Governing sustainable school to work transitions: Can Germany learn from Denmark?

In international comparison, dual systems of vocational education and training are often considered to be more successful than school-based systems for managing sustainable transitions from school to work. This assessment is particularly valid for Switzerland, while the German dual system has increasingly come under criticism since the Covid-19 pandemic, especially with regard to the declining attractiveness of its vocational tracks. The comparative focus is rarely put on Denmark with its promising mix of both principles. A comparison of the two countries therefore seems appealing. The study starts by developing the theoretical framework of transitional labour markets: normatively, it stresses professional sovereignty against labour market fitness, while analytically, it emphasises fair risk and balanced power sharing as principles of good governance. It then considers the actors, regulations, transition paths, current developments and problems of the two countries, enriched with descriptive statistics. Germany can learn from Denmark, especially regarding early career orientation in school, income security that encourages risk-taking during the complex transition process, the continuous updating and modularisation of curricula, and adaptive cooperation between schools, companies, social partners and municipalities. The weaknesses of the Danish system, however, provide also lessons, especially the erosion of the attractiveness of vocational education and training. Reform options for Germany conclude the study.