Qualification is one of the major developmental tasks of adolescents: Acquiring skills and credentials enables them to earn their own livings later in life and hence gain economic independence (Havighurst 1982, Quenzel 2015). Yet, while education provides life chances, failures to acquire educational credentials comes with a high risk of working in low-paid jobs and of ongoing economic dependency. In countries with a strong tradition of vocational educational training (VET), like Austria, Germany and Switzerland, acquiring educational credentials is often a prerequisite for a successful societal integration into the labor market. Further, education and vocational training do not ensure employment and monetary income only, but also socially and intrinsically valued goods such as status, life satisfaction and health (Ormel et al. 1999). The absence post compulsory credentials on the other hand, often leads to higher risks of unemployment, poverty and mortality. While the influence of students’ traits such as social origin, immigrant background and gender on educational decisions as well as occupational choices through differing primary and secondary effects (Boudon 1974) is well-documented, cross-country comparisons of educational and occupational aspirations are less common.

Presenting results from three different youth surveys from Austria (“Lebenswelten Vorarlberg”; n=2.100), Germany (“SHELL Jugendstudie”; n=2.500) and Switzerland (“Lebenswelten Ostschweizer Jugendlicher”; n= 1.300) this symposium aims to give an overview over educational and occupational aspirations of adolescents. Furthermore we present data on their perceived success probabilities concerning their life chances at the transition from compulsory to post compulsory education are investigated. The studies presented allow a comparative perspective on a central process of inclusion in modern societies as well as the involved risks of exclusion concerning the school to work transition for three European countries.

Boudon, R. (1974). Education, Opportunity, and Social Inequality. Changing Prospects in Western Society. New York/ London/ Sydney/ Toronto: John Wiley & Sons. Havighurst, R. J. (1982). Developmental tasks and education. New York: Longman. Ormel, J., Lindenberg, S., Steverink, N., & Verbrugge, L. (1999). Subjective Well-Being and Social Production Functions. Social Indicators Research, 46(1), 61-90. Quenzel, G. (2015). Entwicklungsaufgaben und Gesundheit im Jugendalter. Weinheim/Basel: Beltz Juventa.