Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The overall aim of Success Sustained? A Follow-up Survey of the 'Destined for Success' Cohort, 2004 was to investigate the extent to which the differences within a previously researched cohort of ‘academically able’ students have been magnified, diminished or reconfigured now that they are in their early thirties. When they were last surveyed, they were in the very early stage of their careers and a number of emerging issues were identified which suggest that their relative positions may have shifted since then. In comparing and contrasting their progress, this project aimed to investigate the significance of: entry into the labour market of those with extended transitions; sideways movements; variations between professional and managerial career trajectories; participation in lifelong education; regional migration; domestic responsibilities; and, public-private orientations. The previous study is available from the UK Data Archive under SN 3827 - Destined for Success? Educational Biographies of Academically Able Pupils, 1981-1997. The data files can be matched using the ‘iden’ variable. Further information about the study is available from the Success Sustained? A Follow Up Study of the 'Destined for Success' Cohort ESRC Award web page.

Main Topics:

The study explores the following themes:occupational history and current employmentparticipation in lifelong educationregional migrationliving arrangements and domestic responsibilitiespolitical orientations and educational preferences

Revisit of already identified sample

Face-to-face interview

Telephone interview

Self-completion

Email survey