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Pathways Engagement and Transitions: How young people experiencing disadvantage navigate the first three years after leaving school

16 June 2025

the cover of the pathways engagement and transition june 2025 issue

This fifth report in the Pathways, Engagement and Transitions (PET) series sheds light on the destinations and dynamic experiences of young people experiencing disadvantage in their first three years after leaving Year 12. It also identifies the factors that have helped or hindered young people’s successful navigation of work and study post-school.

It is based on three longitudinal surveys and interviews conducted annually from 2021 to 2023 with financially disadvantaged young people who were in Year 12 in late 2020 and on The Smith Family’s long-term educational scholarship program, Learning for Life.

KEY FINDINGS

87% of young people were engaged in work and/or study in the third year after leaving school.
A further 11% were looking for work or engaged in volunteering or unpaid training
60% of respondents had completed or were on track to complete at least one post-school qualification
72% were engaged in employment in the third year after leaving school
64% of the young people who were only working were employed part-time, and nearly half wanted to work more hours
47% of those who were only working were employed in retail, sales or hospitality.

Summary

Longitudinal data collected through the PET surveys from young people experiencing disadvantage shows:

Post-school pathways are highly variable, even among young people with similar backgrounds.
Early engagement matters – being fully engaged in the first-year post-school, predicts ongoing engagement.
Career management skills are critical to navigating complex transitions and adapting to challenges when they arise.
Strong support networks, including adults outside the family and school, enhance young people’s opportunities, motivation and direction.

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young woman with a coffee cup wearing a yellow t shirt

Young people's participation in work and study post school

In their third year after finishing school 87 percent of young people were engaged in work and/or study (up from 77 percent in the first year, and 85 percent in the second year). A further 11 percent were looking for work or engaged in volunteering or unpaid training. Only three percent were not participating in any of these activities.

Young people had actively pursued further study, with 60 percent completing or on track to complete at least one post-school qualification. Around three quarters of young people (72 percent) were engaged in employment in the third year after leaving school.

While the vast majority of young people were engaged, many were still facing a range of challenges. Three in five young people (57 percent) were fully engaged, that is, working and/or studying full-time, and 30 percent were partially engaged.

Two-thirds of young people who were only working were employed part-time, and nearly half wanted to work more hours. Almost half (47 percent) of those who were only working were employed in retail, sales or hospitality. These data suggest that in the third-year post Year 12, many young people are finding it challenging to secure full-time employment and establish a longer-term career path.

Many post-school pathways are dynamic and non-linear

Overall, young people’s pathways were highly dynamic, with 56 percent of young people having a different level of engagement at least once across the three surveys. The type of activity (work and/or study) young people were engaged in also varied over time. Of those who were fully engaged in each of the three years post Year 12, 43 percent changed their work and study arrangements over time.

Early post-school engagement was a strong predictor of later engagement. Three-quarters (73 percent) of those who were fully engaged in their first-year post-school remained so in the third year. Conversely, only a quarter (28 percent) of those not engaged in the first year were fully engaged by the third year.

a young woman working on a woodworking bench

Factors influencing young people's engagement

The survey data shows that earlier school experiences, such as English and maths grades or school attendance , as well as some demographic characteristics, such as Indigeneity and language background, were associated with young people’s continued engagement in work and/or study over time. For example, 56 percent of young people with a non-English speaking background parent or carer were fully engaged in both their first and third year post Year 12, compared to 35 percent of those with an English-speaking background parent or carer.

The interview data also shows how multiple external and individual factors interact to influence young people’s experiences and engagement in work and study over the three years since leaving Year 12. External factors included the availability, quality, stability and affordability of supports and opportunities related to housing, health care, transport, study and employment. They also included the social capital acquired through strong and diverse adult support networks, particularly those built via employment and study.

Individual factors supporting strong engagement in work and study included cognitive capacity, good health, personal attributes and career management skills. Career management skills comprise three learning areas:

Personal management – a positive self-concept that identifies defined education and career pathways, strong interpersonal skills that facilitate personal growth, and an ability to adapt to life/work challenges.
Learning and work exploration – capacity to collate and critically analyse career related information and make informed choices relating to career options.
Career building– capacity to create conditions that secure and maintain a career pathway.

The PET study shows that external and individual factors combined in varied ways for young people and contributed to their diverse pathways and transitions:

Highly engaged young people had clear goals, strong support networks and well-developed career management skills. They successfully navigated alternative pathways, overcame setbacks and adjusted plans while staying on track.

People finishing high school should always talk to their career advisor from school, and talk to people from different industries about what their jobs look like, and their experience. And always ask questions… the more you ask, the more you gain.

Babak

I’m not going to give up. I don’t give up. If I want something, I’m going to keep trying for it.

Evana

Moderately engaged young people had aspirations but often lacked structured plans or supportive networks to help them implement them. They tended to move between casual work and study, often reacting to circumstances rather than shaping them.

There are 11 of us in the house…it’s just very hard…just physically draining and mentally tiring because I’ve had to try and work out ways to make everything fit…It’s just a lot more hectic…I’ve started working graveyard shifts…I’m hoping it all works out.

Braden

I did a five-day trial period in a petting zoo but sadly did not get the traineeship. I’m not too sure why. They said I didn’t know enough…That was the only reason I was given.

Alice

Young people with limited/mixed engagement experiences faced multiple and complex barriers, including housing instability, poor mental health, and limited adult support networks, that contributed to prolonged disengagement from work and study. Despite their aspirations, their immediate circumstances overwhelmed their ability to plan or act towards long-term goals.

I had no clue…where I wanted to go with my future…and was pretty lost after school…I just wanted to get into the workforce…and then I was thinking I’d soon find out what I wanted to do, but…it didn’t happen that way.

Toby

young woman wearing a pink shirt holding books

Strengthening young people's post-school pathways

Data collected through the PET study across 2021 to 2023 has consistently shown that strengthening the post-school pathways of young people experiencing disadvantage requires:

Greater individualised support while at school, including early intervention for those struggling with the academic and social demands of school and support for those with personal concerns which affect their engagement with school.
A focus on intentional career development learning for young people both at school and post-school. This should include personalised career advice and support, which helps them articulate their post school plans and the steps required to achieve this plan. This support should enable young people to access available resources and explore a range of postschool pathways.
Supporting family members’ access to up-to-date labour market, education and training information, and how they can help young people to develop and achieve post-school goals.
Providing opportunities to formally increase the social capital and career-related adult networks of young people experiencing disadvantage, including through contact with employers.
Identifying young people as a priority group in national and state/territory employment policies and programs including a focus on helping those experiencing disadvantage to build meaningful career pathways.
System investment to provide young people experiencing disadvantage with timely and affordable access to social services, such as health, mental health and housing.

The Smith Family gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions and insights provided by young people contributing to the ongoing PET study. The quotes and case studies throughout this report have been compiled from interview transcripts, however, the names and photographs used do not represent the individuals involved. Some minor details have been changed to ensure anonymity.