Vocational students are interested in higher education

Ambition unites middle school and high school students—regardless of their educational level or school, they share a strong desire to enter the workforce. Decisions about further education seem particularly difficult for high school students. The findings come from the study When School Ends – Youth Future Report 2018.

As many as 48 percent of young people enrolled in vocational schools plan to apply to a university of applied sciences after completing their current studies. However, they are not actively encouraged to pursue further education: guidance at home and at school is significantly less frequent than it is for high school students.

High school students’ interest in studying at universities of applied sciences has declined year after year. Only 36 percent of them are now interested in universities of applied sciences, while 81 percent are interested in universities. The gap in interest between universities and universities of applied sciences is now the widest it has been in the 10-year history of these surveys.

“Young people are aware that high school is not the only path to higher education. Those pursuing vocational degrees value their education and are ambitious in their studies: a large proportion of them want to earn a higher education degree. In light of the research findings, students pursuing vocational education are indeed an increasingly important target group for universities of applied sciences,” comments Reeta Sutinen, Research Manager at T-Media.

High school students are at a loss when it comes to their future studies

Most high school students decide on their further education plans during their third year of high school. It is concerning that as many as a quarter of third- and fourth-year students had not made a decision at all by the time they graduated from high school. The popularity of taking a gap year among high school students was at an all-time high: as many as 30 percent of respondents planned to take a gap year after finishing high school.

“High school is where most students end up when they don’t know or can’t decide what they want to do in the future. Unfortunately, even by the time they finish high school, a quarter of them still haven’t found an answer and don’t know which direction to take. These students need special support and guidance both during high school and afterward. Otherwise, they are the ones who end up on the lists of young people under 30 at risk of social exclusion,” says Director Liisa Tenhunen-Ruotsalainen of the Economic Information Office (TAT).

High school students worry more about their future, their academic performance, and the choices they make than middle school students or young people attending vocational schools.

Data collection for the “When School Ends – Youth Future Report 2018” survey was conducted in February–March 2018 in Finnish lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, and vocational institutions. A total of 11,335 young people responded to the survey. For the first time this year, young people studying for a vocational qualification were included as a target group in the survey. The survey was conducted by T-Media Oy on behalf of the Economic Information Office (TAT).

You can find a summary of the study’s main findings here: kunkoululoppuu.fi/tutkimus

Watch the video of the results: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tigf6u-twc

For more information:
Liisa Tenhunen-Ruotsalainen
Director, Economic Information Office TAT
040 545 2198 / liisa.tenhunen-ruotsalainen@tat.fi

Reeta Sutinen
Research Manager, T-Media
040 511 9936 / reeta.sutinen@reptrust-staging.fi-p.seravo.com