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99 ERC SES 07 Q: Educational and Professional Pathways in Times of Change
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99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper Transformative Educational Infrastructures in Medium-sized Towns. Opportunities and Challenges of Municipal Cooperation Between Formal and Non-formal Educational Actors. University of Münster, Germany Presenting Author:Limited resources and demographic developments are posing increasing challenges for formal and non-formal education infrastructures in European municipalities. In a 2025 survey, 90% of the mayors of German cities surveyed rated the budgetary situation of their municipality as “poor” to “very poor” (Deutscher Städtetag, 2025). At the same time, demographic trends are leading to a labor shortage across Europe. The German "baby boomer" generation will reach retirement age by 2036 (Deschmeier & Schäfer, 2024). Additionally, digitalization is leading to powerful transformations in various industries, sectors, states, and societies through wider social, political, and economic dynamics (Williamson et al., 2024). These developments are particularly evident in medium-sized towns, where they encounter already limited financial, technical, and human resources, yet remain underrepresented in research on educational and social transformation processes (Förster et al., 2024). The linking of learning spaces in the form of cooperation between formal and non-formal educational institutions could be one way of responding to these developments by creating synergies, coordinating provision, and adapting to current local problems. The objective of this study is to discover how formal and non-formal educational actors conceptualize and justify collaborations under conditions of limited resources and which municipality-specific conditions shape the sustainability of cooperative arrangements. Within the framework of local self-government, German municipalities traditionally perform central administrative tasks in the areas of education and social services by providing child and youth welfare services, adult education centers, and libraries. Although local authorities bear approximately half of the costs per pupil per school year for the provision and maintenance of buildings, they have only limited influence on the structure and quality of the education offered. This has been changing since the beginning of the 21st century, partly due to Germany's poor performance in the PISA study. Since then, numerous federal and state municipal education programs, such as “Lernende Regionen” (learning regions) and “Lernen vor Ort” (local education management initiatives) have strengthened the role of local authorities (BMBF, 2022). The programs described each have different focuses and, despite structural and financial links, are autonomous in nature. They should be seen as a response to the increasing key role played by local authorities in shaping educational institutions and as a hub for education policy, which is credited with contributing to holistic educational landscapes, greater educational equity, more successful educational biographies, and the fight against local educational disadvantage and discrimination (Brüggemann et al., 2023). At the same time as these developments, ever more far-reaching development processes are leading to individuals demanding ever new knowledge in the use of digital technology and the skills required in an increasingly complex society, such as systematic thinking, responsible action, creativity, and innovation (WGBU, 2019). This has led to an increase in the importance of non-formal educational opportunities, which enable independent action, self-organization, and abstraction, thereby counteracting the risk of social inequality being reproduced through the “digital divide” (Kersting, 2025). Despite this increasing relevance, non-formal education programs are not treated equally to formal education in terms of educational monitoring, credit transfer, validation of acquired skills, and availability of longitudinal data, which makes it difficult to recognize non-formal knowledge. Historically, schools in Germany have been weakly embedded in local educational networks (Baumheier & Warsewa, 2009). The dissertation therefore takes a critical and reflective perspective on cooperation between formal and non-formal educational programs in order to do justice to the claim that education is a shared social responsibility. The focus is on medium-sized urban structures that face particular challenges in times of transformative developments relevant across European contexts. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The Comparative Case Study (Bartlett & Vavrus, 2017) uses a mixed-methods approach that incorporates document analysis (Flick, 2019), secondary analysis (Medjedović, 2014), and expert interviews (Mayring, 2022). The design integrates horizontal, vertical and transversal comparisons to capture actors, governance levels and historical dynamics. This design is particularly suitable for a holistic view of a small number of cases. Two medium-sized towns in different German states were selected as case studies, as they both exhibit particularly typical characteristics (30,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, Importance for the surrounding area) and offer maximum variation (administrative status, proximity to the nearest big city, population density). They therefore provide the ideal framework as a subject of investigation. First, a document analysis of institutionalized