ABSTRACT

More than a quarter of all trainees in Germany’s dual vocational training system have the Abitur – the German school-leaving qualification that entitles them to go to university. Some go to university after completing their apprenticeship, but others move straight into full-time employment. There is currently very little reliable empirical data about the reasons for these decisions, particularly among the latter group. This study considers around 1,100 trainees with the Abitur in four different training occupations in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, investigating the sociodemographic profile and the motives. It also explores in depth and critically discusses the motives of those not intending to go to university. The findings demonstrate that those choosing not to go to university are neither academically weak nor particularly risk-averse in their assessment of their prospects of obtaining a degree. They are more motivated by having a practical orientation, by financial factors and by good employment prospects.

摘要

在德国的双重职业培训体系中，超过四分之一的受训人员具有Abitur资格，即德国的离校文凭，使他们有上大学的资格。有些人完成学徒后就去上大学，而另一些人则直接转为全职工作。目前关于这些决定的原因的可靠经验数据很少，特别是在后一组中。这项研究研究了北莱茵-威斯特法伦州德国联邦州四个不同职业的约1,100名Abitur受训者，调查了其社会人口统计学特征和动机。它还深入探讨并批判性地讨论了那些不打算上大学的人的动机。研究结果表明，那些选择不上大学的人在评估其获得学位的前景方面既没有学术能力薄弱，也没有特别厌恶风险的行为。他们具有实践导向，财务因素和良好的就业前景，因此更有动力。