Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Original communications

The timing of adolescents' school-to-work transition in the course of social change: The example of German unification

1An earlier version of this paper was presented as part of the symposium “Übergang von der Schule in den Beruf [School-to-work transition]” (Chair: Dr. Jutta Heckhausen) at the 7th Tagung Pädagogische Psychologie [Meeting of Educational Psychology], September 13-16,1999, Fribourg, Switzerland. Data of the presented studies were taken from the research project “Antecedents and consequences of variations in the timing of development” (supported by the German Research Council: Si 296/14-1,2,3,4; principal investigator: Prof. Dr. R. K. Silbereisen). We would like to thank all the participants of our studies.

Published Online:September 01, 2006https://doi.org/10.1024//1421-0185.59.4.240

Abstract

The school-to-work transition has become more and more individualized over the last decades in the Federal Republic of Germany as in other Western industrialized countries. As compared to the 1950s and 1960s, the current educational system in Germany offers a greater variety of school tracks, apprenticeships, and training programs and provides a greater permeability between schools and programs. German unification offers a unique opportunity to study the influence of social and economic change on the individualization of the school-to-work transition, because change processes, resembling those over the last decades in the West, have been going on in the East in a time-lapse camera fashion. Using retrospective data on transitions gathered from Eastern and Western young adults from vocationally-oriented school tracks in 1991 (representing pre-unification conditions) and 1996, three different studies on the timing of key events in the school-to-work transition are presented. In the first study, aimed at the prediction of interindividual timing variability in transitions, the ages upon completion of training and financial self-support in the East were determined by structural factors such as the age at completion of school which, in turn, could only be predicted by the age at entry into elementary school. In contrast, age variability in the West was also influenced by person and family background variables. In the second study, it could be demonstrated that age variability with regard to completion of school and achievement of financial self-support had markedly increased among younger cohorts of Easterners assessed in 1996 reflecting an increased variety of educational opportunities and labor market obstacles on the pathway to employment. In the third study, two factors, namely prolonged education and unemployment as reflections of institutional and economic change in the East were identified which partly explained the increase in the average age at which Eastern young adults achieved financial independence. All three studies aimed at building a link between properties of the institutional and economic macro-contexts and the ages at key transitions into employment representing comprehensive chronological outcomes. Between these poles, however, there are a multitude of transitional pathways and patterns as well as personality and family factors operating on these patterns. A further inquiry into these psychological factors and mechanisms is a valuable research goal for the future.

