Educational and occupational choices are not made by individuals in isolation but, on the contrary, in interaction with significant members of their personal networks, particularly friends and family. However, the importance of the social capital generated by these networks for educational pathways and entry into working life remains largely unexplored in Switzerland. The proposed research aims to identify the links between the professional and educational situation of young adults in Switzerland, their personal networks and the social capital that these networks generate.
The first line of research will aim to identify the different types of personal networks available to young adults in Switzerland. This first strand will make it possible to assess the social capital available to young people today, in a period of economic and social uncertainty. The second objective of the research will be to link the personal networks of young adults with their professional and educational situation (long studies, early entry into the labour market, difficulties in integrating into the labour market, job insecurity). The survey will reveal the extent to which the relational resources produced by young adults' networks are associated with distinct training trajectories and entry into working life. The aim will be to gain a better understanding of the mutual influence between relational resources and training and employment trajectories. From this point of view, particular attention will be paid to the influence of individuals' psychological health and risk behaviours, which are known to be associated with both personal networks and trajectories of success or failure at school or work.
The large sample size of the CH-X programme will enable detailed statistical analyses to be carried out in terms of socio-economic categories, places of residence, spatial mobility, and professional/training situations of both the young adults themselves and the significant people in their personal networks.
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