Representations of teenagers about middle school, the world of work and politics

ABSTRACT

High school and work word are still facing all different social actors en general and educational in particular, in a renewing historical context of politics inside the national scene.
This essay aims to:
1.- Describe youth representations about the work world.
2.- Understand youth representations about high school.
3.- Compare different social representations between two groups of students: those who actively serve inside student centres and those who do not.

This research project is based in the social representations theory.
The planned design refers to an exploring-descriptive study of youth regarding high school, work, the relationship between both, and politics.
Surveys and interviews have been carried out to a sample of 395 students living in CABA and Great Buenos Aires districts.
Some conclusions we have reached are:
- First of all, our sample students attempt to visualize the need for having higher academic level requirements, in opposition to a widespread opinion sustaining their lack of inclination to hard work, steadiness, etc.
- In five years time, almost all of them visualize themselves being studying and working simultaneously.
- They are also perfectly aware of workmen rights; this issue could have been invisible in some other historic time.
- The subgroup of students with active militancy show a greater emotional maturity: they acknowledge school shape them as persons, for labour, and also as citizens. Besides, this group presents a greater present and past labour experience (higher reality criteria)
- Apparently, their posture regarding politics reflects an incipient repolitization process.