This article describes the relevant careers counselling services in Germany for school leavers, with a focus on the characteristic German “dual system” of vocational training. By the time they have reached the end of their school lives, most students have already made key decisions about their subsequent working lives and possible career paths. “Bad” decisions regarding training and higher education are often a factor in dropping out of vocational training or higher education (Frey, Ertelt, & Ruppert, 2016), affecting approximately 25% of all dropouts from vocational training and approximately 30% of all dropouts from university (Frey, Balzer, & Ruppert, 2014; Uhly, 2015). It is therefore imperative to investigate whether career counselling services address the right target group, when they are mainly targeting school leavers. According to data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), from which cohort 4 (SC 4) was analyzed by descriptive data statistics, on various careers counselling offers, the influence of parents on young people’s career choices is greater than that of teachers, of career counsellors or of occupation-specific information from the internet. Based on these findings, the authors recommend strengthening the parents’ competences in order to enable them to better assist their children in making suitable career choices. Thus career counselling services could indirectly improve decision-making behaviours.
KeywordsCareer CounsellingSources of InformationSources of GuidanceSchool-to-Work-TransitionVocational TrainingParents
Adler, S. (2013). Professionalisation of Career Guidance—A New Challenge—Part 1. Economy and Profession. Journal for Vocational Education, 6, 65.
Baum, S., & Wagner, B. (2014). Cooperation with Parents in School-Work-Transition. In N. Pötter (Ed.), Educational Social Work in School-Work Transition. Contributions to Social Work in Schools (pp. 187-207). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-19060-0_11
Bellenberg, G., & Im Brahm, G. (2010). Reduction of Selection and Transition Barriers. In G. Quenzel, & K. Hurrelmann, (Eds.), Educational Losers (pp. 517-535). Wiesbaden: VS Publisher for Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-92576-9_24
Berger, P. A., Keim, S., & Klärner, A. (2010). Educationally Disadvantaged—A New Marginal Group? In G. Quenzel, & K. Hurrelmann (Eds.), Educational Losers (pp. 37-51). Wiesbaden: VS Publisher for Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-92576-9_2
Bertelsmann Stiftung. (2007). Guide for Local Transition Management. From the Problem Diagnosis to the Practical Implementation.
Blossfeld, H.-P., Roßbach, H.-G., & von Maurice, J. (Eds.) (2011). Education as a Lifelong Process—The German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). Journal for Educational Sciences, 14, 19-34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-011-0179-2
Boudon, R. (1974). Education, Opportunity, and Social Inequality. Changing Prospects in Western Society. New York: Wiley.
Bourdieu, P. (1983). Economical, Cultural and Social Capital. In R. Kreckel (Ed.), Social Inequalities (pp. 183-198). Göttingen: Schwartz.
Deppe, U. (2013). Younger Adolescents between Family, Peers and School. Of the Origin of Educational Inequality at Out-of-School Education Places.
Ditton H., & Krüsken, J. (2006). The Transition from the Elementary School to the Secondary School I. Journal for Educational Sciences, 9, 348-372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-006-0055-7
Ditton, H. (2013). Who Goes to the Secondary Modern School? Primary and Secondary Effects of the Social Origin at the Transition after the Elementary School. Journal for Educational Sciences, 16, 731-749. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-013-0440-y
Ditton, H. (2014). Bildung und Region (NEPS Working Paper No. 44). Bamberg: Leibniz Institut für Bildungsverläufe, Nationales Bildungspanel.
Ertelt, B.-J., & Frey, A. (2013). Diagnosis of Interests and Motivation in Vocational Contexts. In A. Frey, U. Lissmann, & B. Schwarz (Eds.), Manual for Vocational Pedagogical Diagnostics (249-272). Weinheim: Beltz.
Federal Employment Agency (2015). Career Guidance, Orientation and Choice in Education. Nuremberg: Federal Employment Agency.
Federal Statistical Office (2017). Graduates and Persons Leaving by Type of School Leaving Certificate.
Flammer, A., & Alsaker, F. D. (2002). Developmental Psychology of the Adolescence. Bern: Huber.
Frey, A., Balzer, L., & Ruppert, J. J. (2014). Transferable Competences of Young People with a High Dropout Risk in Vocational Training in Germany. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 14, 119-134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-013-9257-8
Frey, A., Ertelt, B.-J., & Ruppert, J.-J. (2016). Abbrüche in der beruflichen Ausbildung: Gründe, Folgen und Möglichkeiten der Prävention. In A. Bienfait, & A. Frey (Eds.), Drop out from Vocational Education Training. Reasons, Consequences and Possibilities for Prevention. Empirical Pedagogics, 30, 3, 4, Special Issue. Landau: Publisher Empirical Pedagogics.
Heine, C., Willich, J., & Schneider, H. (2010). Information Behaviour and Decision Making in Study and Career Orientation. 2008 Students, Half a Year before the University Entrance Qualification. Information System on Higher Education (HIS).
Hurrelmann, K. (2007). Adolescence, a Phase-of-Life. An Introduction into the Socio-Scientific Youth Research (9th ed.). Weinheim: Juventa.
Jencks, C., Smith, M., Acland, H., Bane, M. J., Cohen, D., Gintis, H., Heyns, B., & Michelson, S. (1973). Chancengleichheit. Hamburg: Rowohlt.
Klomfaß, S., Stübig, F., & Fabel-Lamla, M. (2013). The Transition from Lower Secondary School to the Grammar-School Senior Classes under the Terms of Schooltime Reduction. In D. Bosse, F. Eberle, & B. Schneider-Taylor (Eds.), Standardisation in Upper Secondary Education (pp. 147-160). Wiesbaden: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-00658-7_9
Kracke, B., Hany, E., Driesel-Lange, K., & Schindler, N. (2013). Career Decision of Adolescent with University Entrance Qualification. In T. Brüggemann, & S. Rahn (Eds.), Career Counselling. A Text and a Workbook. Münster: Waxmann.
Maaz, K., Hausen, C., McElvany, N., & Baumert, J. (2006). Keyword: Transitions in Educational System. Theoretical Concepts and Its Application in Empirical Research at the Transition to the Lower Secondary School. Journal for Educational Sciences, 9, 299-327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-006-0053-9
Meulemann, H. (1985). Education and Plans for the Future. The Relationships between Parental Home and School.
Neuenschwander, M. P., & Malti, T. (2009). Selection Processes at the Transition into Lower and Upper Secondary School. Journal for Educational Sciences, 12, 216-232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-2009-0074-2
Nota, L., & Rossier, J. (2015). Handbook of Life Design: From Practice to Theory and from Theory to Practice. Boston: Hogrefe.
Rübner, M. (2009). Further Strengthening of Career Guidance. Objectives and Perspectives of the Federal Employment Agency. Vocational Training in Science and Practice, 4, 14-18.
Schmitt, M. (2009). Relationships within a Family and Successful Education. Journal for Educational Sciences, 12, 715-732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-009-0095-x
Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (2016). The Education System in the Federal Republic of Germany 2013/2014. A Description of the Responsibilities, Structures and Developments in Education Policy for the Exchange of Information in Europe.
Uhly, A. (2015). Early Termination of Contracts and Vocational Training History in the Dual System. Current State of Research, Available Data Records and Analyses Based on the Statistics for Vocational Training. http://www.bibb.de/veroeffentlichungen
Voigt, J. (2010). Parents and Career Orientation.
Watts, A. G., & Sultana, R. G. (2004). Career Guidance Policies in 37 Countries: Contrasts and Common Themes. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 4, 105-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-005-1025-y