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The untapped potential of disadvantaged young people for apprenticeships in skilled trades

Author: Hasler, Patrizia
Publisher: Geneva: International Labour Organization (ILO)
Year: 2025
DOI: 10.54394/PQRO8797
Source: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/318450/1/1923359843.pdf
Hasle , Pa izia
Wo king Pape
The un apped po en ial o disad an aged young people
o app en iceships in skilled ades
ILO Wo king Pape , No. 137
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion (ILO), Gene a
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Hasle , Pa izia (2025) : The un apped po en ial o disad an aged young people
o app en iceships in skilled ades, ILO Wo king Pape , No. 137, ISBN 978-92-2-041901-4,
In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion (ILO), Gene a,
h ps://doi.o g/10.54394/PQRO8797
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XThe un apped po en ial o
disad an aged young people o
app en iceships in skilled ades
Au ho / Pa izia Hasle
Ap il / 2025
ILO Wo king Pape 137
© In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion 2025
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Hasle , P. 2025. The un apped po en ial o disad an aged young people o app en iceships in
skilled ades, ILO Wo king Pape 137 (Gene a, ILO). h ps://doi.o g/10.54394/PQRO8797
01 ILO Wo king Pape 137
Abs ac
Skills de elopmen h ough quali y app en iceships can help young people make a success ul
ansi ion om school o adul hood wi h sus ainable, sa is ying and ewa ding employmen . Bu
e en in Swi ze land, which has a e y s ong s anda dized app en iceship sys em wi h a good
epu a ion, he e is s ill an a e age d opou a e o abou 20 pe cen o e he las wo decades.
This pape seeks o iden i y he in luencing ac o s o quali y app en iceships and elabo a es
possible easons why young people in low- epu a ion app en iceships d op ou mo e o en han
hose in popula p o essions.
Two s udies conduc ed by he au ho wi h app en ices in he oca ional ields o cons uc ion and
media design se e as he scien i ic basis. The i s s udy – in he ield o media design, a popu-
la ield o oca ional aining – ound ha he pedagogical and didac ic skills o he aine , in
pa icula he posi i e handling o e o s, us , hones and di ec eedback, as well as he a ia-
bili y o asks and he ela ionship wi h wo k colleagues, ha e a signi ican in luence on aining
sa is ac ion. I was also ound ha he impo an in luencing ac o s o compe ence g ow h in
he wo kplace a e no he same as hose ha signi ican ly in luence he g ades a school
The second s udy – in he ield o cons uc ion, a oca ional aining ack wi h low epu a ion
– compa ed app en ices who e mina ed hei app en iceship con ac wi h a con ol g oup o
non- e mina o s in o de o de e mine he ac o s in luencing he p obabili y o app en iceship
con ac e mina ion. W ong ca ee choice and un a ou able wo king and aining condi ions
signi ican ly inc ease he p obabili y o abo ing he app en iceship.
This pape goes one s ep u he and combines he esul s o he wo s udies wi h wo sociolog-
ical heo e ical concep s, he concep o “social ep oduc ion” and he concep o di e en “li e
wo lds” aken om SINUS Ins i u e s udies; hese sociological concep s explain why young people
om amilies wi h a low socio-economic backg ound belong o he a ge g oup o disad an aged
young people bu ma ch e y well wi h skilled ades when hei speci ic needs a e add essed.
Fo his eason, he au ho concludes by p o iding conc e e ecommenda ions o policymake s,
employe s’ associa ions and ade unions o le e age he un apped po en ial o disad an aged
young people in o de o add ess he sho age o skilled wo ke s in skilled ades. Social jus ice
demands long- e m in es men in his disad an aged g oup o young people as hey dese e
no o be le behind. Thei human capi al is aluable o economic g ow h as well as o socie al
and indi idual p ospe i y.
Abou he au ho s
Pa izia Hasle is an independen in e na ional senio consul an specialising in he ield o oca-
ional educa ion and aining. Un il 2024, she held he posi ion o Di ec o a he Zu ich Technical
College. P e iously she was Na ional Head o Con inuing Educa ion and was a membe o he
Execu i e Boa d o he Swiss Fede al Uni e si y o Voca ional Educa ion and T aining (SFUVET).
