Dropout during Vocational Training
A Critical Review of the Situation in the "Berufsbildungswerk Würzburg" as a Provider of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
The statistics about vocational training records early contract terminations in vocational training since the 1980s (cf. BiBB, 2018). From this aspect, the premature termination of a vocational training contract is "value-free" subsumed, whereas causes and the contractual side, which initiates the termination, are not revealed. According to the current dates each fourth apprenticeship was prematurely terminated; the following vocational training of these young people remains unclear. This particularly affects young people who have a secondary school qualification at the most and strive for a vocational qualification in trade and home economics. Risk factors are the citizenship of the adolescents, previous negative learning experiences, gender as well as the socio-economical environment (cf. Frey et al. 2012). The temporal focus of contract termination is manifested in the first year of vocational training.
The Berufsbildungswerk Würzburg (https://caritas-donbosco.de/) provides – as an institution for vocational rehabilitation several offers for vocational preparation and vocational training. In line with the trend throughout Germany (cf. BAG BBW 2014), this institution addresses young people with learning disabilities and increasingly more people with mental diseases. Regarding the dropout in vocational training institutions, there haven`t been any systematically comprehensive analyses so far. A dropout is understood here as the premature termination of the apprenticeship, which can be initiated by different contract parties.
The aim of the project was to contribute to the analysis of this phenomenon in the Berufsbildungswerk Würzburg. In addition, exemplary findings can be brought to bear in the nationwide discussion about the initial vocational rehabilitation of rehabilitants (cf. BMAS 2018, 106).
A theory framework, which is based on a literature investigation, was developed. It helps to find possible reasons for a dropout especially in the target group above mentioned. Subsequently, the dropouts during the last four years of vocational training were analysed with regard to quantity and quality by means of analysis criterias (analysis of documents). Based on the problem-centred interview method, young people who early terminated during the vocational training year 2018/2019 were retrospectively interviewed by phone about their vocational training course and the dropout process. These analyses were the basis for a qualitative interview of young people and trainers in the vocational training year 2019/20 concerning the potential in term of dropout of the current vocational training year. Based on the findings, advices with regard to prevention and, if necessary, constructive design of potential dropout processes were given to the Berufsbildungswerk Würzburg. This contributed to the development of organisation as an integral process at the same time.
Term: 15. April 2019 – 15. April 2020
Funding institution: Caritas-Don Bosco gGmbH Würzburg
Research unit:
Prof. Dr. Roland Stein
Hans-Walter Kranert, Academic Council
Miriam Warmuth, academic staff
Contact:
Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg
Faculty of Human Sciences
Institute for Special Education
Chair of Special Education V
Wittelsbacherplatz 1
97074 Würzburg
phone: 0931 / 31-86111
hans.kranert@uni-wuerzburg.de
