Young people in transition: factors influencing the educational‐vocational pathways of Australian school‐leavers

Abstract

The educational achievements of a representative national sample of Australian school‐leavers were examined after leaving school. The study was part of the longitudinal Youth in Transition study – a national probability sample of Australian youth. There was sufficient evidence to argue that the educational and occupational achievements were related to gender, socio‐economic status, ethnicity, geographical location (rurality), completion of the highest level of secondary schooling, vocational interests in high school and even levels of literacy and numeracy in primary school. A tentative model of educational‐vocational achievement is outlined.