F om 2013 o 2016, she was engaged in he ield o Educa ion Policy a he Swiss Associa ion
o Mas e Builde s. Fu he mo e, she holds mul iple quali ica ions in eaching and has been a
eache o o e wo decades a a ious academic le els and in a a ie y o oles, including one

02 ILO Wo king Pape 137
eaching assignmen in Ha a e, Zimbabwe. Addi ionally, she has conside able expe ience in e-
sea ch wi hin he ields o oca ional educa ion, inclusion, wo k-based lea ning, ac ion compe-
ence o ien a ion, oca ional socialisa ion and employabili y. She has published in hese a eas
and has deli e ed nume ous p esen a ions a in e na ional con e ences on a a ie y o opics.
Th oughou he di e se oles in VET, including di ec o , policymake , esea che , senio ad iso ,
ca ee de elope and eache , Pa izia Hasle has demons a ed a unique abili y o in eg a e pol-
icy, esea ch and p ac ice in he de elopmen o VET. She is pa icula ly commi ed o ha nessing
he un apped po en ial o young people. She holds a PhD and an MSC in TVET.
03 ILO Wo king Pape 137
Abs ac 01
Abou he au ho s 01
XIn oduc ion 06
X1 Quali y app en iceships 07
Indi idual cha ac e is ics 08
Task: Job design 08
T aine 08
Team 09
Cu iculum 09
Findings 09
T aining sa is ac ion 09
Sel -assessmen o own o e all pe o mance a wo k 10
Assessmen o domain-speci ic skills 10
Wo k- ela ed a i udes 11
School g ades 11
X2 Habi us as an exp ession o cul u al and social capi al 14
Cul u al capi al 14
Social capi al 15
X3 SINUS Me a Milieus model 17
X4 Ma ching o milieus and skilled ades: 21
Un apped po en ial o human capi a 21
X5. Conclusions and ecommenda ions 23
Recommenda ions 23
Re e ences 26
Table o con en s
04 ILO Wo king Pape 137
Lis o Figu es
Figu e 1. De e minan s o quali y o wo k-based lea ning 07
Figu e 2. SINUS Me a Milieus model o es ablished ma ke s 17
Figu e 3. SINUS Me a Milieus model o eme ging ma ke s 19
05 ILO Wo king Pape 137
Lis o Tables
Table 1. Reg ession analysis: Dependen - a iable aining sa is ac ion 10
Table 2. Reg ession analysis: Dependen - a iable o e all pe o mance a wo k 10
Table 3. Reg ession analysis: Dependen - a iable domain-speci ic skills 11
Table 4. Reg ession analysis: Dependen - a iable a i udes 11
Table 5. Reg ession analysis: Dependen - a iable school g ades 11
Table 6: Op imized model o he p edic ion o app en iceship con ac e mina ions 12
Table 7. Re-en y in o a ce i ying app en iceship a e d opou , in mon hs 13
Table 8. Desc ip ions o SINUS Me a Milieus o es ablished ma ke s 18
Table 9. Desc ip ions o SINUS Me a Milieus o eme ging ma ke s 19
12 ILO Wo king Pape 137
desc ibe he si ua ion a he wo kplace, whe eas he dependen a iable measu es he pe o -
mance a school. Di e en compe ences seem o be de eloped a he wo kplace and a school.
As an insigh o all hese eg ession analyses, i is s iking ha pe sonali y ai s such as sel -e -
icacy, sel -es eem, a posi i e a i ude owa ds li e and pe sis ence all ha e an impac on lea n-
ing ou comes and success in li e and ca ee . The aine can mode a e he lea ning p ocess by
consciously de eloped pedagogical compe ences, such as ask-speci ic equi emen s, especially
a iabili y and challenging wo k.
In he second s udy in he occupa ional ield o cons uc ion, he au ho compa ed app en ices
who had e mina ed hei app en iceship con ac wi h a con ol g oup o non- e mina o s and
hus de e mined he ac o s in luencing he p obabili y o app en iceship con ac e mina ion.
The dimensions o aine , ask and eam o lea ning in he wo kplace we e adap ed o he con-
di ions in cons uc ion by means o a ac o analysis based on he e m “ aining and wo king
condi ions”; he ac o analysis o he wo king and aining condi ions was based on a second
ac o , “ex e nal amewo k condi ions”, which includes he h ee i ems “wo king ou side in all
wea he s”, “ oo much p essu e on he cons uc ion si e” and “was oo physically demanding”.
