Youngsters with learning disabilities neither get a chance for vocational-training nor reach vocational qualification. Usually their work-experiences starts with special programs, without direct relation to the labour market (Niehaus & Jäger, 2009; OECD, 2000, Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 1997). Unfortunately, finishing these programs often implies starting unemployment for the rest of their working-life. According to the employers (cp. BMBF, 2006), this is due to the youngsters’ insufficient professional competencies, especially social skills. Thus, there is an increasing demand on school to develop these skills. Therefore it is important to set up programs in school (Wehman, 2006). In 2000 the Ministry of Education of the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia in Germany started a pilot scheme “Hand-Werk-Lernen” (“Learning Trade”) which intended a stronger linkage between the school and the work environment. In this project the teaching staff of several special needs schools in Cologne was supported by professionals representing various trades, crafts and services. They were engaged to improve the professional competencies of the youngsters. The research project, funded by “Rhine Energy Foundation Cologne”, evaluated the effects of the „Learning Trade“ program regarding the professional competencies of the youngsters in the post-school-phase and their integration into the labour market. Data from the school-leaving years of 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 have been collected from 6 schools participating in the pilot scheme (experimental group) and 6 schools without the program (control group). Over a two year period, the youngsters’ development and the company-based assessment of their professional competencies were compared (N=594).

A quasi-experimental design was applied, 6 schools participated as experimental group and 6 schools formed the control group. The data of the youngsters’ career were collected from the schools as well as from the German Federal Labour Office. Additionally, professional competencies were assessed by the training supervisors, who experienced the youngsters at work, using DIK 2.0 (Diagnostic Criteria for the Assessment of Special Needs and Controlling of Measures). Both, the pupils’ career (N=592) as well as their professional competencies (n=209) in the post-school phase were compared to control group.

The results cannot clearly indicate that students with learning disabilities participating in the pilot scheme succeed in a smoother transition to the labour market than the youngsters from conventional special needs schools. Furthermore the results don’t prove effects with respect to better professional competencies. Nevertheless the results could be due to the sample (cp. Hager 1998), because the convential special needs schools for youngsters with learning disabilities themselves offer a lot of measures to prepare youngsters for working life. Potentially, two groups applying too similar measures were compared. But, surprisingly there are significant gender effects: Boys from the experimantal scheme achieve a statistically significant benefit in comparison to boys from the control group, whereas girls don’t benefit from the pilot scheme. Prospective, a gender specific view should be considered in the development of vocational training programs for youngsters with learning disabilities (Niehaus, Hauser, Dreja & Förster, 2008).