Crucial components in successfully mastering the transition into work – Patterns of coping

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Institute for Research on Generations and Family:

Youth Research

Crucial components in successfully mastering

the transition into work – Patterns of coping

¿Qué será, será? Adolescent Research into the Future:

Visions and Challenges

Section: Young People in the Transition to the Life of Work

EARA 2016: XV Biennial Conference of the

European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA) September 16 - 19, 2016, La Barrosa, Càdiz

Dr. Anette SCHUMACHER, University of Luxembourg Daniel WEIS, University of Luxembourg

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Some Information about

Luxembourg

Government Unitary

parliamentary

constitutional

monarchy

Official languages Luxembourgish,

German, French

Area 2.586,4 km²

Population 576.249

Proportion of

foreigners 45,9% (2015)

General

unemployment rate 6%

Youth unemployment

rate 22%

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International research trends on

transition into the world of work

- Youth phase has extended, age limits are hard to define

- «post adolescence» (Galland, 2003); «emerging adulthood» (Arnett, 2000)

- Postponement, de-standardization, individualization, reversibility

of transition markers (Walther, 2006)

- “[…] adolescence today is characterised by status insecurity. The

status passage does not lead to any fixed endpoint. It has lost the

notion of a secure and safe transition from one social position to

another .” (Hurrelmann & Quenzel, 2013)

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Research questions

A) What is the specific situation of young people in

Luxembourg?

B) To what extent support services can help young people

facing problems during their transition into work?

C) What are the varying processes, rationales and patterns

for accomplishing the transition into work and which are

the main influence factors?

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Underlying data and scientific

methods

Analysis of

secondary data

1. official data

2. census and survey data 3. research reports

Focus group

discussion

(n=12)

Quantitative data

1. survey of organisations offering support (n=151) 2. standardized survey of

participants in support services (n=1.716)

Qualitative data

1. expert interviews (n=25) 2. interviews with youths (n=77)

3. interviews with disabled young people (n=51)

Youth

Report

Luxembourg

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RESULTS

The situation of young people

(15-34years old) in Luxembourg

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2011 2007 2003 1999 1995

0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0

Luxem-

bourg (W)

Luxem-

bourg (M)

EU-28 (W)

EU-28 (M)

Female

Male

Source: Statec (2015b): Eurostat (2014b); in percent of population

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The specific situation in

Luxembourg –

nationality structure

Nationality structure

of 15 to 34 year-olds

and of total population

in 2011

Source: Census 2011; n=512,353

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The specific situation in

Luxembourg – Educational

qualification and nationality

Luxembourg

non-Luxembourg in general

Portuguese

Belgian/German/French

other EU nationalities

other nationalities 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

20%

36%

64%

7% 11%

39%

41% 22%

25%

19% 19%

25%

37% 40%

9%

72% 69%

33%

Other

Post-secondary

school qualifications

Secondary school

qualifications

no secondary school

qualification

Source: Census 2011; n=63,719

Highest educational qualification of 25 to 34-year-olds by nationality

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RESULTS

Subjective benefit of participation in

support services

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Subjectively experienced benefit

of support schemes

I can imagine that I will use this skills I have practised in later life What I learnt was what I expected What I learnt on this scheme also helps me with life in general I have improved my carer chances I have acquired many practical things I have learnt a lot of new things

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

11.2%

6.9%

7.6%

8.4%

6.0%

6.8%

5.8%

5.7%

5.8%

4.1%

4.7%

4.3%

9.5%

12.8%

8.1%

8.8%

7.8%

15.7%

28.3%

21.5%

22.1%

24.1%

19.2%

24.6%

28.3%

25.6%

28.8%

29.7%

27.5%

33.3%

18.1%

31.4%

28.6%

26.7%

34.5%

Agree completely Mostly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Mostly do not agree Do not agree at all

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General results of the survey

(n=1162)

• Level of education, age and language skills play a major role in the

subjectively assessed success of a support scheme

• Educating support schemes show a higher benefit than employment

schemes

• The greatest benefit according to the findings is gained by younger, poorly

educated participants

• The greatest potential for improvement comes from schemes that are

closely customised to meet the individual level of need

• Some participant regard support schemes as a dead-end, or like being

“kept on hold”

• Others are not aware of the concept of transition behind these schemes

and regard themselves as “working” instead, resulting often in

a “locking-in effect”

• A part of young people with large problems will not be reached by existing

structures

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RESULTS

A typology of transition processes and the

patterns for accomplishing them

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

A) Direct transition

– successful and speedy accomplishment of the transition

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

A) Direct transition

– successful and speedy accomplishment of the transition

B) Alternative transition

– individual, creative accomplishment of the transition, extended

over a longer period for finding the own path

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

A) Direct transition

– successful and speedy accomplishment of the transition

B) Alternative transition

– individual, creative accomplishment of the transition, extended

over a longer period for finding the own path

C) Transition requiring support

– transition has not been finished yet, requires help due to major

difficulties

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

A) Direct transition

– successful and speedy accomplishment of the transition

B) Alternative transition

– individual, creative accomplishment of the transition, extended

over a longer period for finding the own path

C) Transition requiring support

– transition has not been finished yet, requires help due to major

difficulties

D) Failed transition

– transition cannot be expected to happen in the foreseeable

future, precarious and highly problematic overall situation

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

The transition types can be distinguished by:

• social background and family resources

• school career and educational success

• migration experiences and integration

• decision-making and actions

• values and motivation

• personal characteristics (e.g. self-fulfillment)

• attitude to the future

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

Social background and family resources

Direct transition Alternative transition Transition requiring support

Failed transition

“My parents are quite wealthy and therefore I didn’t need to work as many German

students have to, and I could focus on my studies.”