XTable 6: Op imized model o he p edic ion o app en iceship con ac e mina ions
BSE B OR
App en iceship was a comp omise solu ion 1.262 .406 3.534**
W ong ca ee choice -2.179 .447 .113***
T aining condi ions -1.407 .478 .245**
Ex e nal amewo k condi ions 3.923 .477 50.568***
No e: Cons an – 3.458, **p < .01, *** p < .000, R2= .635, p = .000, N = 337; only s a is ically signi ican ac o s a e shown.
Sou ce: Au ho .
The w ong ca ee choice and un a ou able wo king and aining condi ions signi ican ly inc ease
he p obabili y o belonging o he g oup o e mina o s (see able 6). When compa ing hese wo
g oups, a su p ising esul eme ged: he p obabili y o belonging o he g oup o e mina o s
dec eased signi ican ly he mo e ha esponden s s a ed ha he app en iceship was a comp o-
mise solu ion. Ex e nal ac o s such as “ha d physical wo k”, “p essu e on he cons uc ion si e”
o “wo king ou side in all wea he s” we e no ound o be easons o qui ing. The quali a i e
da a om he in e iews p o ided explana ions o his esul ; young people wi h a e mina ion
o app en iceship con ac had no made a ca ee choice a all bu had been s eamed in o ap-
p en iceships because hey had g adua ed om school wi h poo esul s, so ha one canno
speak o an ac ual ca ee choice The au ho also in es iga ed how long i ook o app en ices in
he e mina ion g oup o e-en e a quali ying app en iceship. I was ound ha a e one yea ,
mo e han hal o he app en ices had en e ed a new app en iceship (see able 7). The longe
an app en ice did no manage o ind a new company in he same o in a new skilled ade, he
lowe he p obabili y o hei e-en e ing he educa ional sys em.

13 ILO Wo king Pape 137
XTable 7. Re-en y in o a ce i ying app en iceship a e d opou , in mon hs
No e: N=76.
Sou ce: Au ho .
All hese esul s show ha young people om amilies wi h a low socio-economic backg ound
a e disad an aged in many ways. E en when hey en e school, hese child en do no ha e he
same pe sonal p edisposi ions due o a lack o suppo om hei pa en s. As hey o en pe -
o m poo ly a school due o a lack o social suppo , hey can only choose p o essions wi h low-
e -pe o mance equi emen s, which ep esen s a u he disad an age. In addi ion, hey o en
do no de elop li e skills such as p oblem-sol ing, analy ical and socio-emo ional skills du ing
childhood and adolescence and a e o en unable o success ully comple e an app en iceship due
o mul iple p oblems in e e yday li e. Fo a success ul ansi ion om school o wo k, i is c u-
cial o coach hem h oughou he app en iceship, especially when he company canno in es
unp oduc i e ime in addi ional suppo o he app en ice. In o de o be e unde s and he
needs o his a ge g oup, wo sociological models we e used in addi ion o he au ho 's wo
s udies, which a e discussed in mo e de ail below.
14 ILO Wo king Pape 137
X2 Habi us as an exp ession o cul u al and social
capi al
Social ep oduc ion is a concep ha was de eloped by he F ench sociologis Pie e Bou dieu.
I explains he mechanisms by which exis ing social and cul u al o ms, alues, a i udes and ex-
pe iences a e ansmi ed om gene a ion o gene a ion. Acco ding o Bou dieu, e e y child is
di e en ly equipped wi h cul u al, economic and social capi al when en e ing school. Tha means
ha a child om a amily wi h a low socio-economic backg ound is al eady e y much disad an-
aged a he beginning o hei school educa ion. I is up o he educa ional sys em o help hese
disad an aged child en o keep up wi h hei schoolma es.
Un o una ely, disad an aged child en may be e en mo e disad an aged by ea ly acking a
he age o 12 in o di e en pe o mance pa hs, as is he case in Swi ze land. Socially disad an-
aged amilies also o en li e in a eas o wo se-pe o ming schools han weal hie amilies and
hese child en may end up on lowe -pe o mance acks wi h ewe ca ee choices. They may
also ecei e poo e educa ion h ough wo se-pe o ming schools ha ha e mo e socially disad-
an aged child en and limi ed cul u al, social and economic capi al. In ha con ex , wha does
habi us as an exp ession o social and cul u al capi al mean?
