The transition from school to work is an important step in the lives of young people and influences both their professional and social integration.

After completing lower secondary school, young people have various options: they can start a company-based, school-based or non-company-based apprenticeship or obtain a higher education entrance qualification. Another option is the "vocational transition system", in which young people take advantage of training opportunities that fall short of qualified vocational training or do not lead to a recognized vocational qualification. Instead, they aim to improve young people's pre-qualification and readiness for training. In some cases, general school-leaving qualifications can be made up for or "topped up" to an intermediate school-leaving qualification.

After gaining a higher education entrance qualification, young adults are free to start vocational training or study at a university. Since the 1950s, the so-called educational expansion in Germany has led to a continuous upskilling of the population. Today, young people are staying in the education system longer and longer and are increasingly achieving a correspondingly high level of qualification.