Narrative Inquiries of Young Workers: Work, Learning, and Life of Vocational High School Graduates

Recent policies for encouraging vocational high school graduates to enter the labor market instead of pursuing the higher education have been evaluated as effective. The employment rate of the vocational high school graduates has increased while the rate of advancement to the higher education right after vocational high school graduation has decreased. Nonetheless, at the individual level, it is not quite clear whether entering the labor market giving up or postponing higher education is a wise decision in the long term perspective. There is insufficient information on the reality of life of young workers after graduation of vocational high schools. The purpose of this study was to understand the work, learning, and life of young vocational high school graduates. Using the narrative inquiry method, it was intended to understand the working, learning and living of young workers in a wholistic way considering the context of their lives. In order to have a theoretical sensitivity before conducting the narrative inquiry, the previous researches, theories and policies on work, learning and life of vocational high school graduates in the ages of 20s. 5 researchers interviewed 15 participants. 5 Participants were invited among the participants of a previous research in 2013, which focused on only the adaptation at the initial stage of working life of vocational high school graduates. 10 participants have joined additionally in this study. The criteria for choosing participants were at least 2 years of work experience after graduation of vocational high schools and age under 30. Variation in terms of job security, gender, size of firm, region, industry was considered in the final selection of participants. Each participant met a researcher three times. Series of meetings were held to share and tune perspectives among researchers before, during and after interviews. ..