Contents:

• Factors motivating Southern Transdanubian students' secondary education plans and career choices
• The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic amongst Hungarian enterprises – Changes in employee numbers
• International trends

The ongoing career motivation survey conducted by HCIC IEER (Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce Institute of Economic and Enterprise Research) has the double task of analysing pupils' and their parents' motivations behind their children's school and career choice, and reveal the factors (including personal and social factors as well as the influence of the family and the school) that affect the choice regarding school type (secondary grammar school, secondary vocational school, secondary technical school) and the specific school itself. This analysis focuses on the differences between career and school choice motivations of students studying at various levels of education, at various school types; the paper is based on the survey conducted in the period between 30 September and 29 November 2019 by HCIC IEER at secondary grammar schools of 4-5 year curricula, at secondary vocational schools (in non-vocational type of classes) and at secondary technical schools. Respondents at all school types were 9th grade full-time students. Our sample is representative, i. e. it reflects the 2019 national rates of 9th grade students with regard to region and training level.

Contents:

• Macroeconomic trends in Hungary
  
• Motivating factors behind students' secondary education plans and career choices
• International trends

This is a brief summary of the most important findings of the national career guidance study of 2018. The study focuses on the pre-career, seventh-grade primary school students' interest in further education and career choices. The 2018 survey was conducted by the Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (HCIC). Experts of its territorial chambers surveyed 9228 seventh grade pupils.

This paper examines the level of poverty among Hungarian seventh grade students and its effect on their future education plans. The data is based on the answers to a self-administered questionnaire of more than 9000 students from a research conducted by the Institute for Economic and Enterprise Research (IEER) in 2015. We find that a large group of students are deprived of basic necessities and that poor children plan to finish their studies earlier than non-poor children. Using mixed-effects regression models controlling for other possible factors affecting further education plans we show that the negative effect of poverty is substantial.

The IEER analysis examines the plans for higher education of students from the best high schools in Budapest, Pest and Győr-Moson-Sopron Counties. The results show that every tenth student out of all the students of the best high schools submits their application to a foreign higher educational institution. Most of these students plan to reside in their chosen city not only for the duration of their higher education, but for a longer term.

In this brief analysis, the trends in the number of Hungarian students studying abroad at higher educational institutions are examined by using international statistical data. Results show that there were about 7500 Hungarian students participating in BA and Ma programmes at foreign colleges and universities both in 2014 and in 2015. Comparing the number of students participating in BA courses in Hungary to the number of students studying abroad it can be seen that not too many of them choose a foreign institution, but at the level of master’s programmes more students decide to quit the Hungarian higher educational system.

This result could be interpreted as a deficiency in the Hungarian higher educational system, but at the same time it can be a sign of the high competitiveness of the Hungarian students internationally.

The IEER analysis examines plans for further education of students from the nation’s best high schools. The results show that a vast majority of students want to continue their education, namely at national institutions of higher education, and only 7% of them would study abroad (as well). The available statistics also indicate that Hungarian students do not participate in large numbers in (long-term) foreign study, but in recent years their numbers show a growing trend.

Only few of the Hungarian high school students intend to attend undergraduate programmes abroad, although their numbers show a growing trend in recent years. This is what IEER research examining the intentions of continuing education reveals, in addition to the fact that the Hungarian school system is unable to overcome the disadvantages caused by family background, that is, promote social mobility. Based on the 2013 National Skills Assessment the best national high schools receive only a very small proportion of students whose father has a low level of education or low labour market status. Our results also suggest that at the post-secondary level the education system reinforces existing inequalities. This can be concluded from the fact that the ratio of students who apply to the prestigious universities in Budapest is significantly lower in the lagging northern and lowland regions (even in the best high schools of these areas) than in the region of Central Hungary. The study was based on 770 responses conducted among the graduate students of thirty Hungarian public high schools, which were the best within their region according to the 2013 National Skills Assessment.

The study examined pre-career, seventh-grade primary school children's interest in further education and career choices. The results are based on the results of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) national career guidance study.

Two major groups stood out among seventh grade students: white-collar and blue-collar. The former are more independent, more diligent in learning, and more skilled at intellectual tasks and solving puzzles, but are less talented of practical tasks.This group tends to strive for attainment of higher education, even to obtain a degree and a white-collar profession. Children from the other group are interested in home improvement, repair, and the world of machines, and are less receptive to learning, are more inclined to solve school tasks in groups, and are regarded as less independent. The latter group of young people takes on vocational careers.