Transition Into Tertiary Education After VET and the Role of the Work Area – a Longitudinal Study on Gender Segregation in the Field of Social Care

Summary Vocational education and training play a key role in the Swiss educational system. One of the most frequently chosen apprenticeships is Certified Social Care Worker (CSCW). After certification, these graduates have the option of working in the profession, attending tertiary vocational education, or changing to a profession outside the social sector. Studies on the choice of study at upper secondary and university tertiary level point to gender-typical choice behaviour. So far, little research has been done on whether and how gender-typical choices are perpetuated when entering a profession or attending vocational tertiary education. This study aims to close this gap and, using the example of the social sector, examines the role that gender plays in career and educational decisions after graduation as CSCW. Since the social sector is considered a women’s domain but includes various areas of work that are occupied to different degrees by women and men, it is of particular interest whether the career and educational decisions of former CSCW apprentices are also influenced by the area of work in which they were trained. The analyses are based on data from a longitudinal study. The results show a significant influence of gender and the chosen work area on the CSCWs career and educational pathway. The findings are discussed in the context of individual and institutional characteristics in the social sector