Workers' Education Spatial Convergence: Evidence from Brazilian Regions

Workers' Education Spatial Convergence: Evidence from Brazilian Regions | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Workers' Education Spatial Convergence: Evidence from Brazilian Regions Gustavo Henrique Leite de Castro, Carlos Azzoni This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6752607/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In recent decades, Brazil has experienced two simultaneous structural shifts: the decentralization of its manufacturing sector from traditional hubs in the Southeast to other regions, and a significant expansion in access to education. These changes raise important questions about whether industrial human capital, particularly educational outcomes, has become more evenly distributed across space. This research investigates spatial convergence in the average years of schooling of manufacturing workers across Brazilian regions between 2003 and 2019. Using regional labor market data and spatial econometric techniques, we test both β- and σ-convergence hypotheses applied to average years of schooling in the manufacturing sector. Results suggest a statistically significant process of convergence, with lagging regions gradually catching up to more educated ones. Spatial autocorrelation tests indicate a non-random geographic pattern, reinforcing the role of spatial spillovers in shaping human capital distribution. The findings highlight the importance of regional industrial dynamics and educational policies in reducing human capital disparities within the country. This study contributes to the literature by offering novel evidence from a large developing economy, combining sector-specific focus with spatial convergence analysis. JEL Codes: J24, R11, R12, C23 Schooling convergence Human capital Regional development Manufacturing Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 10 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 09 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 26 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Jun, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 29 May, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 29 May, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 29 May, 2025 First submitted to journal 26 May, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6752607","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":464666393,"identity":"d024b717-cb6c-41f8-af80-7e789545e2e4","order_by":0,"name":"Gustavo Henrique Leite de Castro","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYPCDChDBQ1AZYwOEZgbiMyRrYWwjQot8RPrzBz/bbOT5+88f+/Bx3mF7cwbeYx/waTG8kWPY2NuWZjjjRjLzzJnbDifubOBLnoFXy4wcxgaeM4cTGG4wMzPzbjucYHCAxxivwwxnpD9s/APUIn/+MFDLnMP2BLXISyQYNvNUgAxPBmppOMy4gZAWA543hrNlKtIMN95INmaccSw9cWczXzJ+W9rTH3x8Y2AjL3f+4GOGDzXW9ubsvYfx23IAQ4QZrwagLQ0YWgjoGAWjYBSMgpEHADQaSHgqAY9SAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade de São Paulo","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gustavo","middleName":"Henrique Leite","lastName":"de Castro","suffix":""},{"id":464666394,"identity":"87ca7c96-72c6-43b5-8fce-007e2b504d5d","order_by":1,"name":"Carlos Azzoni","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade de São Paulo","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Carlos","middleName":"","lastName":"Azzoni","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-26 16:23:21","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6752607/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6752607/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12076-025-00420-3","type":"published","date":"2025-09-18T15:57:14+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":91889855,"identity":"b23e3153-65a3-4e99-b010-9ea1690ed5d7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-22 16:02:48","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":357369,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"WorkersEducationSpatialConvergenceEvidencefromBrazilianRegions.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6752607/v1_covered_2c4c0eec-cd98-46b0-8cf8-941744f8e98d.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Workers' Education Spatial Convergence: Evidence from Brazilian Regions","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"letters-in-spatial-and-resource-sciences","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"lsrs","sideBox":"Learn more about [Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences](http://link.springer.com/journal/12076)","snPcode":"12076","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12076/3","title":"Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Schooling convergence, Human capital, Regional development, Manufacturing","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6752607/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6752607/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn recent decades, Brazil has experienced two simultaneous structural shifts: the decentralization of its manufacturing sector from traditional hubs in the Southeast to other regions, and a significant expansion in access to education. 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