Transition difficulties: from lower secondary school to vocational education and training

There comes a time in every student’s life when they need to change their study path and undergo a transition process, which can be significant and decisive for their future. During these phases of change, students may face completely new situations and feel incapable of managing them. If these processes are properly managed, they can promote the individual’s positive growth, however, they can also lead to phenomena such as school dropout and social discomfort. From this perspective, it is necessary to identify the main challenges students encounter when transitioning from one educational stage to another and to intervene with targeted and preventive actions. This paper presents data from a case study conducted at a vocational training center in Rome. The research is the result of an exploratory investigation into the school transitions of students, specifically from lower secondary school to Vocational Education and Training (VET). The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, using questionnaires and interviews. The paper examines the levels of difficulty students faced when transitioning from lower secondary school to VET. To explore the main transition difficulties encountered by students, the Transition Difficulty Scale (SDIT) was used to analyze issues related to the microsystem of school-teachers, the microsystem of peers, and the microsystem of family. This tool serves as an initial screening instrument for identifying vulnerable students who may face a risk of academic failure and dropout. The aim of this work is to contribute to understanding the dynamics of school transition in Vocational Education and Training, a sector that is still underexplored in Italy, and to offer reflections for targeted interventions to prevent school dropout and support students in their educational journey.