Are academically weak youths really not ready for vocational training? : a longitudinal analysis of vocational training trajectories of youths with low cognitive competencies in Switzerland

Abstract

For several years, there is an increasing discussion in Germany that youths are less and less ready for vocational training. According to these reports that have been published by employers' representatives, there exists a relatively high share of youths whose cognitive competencies are too low to be successfully integrated into the German dual training system. Our article aims at investigating the maturity of youths with low cognitive competencies in a longitudinal design for Switzerland. The Swiss educational system resembles the German educational system in various main aspects and PISA has shown that the share of pupils with low competencies is comparably high in both countries. For our empirical analyses, we will use youth panel data from the Swiss TREE study which allows us to identify youths with low cognitive competencies and to follow their training trajectories after finishing compulsory schooling. Our results show that in the German neighbour Switzerland also youths with low competencies can be successfully integreated into the vocational training system. In contrast to Germany, the Swiss system thus is far more successful in offering also academically weak youths to obtain vocational training.