Beyond Neet and Doing Nothing: A Sequence Analysis of School-to-Work Transition Pathways Among Disadvantaged Youth

Dominant ways of understanding the school-to-work transition (SWT) often construct the notion of NEET (not in employment, education, or training) by associating it with an image of young people seemingly “doing nothing” in their daily lives. However, recent research suggests that young people temporarily classified as being in a NEET status can engage in activities that align with their interests and strengths, potentially opening doors to alternative career and life development in the long run. Accordingly, we conducted a sequence analysis of longitudinal data from a sample of 630 disadvantaged youth aged 14 to 29 (M = 19.78) in Hong Kong over a 22-month observation period starting in September 2020, aiming to understand the dynamic and varied nature of SWT pathways. Our analysis yielded a fivefold typology of SWT pathways: the employment/entrepreneurship cluster (31.27%), the vocational education and training cluster (13.49%), the generic education cluster (16.83%), the serious leisure development cluster (15.24%; youth participating in the intensive pursuit of personal interests), and the long‐term NEET cluster (23.17%). These clusters suggest that the disadvantaged youth often switched between different SWT statuses, all of which collectively indicate their SWT pathways’ lengthy and fluctuating nature. In addition, these clusters also indicate that NEET may be a temporary transitional status before disadvantaged youth enter other meaningful statuses. Meanwhile, a considerable number of disadvantaged young people fall into the SLD cluster, which suggests a need to expand an otherwise narrow focus on employability and address the stigma associated with NEET. Based on these findings, we argue for removing stereotypes surrounding NEET and unveiling the contents of youths’ actual lives beneath the label of “doing nothing.” Simultaneously, it is suggested to establish enabling environments with community support that inspire young people, particularly those facing disadvantages, to navigate SWT pathways that resonate with their interests and strengths.