Vocational School Student Surveys chart the experiences of young people studying in Finnish vocational education institutions. The surveys are conducted by the Research Foundation for Studies and Education (Otus) in collaboration with the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland (SAKKI). Main themes of the surveys include applying for studies, experiences relating to studies and teaching, financial circumstances, plans for the future and working life, and wellbeing and leisure time. The first data for the series were collected in 2015. Subsequently, the study has been conducted biennially.
The Vocational School Student Survey (VET Student Survey) 2017 is a total study charting experiences of young people studying in Finnish vocational education institutions. The survey was conducted by the Research Foundation for Studies and Education (Otus) in collaboration with the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland (SAKKI), which also funded the study with funding received from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Main themes of the survey included applying for studies, experiences relating to studies and teaching, financial circumstances, plans for the future and working life, and wellbeing and leisure time.
Relating to studies at the time of the survey, the respondents were asked, among other things, their field of education, year of study, and distance to the vocational institution. They were also asked whether they had moved to another municipality due to their current studies. Earlier studies and applying for vocational studies were examined with questions regarding, for instance, whether vocational studies had been discussed or recommended in their families or at school, whether their friends or siblings had studied in a vocational institution, and how clear the decision to opt for vocational studies had been. They were also asked whether they had worked or completed other studies before starting vocational studies, and how they had performed in earlier education.
Experiences of studies and teaching were examined with questions about the time spent on studies in a week, form and sufficiency of the teaching and guidance received, balancing and managing studies, and money spent on study materials. Possible learning difficulties and support received for these difficulties were also surveyed. With regard to study progress, satisfaction with studies and the institution itself was charted as well as feelings of studying the right field, prospects of graduating, things slowing down study progress, and views on the importance of vocational studies.
Working, housing and financial circumstances were investigated by asking about working during studies and in the summer, housing during semesters, financial help from parents and relatives, and sufficiency of money for expenses. Concerning occupational life, opinions were probed on a number of statements about employment, employment prospects after graduation, and the importance of various things for a successful career. Future plans to study were also surveyed. Finally, wellbeing and leisure time were examined with questions concerning e.g. friends, social relationships, bullying and discrimination, sleep, alcohol use, hobbies and Internet use.
Background variables included the respondent's year of birth (categorised), gender, and mother tongue. The time the respondent had lived in Finland was further charted, along with languages spoken with parents, and parents' employment status and education level.
The study did not form a sample of individual respondents, but the questionnaire was shared with all vocational institutions providing education and training in continental Finland. Potential respondents included all students in degree programmes, adult education programmes, competence-based qualification programmes and apprenticeship training. Representatives of the institutions were asked to arrange responding to occur during classes to enable as large a sample as possible. In total, 9,638 students responded to the survey.