Der Prozess der Berufsorientierung aus der Perspektive der Schülerschaft mit sonderpädagogischem Unterstützungsbedarf im Bereich Lernen an Förderschulen im Land Nordrhein-Westfalen

For students with a learning difficulties, the transition process from school to work poses great challenges. As a result of not having earned a school-leaving qualification or having developmental impairments, only few succeed in getting an apprenticeship position. Many adolescents and young adults start to gain their first qualifications while making use of the transitional system.
Vocational orientation was redesigned in 2011 in North Rhine-Westphalia. At the latest since the school year 2016/2017, all schools are required to offer the interventions of the school-based vocational orientation of the state project Kein Abschluss ohne Anschluss [No degree without affiliation]. In addition, specific interventions for students with special needs were considered. The goal of this federal state project is to increase students’ reflection with respect to their career choice, as well as optimizing the transition from school to work.
This quantitative-empirical study gains first insights on the students’ experiences in different interventions (potential analysis, portfolio pass, vocational boarding assistant, short and long-term student’s internship) and shows the relevance they attribute to the interventions for their vocational orientation process. Thus, congruencies and discrepancies with respect to students’ needs and the objectives of the state project are analyzed. A survey study with two measurement points was conducted (t1 at the end of grade 10 (Nt1 = 201) and t2 one year after leaving school (Nt2 = 80)). This procedure allows to compare the planned and actual careers, and gives information about which interventions have shown to be effective in the first year after leaving school.
Findings provide an opportunity to discuss the pedagogical accompaniment of students with special needs in school-based vocational orientation and, if necessary, how to optimize interventions accordingly. This study is also of relevance for inclusive school systems, so that they represent a starting point for continuing education and training for teachers.