Literaturangaben

  • Autsch, B. (1995). Ausgangsbedingungen bei der Umstellung des DDR-Berufsbildungssystems aus der Sicht rechtlicher und organisatorischer Rahmenbedingungen. [The initial conditions in the transformation of the occupational training system of the former GDR fron a legal and organizational perspective]. In Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (Eds.), Berufsausbildung in den neuen Bundesländern: Daten, Analysen, Perspektiven 15– 29 Bielefeld: Bertelsmann. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Baethge, M. & Wolf (1995). Continuity and change in the “German model” of industrial relations.. In R. Locke, T. Kochan & M. Priore (Eds.), Employment relations in a changing world economy 231– 262 Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Beck-Gernsheim, E. (1997). Geburtenrückgang und Kinderwunsch - die Erfahrung in Ostdeutschland. [Declining birth rates and the wish to have children - experience in Eastern Germany]. Zeitschrift für Bevölkerungswissenschaft, 22, 59– 71. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Behrens, M. (1992). Regional and subcultural determinants of adolescents' routes into occupational life.. An English-German comparison. In W. Meeus, M. de Goede, W. Kox & K. Hurrelmann (Eds.), Adolescence, careers, and cultures 279– 295 Berlin: De Gruyter. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bertram, B. (1994a). Unterschiedliche Lebenswege und Chancen für die Geschlechtergruppen?. [Differences in biographies and opportunities according to gender?]. In B. Bertram, W. Bien, T. Gericke, M. Höckner, L. Lappe & H. Schröpfer (Eds.), Gelungener Start - unsichere Zukunft? Der Übergang von der Schule in die Berufsbildung 277– 302 München: Verlag Deutsches Jugendinstitut. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bertram, B. (1994b). Berufswahl in der Planwirtschaft - Auswirkungen in der Marktwirtschaft. [Occupational choices in the plan economy - consequences in the market economy]. In B. Bertram, W. Bien, T. Gericke, M. Höckner, L. Lappe & H. Schröpfer (Eds.), Gelungener Start - unsichere Zukunft? Der Übergang von der Schule in die Berufsbildung. 53– 90 München: Verlag Deutsches Jugendinstitut. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bien, W. & Lappe (1994). Wege und Umwege zum Beruf - eine Einführung. [Pathways and detours into work - an introduction]. In B. Bertram, W. Bien, T .Gericke, M. Höckner, L. Lappe & H. Schröpfer (Eds.), Gelungener Start - unsichere Zukunft? Der Übergang von der Schule in die Berufsbildung 5– 24 München: Verlag Deutsches Jugendinstitut. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital.. In J.G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education 241– 258 New York: Greenwood Press.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Burkhardt, D. (1992). Strukturen der Berufsbildung in der DDR. [Structures of vocational training in the GDR]. In Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (Eds.), Neue Länder - Neue Berufsausbildung? Prozess, Probleme und Perspektiven des Übergangs der Berufsausbildung in den neuen Bundesländern 31– 49 Berlin: Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development.. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Bynner, J. (1999). New routes to employment: Integration and exclusion.. In W.R. Heinz (Ed.), From education to work: Cross-national perspectives 65– 86 New York: Cambridge University Press.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Caspi, A. (1996). The life history calendar: A research and clinical assessment method for collecting retrospective event-history data.. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 6, 101– 114. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cavalli, A. (1988). Zeiterfahrungen von Jugendlichen: Versuch einer Typologie. [Adolescents' experience of time: Attempt at a typology]. In R. Zoll (Ed.), Zerstörung und Wiederaneignung von Zeit 387– 404 Frankfurt/Main: Suhrkamp.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Clausen, J.S. (1991). Adolescent competence and the shaping of the life course.. American Journal of Sociology, 96, 805– 842. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Coleman, J.S. (1994). Social capital, human capital and investment in youth.. In A.C. Peterson & J.T. Mortimer (Eds.), Youth unemployment and society 34– 50 New York: Cambridge University Press.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cox, D.R. (1972). Regression models and life tables.. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B 34, 187– 202. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Federal Ministry of Education and Science (Eds.) (1993). Basic and structural data.. Bad Honnef: Karl-Heinrich Bock Verlag.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Feldmann, S.S. (1991). Ain't misbehavin‵: Adolescent values and family environments as correlates of misconduct in Australia, Hong Kong, and the United States.. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 1, 109– 134. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Ferri, E. & Smith (1997). Where you live and who you live with.. In J. Bynner, E. Ferri & P. Shepherd (Eds.), Twenty-something in the 1990s. Getting on, getting by, getting nowhere 53– 76 Aldershot: Ashgate.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Fuchs, W. (1983). Jugendliche Statuspassage oder individualisierte Jugendbiographie?. [Adolescents' status passage or individualized youth biographies?]. Soziale Welt, 34, 341– 371. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Gershuny, J. & Pahl (1996). Life-time employment in a new context.. Paper presented at the conference on Challenges of Unemployment in a Regional Europe. Ljouwert, NL: Fryske Academy.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Hamilton, S.F. & Hamilton (1999). Creating new pathways to adulthood by adapting German apprenticeship in the United States.. In W. R. Heinz (Ed.), From education to work: Cross-national perspectives 194– 213 New York: Cambridge University Press.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Heinz, W.R. (1999). Job entry patterns in a life-course perspective.. In W.R. Heinz (Ed.), From education to work: Cross-national perspectives 214– 231 New York: Cambridge University Press.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Heinz, W.R. (1998). Vocational training and career development in Germany: Results from a longitudinal study.. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 22, 77– 101. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Heinz, W.R. & Nagel (1997). Social change and the modernisation of school-to-work transitions.. In A. Jobert, C. Marry, L. Tanguy & H. Rainbird (Eds.), Education and work in Great Britain, Germany and Italy 63– 75 London: Routledge.