Achieving the transition to adulthood is not straightforward. This briefing paper defines a successful youth transition based on previous research and considers a range of factors that affect transitions. A number of interventions which can help young people make a successful youth transition are also discussed.
In this paper, the authors identify various educational paths involving school and post-school study and assess the effectivness of these in relation to post-school outcomes at age 25 years. They use the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth and find that, for males, undertaking an apprenticeship after completing senior secondary and university are attractive paths. For females, the best path is that of university study, even for those with low academic orientation.