Beyond college for all: Portrait of rapid and successful school-to-work transitions among vulnerable youth.

Abstract

For noncollege-bound youth, swiftly finding a satisfying job upon exiting compulsory schooling might support adjustment. Yet, youths’ own job perceptions have rarely been considered in school-to-work transition research. Sequence analysis of monthly occupational status over 4 years (ages 16–20) in a low socioeconomic status Canadian sample overrepresenting academically-vulnerable youth (N = 386; 50% male; 23% visible minority) generated five school-to-work pathways: two work-bound ones with jobs perceived as aligned with career goals (Career Job, 10%) or not (Fill-In Job, 26%), alongside three others (Disconnected [15%], Prolonged Secondary Education [25%], Postsecondary Education [24%]). Mental health was strongest in the Career Job pathway. Male sex and adolescent employment were precursors to this advantageous pathway, underscoring the crucial role of work experience.

Youth identity and postsecondary decision making in a rural state: evidence of a College for All master narrative

“…Our view is that efforts to intervene on CFA and either enhance or minimize its effects requires viewing college-going not just as an individual choice but as an institutionalized developmental ideology whose concrete features are coordinated in part through narrative processes that compound over time and across settings. We concur with Thouin et al (2023), who argued: Notably, identity-related processes require attention. Identity development is preeminent during the transition from adolescence to adulthood, … Future studies also need to sort out synergies and intersections involving different types of factors associated with youths' engagement in different [school to work] pathways.…”

“…However, it has also contributed to the phenomenon sociologists have dubbed "rural brain drain" (Carr and Kefalas, 2010), especially in rural "education deserts" where access to postsecondary education is limited (Hillman, 2016). The uncritical maintenance of college-going as an educational and developmental ideal may be overshadowing other gainful workforce opportunities (Thouin et al, 2023). For example, approximately 50% of current jobs in the US are defined as "middle skilled, " the majority of which are considered well-paying, stable, and do not require a 4-year degree as traditionally pursued (Anderson and Nieves, 2020).…”

“…For those whose individual biographies align with the College for All master narrative, attendance at a four-year residential college may appear to be, and feel like, a natural culmination of personal aspirations. While this may provide important traction for youth who lack the kinds of ideological scaffolding middle-class families often assume (Laureau, 2011), its binary character also creates a formless region of non-college where "forgotten" youth -"the ones that stay in our community" -face the risk of identity stigmatization, reducing the visibility and desirability of other career options that have been shown to support successful postsecondary transision (Thouin et al, 2023).…”

Diseases of despair in early adulthood: The complex role of social relationships.

“…For young adults who cannot rely on higher education credentials to signal personal assets, good relational skills (e.g., during interviews, with colleagues and supervisors) may be critical for finding and keeping a good job (Heisig et al, 2019). In turn, when youth with lower educational attainment do find a job that corresponds to their career goals, it is associated with a better, more hopeful mood (Thouin et al, 2023).…”

“The Hustle’s Real”: Exploring Outdoor Recreation Careers Using the Psychology of Working Theory

“…In light of current workforce needs across all sectors nationwide, recent efforts to highlight jobs that do not require 4-year baccalaureate degrees (e.g., Carnevale et al, 2023;Thouin et al, 2023) have prompted creation of generalized benchmarks for earnings and other working conditions across different career tracks, sectors, and qualification levels. As OR workforce initiatives proceed, it will be important to observe the broader metrics individuals, organizations, and policymakers are using to characterize the working conditions needed to achieve individual well-being and social equity.…”