This paper focuses on youth, specifically students of lower secondary schools, and their vocational orientation process. In this context, we aim to analyse the use of results from standardised competence tests for vocational orientation.

Integration into the labour market is essential for participating and being accepted in achievement-oriented societies, such as in Europe. An essential requirement for this is the successful transition from compulsory school to post-compulsory education (Blossfeld et al., 2011; Kogan et al., 2011), such as vocational education and training (VET), which is our focus. Therefore, the process of vocational orientation is of great relevance. Because of the outlined importance of transitional processes and since some youth face challenges and failure while trying to manage the transition (for example, in Switzerland, this affects around 25% of youth), young people experience high pressure during the vocational orientation process (Kamm & Gebhardt, 2019). This is especially true in crises like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vocational orientation is understood as a long-lasting process including several phases, with a peak in the last years of compulsory school (lower secondary school). The theory model of vocational orientation we use in our study is based on the models proposed by Gebhardt et al. (2015) and Neuenschwander (2017). Youth are at the centre of the model. Vocational orientation is influenced by stable characteristics of students (e.g., gender, socio-economic status or migrant background) and changeable ones (e.g., career preparedness, academic achievements). Immediate contextual factors (e.g., support by school, parents, friends) and distant ones (e.g., educational and economic system) may also influence the process of vocational orientation.

Regarding this model, we would like to illuminate the potential of test results. By tests, we mean standardised competence tests that provide feedback to students independent of their affiliation to schools and classes. In particular, we refer to the so-called “Stellwerk-Test”, which is established and used in Switzerland. The “Stellwerk-Test” is conducted in the 8th and 9th school years. The students receive feedback on their performance in various school subjects and competence areas, shown as performance profiles, that can be compared to the requirement profiles of different professions.

We see several possibilities of how these test results can support the process of vocational orientation. On the one hand, the results of the “Stellwerk-Test” provide individual feedback on performance. One facet of career preparedness is knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses in general and in relation to different professions (Marciniak et al., 2020). Therefore, the test results could support the students’ preparedness to choose a profession and influence the process of vocational orientation (positively). On the other hand, feedback provided by test results can be seen as a chance to foster the support provided by, e.g., school, parents, and friends, who may influence vocational orientation as part of the immediate contextual factors.

We aim to investigate the use of test results by youth in the context of their vocational orientation process in a differentiated way. More specifically, we intend to answer the following research questions.

1. How do youth use test results in the context of their vocational orientation process?
2. How is the use of test results influenced by different characteristics at student and class level?

At the student level, we address gender, academic achievements, socio-demographic characteristics, and students’ success in the search for an apprenticeship. At the class level, we consider school track and grade.

Quantitative data were gathered using a standardised online questionnaire for students in the 8th and 9th school year in the canton of St. Gallen (German-speaking part of Switzerland) after the “Stellwerk-Test”. 17 items were formulated to measure the use of test results. Before conducting the analyses, the psychometric suitability of the scales was examined with the help of multi-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA showed an acceptable fit to the data (Hu & Bentler, 1999), and the internal consistency of the scales was satisfying (68 ≤ α ≤ .84) (Punch, 2014). Furthermore, information on the school track, grade, gender, academic achievements, and socio-demographic characteristics of the students was collected. The students' socio-economic status was recorded with the help of the International Socio-Economic Index (ISEI; Ganzeboom et al., 1992), based on the information provided by youth about their parents' professions (Ehmke & Siegel, 2015). A possible migration background of the students was assessed via the country of birth of the students and their parents (Beck & Edelmann, 2016). Additionally, the students were asked whether or not they already had a concrete offer for an apprenticeship after compulsory school (confirmed solution; e.g., signed apprenticeship contract). Three more scales were constructed to estimate (1) the perceived preparation for the transition that was provided by the school/teachers, (2) the perceived quality of the feedback of the test results (performance profiles), and (3) the anticipated use of the test results by host companies. The internal consistency of all scales was satisfying (.79 ≤ α ≤ .85) (Punch, 2014). The sample includes 1006 students from the canton of St. Gallen. 54.9% were in 8th grade and 45.1% in 9th grade. In lower secondary schools, students are typically assigned to different school tracks. While 53.8% of the surveyed students attended the higher track (“Sekundarschule”), 41.3% were in the lower track (“Realschule”). Another 4.9% belonged to a special education track for low-achieving students (“Kleinklasse”). The sample consists almost equally of female (49.7%) and male students (50.3%). Around half of all participating youth (49.7%) had no migrant background, whereas 35.8% had a migrant background in the second generation and 14.5% had a migrant background in the first generation. Descriptive statistics were used to answer the first research question. To answer the second research question multivariate multi-level regression analyses at student and class level were applied (Hox, 2010).

Concerning the first research question, based on CFA, we were able to confirm four different categories of use of test results by students: (1) individual assessment of performance; (2) concretisation of vocational orientation; (3) initiation of change; (4) social comparison, and verbal exchange with others. The findings show that students use test results primarily to assess their individual performance. Hence, students strongly focus on the general and school subject-related assessment of their own performance as well as on identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Some aspects of using test results to concretise vocational orientation or as an impetus for change are also quite relevant from students’ point of view. In this regard, it is interesting to note that students consider test results in their applications for an apprenticeship and to check personal fit to their desired profession, but hardly for their choice of a specific profession. The use of test results for social comparison and as a basis for verbal exchange with others has a rather low significance. With regard to the second research question, preliminary results from multi-level analyses indicate that various factors at student and class level (predictors) influence the use of test results (dependent variables). For example, boys and youth with a migrant background in the first generation make more use of test results as a basis for verbal exchange with others. Furthermore, there is generally less use of test results by students with a more favourable social background. Likewise, in the case of an already confirmed solution after compulsory school, a generally lower use is observed. However, this is highly correlated with the grade the students attend. At class level, the use of test results is generally more pronounced in the lower track than in the higher track and the 8th compared to the 9th school year.

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