Education and Work in the 21st Century

social conditions of youths in the school-job transition process in Germany and in Brazil

Abstract

The current context of education, jobs and employment -in particular the possibilities of employment of German and Brazilian young population - results from a set of changes in the world of work, which came along with scientific-technological advances and a new ideological-political world design, transmitted by a discourse on the society and the knowledge-based economy. This fact triggered a global sociopolitical and economic framework substitute for the golden years (1940-1960). Unemployment and precarious work would compose the new reality of the global productive structure, in addition to the low dynamism of production and strong sway in the level of global economic activity. At this juncture, world unemployment rates of youths show to be more sensitive than adults’ rates. This contributes to the understanding that the integration of young people into the labor market becomes a challenge and a central element to nations. It is from the understanding of this reality that this article presents an analysis of the current conditions of youths in the transition school-job in Brazil and in Germany, by identifying the main components of this process.