cooperation between formal and non-formal educational programs in the two cities will be conducted. This will provide new perspectives on the field of research and the processes within it, in this case the cooperation between formal and non-formal educational programs at the local level. Secondly, the interviews conducted as part of the “Educational Infrastructures in Medium-Sized Towns” (Becker et al., 2025) project by the DFG research group “Digital Medium-Sized Towns of the Future” will be evaluated using secondary analysis. The focus here is on the question of what kinds of cooperation between formal and non-formal education actors the interviewed managers from kindergartens, schools, libraries, museums, and education administrations report on. Thirdly, to supplement the existing data, further interviews will be conducted with experts from non-formal institutions such as sports clubs, religious communities, museums, and volunteer organizations such as the fire department. The interview guide is divided into the categories “Forms of cooperation,” “Local political incentives,” “Digitization processes,” “Opportunities and challenges,” “Sustainable institutionalization,” and “Significance for educational inequality”. Finally, the results are classified according to the concept of educational infrastructures (Bücker et al., 2023) with its material-structural, institutional-organizational, normative-cultural, and interactive-cooperative dimensions. The aim here is to find out how cooperation actually works under real conditions, such as limited resources and digitization processes. The challenges lie in particular in gaining access to stakeholders with limited time resources and in setting aside one's own preconceptions. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings International and European organizations and strategies emphasize the importance of linking formal and non-formal learning environments, viewing cooperation as a key prerequisite for lifelong learning and greater educational equity. Formal and non-formal educational opportunities fulfill complementary functions. While formal education is more strongly linked to curricula, certificates, and institutions, non-formal educational opportunities offer flexible, real-world, and skills-oriented learning opportunities. Local authorities often play a key role in coordinating cooperation by acting as an interface between educational actors, education policy, and socio-spatial conditions. Towns in many European regions face challenges due to limited financial and human resources and demographic changes. Cooperation is seen as a possible response to this and should be viewed in the context of the opportunities for networking and coordination created by digitalization, as well as the greater need for control and coordination. However, it remains unclear how these collaborations will be specified and implemented, because the research perspective is programmatic in nature. There is a need for empirical insights into how formal and non-formal actors perceive, evaluate, and justify cooperation, and what municipality-specific characteristics, differences, and path dependencies become apparent. This work closes this research gap by taking a qualitative, empirical approach that considers cooperation between formal and non-formal education actors in a context-specific and multidimensional manner. The comparative case study in two medium-sized towns takes into account the different municipal conditions. Methodological triangulation, including theory-driven qualitative content analysis based on the educational governance perspective, will supplement the programmatic objectives by providing insights into practical implementation. The aim is to identify types of cooperation, highlight blind spots in municipal education programs, and further develop the concept of education infrastructures for medium-sized towns. I am currently evaluating the interviews using qualitative content analysis and would appreciate some feedback on what I need to bear in mind. References Bartlett, L., & Vavrus, F. (2017). Rethinking Case Study Research: A Comparative Approach. Taylor & Francis Group. Baumheier, U., & Warsewa, G. (2009). Vernetzte Bildungslandschaften: Internationale Erfahrungen und Stand der deutschen Entwicklung. In P. Bleckmann, & A. Durdel (Edt.), Lokale Bildungslandschaften. Perspektiven für Ganztagsschulen und Kommunen (pp 19-36). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. Becker, M.F., Parreira do Amaral, M., & Zelinka, J. (2025). AP 2 Prozesse und Interaktionen. Erfassung von Rationalitäten, Praktiken und Handlungslogiken. DFG-Projekt Bildungsinfrastrukturen in der Mittelstadt. BMBF (2022). Bildungschancen gestalten. Vor Ort. Für alle. Das Programm „Bildung integriert“ zur Förderung des datenbasierten kommunalen Bildungsmanagements. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. Brüggemann, C., Hermstein, B., & Nikolai, R. (2023). Bildungskommunen. Eine einleitende Systematisierung zur Reform kommunaler Bildungspolitik und -verwaltung. In C. Brüggemann, C., B. Hermstein, & R. Nikolai (Eds.). Bildungskommunen. Bedeutung und Wandel kommunaler Politik und Verwaltung im Bildungswesen (pp 7-32). Beltz. Bücker, J., Parreira do Amaral, M., & Zelinka, J. (2023). AP1 Strukturen und Angebote. Eine Analysestrategie. DFG-Projekt Bildungsinfrastrukturen in der Mittelstadt. Deutscher Städtetag (2025). Städtische Haushalte in der Krise. Städtetag Aktuell, Vol. 2/2025, 14. Deschermeier, P., & Schäfer, H. (2024). Die Babyboomer gehen in Rente. IW-Kurzbericht, No. 78, 1-3. Flick, U. (2019). Qualitative Sozialforschung - Eine Einführung. Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag. Förster, A., Kropp, C., Kuhlmann, S., Lohrberg, F., Neuwirth, C., Polivka, J., & Reicher, C. (2024). Mittelstadt als Mitmachstadt – Forschungs- und Praxisperspektiven aus dem transformativen Graduiertenkolleg. In A. Förster, C. Kropp, S. Kuhlmann, F. Lohrberg, C. Neuwirth, J. Polívka, & C. Reicher (edt.), Transformation von Mittelstädten. Über neue Kulturen des Stadtmachens (pp. 9-34). Transcript. Kersting, N. (2025). Digitale Ungleichheiten und digitale Spaltung. In T. Klenk, F. Nullmeier, & G. Wewer (Eds.), Handbuch Digitalisierung in Staat und Verwaltung (pp. 239-250). Springer VS. Mayring, P. (2002). Einführung in die qualitative Sozialforschung. Eine Anleitung zum qualitativen Denken. Beltz Pädagogik. Medjedović, I. (2018). Sekundäranalyse. In L. Akremi, N. Baur, H. Knoblauch, H., & B. Traue (Ed.), Handbuch Interpretativ Forschen (pp 108-132). Beltz Juventa. WGBU (2019). Unsere gemeinsame digitale Zukunft. Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen. Williamson, B., Komljenovic, J., & Gulson, K.N. (2024). Introduction. Digitalisation of education in the era of algorithms, automation and artifical intelligence. In B. Williamson, J. Komljenovic, & K.N. Gulson (2024), World Yearbook of Education 2024. Digitalisation of Education in the Era of Algorithms, Automation and Artifical Intelligence (pp. 1-20). Routledge. 99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper The impact of University Technical Colleges in England University of Derby, United Kingdom Presenting Author:Research Question: - What skills and behaviours of students/employees do the strategies of employers and stakeholders seek to produce through University Technical Colleges?’ University Technical Colleges (UTCs) represent a distinctive model within the education system in England, combining academic and vocational provision for students aged 14–19, with some institutions extending entry from age 11. Designed as all-ability, mixed-sex state-funded academies, UTCs specialise in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), such as engineering, biomedical science, computing, and creative technologies, while also delivering core academic subjects, including mathematics, English, and science (UTC website, 2019; NFER, 2017). The model is underpinned by partnerships with local universities and employers, as well as oversight from the Baker Dearing Trust (BDT), with the stated aim of bridging skills gaps in regional economies and fostering employability. UTCs emphasise project-based learning, extended school hours, and the development of transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, positioning students as “work-ready” graduates. There have been several policy reforms that have contributed to the development of vocational education programmes. TVET is a complex field that aims to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the labour market’s demands and contribute to human capital development. TVET has undergone significant changes in England and government policies restrict individual choices by determining the vocational orientation of the available curriculum. TVET is seen by policymakers, business leaders, academics and governments as having a pivotal role in the transition from school to waged labour for young people (Avis and Atkins, 2017) and UTCs are a part of this. Previous research into UTCs has investigated the experiences of young people in TVET, with regards to gender and class (Bathmaker and Ingram, 2014), curriculum delivery (Dale, 2016), UTCs leaders’ perceptions (Gomery, 2019), as well as reports evaluating the UTC model (NFER, 2017; McCrone et al., 2019). However, there has been little research into trying to understand how UTCs shape students skills and behaviours and their relationship with employer sponsors and stakeholders. There has been plenty of public criticism of the UTC model in the educational/wider media, with concerns voiced in relation to their viability, cost and performance.
The theoretical framework draws on Marx, Bourdieu, and Reay. This combined framework supports how UTCs simultaneously produce labour-power for contemporary capitalism while reproducing existing social inequalities. These frameworks enable an analysis of how power, class, and culture intersect to shape the ways in which labour is valued, disciplined, and marginalised within UTCs, particularly in relation to employer sponsors and wider stakeholders. From a Marxist perspective, TVET, can be understood as functioning to reproduce capitalist labour relations by preparing students for participation in the labour process. Bourdieusian theory extends this by demonstrating how habitus and unequal distributions of economic, cultural, social, and symbolic capital shape skills and dispositions that are recognised and rewarded. Reay’s work further foregrounds how these processes are experienced unevenly, particularly by working-class students, reinforcing stratification rather than promoting social justice. Within a marketised education system, these dynamics are intensified rather than transformed, as employer influence and economic priorities become increasingly embedded in curricula. Integrating these frameworks therefore provides a critical foundation for analysing how UTCs shape students’ skills and behaviours and contribute to the ongoing reproduction of labour-power and inequality. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The study adopted a qualitative research design in order to explore in depth the perspectives, practices, and rationales of organisations involved in the sponsorship and support of University Technical Colleges (UTCs). Data were generated through a combination of semi-structured interviews, observational fieldwork and document analysis, allowing for methodological triangulation and a richer understanding of the research context. The dataset consisted of eight semi-structured interviews conducted with individuals occupying senior or influential positions within organisations that sponsor, partner with, or otherwise support UTCs. These participants held roles that enabled them to shape strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and organisational engagement with technical education. The sample represented a range of organisational contexts, including large national and multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), education management organisations, and regional business networks. This diversity allowed for comparative insight into how different types of employers and intermediary organisations understand and enact their involvement with UTCs. Interviews were conducted both face-to-face and online, reflecting practical constraints as well as participant availability and geographical dispersion. All interviews were audio-recorded with participant consent and transcribed. In addition to interviews, non-participant observations were conducted at a UTC site. These observations focused on the everyday practices and interactions through which employer engagement was enacted, including encounters between staff, students, and external partners. Observational data provided contextual insight into the institutional environment and helped to situate interview accounts within lived organisational practices. Data was analysed using thematic analysis, supported by NVivo qualitative data analysis software. Analysis followed an iterative and reflexive process, beginning with familiarisation through repeated reading of transcripts and fieldnotes. Initial codes were then generated, capturing both theoretically informed concepts and patterns emerging directly from the data. Theme development involved clustering related codes, refining boundaries between themes, and constructing thematic maps to explore relationships across the dataset. Ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection, and all participants provided informed consent. Anonymity and confidentiality were ensured using pseudonyms and the removal of identifying details from transcripts and reporting. Particular attention was paid to issues of power, positionality, and relational ethics, especially given the researcher’s engagement with senior business leaders and a participant group that was predominantly white male. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The early findings indicate that business partners consistently prioritise practical and applied knowledge over theoretical or academic knowledge within UTCs. Participants framed the perceived advantage of UTCs as their ability to prepare students for employment through applied learning, real-world projects, and exposure to workplace environments, rather than through abstract disciplinary knowledge. While academic qualifications were acknowledged as necessary, they were frequently positioned as secondary to employability, behavioural readiness, and application of knowledge in workplace contexts. UTCs appear to function as sites of workplace socialisation, where students learn the values, dispositions, and behaviours demanded by employers. Rather than equipping students with expansive career agency, the focus on soft skills risks positioning learners primarily as “good workers,” reinforcing existing labour hierarchies rather than challenging them. Language also emerged as a significant sub-theme. Participants frequently rejected the label “vocational,” associating it with lower status, reduced academic ambition, and deficit assumptions about learners. In contrast, “technical” education was framed as higher status, intellectually demanding, and more compatible with middle-class aspirations. This distinction reflects symbolic boundary-making within TVET, where rebranding serves to distance UTCs from historically stigmatised vocational pathways. Such framing reinforces a hierarchy within working-class educational routes, privileging technical over vocational identities while reproducing social stratification. This emphasis reflects a neoliberal conception of education, where the purpose of TVET is framed primarily in terms of labour-market alignment and human capital development (Missekle-Evans,2021). Knowledge was valued primarily for its usefulness in employment, positioning education as a means of producing work-ready individuals rather than fostering broader theoretical or critical thinking. This aligns with critiques within the literature that vocational and technical pathways often restrict access to forms of cultural capital that facilitate upward mobility, thereby contributing to the reproduction of social inequality (Atkins,2009). References Atkins, L. (2009). ‘Educational Reform and the State: Reflections on Education in England in the Twentieth Century’. Journal of Educational Policy, 24(6), 729-744. Avis, J., & Atkins, L. (2017). Vocational education and training policy in England. In D. N. Aspin (Ed.), Policy and Inequality in Education (pp. 77-92). Springer. Bathmaker, A-M & Ingram, N 2014, ''Who wants to be an engineer? The effects of vocational diversification in English secondary schooling on the decision-making and experience of girls and boys from different social class backgrounds'', Paper presented at British