Child en “inhe i ” habi us o beha iou s om hei pa en s. Thei social ac ions a e no longe
de ined as he esul o conscious decisions bu a e in luenced by hei pa en s’ disposi ions o
hink and ac . Habi us e e s o he indi idual's a i udes and alues in he social wo ld, hei hab-
i s and way o li e. Habi us is acqui ed in he social en i onmen h ough expe ience and dic a es
how one should mo e in he social wo ld. Thus, he indi idual does no mo e abou in he social
wo ld on he basis o inne eedom bu ies o choose a na owe social wo ld in such a way
ha hei acqui ed habi us comes in o i s own and he indi idual eels com o able in i . Th ough
he habi us, he social condi ions o exis ence o an indi idual a e c ea ed as a kind o p o ec i e
unc ion o he indi idual as pa o a communi y, which s uc u es and de e mines he hinking
and ac ing o he indi idual. The habi us is based on he concep o capi al accumula ion, which
Bou dieu de eloped o explain he “inequali y o school pe o mance o child en om di e en
social classes” (Bou dieu 1983, 185) and o name he p inciple o social e ec s. Fo Bou dieu,
capi al is “accumula ed labo , ei he in he o m o ma e o in in e nalized, ‘inco po a ed’ o m”
(Bou dieu 1983, 183), while habi us is an exp ession o cul u al and social capi al, which a e de-
ined mo e ully below.
Cul u al capi al
Cul u al capi al mani es s i sel in h ee o ms:
1. In an objec i ied s a e in he o m o books, wo ks o a , pic u es and echnical ins umen s,
cul u al capi al can usually be exp essed di ec ly in mone a y amoun s and hus con e ed
in o economic capi al (Fuchs-Hein i z and König 2014). In pa icula , he possession o books
in a amily has a conside able in luence on ce ain achie emen s, especially on he eading
skills o child en.
2.
In an inco po a ed, in e nalized s a e, “cul u al capi al consis s o he cul u al knowledge, abili-
ies and skills o an indi idual” (Fuchs-Hein i z & König, 2014, 130), which may be exp essed as
“educa ion” in Ge man, “cul u e” in F ench and "cul i a ion" in English. Acco ding o Bou dieu,
15 ILO Wo king Pape 137
he accumula ion o cul u e equi es a “p ocess o uni ica ion” (Bou dieu 1983, 186). Time mus
be in es ed in he app op ia ion o cul u al capi al. Du ing p ima y educa ion, an indi idual
al eady unconsciously in e nalizes cul u al capi al, which a ies g ea ly depending on social
backg ound. G owing up in a ce ain milieu in luences he o m o cul u al capi al, which is
e lec ed in he manne o speaking and social beha iou – he habi us. Thus, cul u al capi al
is linked o he pe son in his o he biological uniqueness and is passed on by way o social in-
he i ance, which admi edly always happens in sec e and o en emains comple ely in isible.
3. In addi ion o inco po a ed cul u al capi al, he e is also ins i u ionalized cul u al capi al, he
objec i ied o m o inco po a ed cul u al capi al; i is decla ed legi ima e in he o m o g ad-
ua ion ce i ica es and educa ional diplomas, because i mee s ins i u ional s anda ds in he
o m o examina ions (Fuchs-Hein i z and König 2014). The school diploma ep esen s a o m
o educa ional capi al and is he p oduc o a ans o ma ion o economic capi al in o cul u al
capi al, as educa ion equi es ime and money.
Social capi al
Social capi al is an indi idual's ne wo k o social ela ionships, including hei iendships, ela-
ionships o us and acquain ances, as well as membe ships in g oups, o ganiza ions o p o-
essional associa ions (Fuchs-Hein i z and König 2014). Howe e , he membe s o a social g oup
p esuppose he ecogni ion o a minimum o homogenei y in habi us among he pa icipan s,
which s ongly in luences he possibili ies o ela ionship-building and he endowmen s o social
g oups wi h economic and cul u al capi al.
