Study: below-average employment rates for graduates with a vocational upper secondary qualification in technology
The HAMK Edu research unit of Häme University of Applied Sciences has investigated the reasons for unemployment among graduates of vocational upper secondary education in technology fields. According to the study, the employment rate of graduates with a vocational upper secondary qualification in technology fields was clearly lower than the average for vocational upper secondary education, even though there is a shortage of skilled labour in technology fields.
The study found that the most important factors affecting unemployment among young people with a vocational upper secondary qualification in technology fields are those related to the individual, the regional context and the business and labour market. In addition, factors related to education and the educational institution also emerged. These factors emerged from the data we used, albeit with varying degrees of emphasis.
Cooperation between education and working life can have an impact on employment
Although the factors affecting unemployment vary widely between individuals and regions, it is worth noting that many of the individual factors affecting employment that emerged in the research findings can be influenced during education and training. In particular, cooperation between education and working life was highlighted.
Similarly, the findings showed that the availability of work-based learning opportunities contributes to the employment outcomes of young graduates. Sufficient resources must therefore be allocated to the availability of training contracts and apprenticeships and to guidance and support for learning in work. Education providers should therefore see cooperation with working life as a strategic issue from the point of view of the effectiveness of training.
The study focused in particular on graduates with vocational upper secondary qualifications in three technical fields: mechanical engineering and production technology, information technology and electrical and automation engineering. Factors affecting unemployment were investigated using data from the education administration’s reporting portal Vipunen, interviews with experts and data from the Delfoi survey. The study is based on the Report on the Serviceability of Vocational Education and Training in Technology, published in March 2023.
The study was funded by the Technology Industries of Finland and the Industrial Union.
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