Many European countries face significant challenges in recruiting young people to vocational education, while there is a large shortage of skilled labor in these countries (OECD, 2023). This applies to many fields, both in health and care professions and technological fields. To secure the economic future, countries depend on getting more young people to choose a vocational education path. The international trend is also evident in Norway, and this forms the backdrop for this study.

In Norway, there are reports of a lack of both motivation for education and achievement of education among students (Wendelborg & Dahl, 2024). There is a negative trend in students' educational ambitions, which is seen in connection with weakened school motivation. 14% of the students who participated in the ICCS 2022 survey envisioned that they would end their schooling after lower secondary school (Storstad et al., 2023). The corresponding figures for 2009 and 2016 were 2.9% and 5.3%, respectively. Despite these figures, we also see an increase in the proportion of students completing upper secondary school and a slight increase in the number of students choosing vocational education programs. However, there is still a need for more students to choose vocational education, especially in the areas of health and care professions, construction and building trades, and industrial trades (Steen et al., 2021).

There is strong political will to reverse this trend and facilitate a more practical school to stimulate students' learning, motivation, and well-being (Mld.St. 34 (2023-2024)). In this white paper, one of the measures is the strengthening of the subject Work-life skills. The subject was introduced into the lower secondary school curriculum in 2015, with the aim of providing students with an alternative to foreign language education. The subject is intended to give students the opportunity to enjoy creating something and contribute to students experiencing that practical and organizational skills are valued and recognized. Students should receive practical and vocational assignments so that they gain experience with real work situations. Despite the subject being introduced in 2015, only about 75% of schools offer the subject (Meld.St. 34 (2023-2024)).

There has been little research on experiences with Work-life skills. An early evaluation of a pilot scheme for the subject (Bakken et al., 2013) recommends that better cooperation between lower secondary school and upper secondary school should be facilitated to provide students with a better offer.

In this study, we take as our starting point a municipality where, over many years, they have developed a collaboration between an upper secondary school and several lower secondary schools to implement Work-life skills.

The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about the significance that cooperation between lower secondary school and upper secondary school can have for the teaching of Work-lifeskills (Sekkingstad et al, 2025).

We ask: What significance can cooperation between lower secondary school and upper secondary school have for the teaching of Work-lifeskills?

To answer this question, we have formulated the following two research questions:

1. What characterizes the content and organization of Work-life skills in a municipality where formal cooperation between lower secondary school and upper secondary school has been established?
2. What opportunities and challenges do this cooperation present?

The findings are discussed in light of theories of motivation and learning (Ryan & Deci, 2017; Vygotsky, 1986; Lave & Wenger, 2003; Dewey, 1916) and frame factor theory (Lundgren, 1979; Imsen, 2016).

The study examines the career subject through a qualitative case study of Voss municipality, a municipality that has developed the subject over time through collaboration with the county municipality. The case appears exemplary, and through an exploratory approach, the aim has been to highlight experiences that can represent various roles in the collaboration on the Work-life skills (Grønmo, 2016). Five participants, including teachers, principals, and a department head from a secondary school and two upper secondary schools, were recruited to participate in a joint focus group interview. The selection of the case and participants was made based on strategic and pragmatic considerations. The focus group interview was chosen to achieve a broad spectrum of experiences through open conversations, which can provide richer data material and new reflections. The moderators in the interview group had the task of ensuring that all participants had the opportunity to express themselves, to counteract dominance from individual participants (Thagaard, 2018). The main themes in the semi-structured interview include the history and development of the subject, background and motivation for collaboration, organization of teaching, content of the subject, student experiences, as well as strengths and challenges in the collaboration between lower secondary school and upper secondary school. The interview lasted 90 minutes, was recorded on tape, and subsequently transcribed. Local plans for the Work-life skills were also used as background information. The analysis of the material was conducted as a content analysis. In the first phase, the material was systematized through inductive and open coding. Then, a deductive approach was used by utilizing the research questions as the basis for further sorting of the material. At this stage, the analysis focused on three main areas: 1) content and organization, 2) opportunities in collaboration, and 3) challenges related to collaboration. The study followed the ethical guidelines of the National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (NESH). To ensure validity, all researchers took part in the focus group interview, and the analysis was conducted collectively, to create a more nuanced analysis (Eggebø, 2020). The study is based on self-reporting from participants who are central to the work with vocational education in schools, which may lead to an emphasis on positive experiences. Through follow-up questions, participants were given the opportunity to elaborate and nuance their statements, and we emphasized inquiring about potential challenges in the collaboration.

This study focuses on Work-life skills and the significance that cooperation between lower and upper secondary school can have for teaching the subject. The results indicate that cooperation between the school levels on the content and organization of the subject can be a positive contribution to strengthening the teaching of Work-life skills. This is related to the fact that the teaching is conducted at the upper secondary school and carried out by vocational teachers in the various vocational programs. Suitable facilities, equipment, and expertise are highlighted as important framework factors that promote a broad range of subjects and learning through practical activity. A practical approach to learning creates a sense of mastery and motivation among students. Through Work-life skills, students become familiar with the upper secondary schools, which can help create smooth transitions between lower and upper secondary education. Familiarity with various vocational education programs can also prevent wrong choices and dropout from upper secondary education. The implications of the study suggest that students, through Work-life skills, are better prepared for further education, which can strengthen both the individual and society's need for active citizens, necessary competence, and workforce. Our empirical data is based on reports from school leaders and teachers from lower and upper secondary schools in a municipality that has developed a collaboration on Work-life skills. We have not observed the practice and therefore cannot draw definitive conclusions about how the cooperation functions. We have also not interviewed the students. In future studies, it would be interesting to gather experiences with Work-life skills from a student perspective. Our study reveals a desire to develop closer cooperation with the local businesses to strengthen Work-life skills. This is also a research area that requires more knowledge. Additionally, larger studies that include experiences from more than one municipality would be interesting.

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