---
_id: '30913'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: "Context: The implementation of successful measures to support immigrants'
integration in cultural, social, and economic life can be considered as one of
today's greatest challenges for many societies. This is especially true for adolescent
immigrants who have not yet been able to finish education or gain qualifications
relevant to joining the labour market. That is why many receiving countries have
developed and implemented special programmes that aim at supporting immigrants'
integration by facilitating their employability. Unfortunately, not much is known
about the process of implementing these programmes or about how education systems,
schools, and teachers are dealing with the new situation and target group. In
this contribution, the implementation, development, and challenges of German Vocational
Integration Classes (VIC), as an example of comparable programmes in the EU, are
investigated to address this research gap. The paper considers the following exploratory
research questions: (a) What challenges have been experienced by teachers and
social workers in the implementation of VIC as well as in the integration of immigrants
into the labour market in recent years? (b) How can these challenges be met in
the long run and how should VIC be developed to better achieve its aims? \r\n\r\nMethods:
To answer these questions, a sequential qualitative study containing questionnaire
and interview elements was conducted. First, teachers and social workers involved
in VIC filled in a questionnaire about their experiences and experienced challenges
in implementing VIC (N = 46). Then, supplementing interviews were conducted with
participants from the first sample in order to generate further insights and to
contextualise the findings from the first study part (N = 14). \r\n\r\nFindings:
From the respondents' answers, it appears that the VIC programme is well implemented.
The results show, however, that central challenges continue to exist. This concerns,
for example, legal regulations or the development of adequate curricula, but also
the scope and quality of language education. In addition, problems have also been
identified with regard to students' culture-specific education and their individual
attitudes. These prevailing problems seem to affect schooling and educational
processes. In addition, respondents report feeling left alone to deal with problems
and that their experiences from their daily work in VIC and with immigrants are
not sufficiently taken into account in policy and school-related decisions. \r\n\r\nConclusions:
Although VIC seems well implemented, key challenges remain in the view of the
participants. It was found that teachers cannot solve many of the identified problems
themselves, as they require action at the level of policy or school organisation.
For staff, this can be accompanied by increased stress and demotivation. For the
young immigrants, the existing challenges can have a long-term impact on school
success and transition to vocational education and training. The study thus highlights
the importance of targeted and holistic strategies to support immigrant integration
through education. "
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Michael
full_name: Goller, Michael
id: '30984'
last_name: Goller
orcid: 0000-0002-2820-9178
citation:
ama: Goller M. Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition From School to Work?
A Staff Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration Classes. International
Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training. 2022;9(1):92-119.
doi:https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5
apa: Goller, M. (2022). Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition From School
to Work? A Staff Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration Classes.
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training,
9(1), 92–119. https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5
bibtex: '@article{Goller_2022, title={Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition
From School to Work? A Staff Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration
Classes}, volume={9}, DOI={https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5},
number={1}, journal={International Journal for Research in Vocational Education
and Training}, author={Goller, Michael}, year={2022}, pages={92–119} }'
chicago: 'Goller, Michael. “Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition From
School to Work? A Staff Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration Classes.”
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training
9, no. 1 (2022): 92–119. https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5.'
ieee: 'M. Goller, “Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition From School to
Work? A Staff Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration Classes,” International
Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training, vol. 9, no. 1,
pp. 92–119, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5.'
mla: Goller, Michael. “Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition From School
to Work? A Staff Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration Classes.”
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training,
vol. 9, no. 1, 2022, pp. 92–119, doi:https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5.
short: M. Goller, International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and
Training 9 (2022) 92–119.
date_created: 2022-04-19T09:01:26Z
date_updated: 2022-04-19T09:01:49Z
department:
- _id: '452'
doi: https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.9.1.5
intvolume: ' 9'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- Immigration
- Educational Policy
- Employability
- Mixed Methods
- VET
- Vocational Education and Training
- Transitions From Education and Training to Employment
language:
- iso: eng
page: 92-119
publication: International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training
status: public
title: Supporting Young Immigrants in Their Transition From School to Work? A Staff
Perspective on Challenges of Vocational Integration Classes
type: journal_article
user_id: '50788'
volume: 9
year: '2022'
...