For the last ten years drop out of vocational education has increased strongly in Denmark. Only half of the students, who take up a vocational programme on upper secondary level, complete it. Like in other European countries the low completion rates has caused considerable alarm on the political level (Lamb and Markussen 2011). Continuing high dropout rates will make it very hard for the government to reach its target for educational completion, and the government has launched a series of measures to increase retention including the obligation for all colleges to make plans for retention and monitor the progress in achieving the goals.

The questions addressed in this paper are why and how dropout in VET takes place. The objective is to provide more detailed and qualified knowledge of the complex processes of dropping out.

A dominant tradition in research on retention has focused on individual risk factors in the students social background (Rumberger 2004; Alexander a.o. 2001). The search for causal factors behind dropout and the focus on individuals might obscure the complex, social and contingent processes that result in dropout. The present study aims to understand dropout as a result of the interplay of students’ agentic actions and social interactions and the opportunities for participation afforded by the colleges (Hodkinson 2001; Bloomer and Hodkinson 2000). Dropout is studied as a combination of processes of institutional selection and processes of social and cultural in- and exclusion among the students. It draws on critical theories of reproduction in education (Morrow and Torres 1995) and cultural studies of education (Willis 1978; Dolby & Dimitriadis, 2004).

Despite strong political pressure to make all students complete a post-compulsory programme, the study shows how the sorting and selection of students is integrated in the working of the colleges, and that this practice contributes to dropouts. The selection practices are on the one hand related to the very uneven qualifications and engagement of the students, and an on the other to the requirements of employers who offer training placements for (some of) the students after the basic course. The selection processes include the sorting of students in classes at different levels, assessment through tests and exams, sanctioning of absence and late-coming, giving attention and recognition to students or ignoring students, categorising and positioning students as bright or inattentive or as immigrants, boys and girls, expel them from lessons, whole days or from the college. These selective practices determine not only how they perform formally in college, but also how they perceive of themselves in relation to the programme and a to future in the occupation. In addition the students make friendships and form groups in their daily life in college and outside according to gender, ethnicity, age, residential area, sub-cultural style, earlier relations and not the least their participation and engagement in the teaching in college. When they are accepted in a social community their engagement increase and so their chances of completing.

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