Abstract

Studies on the education-work transition have traditionally focused on the ways in which young people mobilize their capital and adapt to the conditions offered by distinct workplaces. However, it is also important to consider the impact of work and working life on the transformation of the subjectivities and social relations of new generations in the places where they begin their professional experience. This article analyzes this issue based on professional internships in secondary technical education in Chile. Institutional intermediation mechanisms and the agents that participate in their implementation play a significant role in the education-work transition, but, paradoxically, there is little research on these actors, on the processes and on almost everything related to their achievements and weaknesses. This topic is explored through a qualitative approach in a sample of technical-professional educational establishments in Santiago, Chile. Based on semi-structured interviews with teachers and graduates, the main mechanisms of management of the professional internships are described. It is concluded that, although the conditions of implementation are open to criticism, there is a high valuation of these internships as an induction into the world of work, especially because of the social learning that such experiences entail.