Educational Research Association (BERA) Annual Conference, 2014, London, UK United Kingdom, 23/09/14 - 25/09/14. Dale, R. (2016). University Technical Colleges: Failed Experiment or the Future for Technical Education?. Journal of Education Policy, 31(6), 769-782. Gomery, D. (2019). University technical colleges: Pedagogy meets market demands. In F. Marhuenda & M.J. Chisvert-Tarazona (Eds.), Pedagogical concerns and market demands in VET. Proceedings of the 3rd Crossing Boundaries in VET conference, Vocational Education and Training Network (VETNET) (pp.34-44) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2641685 McCrone, T., Jones, S., Skinner, E., & Welford, L. (2019). What are university technical colleges (UTCs) and how well are they working? An evaluation of the impact, processes, and implementation of university technical colleges in England. National Foundation for Educational Research. Misselke-Evans, L. (2021). Technical and vocational education and training. In R. Waller & S. D. Briggs (Eds.), International Handbook of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Research (pp. 1-26). London: Springer NFER report. (2017). University Technical Colleges: Employer-focused technical education?. Retrieved from https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/UNTC01/UNTC01.pdf. University Technical Colleges [brochure]. Retrieved from https://www.utcolleges.org/app/uploads/2019/09/UTC-Recruitment-Brochure-2019-FINAL.pdf. 99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper Decent Work as the Missing Link Between Dual-Career Lifestyle Satisfaction and Well-Being: A Mediation Analysis TED University, Turkey (Türkiye) Presenting Author:This study examines the mediating role of perceived decent work in the association between satisfaction with the dual-career lifestyle and general psychological well-being. Dual-career couples, defined as couples in which both partners pursue sustained and meaningful professional careers, have become increasingly prevalent due to rising educational attainment, the globalization of labor markets, and the expansion of women’s participation in paid employment (Byron, 2005; Christie, 2012). While dual-career arrangements may provide economic stability and opportunities for self-realization, they can also intensify role strain, work–family conflict, and emotional demands, thereby posing risks to psychological well-being (Frone et al., 1997; Neault & Pickerell, 2005; Abele & Volmer, 2011). Within career counseling and vocational psychology, work is conceptualized as a central life domain shaping identity development, relational functioning, and overall life satisfaction (Brown & Lent, 2016; Blustein, 2019; Savickas, 2013). From this standpoint, well-being extends beyond job satisfaction and reflects the extent to which work is meaningfully integrated with broader life roles and personal values (Lent & Brown, 2013; Diener et al., 2018). Accordingly, satisfaction with the dual-career lifestyle can be understood as a relational evaluation of how couples manage and coordinate their professional and personal responsibilities (Aytar & Babanoğlu, 2023). Relational theories further illuminate the evaluative nature of dual-career satisfaction. The Investment Model proposes that relationship satisfaction and commitment are shaped by perceived rewards, costs, investments, and the quality of alternatives (Rusbult et al., 1998; Agnew et al., 2019). Similarly, Social Exchange Theory emphasizes evaluations of reciprocity and fairness in the distribution of resources and responsibilities (Thibaut & Kelley, 1959; Cook & Rice, 2006). In dual-career relationships, perceptions of fairness regarding work-related sacrifices, time allocation, and emotional support are therefore central to both relational satisfaction and general well-being (Carlson et al., 2009; Greenhaus & Powell, 2017). The Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how work conditions influence psychological well-being through the fulfillment of basic needs for survival, social connection, and self-determination (Duffy et al., 2016; Blustein et al., 2019). From this perspective, access to decent work represents a fundamental psychological resource rather than merely an economic condition (Blustein, 2019). Decent work is experienced psychologically through perceptions of safety, fair compensation, access to healthcare, adequate rest, and alignment between organizational practices and personal values (Duffy et al., 2017). The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Decent Work Framework provides a strong European and international policy context by defining decent work in terms of employment security, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2019). Although originally articulated at a structural level, these dimensions have been linked to psychologically meaningful experiences of predictability, fairness, and agency at work (Di Fabio & Blustein, 2016; Ferraro et al., 2016). Integrating the ILO framework with PWT connects macro-level labor standards with micro-level psychological experiences of work quality, situating dual-career well-being within broader European and international debates on labor conditions and social sustainability. From a conceptual perspective, perceived decent work is expected to function as a mediating mechanism through which satisfaction with the dual-career lifestyle is translated into general psychological well-being. Dual-career satisfaction reflects relational evaluations shaped by investment and exchange processes, whereas decent work represents the quality of structural and psychological work conditions that enable couples to sustain these relational dynamics over time (Duffy et al., 2016; ILO, 2019). General well-being is conceptualized as a holistic evaluation of psychological functioning and life satisfaction (Diener et al., 2018; Longo et al., 2018). Taken together, the proposed mediation model integrates career counseling, relational theories, and labor psychology within a coherent and internationally relevant theoretical framework. