Transitions into vocational education and training by lower and intermediate secondary school leavers. Can male adolescents compensate for their school-based educational disadvantage in comparison with female adolescents?

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

Table 3 Search for vocational education training leading to a full vocational qualification at the end of the school career (proportion as a percent)

Type of education and training searched for	Maximum lower secondary school leaving certificate			Intermediate school leaving certificate
Type of education and training searched for	Male adolescents	Female adolescents	Pearson’s Chi squared test (unweighted sample)	Male adolescents	Female adolescents	Pearson’s Chi squared test (unweighted sample)
Search for company-based education and training (exclusively or simultaneously also for school-based education and training)	70	63	χ²(1) = 7.91 p = .005	75	71	χ²(1) = 3.75 p = .053
Search for school-based education and training^a (exclusively or simultaneously also for company-based education and training)	22	32	χ²(1) = 14.48 p = .000	23	39	χ²(1) = 43.18 p = .000
Overall search for vocational education training leading to a full vocational qualification	74	71	χ²(1) = 2.05 p = .152	80	81	χ²(1) = 0.34 p = .560
No search for vocational education training leading to a full vocational qualification^b	26	29	χ²(1) = 2.05 p = .152	20	19	χ²(1) = 0.34 p = .560

Basis Young adults born between 1987 to 1993 whose school career ended no later than the end of 2010 and who achieved maximum intermediate school leaving certificate (weighted results; unweighted sample size = 2635)
^aIncluding search for a civil servant career
^bPearson’s Chi squared test (unweighted sample): male adolescents with maximum lower secondary school leaving certificate vs. male adolescents with intermediate school leaving certificate: χ²(1) = 9.22, p = .002; female adolescents with maximum lower secondary school leaving certificate vs. female adolescents with intermediate school leaving certificate: χ²(1) = 20.67, p = .000