The ne wo k o ela ionships is he p oduc o indi idual o collec i e in es men s a egies, which
a e consciously o unconsciously aimed a c ea ing and main aining social ela ions ha soone
o la e p omise angible bene i s. To main ain his ne wo k o ela ionships, ime-in ensi e e-
la ionship wo k is necessa y, which is wha Bou dieu means by “ ep oduc ion o social capi al”.
Finally, social capi al se es o main ain and inc ease economic and cul u al capi al. Howe e , he
membe s o a social g oup p esuppose he ecogni ion o a minimum o homogenei y in habi us
among he pa icipan s, which s ongly in luences he possibili ies o building ela ionships and
he endowmen o social g oups wi h economic and cul u al capi al. In summa y, acco ding o
Bou dieu, i is he endowmen o he amily o o igin wi h economic, cul u al and social capi al ha
ul ima ely de e mines he acquisi ion o educa ional quali ica ions and hus educa ional success.
As soon as hey en e school, child en b ing wi h hem di e en inco po a ed cul u al capi al,
which is e lec ed in linguis ic exp ession, di e en p io knowledge and di e en ways o in e -
ac ing and lea ning (Sacchi e al. 2011). Thus, he di e en achie emen s o child en owe mo e
o di e ences in he endowmen o inco po a ed human capi al a ising om hei o igin han
o hei di e en alen s, al hough he p e-eminence o hei alen s is o en pos ula ed in ed-
uca ion policy, hus pe pe ua ing he my h o equal oppo uni ies in he educa ion sys em. Fo
Bou dieu, “abili y” o “ alen ” is he p oduc o an in es men o ime and cul u al capi al (Bou dieu
1983, 186). Fo Bou dieu, school pe o mance e alua ions a e also de e mined by he social back-
g ound o he pupils, such as non-pe o mance ac o s in e ms o hei appea ance, clo hing
and linguis ic exp ession, so ha he habi us o a pupil is included in hei e alua ion. Thus, o a
la ge ex en , his also e lec s inco po a ed cul u al capi al, which “p oduces pe manen , b u al
discon inui ies om a con inuum o minimal di e ences in pe o mance” (Bou dieu 1983, 190).
In o he wo ds, he educa ion sys em con e s he sligh es di e ences in pe o mance in o pe -
manen “class di e ences” (Sacchi e al. 2011).
16 ILO Wo king Pape 137
Social backg ound is decisi e no only o success a he indi idual le el o educa ional decisions
bu also a he ins i u ionalized le el o selec ion p ocesses .Child en om uneduca ed homes a e
o en gi en lowe g ades by eache s han hose om educa ed homes, which is also e lec ed
in selec ion p ocesses o di e en achie emen le els. Family social capi al also plays a majo
ole in he ansi ion o he educa ion ma ke ; he social s a us o he amily, as well as he size
and quali y o i s ne wo k o ela ionships, in luence he oppo uni ies o amily membe s on
he aining ma ke . In addi ion, young people om educa ionally disad an aged backg ounds
do no exhibi he same beha iou and li e aspi a ions, a i udes, basic alues and desi ed social
s a us and he e o e o en s ay in hei own g oups, hei so-called pee g oups, because his
gi es hem a eeling o secu i y and sa e y.
To gain a be e unde s anding o hese social clus e s, which also o m in he wo ld o wo k,
sec ion 3 below links he concep o Bou dieu o he SINUS Me a Milieus model, which clus e s
g oups wi h simila cul u al, social and economic capi al.
17 ILO Wo king Pape 137
X3 SINUS Me a Milieus model
The SINUS Me a Milieus model was de eloped by he SINUS Ins i u e, an independen ins i u e
o ma ke and social esea ch in Ge many (SINUS Ins i u 2024). The model is based on he li e-
wo ld analysis o socie y. A he in e na ional le el, he e a e ansna ional models, one o es-
ablished ma ke s and one o eme ging ma ke s (see igs. 2 and 3).
The SINUS Me a Milieus ha e been es ablished in mo e han 50 coun ies. They can be used
in he Eu opean Union, as well as in he Asia–Paci ic, La in Ame ican and No h Ame ican F ee
T ade Ag eemen economic a eas, and can be de eloped o coun ies in o he egions a any
ime. Common pa e ns can be iden i ied in almos all coun ies o he wo ld in e ms o alue
o ien a ions, li es yles and consume p e e ences. Mos o he ime, i can be seen ha people
om di e en coun ies bu compa able milieus ha e mo e in common wi h each o he han
wi h he es o hei compa io s.
