Integrating migrants in VET and the labour market has become a key concern across Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in Europe (McIntyre & Neuhaus, 2021; Stalder et al., 2024). Migrants and refugees face significant disadvantages in education and employment, reflecting their vulnerability due to language barriers, disrupted schooling, non-recognition of qualifications, discrimination, and challenging living conditions (Aerne & Bonoli, 2021; Busse et al., 2024; Heath et al., 2008; Laczik & Lasonen, 2010; Laczik, 2014; Sime et al., 2022). Obstacles such as trauma, poor mental health, and social isolation further hinder their ability to negotiate structural, social, and symbolic boundaries within and between educational systems (Lund, 2020). This might hamper migrants from fully participating in VET and employment (Onsando, 2014). Stability, security, and belonging are critical for acquiring new skills, adapting to new environments, and investing in vocational projects (Kohli, 2011; Lund, 2020; McIntyrea & Neuhaus, 2021; Wehrle et al., 2018).

At ECER 2023 and 2024, we presented findings from various research projects examining migrants’ inclusion and pathways through VET and employment. We explored the barriers they encounter and the guidance and support they receive. Our research highlights that VET and pre-VET provisions are crucial for migrant integration, providing skills, knowledge, and certification for career success. VET thus facilitates both occupational development and social inclusion. However, our findings confirm that systemic barriers such as limited access to education and training, xenophobia, and discrimination persist. Tailored support and opportunities for growth are essential. Career councillors, teachers, trainers, and workplace mentors are key to fostering agency and long-term success. However, practical constraints often lead to a one-size-fits-all solution, making it more difficult to provide targeted support and create opportunities for personal and occupational growth. Historical insights show how VET systems have adapted to societal and economic changes, emphasizing their potential for future innovation.

In our ECER 2025 workshop, we want to deepen the discussion by addressing challenges in conducting VET research with migrants. These challenges span theoretical frameworks, methodology, data collection and analyses, the interpretation of the results, and policy translation. Research challenges stem from five projects in Sweden, England, and Switzerland. Each is unique in the chosen theoretical framework and methodological approach (e.g., scoping study, interviews, survey, documentary analysis, cross-sectional, longitudinal, historical; data from micro-, meso-, and macro-levels).

The workshop will focus on a selection of these challenges:

Concerning theory:

• What theories and frameworks best support VET-related migration studies and the interpretation of results?
• How can we effectively integrate multidisciplinary approaches from migration, social, and education studies?
• How do we balance theoretical depth with clarity and focus?
• Does a framework that excludes migrants' past experiences (e.g., migration story, status) provide sufficient insight?

Concerning data collection:

• How do we design suitable methods for data collection and analysis?
• How can we navigate unstructured archival materials effectively?
• How do we identify and encourage relevant participants to take part?
• How can we ensure participants fully understand our questions?
• How can interview techniques minimize the risks of retraumatization?
• How do we ensure that we measure what we intend to, particularly when simplifying questions and items?

Concerning results:

• How can we avoid methodological nationalism, which confines analysis within nation-state boundaries?
• How do we manage language-related challenges in interviews?
• How can we align theoretical approaches with data while respecting participants’ lived experiences and contextual norms?
• How should we interpret results that seem overly positive?
• How can we move beyond deficit-based perspectives?
• How can we increase awareness of cultural paradigms in explaining individual-society challenges?

This workshop will feature brief "lightning talks" focused on research challenges rather than results. Instead of showcasing successes, we will explore questions and obstacles encountered during study design, data collection, analysis, writing, and dissemination. Participants will share puzzling, surprising, and unresolved issues that remain open for discussion. The lightning talks will draw on the following projects: P1: From work force immigration to inclusion – A study of Vocational Education & Training development in relation to society changes and immigration in a historical perspective (presented by Prof. Dr. Lázaro Moreno Herrera and Dr. Ali Osman, Sweden) P2: Navigating Places and Negotiating Boundaries: A Multidisciplinary Study of Migrant Children’s Educational Transitions in Sweden (presented by Marianne Teräs, Sweden) P3: Facilitating Young Migrants' Integration through Vocational Education and Training in England and Wales: Challenges and opportunities (presented by Dr Andrea Laczik, Kathrin Emms, and Prof. Dr Natasha Kersh, England) P4: Pathways of refugees into VET and beyond: Fostering career success through a pre-vocational programme (presented by Prof. Dr Barbara E. Stalder, Switzerland) P5: Pre-vocational training for refugees: An analysis of workplace learning environments (presented by Dr Marlise Kammermann, Switzerland) Key challenges addressed in the lightning talks will address theoretical underpinnings of migrant research (e.g., need for multidisciplinary approaches), methodological / measurement issues (e.g., language barriers), and interpretation of results (e.g., deficit vs. resource-oriented lens). If possible, the workshop will include a discussion in smaller working groups to allow participants to share their experiences and explore approaches to successfully dealing with challenges. Discussion in the working groups will be moderated by the team that organizes the workshop. Reflections from group discussions will be summarized and presented in the plenum. The workshop will be structured as follows 1. Introduction (10 minutes) Brief presentation of the projects, naming of the challenge (without explanation) 2. Lightning talks and group discussions (70 minutes) Two groups and two rounds of 35 minutes each; starting with three lightning talks (3 minutes each) Group 1: Sweden (P2), England (P3), Switzerland (P4) Group 2: Sweden (P1), England (P3), Switzerland (P5) Group leaders will rotate after 35 minutes 3. Feedback in the plenum (10 minutes) Findings, common understanding of challenges, future directions

