Description:

Conceptual framework. The young people's transition from school to work, career development involves professional and social actors. In examination of relationship between education and work, exist two models: the meritocracy and the credentialist theory. What is learned in school, in credentialist model, bears little relationship with what us needed to perform a job and professional career development. How people with more or less schooling, with or without acquirement of professional skills and knowledge at school attain or fail to attain given levels of professional career development? What is it about schooling and possibility to acquire professional skills at school that cause those with more of it to achieve the higher level of professional career? Study aim: To illuminate the elements from which consists the content of relationship between schooling and work. Research question: Does the acquirement of professional skills and knowledge at school is a premise for pupil's professional career development at work focused on adequate professional area?

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:

Data collection: unstructured interviews were conducted and audio - taped. For data analysis was used the phenomenological hermeneutics: method oriented towards the interpretation of people's narrated, lived experiences. Sample. 10 BA 1st year students (social work, IT, business administration, nursing study programmes); 10 practitioners (representing the professional areas adequate to BA students study areas); 10 work organization executives (where interviewed professionals work); 10 school heads (where pupils acquire professional skills and knowledge).

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:

BA students identifying themselves as having a natural interest in concrete professional area because having specific skills and knowledge before entering higher education institutions (themes: self - esteem; identification as future professional practitioner; technical skills; team - working; leadership). Practitioners accentuated comprehensive view in professional area with the realistic view; learned skills; reflection before-, in-, after-action; capability to work autonomously and in a team. Work organization executives mentioned importance of high level professional expertise; comprehended meaning of polarity between specificity and wholeness of professional area as power in professional career development. School heads indicated roles of teachers in pupils' professional education: master, servant, spiritual teacher.Conclusions. In 'building' the relationship between acquirement of professional skills and knowledge at school and professional career development participate teachers, school heads, learners, work organization heads, colleagues practitioners. Content of relationship between schooling and work consists of these phenomenons: motivation to work in concrete professional area; understanding professional values; transition from theoretician to expert - practitioner; tansition from helpless to empowered practitioner.

References

• Bills, D., (2004). The Sociology of Education and Work. Blackwell Publishing, UK.
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• Kerchoff, A. (2000). Transition from school to work in comparatice perspective. In Hallinan, M. (ed.), Handbook of the Sociology of Education. Kluwer, New York, pp. 453 - 474.
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• Rosenbaum, J., Jones, S. (2000). Interactions between high schools and labor markets. In Hallinan, M. (ed.), Handbook of the Sociology of Education. Kluwer, New York, pp. 411 - 436.
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