The SINUS model desc ibes di e en social milieus, each wi h cha ac e is ic a i udes and li e o i-
en a ions. Each social milieu, ep esen ing a speci ic “li e wo ld”, de e mines he ecogni ion o a
minimum o homogenei y in social beha iou among g oup membe s. Table 8 and 9 explain he
cha ac e is ics o each milieu in e ms o beha iou , li e aspi a ions, a i udes, basic alues and
desi ed social s a us. In igu es 2 and 3, he milieus in he model a e placed in he X coo dina e
axis o basic alues and he Y coo dina e axis o he le el o social s a us. The mo e a milieu is
owa ds he ze o poin , he mo e adi ional and sa e y-o ien ed is he milieu. The mo e a mi-
lieu is placed o he igh on he X axis, he mo e opene i is o new challenges and cul u al di -
e ences; people belonging o hese milieus can easily handle unsa e si ua ions. They a e o en
eelance s and ha e hei own business as hey lo e change and new expe iences. The concep
o Bou dieu and he SINUS me a milieu model i oge he as hey analyse he social beha iou
o g oups o amilies.
XFigu e 2. SINUS Me a Milieus model o es ablished ma ke s
Sou ce: SINUS Ins i u (2024).

18 ILO Wo king Pape 137
XTable 8. Desc ip ions o SINUS Me a Milieus o es ablished ma ke s
SINUS Me a Milieu Desc ip ion
Es ablished S a us-d i en conse a i e eli e. High sel -con idence; classic esponsibili y and pe o -
mance e hics; exclusi i y and s a us claims; accep ance o social o de .
In ellec uals Academic eli e wi h pos -ma e ial oo s. High a ini y o indulgence, sensuali y, a and
cul u e; c i ical o globaliza ion; ad oca ing o jus ice and public wel a e; aking esponsibili y
o onesel and o he s; a ini y o (con inuing) educa ion and emb acing quali y o li e.
Pe o me s E iciency- and p og ess-o ien ed mode n eli e. Global economic and libe al hinking; a -
ini y o “bes in class” consump ion, mode n design, ea ly adop ing; in e es in echnology
and digi aliza ion; compe i i e and ca ee -o ien ed, ne wo ke ; open o change, new hings.
Cosmopoli an a an
ga de
Ambi ious and indi idualis ic a an ga de. Cosmopoli an, u ban, mobile and lexible; dig-
i al nomads, li es yle angua ds; p onounced sel -exp ession; pos mode n li es yle eli e, an-
i-mains eam, desi e o s and ou ; joie de i e, ambi ious and success-o ien ed.
P og essi e ealis s D i e s o social ans o ma ion. Sus ainable li es yle wi hou ideology o enuncia ion;
d i ing he global social ans o ma ion; p og essi e, op imis ic; aking esponsibili y o socie-
y; ease o dealing wi h con adic ions, pa y and p o es , se iousness and en e ainmen .
Adap i e na iga o s Adap ing mode n mains eam. Flexible p agma is s; young mode n middle class; high
willingness o adap and pe o m; mode n li es yle, digi al a ini y; eliable and loyal, open o
new – bu es ed and e i ied – hings.
Sensa ion-o ien ed Ma e ialis ic- and en e ainmen - ocused (lowe ) middle class. Hedonis ic app oach,
wi h ocus on oday; conspicuous consump ion; adjus men i necessa y, b eakou i possible;
unconce ned, open o isks; an i-bou geois ye ma e ialis ic li es yle, ejec ion o poli ical co -
ec ness and con en ions; looking o un, ac ion, en e ainmen , s imula ion.
Con en ional main-
s eam
Ha mony-seeking olde middle-class. Middle class unde inancial and ideological p es-
su e; desi e o secu e ci cums ances, ea o losing well-dese ed achie emen s; sea ch o
communi y, cohesion, social li e, neighbo ly suppo – down o ea h; dis us owa ds he p i-
macy o he eli es – eeling o being le ou in a ou o o he s.