Migration research in VET represents a pivotal research area with implications for inclusion and social equity, creating sustainable pathways, and economic development. Undoubtedly, doing research with migrants (but also in other research areas) must be understood in its specific national, cultural, economic, educational and institutional contexts. Finding the European/international perspective of such research challenges should help advance a mutual understanding of research challenges that come across. By considering these complex challenges, we aim to explore how researchers can optimally conceptualise their studies and develop joint ideas on how researchers can deal with the challenges linked to conducting research. In the end, the workshop should support exploring the ways policies and practices can help young migrants achieve more favourable outcomes in VET, the labour market, and social life.

Aerne, A., & Bonoli, G. (2021). Integration through vocational training: Promoting refugees’ access to apprenticeships in a collective skill formation system. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 75(3), 419–438. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2021.1894219 Busse, R., Bock-Schappelwein, J., & Kammermann, M. (2024). Zugang zur beruflichen Ausbildung von Geflüchteten - Einblicke in Deutschland, Österreich und die Schweiz. Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis, 53(2). Heath, A., Rothon, C., & Kilpi, E. (2008). The second generation in Western Europe: Education, unemployment, and occupational attainment. Annual Review of Sociology, 34, 211–235. Kohli, R. (2011). Working to ensure safety, belonging and success for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, Child Abuse Review, 20, 311–323. Laczik, A. (2014). Hungarian migrants in the UK labour market: A pilot study of the former education of Hungarian migrants and the underutilisation of their skills in the UK, SKOPE Research Paper, No. 119. (July 2014). ESRC Centre on Skills Knowledge and Organisational Performance. http://www.skope.ox.ac.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Working_Paper_Migration_report_FINAL-July.pdf Laczik, A., & Lasonen, J. (2010). Analysis of how the skills and competencies of economic migrants match the requirements of local labour market. ECER, August 2010, Helsinki, Finland. Lund, S. (2020). Immigrant incorporation, education and the boundaries of belonging. Palgrave Pivot. Lundgren, U.P. (1989). Att organisera omvärlden. En introduktion till läroplansteori. Liber förlag. McIntyrea, J., & Neuhaus, S. (2021). Theorising policy and practice in refugee education: Conceptualising ‘safety’, ‘belonging’, ‘success’ and ‘participatory parity’ in England and Sweden. British Educational Research Journal, 47(4), 796–816. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3701 Onsando, G. (2014). Refugee immigrants: Addressing social exclusion by promoting agency in the Australian VET system. In NCVER (Ed.), Postgraduate research papers: A compendium (pp. 76-96). Sime, S., Tyrrell, N., Käkelä, E. & Moskal, M. (2022). Performing whiteness: Central and Eastern European young people’s experiences of xenophobia and racialisation in the UK post-Brexit, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 48(19), 4527–4546. https:// doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2022.208567 Stalder, B. E., Kammermann, M., Michel, I., & Schönbächler, M.-T. (2024). Successful integration of refugees in vocational education and training: Experiences from a new pre-vocational programme. In M. Teräs, A. Osman, & E. Eliasson (Eds.), Migration, education and employment: Pathways to successful integration (pp. 133–154). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41919-5_9 Wehrle, K., Klehe, U.-C., Kira, M., & Zikic, J. (2018). Can I come as I am? Refugees' vocational identity threats, coping, and growth. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 105, 83–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2017.10.010 Wimmer, A., & Glick Schiller, N. (2002). Methodological nationalism and beyond: Nation-state building, migration and the social sciences. Global Networks, 2(4), 301–334. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0374.00043