Career decisions of healthcare assistants after their vocational education

Abstract

This thesis examines the transition of young adults into employment or tertiary healthcare education after completion of their upper-secondary healthcare assistant (HCA) training. Based on a theoretical model of subjective cost and value evaluation and labour market theories which posit an influence of structural differences of firms on working careers, the influence of gender, socio-economic status and training firm characteristics were tested. The analyses are based on a longitudinal survey of HCA students. Data collection took place at the end of and one year after their apprenticeship. Educational choices were analysed using multinomial logistic regressions. The results show that the career decision depends on structural characteristics of the training firm, gender, socio-economic status of the family and on cost and value evaluation, all other factors equal. The results prompt new research questions and provide a much needed basis for developing measures against the emerging nursing care crisis