T adi ionals O de -seeking olde gene a ion. Pe y bou geois wo ld, adi ional wo king-class cul u e;
desi e o social secu i y, ha mony, consis ency; ( olun a y) disconnec ion om mode n li e-
s yle and digi al cul u e; desi e o simple, sa e, down- o-ea h li es yle.
Consume ma e ialis s Lowe class s i ing o o ien a ion and pa icipa ion. P eca ious li ing condi ions; un-
demanding adap a ion o necessi ies; desi e o consump ion s anda d o he middle class;
de ian cohesion wi hin hei own communi y; ea o speed o change, being le behind.
Sou ce: Sinus Ins i u (2024).
19 ILO Wo king Pape 137
XFigu e 3. SINUS Me a Milieus model o eme ging ma ke s
Sou ce : Sinus Ins i u (2024).
XTable 9. Desc ip ions o SINUS Me a Milieus o eme ging ma ke s
Sinus Me a Milieu Desc ip ion
Conse a i e es ab-
lished
Hei s o au ho i y and o de . Pa ia chic, claim o powe , s a us and leade ship, amily- and
clan- hinking; sense o du y and o de ; social p es ige, e hics o esponsibili y; eligion and a-
di ion.
Mode n es ablished Cul i a ed connoisseu s. Sophis ica ion, s a us o ien a ion, s a egic li e-planning; indul-
gence and wo k-li e-balance, educa ion and quali ica ion; libe al and ole an , social and eco-
logical esponsibili y; leade ship wi h a sense o pu pose.
Mode n pe o ming Compe i i e mode n eli e. Economic eli e, en ep eneu ship, pe o mance and e iciency,
sel -de e mina ion; semi-global hinking; supe io i y and dis inc ion, willingness o pe o m;
achie e s, ne wo ke s and isk- ake s; bes -in-class mindse .
Cosmopoli an a an
ga de
Indi idualis ic digi al ma e icks. Young and weal hy, digi al, global, mobile socialize s;
global-wes e n a i ude; c ea i e and indi idualis ic, sel - ealiza ion; eedom and independ-
ence; en ep eneu ial spi i .
Success-o ien ed P agma ic social climbe s. Willingness o pe o m, social climbe men ali y, lexibili y- and
secu i y-d i en; balance o wo k and amily/ iends; sense o adi ion and o de ; p agma ic
and ambi ious.
Sensa ion-o ien ed Th ill-seeking end- ollowe s: Spon anei y, un, h ills and ac ion; end adop ion and
imi a ion o Wes e n li es yles; ca e eeness, independence; y o keep up wi h ends and
b ands; con lic wi h adi ional alues and eligion; ma e ialism; lexible and mobile.
Adap ing mains eam Adap ed ha mony-seeke s. Conse a i e-ma e ialis ic, s a us-o ien ed, o de and ha mo-
ny; balance o secula and eligious li e; social ules and mo ali ies; eel p essu e o keep up;
nex -gene a ion hinking; sea ch o communi y, cohesion, neighbou ly suppo .
T adi ional u al En oo ed adi ionalis s. S ong communi y and amily ies; eligion and belie (spi i uali y);
i ualized e e yday li e; obedience and modes y; a aid o losing adi ions, ules and alues.
U ban wo king class Wo king class wi hou p ospec s. Socially dep i ed, up oo ed, ea and esen men s; o e -
cha ged by mode niza ion, s i ing o basic needs; sho - e m consume o ien a ion, ma e i-
alism; solida i y wi hin own ne wo k; seek en e ainmen o dis ac ions.
Sou ce: SINUS Ins i u (2024).
20 ILO Wo king Pape 137
I is he e o e no su p ising ha young people o en op o simila p o essions o hose o hei
pa en s; e e y communi y o wo k has i s own habi us, i s way o social in e ac ing, alues and
a i udes. As a esul he young pe son chooses a wo king en i onmen in which his acqui ed
habi us is accep ed and gi es him sa e y and p o ec ion.
To summa ize, he au ho ans e s he indings om he s udies o he a ge g oup o disad-
an aged young people in o de o make ecommenda ions o policymake s, employe s` asso-
cia ions and ade unions. In doing so, she i s loca es his disad an aged g oup o young peo-
ple in he SINUS model in o de o es ablish a ma ch wi h he skilled ades.
