The School to Work Transition Preliminary Results

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The School to Work TransitionPreliminary Results

• Research Commissioned by the E.T.C.
• Dr. Suzanne Gatt

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In view of youth unemployment, E.T.C is concerned
about Maltese young persons and the
experience the transition from school to
work provision of training at
post-secondary education and the
different paths from school to work that
young people choose to follow. This research
was commissioned in order to address these
concerns.
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Terms of reference included reviewing

• opportunities open to youths at post- 16, and
  the types of guidance available
• student qualifications obtained at end of
  secondary
• main factors for which some students do not
  complete compulsory education
• local and international literature on education
  and employment of young people
• local literature on factors effecting students
  career choice
•  

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• young peoples perceptions on what influences
  their choices
• evaluating the role of guidance and counselling
  in career decisions
•  
• outlining employers perceptions about
  qualifications and skills of young people
• putting forward recommendations.

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What to we mean by Transition?

• Marchetti et al. (2001) define the transition
  from school to work as
• a time process leading from the educational
  system to a relatively stable position in the
  employment system (p.8).
•  

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Methodology

• Data was gathered in different ways and from the
  different stakeholders.
• These included
• Analysis of local and international
  legislation
• Review of opportunities at post-compulsory
  level
• Analysis of the tracer studies (1990-2001)
• Interviews with key persons in the STW
  transition
• Group interviews with young people
• Interviews with employers from different
  sectors
• survey with young people who completed the
  STW
• transition.

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Key Issues emerging from the research

• Due to the limited time of the presentation only
  the major issues are included. More detail is
  included in the report.

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What are young persons doing on completion of
compulsory education?
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What are the opportunities at post-compulsory?
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Why do some young persons opt out of school early?

• This option is not technically possible.
• Those who opt out use medical certificates.
• Reasons mentioned include
• influenced by friends
• problems at school
• lost interest in schools
• medical reasons

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Who are the others?

• not working, studying or registering for work
• Groups identified include
• women who stop working
• young person at home studying
• young persons undecided about future
• young persons with personal/social
• problem

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What paths do young persons go through?
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Aspects of transition

• Stable transition from school to work
• Short period of unemployment
• Few work opportunities for 16-18 year olds
• Small percentage of young persons want further
  training.
• Decisions about work are taken by young persons
  themselves, with parents or friends.
• well prepared academically and fall short in soft
  skills

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The provision of Guidance

• Guidance at secondary tends to be biased towards
  general education
• Good preparation in how to look for work
• Students are provided with little information
  about work
• Guidance at different levels is disjointed and
  incomplete.

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The School factor in the transition paths

• Statistical analysis of the questionnaire give
  school as the determining factor in path
  followed
• Area Sec. students go to work or vocational educ
• J.L. students go the general or vocational educ.
• Church and/or Independent students tend to
• follow the general education track.
• Gender, region have no effect, home background is
  indirect.

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Education Provision

• There is little flexibility within the education
  system allowing a cross from the vocational to
  general education.
• Too many young persons end compulsory education
  without any qualifications.
• There is very little provision for further
  training for those without any qualifications.

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School-work links

• These are very little in the general education
  track
• There is room for improvement in links with
  employers in vocational track.
• Employers can play a more active role in the
  school transition.

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Entrepreneurship

• A percentage (about 16) of young people would
  like to be self-employed.
• Questionnaire showed that young person coming
  from families in business tend to be
  self-employed.
• Young persons need training in entrepreneurship
  so that they can start their own business.

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These are some of the findings. We appreciate
your reactions and contribution to the issue.

• Thank you for your participation.