The Vocational Training of Young Migrants in Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom. Synthesis Report

This study looked at the overall situation of the immigrant population, and young immigrants in particular, and analyzed such problem areas as the transition from school to working life and the inadequacies of initial training with relation to the situation in Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom. National monographs for each country were prepared. They all point to very similar, if not identical, problem areas; (1) problems relating to the education of children of migrant workers and (2) problems concerning access to vocational training and the links between success at school, success in vocational training, success in employment, and access to the labor market. Analysis of the monographs confirms the existence of close links between the various problems, converging to a central point that could be termed the "level of cultural, social, and vocational integration." Problem areas include the family and school (knowledge of the host language, time of arrival in the host country, preschool attendance, lack of motivation for staying in school, ghettos); school and vocational training (failure leads to failure, discrimination); and vocational training and employment (reduction of low-skill jobs). Research was suggested to improve the children's situation by finding out more about their home life and better ways to teach them, especially languages. (KC)