Work readiness of school leavers in Germany and England
The historical roots and current manifestations of an old problem
Many countries register high rates of youth unemployment even though employers report difficulties in filling vacancies which could be taken by school leavers. One reason for this problem, which is stated regularly in Germany and England, is that young people lack so-called work readiness to enter the workplace as employees and/or as apprentices. This long-standing complaint is used by different interest groups such as employer associations and governments but denied by other groups such as trade unions.
This research project considers how the conceptualization of work readiness has been and continues to be framed according to the socio-economic context within the two countries. It draws on a discourse analysis of statements of the different key actors involved in VET. The paper argues that the concept of work readiness continues to be used in a similar way in both countries, even though their VET systems are very different.
Project Duration: 2014 - 2018