Author(s): Martins, Pedro Silva ; Silva, Pedro Luis ; Temudo, Madalena ; Pinho, Ana
Date: 2026
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/206362
Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
Subject(s): School-based vocational education; Peer choices; School-to-work transition; NEET; Job quality; SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
Vocational education and training (VET) may accelerate employment transitions at the cost of reducing further education participation. We quantify this trade-off in a school-based VET system, drawing on linked administrative and survey data in Portugal. We use the share of lower-secondary classmates who subsequently choose upper-secondary VET as an instrument for individual VET enrollment. We find a pronounced trade-off in early post-school transitions: vocational enrollment increases employment by 26-34 percentage points and improves several job quality indicators; however, VET reduces further education participation by 30-40 percentage points and is associated with higher unemployment.
