Exploring new paths: non-standard transitions to the labour market of low-qualified youth

Objective

Low-qualified youth is a vulnerable group highly exposed to risks and the accumulation of disadvantages. Early school leaving and low qualifications, as stated by the European Commission, is linked to risk life outcomes such as unemployment, social exclusion or poor health. Consequently, these aspects are included in the European Pillars of Social Rights Action Plan 2030. EXPLOTRANS will produce new knowledge on the school-to-work transitions (STWT) of low-qualified young people in Spain and the impact the non-standard transitions have on subsequent labour market outcomes. From a holistic approach the project will overcome gaps and limitations of previous research. There is a gap in prior research on how specific STWT of low-qualified youth are related to labour market outcomes. Even more when looking at the analysis of the configuration of non-standard patterns considering individual characteristics such as gender, migration, and socioeconomic background. Why Spain as a case of study? 1) one of the highest early school leaving rates and the highest youth unemployment rate in Europe; 2) limited longitudinal and mixed-methods research on the topic, thus the research gap is wider than in other EU countries; 3) excellent case of study in terms of the weak vocational and training system (VET) and labour market; 4) the findings will facilitate future comparisons with other EU countries and contribute to develop relevant EU policies. Thus, using a mixed-methods approach and cutting-edge developments on sequence analysis, the project will provide new and evidence-based findings for academic, political, and societal use. EXPLOTRANS will significantly impact my academic career. Under the guidance of Prof. Ortiz Gervasi at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), the project will consolidate me as an independent and international scholar. The host institution offers