Youngsters who complete a trade school (mbo) diploma will have a slightly better chance of finding work in years to come than those with a university or hbo college degree, according to a new guide to vocational training.

The guide states that teenagers who have mbo stage 3 and 4 qualifications, particularly in the healthcare, technical studies, baking and secretarial sectors ‘offer perspective’.

Nevertheless, the report says that only 30% of mbo students have no need to worry about finding work when they complete their studies. While this is a ‘minority’, the report goes on to state just 20% of hbo college and 16% of university graduates have a ‘reasonable to good’ chance of a job, without quoting sources.

The mbo figure could be inflated by the fact that many successful students go on to college, reducing competition for entry-level jobs, the report says.

The guide looks at the quality of 1,500 different mbo courses, of which some 200 are rated ‘top class’. Some 50% of Dutch school leavers go to an mbo college.