating cultural barriers that affect the learning process.