School-to-work transitions support: ‘cruel optimism’ for young people in ‘the state of insecurity’

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that current arrangements for school-to-work transitions support in England, now school-based, are designed to contribute towards ensuring the consent of the population for what I refer to as the ‘state of insecurity’ (Lorey, 2015): the neoliberal relationship between the individual and the state in which insecurity is promoted as freedom. Based on an analysis of policy, the paper argues that the government careers strategy for young people aims to contribute to shaping the precarious subjects which inhabit the state of insecurity, by encouraging them to internalise neoliberal values around freedom and individualism which accompany governmental precarisation. Drawing also on the work of Judith Butler (2011), I suggest that throughout the careers strategy, neoliberalism functions as performative or hegemonic norm which is cited to constitute notions of ‘good’ or ‘normal’ labour market arrangements, aspirations and selves. I suggest that this strategy is an example of Berlant's (2011) ‘cruel optimism’, which constitutes a fantasy of a ‘good life’ which is in fact likely to be unattainable to many young people, especially the more disadvantaged.

The Ways of Representation of Individualism in Compulsory Career Planning Courses in Turkiye

“…Employment is no longer a basic right; it is considered a result of competition between individuals. In the neoliberal era, subjects, regardless of their socioeconomic background, are accepted as free individuals who can act in line with personal interests, are equal to each other, are motivated by competition, live target-oriented, create a social network in a pragmatist framework, and make their own choices (Chadderton, 2020;Foucault, 2004).…”

Five signposts to a socially just approach to career guidance

“…Since the publication of these books, interest in the area has continued to intensify with many other writers, researchers and practitioners exploring similar issues (e.g. Chadderton;Skovhus & Poulsen, 2021;Staunton & Rogosic, 2021) including an increasing number of voices addressing these issues from the global south (see Sultana, 2020) as well as a growing interest in social justice within the field's heartland of vocational psychology (Blustein et al, 2019;McWhirter & McWha-Hermann, 2021).…”

Readiness of Special Education Teachers in the Implementation of a Career Transition Programme for Students with Special Educational Needs in Malaysian Island Schools

“…Career transition training is needed to provide information about the realities of the job market (Chadderton, 2020) so that early preparation can be made, taking into account job opportunities, interests, and individuals' abilities to enable them to produce quality work. Thus, teachers' knowledge about career transitions is crucial for the preparation of an effective Career Transition Programme that fosters the success of individuals with disabilities after completing their schooling (Morningstar & Mazzotti, 2014;Test et al, 2009).…”

“…Malaysian government aims for at least 1% of persons with disabilities to be involved in the workforce, but this goal has not been achieved yet. To achieve this goal, students with special educational needs should be provided with knowledge, industry related skills and realities of the real workplace (Chadderton, 2020).…”