In the Field: Experiences with Young Adults the First Year after High School

The purpose of the study is to understand how vocational learning experiences relate to the students’ present career decision. The presenter examines the experiences of high school graduates during their first year after a vocational program of study. The question is what happens to graduates of secondary vocational programs? Participants are students also took some vocational classes while in high school. A phenomenological case study approach was used to understand how previous vocational educational program played out in the world of work. In this presentation, I will share my experiences with these young adults in the field. I visited the participants and followed them for one year after they graduated from high school. Each time I scheduled an interview with these young adults, I took time to pick out what to wear that would not make me stand out. My Nigerian origin gave me some advantage of an outsider who wants to understand their generational culture and wants to be part of the insider. The study revealed an interplay of race, class and gender in the decisions young adults make when they leave high school vocational programs