Signalling Effect of Educational Careers on the Chances of Entering Vocational Education and Training: Results of a Vignette Study

Abstract

The German education system includes a variety of educational pathways to school-leaving qualifications via general and vocationally oriented schools. This article presents a vignette study used to experimentally analyse the selection of applicants from general and vocationally oriented schools with a lower secondary school–leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss), intermediate secondary school–leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss), or university entrance qualification ([Fach-]Hochschulreife) for an interview for a vocational training option in a company. Based on a signalling approach, five hypotheses were developed on the signalling effect of school-leaving qualification, school type, and the general vs. vocational knowledge acquired in the various pathways. The data set comprises 884 recruiters in companies with low-level vocational training options (where more than half of the trainees have, at most, an intermediate school-leaving certificate) and 1308 recruiters in companies with high-level vocational training options (where more than half of the trainees have at least an intermediate school-leaving certificate). The results show for both segments that the clearest signalling effect is attributable to vocational knowledge: Applicants with a school-leaving certificate from a vocationally oriented school in an occupational field relevant to the vocational training option have the best chances of being invited for an interview, whereas applicants with a school-leaving certificate from a vocationally oriented school in an occupational field distal to the vocational training option have the lowest chances.