Learning at work or learning to work? The impact of work experiences on young adults transition into employment

Author(s):

Beatrix Niemeyer

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

2. Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

02 SES 01 B, Dropout, Transitation and Work Experience

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-28

09:15-10:45

Room:

HG, HS 24

Chair:

Lorenz Lassnigg

Contribution

This paper asks for the impact of work experience in the individual lifecourse of young people facing troubles to enter VET and the labour market. The lifelong learning of human ressources for the knowledge society will not guarantee lifelong access to high qualified, well paid jobs. While the importance of learning is underlined and learning occasions are extended, the access to the labour market remains a crucial point especially for youth at risk. Bridging this gap is a remaining challenge for VET. VET schools play a crucial role here for social coherence through vocational inclusion. VET related research has highlighted the importance of VET schools, however always has stressed the importance of work based training at the same time. although in many European countries the vocational track is considered to be second choice, left for those who have difficulties with learning, it has been shown, that work experiences can be a motivating incentive for further learning. How and why is it attractive for young persons to work, what do they actually learn at the work place - about the work tasks, about working and about themselves? However, the nature of work is changing, not only in terms of qualification, but also in terms of availability, security and payment and it's global distribution. I will build on Sennet's analysis of "the craftsman" (2008) and ask about the changing role of work experience in learning processes, which have been organised to support the transition from school into VET and employment. The technical learning, access to the labour market, and the attitudes and values of the labour society are at challenge - this gains evidence when researching transition schemes or individual support arrangements for unemployed young. The research question asks about, how young participants in support programs experience these changes in the world of employment, how they experience their work and themselves working. From narrative interviews with young participants of different transition schemes conclusions can be drawn with respect to the changing importance of work experience for social and vocational inclusion. This qustion

Method

Comparative qualitative and quantitative data from two transition schemes - one school based, one community based project - with ca. 30 participants each has been gained in a practice oriented evaluation project. While this material has led to a process and an outcome oriented evaluation, theory building draws on narrative interviews with selected participants as key material, allowing to reconstruct young persons'perception of work and work experience during the biographical stage of transition.

Expected Outcomes

Conclusions will be drawn for the theory of work based learning and the social and political context of labour in relation to life long learning.

References

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Author Information

Beatrix Niemeyer

University of Flensburg

biat - Insitut for technical vocational education

Flensburg

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