Abstract
Vocational education and training (VET) programs are typically regarded as the means to enable successful school-to-work transitions. However, high rates of premature contract terminations in VET programs suggest that adolescents face difficulties during this transition. This paper aims to examine the determinants of persistence intention, claiming that persistence intention is a crucial indicator of imminent dropout decisions. The analysis is based on a longitudinal data set of trainees in dual VET programs in Switzerland (n = 1,163) containing two measurement points (before and after the transition from school to VET). Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent & Brown, 2008, 2013), we are interested in the effects of work adjustment indicators, selected characteristics of the vocational choice process, and environmental support before and after the transition on trainees’ persistence intention. We use structural equation modeling to analyze both direct and indirect effects of different predictor variables on persistence intention. The results show significantly positive effects of both occupational self-efficacy and perceived person-vocation fit during the training program on trainees’ persistence intention. Moreover, there are only indirect effects of anticipated person-vocation fit and occupational self-efficacy at the end of compulsory education. Trainees’ relationship with the trainer also has an indirect effect on persistence intention. Social integration in the workplace is both directly and indirectly linked to persistence intention. Overall, the model explains 48% of the variance in persistence intention. Implications for VET programs and future research are discussed.
Highlights
The transition from school to work is an important step for adolescents, as it requires career-related decisions that determine future career success (Richards, 1984; Savickas, 1999)
Like all transitions, the transition from school to vocational education and training (VET) does not come without challenges, which are clearly illustrated by high rates of premature contract terminations in VET that are regularly reported for both Switzerland (26%, Bundesamt für Statistik, 2019) and other German-speaking countries with long-standing traditions of VET programs (Austria: 16.9%, Dornmayr & Nowak, 2019; Germany: 26.5%, BIBB, 2020)
In line with the assumption stated above, empirical findings indicate that perceived person-vocation fit predicts job satisfaction, organizational commitment, 1 Please note that our study only examines selected predictors of persistence intention
Summary
The transition from school to work is an important step for adolescents, as it requires career-related decisions that determine future career success (Richards, 1984; Savickas, 1999). Premature contract terminations might be a means of improving trainees’ situation (e.g., adjusting vocational choices, improving person-organization fit); approximately 75% of adolescents continue a new training program after termination (Neuenschwander & Stalder, 1998), for individuals, terminations can lead to uncertain conditions and can be connected to an experience of failure. This is especially true if premature terminations are not Transition from School to Work – Explaining Persistence Intentio. Little research explains the extent to which career decision outcomes and characteristics of the work adjustment process predict the intention to terminate training contracts prematurely
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