This study explores a pathway from social origin at adolescence to numeracy acquisition in young adulthood. A variation associated with vocational track attendance and numeracy acquisition between two different traditions of education systems is identified; namely, between education systems of German (Austria and Germany) and English (UK and US) speaking countries. Key results demonstrate that tracking at the level of upper and post-secondary schooling is closely related to skills gaps that affect labour market outcomes. This implies that vocational programme graduates achieve comparatively weaker in numeracy tests in German-speaking countries. In contrast, this effect of disadvantage in numeracy skills is not observed among young adults attending vocational tracks in English speaking countries. Also, the results suggest that a more stratified system might reinforce social inequality by increasing a skill gap in the use of numeracy in daily life. Drawing on empirical findings, the discussion underscores that policy interventions are necessary for mitigating the reproduction of skills inequality among young adults.

中文翻译：

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职业教育和年轻人的算术习得：德国和英语国家教育体系的比较

本研究探讨了从青春期的社会出身到成年早期的计算能力习得的途径。确定了两种不同传统教育系统之间与职业轨道出勤率和算术习得相关的差异；即德语（奥地利和德国）和英语（英国和美国）国家的教育系统之间的关系。主要结果表明，高中和高等教育水平的跟踪与影响劳动力市场结果的技能差距密切相关。这意味着德语国家的职业课程毕业生在算术测试中的成绩相对较差。相比之下，在英语国家参加职业培训的年轻人中没有观察到这种计算技能劣势的影响。此外，结果表明，更加分层的制度可能会增加日常生活中计算能力的技能差距，从而加剧社会不平等。根据实证研究结果，讨论强调政策干预对于缓解年轻人技能不平等的再生产是必要的。