European youth in education and in transition to the labour market (EDU-LAB)

The EDU-LAB is a comparative European study that systematically examines factors and determinants influencing choices, pathways, and transitions in education and training (E&T) and from E&T to the labour market of young people aged 15-30 years. The focus is on equity and inclusion, and on young people’s participation, progression, and completion of upper secondary and tertiary general education (GE) and professional/vocational education (PVET, at ISCED levels 3-8), as well as on their transitions to and from the labour market. 

First, EDU-LAB will develop comprehensive models of pathways and transitions per country in the European Education Area (EEA) including their intersectional and largely generic determinants. Second, an efficiency assessment of policies and investments in GE and PVET will be carried out. Third, novel quantitative and qualitative evidence will be provided on how determinants, including policies and investments, contribute to young people’s pathways and transitions, specifically to inclusion and equity, and their participation and completion of GE and PVET. 

EDU-LAB relies on a mixed-methods approach, with emphasis being placed on secondary quantitative analyses of openly available empirical data and newly collected qualitative empirical data. Specifically, EDU-LAB considers all stakeholders and conducts a systematic literature review, qualitative conceptual analysis, quantitative trend and regression analysis, difference-in-differences analysis, expert interviews and surveys, and qualitative case studies focusing on young people’s voices and based on Research-Practice Partnerships. 

The following EEA targets are scrutinized: 
(a) increasing the rate of youth with tertiary education attainment
(b) reducing the share of early leavers from E&T
(c) increasing work-based learning in vocational E&T
(d) increasing the number of students belonging to groups underrepresented in educational fields (e.g. based on gender, ethnic minority, migration, etc.)

One part of the research (WP4) involves qualitative case studies to hear young people's voices. These case studies are conducted in seven countries and 12 regions. In Finland, the regions are Tampere and Helsinki. The objectives of the case studies are:

1. To document young people’s actions and processes as they identify and explain factors hindering or enabling their choices, pathways, and transitions in education and from education to the labour market, and
2. To jointly develop solutions with young people to optimise participation in and completion of general and vocational education as well as transitions to the labour market.

The methods used for data collection include focus group discussions, participatory workshops, and structured diaries.