Preparation for work in the trajectories of youth coming from low social backgrounds in Argentina

CLAUDIA JACINTO

Encuentro; Meeting about education and employment in Argentina; 2015

The presentation will discuss youth transitions from education to employment on the basis of the theoretical approach of : constellation of disadvantages The social construction of young people’s careers is the result of complex interaction both at a structural and macro-social institutional level as well as a micro-social institutional and individual level. Multiple “worlds of work” for youngsters (Dubar). Which are the structural, institutional, local and individual constraints? Constellation of disadvantages (Walther and Pohl) Multiple constraints: social reproduction/social-educational-labour market segmentation/informal employment/urban segregation/inequalities in social and cultural capital (Bourdieu). Is it possible for youngsters coming from low socio-economic households access to better jobs by more formal education and vocational training? Debates about skills shortage. A specific question: how work training programmes to make an impact in the quality of the employment (decent jobs) and in continuing education of disadvantaged young people who have completed compulsory secondary school education? The findings show segmented and unequal pathways linked with social backgrounds, revealing the weight of diplomas of secondary segmented education and of vocational training courses The fact of having both Secondary degree + vocational training: better results in employment compared with the graduates that only have the secondary diploma. The mechanisms of training for work —or at work—, when added to the secondary school degree, can potentially provide knowledge and specific competences, as well as bridges to quality jobs, in other words, “resources”.