Complex interdependencies between education, the labour market and young people’s choices and chances have been a focus of policy concern, discussion and research across European countries. This proposed paper focuses on how the VET system is perceived by young people, and the way this influences their decisions in choosing their educational route. It draws on the  findings from the 'Experiencing Inequalities' project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) carried out under the auspices of the ESRC Research Centre: Learning and Life Chances in Knowledge Economies and Societies (LLAKES).

Vocational education and training (VET) as a career route for young people has been and continues to be open to wide interpretation and debate. The situation in most European countries is characterised by a so-called academic drift, which tends to position the VET system as the second-best choice. Enhancing the attractiveness and status of the VET system is therefore a concern that attracts political attention both on national and European levels.   The study compares the status and reputation of the VET systems in two countries which, in the discussions about varieties of capitalism, represent two poles (Thelen, 2004): specifically the paper focuses on England that belongs to the so-called liberal market economies and  Denmark, which belongs to the coordinated market economies, indicating that coordination in the English labour market is secured mainly by market forces whereas coordination in Denmark is based on cooperative structures involving the state and the social partners. This paper seeks to answer the following research questions:

• How has vocational education developed in England and Denmark in terms of policies, debates and social status?
• How do young people motivate their educational choices?
• How do the general perceptions of vocational vs. academic routes reflect on individual cases?
• What factors contribute to young people’s career and occupational choices?

The paper argues that the  issue of perception of vocational education by young people needs to be considered within the broader context of the role and status of vocational education in society in general.  The study considers some historical aspects of the debate and reforms of vocational education in England and Denmark and the effects of the policies on young peoples’ choices and motivations.  The theoretical framework of the paper draws on a significant body of research and policy literature (e.g. Evans 1991; Field et al, 2009; Ecclestone et al, 2010) that  brings attention to the issues of youth transitions, learning paths and progression as configurations of young people’s choices and opportunities related to possible learning routes, such as vocational vs. academic-related paths. Comparing two different contexts, England and Denmark, enabled the researchers to reflect on the issues of perceptions and motivations of young people towards VET, specifically focusing on factors that contribute to their either positive or negative attitudes. The research compares findings cross-nationally, and discusses the way young people frame and connect issues of participation, life chances and career choices.

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