2

This paper clarifies the most common meanings given to the expression “social construction” by taking the example of its use in the integration of young people into the world of work. The first meaning refers to the fact that social actions, such as integration, are a result of historical factors. That young people must undertake the frequently long and difficult process of looking for a job after leaving school is a relatively recent phenomenon, arising out of a dual track, two-fold historical trend: one separating training from work and more recently, bringing making educational qualifications and career expectations the automatic equivalent of educational qualifications and career expectations. The second meaning refers to a nation’s societal particularities and the different ways in which the relationships between training schemes, work organization, and industrial relations are organized. The third meaning results from the strategic social importance given to integration by all interested parties, each with different interests and values. The combination of all three meanings makes practical approaches to integration complex because the historical process, international comparisons, and field research on all those involved, including the young people themselves, have to be taken into account.