Institutional, Economic-Material, and Discursive Opportunity Structures Influencing Support and Guidance Policies for Young People in Austria, Finland, and Scotland

Abstract

AbstractWe analyse the influence of institutional, economic-material and discursive opportunity structures on the objectives (i.e., explicit goals) and orientations (i.e., interests, ideas) of LLL policies supporting young people in their transition from education to the labour market. We focus on the influence of opportunity structures at the regional level, where these policies are enacted. Based on interviews with national and regional stakeholders, our findings show that the three types of opportunity structures influence LLL policy objectives and orientations and, subsequently, the educational and early labour market trajectories of their beneficiaries. First, we discuss how a variety of national skills formation regimes influence policy objectives at the regional level. Second, we analyse how the (mis)match between the regional supply and demand for skills brings the effectiveness of LLL policies objectives into question. Third, we discuss how the orientations of LLL policies (in)directly influence young people’s educational and employment trajectories. Our findings suggest that LLL policies targeting young adults to support them in their transition from education to employment must consider the influence of these three opportunity structures at the regional level. LLL policies might be nationally designed and promoted, but they need to consider cross-regional differences to ensure their effectiveness and suitability.