In line with the symposiums presumption, that education and educational credentials are a prerequisite of success in various areas of life, failing to achieve a minimum of educational credentials can pose a major risk factor concerning adolescents regarding economic, social and physical wellbeing (Ormel et al. 1999). Therefore, the transition from school to work is crucial, especially in countries and regions with a strong tie between VET and labor market integration as Switzerland. Links between educational aspirations, educational success as well as school-to-work transitions and individual traits, such as social origin, immigrant background and gender are well established in today’s social inequality research in general and especially in Switzerland (e.g. Glauser 2015). Less we know about the question, if adolescents are adapting their life goals away from occupational goals towards more general life goals, if they perceive lower chances of successful completion of rather rewarding educational credentials and reaching prestigious occupational positions. We utilize data from the study “Lebenswelten Ostschweizer Jugendlicher” (stratified random sample of 1.333 pupils in 81 classes), a cross-sectional classroom based online survey in compulsory lower secondary schools in the Eastern Swiss cantons of St.Gallen and Appenzell-Ausserrhoden (Beck and Ha, forthcoming). We examine educational aspirations of adolescents in lower secondary schools with a focus on risk groups such as students from a low educated and/or an immigrant background. In a first step, we examine, how individual (gender, social origin and immigrant background) as well as contextual risk factors (school and regional factors) contribute to educational and vocational aspirations of adolescents as well as the perceived success probabilities of achieving the aspired credentials and occupational positions. In a second step, we überprüfen differences in intrinsic and extrinsic occupational as well as general life goals between said risk groups and more privileged adolescents with a focus on the question if occupational goals are less distinguished and non-occupational life goals are more distinguished because of lower occupational aspirations and/or lower perceived success probabilities of achieving said aspirations.

Beck, M. & Ha, J. (forthcoming). Lebenswelten Ostschweizer Jugendlicher. Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen. Glauser, D. (2015): Berufsausbildung oder Allgemeinbildung. Wiesbaden: VS. Ormel, J., Lindenberg, S., Steverink, N., & Verbrugge, L. (1999). Subjective Well-Being and Social Production Functions. Social Indicators Research, 46(1), 61-90.