The Transition from School to Vocation in the Prewar Period, Japan : Analysis of Character, Academic Record, Connection, and Physical

Previous studies have focused on analyzing where higher education graduates were employed during Japan’s prewar period. However, it is unclear which factors contributed to the transition of students from school to vocation. To fill this research gap, this study analyzes “the list of applicants for a job,” which was compiled by the Otaru Higher Commercial School in 1938. This resource recorded detailed information about students, such as their character, academic record, connection with influential people, and physical constitution.
The result of the analysis concludes that there is no single conclusive factor determining the employment of students from the Otaru Higher Commercial School. Employment in a corporation is not related to students’ academic record, character, connection with influential men, and physical constitution.