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Joshi, H. & Paci (1997). Life in the labour market.. In J. Bynner, E. Ferri & P. Shepherd (Eds.), Twenty-something in the 1990s. Getting on, getting by, getting nowhere 31– 52 Aldershot: Ashgate.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Jugendwerk der Deutschen Shell (Ed.) (1992). Jugend '92.. Lebenslagen, Orientierungen und Entwicklungsperspektiven im vereinigten Deutschland [Youth '92. Life situations, orientations, and developmental perspectives in unified Germany] 4, Opladen: Leske & Budrich.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Lerner, R.M. & Busch-Rossnagel (1981). Individuals as producers of their development: Conceptual and empirical bases.. In R.M. Lerner & N.A. Busch-Rossnagel (Eds.), Individuals as producers of their development. A life-span perspective 1– 36 New York: Academic Press.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Leung, K. (1989). Cross-cultural differences: Individual-vs. culture-level analysis.. International Journal of Psychology, 24, 703– 719. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Marcia, J.E. (1980). Identity in adolescence.. In J. Adelson (Ed.), Handbook of adolescent psychology 158– 187 New York: Wiley.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Masche, J.G. & Reitzle (1999). Stichprobe und Design. [Sample and design]. In R.K. Silbereisen & J. Zinnecker (Eds.), Entwicklung im sozialen Wandel 39– 62 Weinheim: Psychologie Verlags Union.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Norusis, M.J. (1993). “SPSS” for WindowsTM: Base system user's guide, release 6.0.. Chicago, IL: SPSS Inc.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Peters, E. (1992). Changing patterns?. A comparison of the transition to adulthood of two generations of girls. In W. Meeus, M. de Goede, W. Kox & K. Hurrelmann (Eds.), Adolescence, careers, and cultures 331– 352 New York: de Gruyter.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Priore, M.J. (1995). Beyond individualism.. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Reitzle, M. & Silbereisen (1998). July The role of individual variability and institutional structure in the timing of the school-to-work transition.. Paper presented at the XVth Biennal ISSBD Meetings, Berne, Switzerland.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Reitzle, M. & Silbereisen (1999a). Der Zeitpunkt materieller Unabhängigkeit und seine Folgen für das Erwachsenwerden. [The timing of financial self-support and its consequences for becoming an adult]. In R.K. Silbereisen & J. Zinnecker (Eds.), Entwicklung im sozialen Wandel 131– 152 Weinheim: Psychologie Verlags Union.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Reitzle, M. & Silbereisen (1999b). May Transitions into adulthood in the contexts of Eastern and Western Germany.. Poster presented at the International Conference “Childhood and adolescence in Germany before and after unification”, Jena, Germany.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Reitzle, M. & Vondracek (2000a). Methodological avenues for the study of career pathways.. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 57, 445– 467. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Reitzle, M. & Vondracek (2000b). June Accumulation of education in the school-to-work transition - blessing or course for adult identity development.. Paper presented at the 7th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Adolescence, Jena, Germany.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Reitzle, M. (1998). Timing of school-to-work transitions: A developmental-contextual perspective.. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 22, 7– 28. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Resetka, H.S. (1997). Individuelle Erfahrungen mit Qualifizierungs- und Beschäftigungsprogrammen in verschiedenen Altersgruppen und Lebenslagen in den neuen Bundesländern. [Individual experiences with employment programs across different age groups in the new federal states]. In W.R. Heinz & S.E. Hormuth (Eds.), Arbeit und Gerechtigkeit im ostdeutschen Transformationsprozess 125– 230 Opladen: Leske & Budrich.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Rosenbaum, J.E. (1999). Institutional networks and informal strategies for improving work entry for youth.. In W.R. Heinz (Ed.), From education to work: Cross-national perspectives 235– 259 New York: Cambridge University Press.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schwartz, S.H. (1990). Individualism-Collectivism: Critique and proposed refinements.. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 21, 139– 157. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sengenberger, W. (1987). Struktur und Funktionsweise von Arbeitsmärkten: Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland im internationalen Vergleich. [Structure and functioning of labor markets: The Federal Republic of Germany in an international comparison]. Frankfurt/Main: Campus.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Silbereisen, R.K. (1999). May Developmental timetables in times of social change.. Paper presented at the International Conference “Childhood and adolescence in Germany before and after unification”, Jena, Germany.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Silbereisen, R.K. (1986). Development as action in context: Problem behavior and normal youth development.. Heidelberg: Springer.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Silbereisen, R.K. (1997). Differential timing of initial vocational choice:. The influence of early childhood family relocation and parental support behaviors in two cultures. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 50, 41– 59. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Stattin, H. & Magnusson (1990). Pubertal maturation in female development.. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Vondracek, F.W. (1999). Vocational preferences of early adolescents: Their development in social context.. Journal of Adolescent Research, 14, 267– 288. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Weymann, A. (1999). From education to employment:. Occupations and careers in the social transformation of East Germany. In W.R. Heinz (Ed.), From education to work: Cross-national perspectives 87– 108 New York: Cambridge University Press.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Willet, J.B. & Singer (1991). How long did it take?. Using survival analysis in educational and psychological research. In L. Collins & J.L. Horn (Eds.), Best methods for analysis of change: Recent advances, unanswered questions, future directions 263– 304 Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Yamaguchi, K. (1991). Event-history analysis.. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Zinnecker, J. (1987). Jugendkultur 1940-1985. [Youth culture 1940-1985]. Opladen: Leske & Budrich.. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar