Anton KRAMBERGER (University of Ljubljana)

and collaborators:

Janez KOLENC

(Institute for Pedagogy, Ljubljana)

Tina KLARIČ, Darko MALI, Darja ŠTARKL (seniors) & Mateja HERGAN, Tina ŽAGAR (juniors)

(VET Institute, Ljubljana)

Employment and school-job matching of the VET-2009 graduates: Slovenia pilot study

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Main research question (MRQ) of the pilot study (2011):

Transition from VET schools to work & LM mismatch - Slovenia

1. Conceptual Framework

2. Pilot study design & fieldwork

3. Analysis & preliminary results

4. Discussion on findings

5. Lessons for forthcoming survey

Outline

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1. Conceptual Framework -VET benefits (CEDEFOP 2011)

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Economic Growth

LM outcomes

Firm succes

Productivity

Empl. opportunity

Earnings

Professional status

Society

Organisation

Individual

Less crime

Social cohesion

Health

Intergen. solidarity

Inclusion

Satisfaction

Motivation, self-esteem

ECONOMIC BENEFITS SOCIAL BENEFITS

interviews with

individuals (graduates)

QUESTIONABLE: Evidence indicates that (VET) training not only

helps specific target groups, but that its wider benefits are equal

to those of general education (cit. CEDEFOP 2011b) – Is this true?

1. Conceptual Framework – theory, R&R

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VET etc.

secondary

schools

Labour

process

(orgs)

Tertiary

schools

TRANSITION

Labour market(s)

NOTE: descriptions of LM and also of school-to-work transitions depend mostly on the applied LM theory (macro, mezzo, micro level – with many variations) and of contextual factors (see ROA, CEDEFOP, ...).

Out of

LMs

Tertiary (University)*

3. PhD (Bologna)

2. MA (Bologna): 1 or 2 years

1. Bachelor (Bologna): 3-4 years

1‘. Professional (at University): 3 years

Secondary*

X. HE VET (at secondary schools) – not smoothly transitive to tertiary?

4. General (Gymansium): 4 years

3‘. Professional VET: 3+2 years

3. Professional VET: 4 years

2. Regular VET: 3 years

1. Lower VET: 2 years

1‘. VET Seminars & Exams: up to 1 year

Primary*

1. General Elementary: 9 years

Pre-Primary* * Note: extra programs for individuals with special needs (and for regions with ethnic minorities)

1. Conceptual Framework - VET System in Slovenia

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target group

VET system in Slovenia (context)

Changes of labour markets since 1990

Structural constraints (decrease of jobs/vacancies)

Employability vs (un)employment of VET graduates

Transition/tracing studies are weak (too small samples)

Matching ‚problem‘: jobs & school characteristics

School continuation and/or first employment

Comparisons: VET and LM characteristics

Individual evaluations of transition (competences)

Factors & determinants of transition

1. Conceptual framework - Key concepts

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2. Research design (target population & MRQ)

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VET schools

(programs)

LM

Employers

GRADUATES

(target pop.)

Pupils

(Admission)

Employees

CONTINUING

EDUCATION

Students

LM: active, inactive

Factors of

transition

Family

Target population: VET gradutes (by admission cohort)

20.000 - around 1990

11.000 - around 2010 (still decreasing)

Pilot study population:

3 larger Professional Centres

1500 graduates during 2010

8 different VET programs (3-4 levels)

Testing measurement instrument (Questionnaire)

Preliminary results – discussion & recommendations

2. Pilot study (Research design & goals)

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Standard classification used (school tracking, occupation)

VET Competences (acquired) and at work (required) comparable

2. Pilot study (Questionnaire)

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Six major parts of Questionnaire: No. of Quests*

(all = 40)

Comments

1. Finished VET school (programme) 4 (some data given in advance – school registers)

2. Evaluation of VET school (programme) 3 Satisfaction, Competency acquired (at school)

3. School continuation 6 Type, level (VET or Univ.), tuition fee, sponsors

4. (First) Employment (job, occupation, salary) 18 Occupation, sector, position, contract, salary

5. Evaluation of (first) employment 2 Competency required (on job), Life-style

6. Factors (demography, family status) 7 Gender, ethnicity, housing, parental education

* Some of the questions are complex (a battery of items)

Respondents = 517 (out of 1471)

Overall NR rate = 64,9%

Overall Response rate = 35,1% RR (Ptuj) = 37,1%

RR (Velenje) = 33,8%

RR (Nova Gorica) = 34,1%

Gradual contacts: Day 1: post-mail -> invitation to web survey

Day 14: reminder: -> invitation to web survey or to mail survey

Day 31: Stop

Comment: better adresses, more time, more reminders etc. -> better RR.

3.1 Preliminary results (VET graduates outflows)

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N %

Work = 78 15,1

solid work = 66* 12,8

casual (small) work = 12 2,3

School continuation = 311 60,2

Unemployed = 51 9,9

Inactive = 34 6,6

Miss answer = 43 8,3

TOTAL = 517 100,0

Comment 1 *: 60 employed (11,6%), 6 self-employed (1,2%)

Comment 2: For ¼ (unemployed, inactive, miss) big LM problems.

3.2 Outflows towards (1 year after graduation)

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For 49 this is first empoyment

½ of them were already on practice there (stud. work) during VET study

12 (out of 66) continue with his/her education, besides work

Duration of contract:

18 has tenure contract,

45 temporary contract

3 work on projects etc.

Size of firm:

20 micro (up to 10)

11 small (11 to 50)

21 medium (51 to 250)

24 large (250 +)

For 53 (out of 66) the finished VET program was not an explicit entrance requirement from the side of employer

3.3 Type of work for workers (n = 66)

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school-job match of the employed quite ok

but mostly very simple jobs (a disappointment with work)

low salaries (wages?)

Comment: details available later (under construction)

3.4 VET school-Job Matching (n = 66)

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up to 600 EUR* 22 persons

601 – 800 EUR 25

801 –1000 EUR 8

1001 –1200 EUR 3

1201 –1400 EUR 2

1401 –1600 EUR 2

1601 –1800 EUR 2

1801 –2000 EUR -

2001+ EUR 1

Comment 1 *: since March 2010, min salary in Slovenia is 734 EUR,

mean netto salary is 970 EUR;

what wages are (non-salariat), nobody knows.

3.5 Neto salaries/month (n = 66)

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Allen, J. and Rolf van der Velden (2001): Educational Mismatch versus skill mismatch: effects on wages, job satisfaction, and on-the-job search. Oxford Economic Paper, Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 434-452.

CEDEFOP (2011). Vocational education and training is good for you - The social benefits of VET for individuals . CEDEFOP online: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publications/18440.aspx

CEDEFOP / Briefing note - Despite its many benefits, vocational education and training lacks esteem. CEDEFOP online: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publications/18353.aspx

CPI (2011): Effective Implementation of (VET) Programmes and Quality Assurance During 2010-2012 (ESS Projects – with many sub-projects). VET Institute, Ljubljana.

Grip, A., H. Hiejke and Ed Willems (1998): Training and Mobility. The Netherlands Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 78-98.

Heijke, Hans (1996): LM information for Educational Investments. Maastricht (ROA): Working Ppaer ROA-W-1996/2E.

Heijke, Hans (2001): Vocational Education from and Economic Point of View. In Loek, F.M. Niewuwenhuis and Wim J. Nijhof (eds): The Dynamics of VET and HRD systems. Twente Univ. Press, Enschede, oo. 169-180.

Kramberger, A. & Samo Pavlin (2007, eds.): Zaposljivost v Sloveniji / Employablity in Slovenia. Ljubljana: Založba FDV.

Basic references

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