Non-linear transitions
The post-16 transitions through VET of the young people we are speaking with were often non-linear and disjointed
Echoing the findings of other research, the post-16 transitions through vocational education and training (VET) of the young people participating in our study are often less linear than those following more established academic routes.
While many practitioners working with young people attribute this to a lack of direction and agency among young people, the young people we spoke with exhibit a marked sense of personal agency and are strongly future oriented.
And what practitioners often negatively characterise as protracted and/or disjointed VET transitions are framed more positively by young people as the result of them ‘testing the waters’ of post-16 VET options they often felt rushed to enrol in, with many expressing a desire for more opportunities to sample a range of these options while still in school.
More of our findings
Nearly 1 in 2 young people experience school as something they need to 'get through'.
The pandemic has significantly impacted young people’s lives and post-16 transitions.
Non-university routes into employment come with distinctive barriers or challenges.
Uneven quality and availability of careers information, advice and guidance.
Many young people turn to their family networks for careers support and/or work opportunities.
Young people who have migrated face additional challenges relating to their transitions.