(Sam, 25 years)

“My parents never told me what to do, but they somehow supported me by saying ‘do what you want to do’.”

(Égide, 28 years)

“No, I have nobody here. They all went back to France. We are two lost souls living all alone here in Luxembourg.”

(Madeleine, 29 years)

“I’m angry because somehow they (my parents) are

responsable for the difficulties in my life.”

(Mathieu, 25 years)

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

School career and educational success

“Well in school I’ve really been a very good pupil.”

(Lara, 22 years)

“Overall speaking, I didn’t have any problems at school.

But later on I had problems to find out what to study.”

(Marco, 29 years)

“I don’t have good memories concerning my time in school. The first two years were horrible. My teacher hit me when I didn’t know the right answer.

That really killed my motivation.”

(Patricia, 29 years)

“I didn’t finish school. I went to school until I turned 14, then I quit because of many problems at home, I had to help my mum who was sick.”

(Nadine, 29 years)

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

Migration experiences and integration

“I speak five

languages fluently, including

luxembourgish. For me it was an

advantage on the job market to prove that I also attended the

portugeese school and that I am proficient in that language as well.”

(Tiago, 25 years)

[migration background

not even mentioned] “When it comes to job interviews, I

sometimes have the impression that if they can choose between

“Paul” and “Paolo”, they would choose

“Paul”.”

(Paolo, 27 years)

“I am sure that my migration background has locked doors.”

(Jeanne, 33 years)

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

Decision-making and actions

“If I start doing

something I always do serious work up to the end, even with sweat and tears, but I never give up and finish what I started.”

(Eva, 25 years)

“I only learned by chance of that opportunity. It was more or less a spontaneous idea.

That’s why I went to South-America.”

(Marco, 29 years)

“To me, an internship is waste of time, because I’ve done so many internships and it didn’t help me at all.

I can’t fill up my CV with internships.”

(Karin, 27 years)

“I’ve had enough of problems at home and at school. (...) I simply quit school. I didn’t want to know anything about it.”

(Chiara, 18 years)

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

Values and motivation

“For me it’s important to make career, to climb on the ladder.

And of course the payment is an extra motivation as well.”

(Eva, 25 years)

“I want a job that makes me satisfied.”

(Danielle, 24 years)

“For me it’s important to have a structure in my everday life. I want to work in order to have a reason to get up in the morning.”

(Simone, 23 years)

“The main thing is to make some money.

(…) Just to have a work and to have a bit of money. (…) I would do anything, I would never refuse a job.”

(Mathieu, 25 years)

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

Personal characteristics (e.g. self-fulfillment)

“I am convinced that when you develop and make progresses, step by step, you will

achieve the goals you want to reach.”

(Gilles, 29 years)

“I know how to present myself, and apart from that there are not so many people in

Luxembourg who have learned that job, that’s why I’ve always been optimistic and

carefree.”

(André, 26 years)

“It fealt like a defeat. If I hat to blame

someone, I would put the blame on myself.”

(Paolo, 27 years)

“What I can do well?

Nothing. Really...

nothing. (…) Until now I have no idea of what I am good at.”

(Jeff, 27 years)

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A typology of transition processes and

the patterns for accomplishing them

Attitude to the future

“We are both state employees with a permanent contract.

So even if I’d decide to stop working and stay at home for a while, I still would have a safe job afterwards.”

(Françoise, 30 years)

“My future is a big question mark. I have no idea, I am relaxed.”

(Rebecca, 29 years)

“I have no choice, I keep going on, of course in the hope of finding something. But when?”

(Madeleine, 29 years)

“I am rather negative. I always think

negatively.”

(Chiara, 18 years)

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Problems, trends and developments

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Problems and risks of the

transition into work

 Individual risk factors

– Low education

– Foreign nationality/Migration background

– Male gender

– Inadequate performance of the three national languages

– Low socio-economic status

– Psychological factors such as self-efficacy

– Socially deprived families

 Structural risk factors

– Atypical forms of employment (part-time work, temporary contracts, etc.)

– Changes of the labor market (employment structure, tertiarization)

 Consequences of failed or problematic transition

– Support services careers

– Poverty/social exclusion

– Health problems

– Social follow-up costs

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School-to-work transition: trends and

developments in Luxembourg

 Transition phase is extended, entry into working life is delayed (about 3 years)

 Dynamic labour market, high qualification requirements, very high job

matching

 Low level of unemployment, rather high youth unemployment rate

 Competitive situation due to large number of cross border commuters

 High immigration rate, high population growth (since 1991: +40%)

 Segmentation of the employment market according to nationalties

 Female activity rate rising but still on average level (2014: 65,5%)

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Further results

If you are interested in more detailed information

or additional results… you can find

The Luxembourgish Youth Report

– English short version

– German full version

http://www.jugend-in-

luxemburg.lu/jugendbericht-2015/

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Thank you for your kind attention!

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