21 ILO Wo king Pape 137
X4 Ma ching o milieus and skilled ades:
Un apped po en ial o human capi a
A good i be ween he app en ice and hei aining company is a basic p e equisi e o success-
ul aining (see ig.1). A high quali y o aining and quali y app en iceships a e cha ac e ized by
an open, us ing a mosphe e and a cons uc i e e o cul u e. Bu his alone is no enough o
ensu e a high le el o i o he app en ice. I he alues, o ms o in e ac ion and li e aspi a ions
do no co espond o he app en ice's acqui ed habi us, which he has unconsciously adap ed
om his amily, he will no eel com o able and p o ec ed in he new communi y o wo k, which
can also lead o d opou .
Conside ing disad an aged young people, i is usually no he habi us ha leads o d opou bu
he lack o p oblem-sol ing skills and lea ning s a egies, as well as he low us a ion ole ance
combined wi h he low sel -e icacy expe ienced a school, ha ha e a deg ading in luence on
sel -es eem. The impo ance o indi idual cha ac e is ics o a success ul lea ning p ocess canno
be o e emphasized; un o una ely, g ades say li le abou he pe o mance po en ial o lea n-
e s, as g ades a e la gely de e mined by he cul u al, social and economic capi al o pa en s as
well as he pe o mance expec a ions o eache s – ac o s ha child en and young people om
low-income and socially disad an aged amilies can ha dly in luence.
Fo his eason, hese child en mus al eady be suppo ed in elemen a y school in o de o c e-
a e equal oppo uni ies so ha hey can achie e hei ull po en ial. When i comes o he ansi-
ion o he labou ma ke , i is o en di icul o ca ch hese young people du ing he o en e y
di icul pe iod o pube y wi h ho monal luc ua ions, because hei pe sonali y ai s ha e al-
eady been nega i ely ein o ced by he us a ions ha hey ha e o en expe ienced despi e
hei bes e o s. I addic ion p oblems a e al eady p esen , i becomes e en mo e di icul o
keep hem in he educa ion p ocess in he long e m. The impo ance o good aining quali y
as a o m o p e en ion agains he isk o d opping ou is elabo a ed in his pape . T aining sa -
is ac ion and aining quali y a e highly co ela ed, which is conduci e o an op imal i pe cep-
ion o he chosen p o ession. Young people wi h a e mina ed app en iceship con ac indica e
lowe sel -es eem, lowe sel -e icacy and lowe con idence in hei success han young people
wi hou a e mina ed app en iceship con ac .
In he con ac e mina ion g oup, he w ong ca ee choice was ci ed as he main eason o he
e mina ion, along wi h he di icul aining condi ions. Based on he in e iews, i is assumed
ha young people in lowe -pe o mance g oups and om amilies wi h low socio-economic
backg ound o en did no make a conscious choice o app en iceship bu a he ook he i s
a ailable app en iceship o ea o no ecei ing aining, which a ou s p oblems wi h he i .
While conduc ing he in e iews wi h he con ac e mina ion g oup, i was no iceable ha ad-
olescen s men ioned simila desi es, ea s, school expe iences and con lic - esolu ion pa e ns.
Disad an aged adolescen s o en had dys unc ional coping s a egies. Adolescen s wi h uncon-
scious impulsi e and eac i e con lic - esolu ion pa e ns epo ed inc eased use o addic i e
subs ances such as ciga e es, alcohol o ma ijuana. Young people wi h accumula ed nega i e
social and emo ional expe iences a e pa icula ly sensi i e o a poo wo king en i onmen and
o ca egi e s who do no engage wi h hem emo ionally. They a e e y quick o blame hem-
sel es and he e o e quickly wi hd aw.
ILO Regional O ice o Asia and he Paci ic
DWT–Bangkok
ILO Coun y O ice o Thailand
Uni ed Na ions Building, 11 h Floo
Rajdamne n Nok A enue, P.O. Box 2-349
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
T +662 288 12 34
[email p o ec ed]
XAd ancing social jus ice, p omo ing decen wo k
The In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion is he Uni ed Na ions agency o he wo ld o wo k. We b ing oge he go e nmen s, employe s and wo ke s
o imp o e he wo king li es o all people, d i ing a human-cen ed app oach o he u u e o wo k h ough employmen c ea ion, igh s a wo k,
social p o ec ion and social dialogue.
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