Abstract
The problem. The American pattern of entry into careers has been described as chaotic. Lack of a structured transition program from school to work has had a great and lasting effect, especially on minority youth. There is need for a process that will contribute to the alleviation of this problem. Currently, there is little information on the success or lack thereof regarding existing school-to-work transition programs. Methodology. The study was an ex-post-facto descriptive study. Matched pairs (275 pairs) of students from an Apparel Marketing/Merchandising Program and from the general student population of four high schools in two different school districts were involved in a telephone survey. Findings. (1) A significantly higher number of students who had the subject school-to-work transition program graduated from high school, secured full-time employment, were promoted to a position with management responsibility, received an increase in salary, and continued their education by attending college than of those who had a regular high school program. The data support the notion proposed in Second to None that students who receive early job training and who see a relationship between classroom activities and the real world will be more successful than those who do not. Conclusions and recommendations. Analysis indicates that this program contributes to a reduction in the dropout rate and provides workers to meet employment needs. Participants saw a correlation between academic studies and future employment. Recommendations include having programs that help students see the relationship between school and work. Parts of the subject study program that could be used or modified for use include: the structured use of business as unpaid and paid training sites; articulation agreements with participating community colleges/universities; the use of community resources to provide support services for students; student certification based on prescribed competencies; the use of cooperative learning strategies.