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The study employs a quantitative correlational research design, which is appropriate for examining relationships among naturally occurring variables and testing predictive models (Heppner et al., 2008; Shaughnessy, 2012). Data were collected using an online survey administered through the Qualtrics platform. Convenience sampling was used to reach participants via social media, professional networks, and online communities, which is a common approach in exploratory correlational research under practical constraints (Shaughnessy, 2012). Participants were married individuals who were both employed and had been married for at least six months, in accordance with the usage requirements of the Satisfaction with Dual-Career Lifestyle Scale (Özgülük Üçok & Hatipoğlu Sümer, 2021). Accordingly, individuals who were unemployed, retired, single, or in single-earner marriages were excluded. The sample consisted of 151 married and currently employed individuals in dual-career relationships. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 73 years (M = 37.85, SD = 9.73), reflecting a broad representation of different life and career stages. The duration of marriage varied substantially, from 6 to 549 months (M = 124.08, SD = 115.07), indicating that both newly married and long-term dual-career couples were included in the study. The sample included participants from diverse occupational backgrounds, with a substantial proportion employed in education and academia (n = 64), including teachers and academics. Dual-career lifestyle satisfaction was measured using the Satisfaction with Dual-Career Lifestyle Scale (SWDCLS; Perrone & Worthington, 2001), adapted into Turkish by Özgülük Üçok and Hatipoğlu Sümer (2021). Perceptions of decent work were assessed using the Decent Work Scale (DWS) developed by Duffy et al. (2017) and adapted into Turkish by Büyükgöze-Kavas and Autin (2019). General well-being was measured using the General Well-Being Scale Short Form (Longo et al., 2018), adapted into Turkish by Odacı et al. (2021). Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS and AMOS. Preliminary analyses included screening for missing data, outliers, and normality assumptions (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2019). Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2019). Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine bivariate relationships among variables (Field, 2005). Mediation analysis followed the regression-based approach proposed by Hayes (2018), which extends the classic mediation framework of Baron and Kenny (1986). Bootstrapping procedures were employed to test the significance of indirect effects, as recommended for mediation models (Hayes, 2018). Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The mediation analysis indicated that satisfaction with the dual-career lifestyle significantly predicted perceptions of decent work, and that perceptions of decent work significantly predicted general well-being, consistent with the assumptions of the Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016; Blustein et al., 2019). Moreover, the significant indirect effect provided empirical support for the proposition that decent work functions as a key psychological mechanism linking relational career satisfaction to overall well-being (Hayes, 2018). These findings suggest that satisfaction with a dual-career lifestyle contributes to well-being primarily when couples perceive their working conditions as fair, safe, and supportive. This result aligns with research emphasizing that work quality, rather than employment status alone, is central to psychological health (Blustein, 2019; Ferraro et al., 2016). It also supports relational perspectives suggesting that structural resources enable couples to sustain balanced and equitable exchange processes within intimate relationships (Rusbult et al., 1998; Greenhaus & Powell, 2017). From a career counseling perspective, the results underline the importance of addressing work conditions alongside individual and relational factors in counseling practice (Brown & Lent, 2016; Blustein, 2019). At a broader European and international policy level, the findings support initiatives that promote decent work standards as pathways to healthier family systems and sustainable well-being (International Labour Organization, 2019). These findings further underscore the role of career guidance, counseling, and lifelong learning within Educational Sciences in supporting sustainable career development and well-being, particularly in educational and academic contexts. References Abele, A. E., & Volmer, J. (2011). Dual-career couples: Specific challenges for work–life integration. In Creating Balance? (pp. 173–189). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16199-5_10 Blustein, D. L. (2019). The importance of work in an age of uncertainty. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190213701.001.0001 Duffy, R. D., Allan, B. A., England, J. W., Blustein, D. L., Autin, K. L., Douglass, R. P., Ferreira, J., & Santos, E. J. R. (2017). The development and initial validation of the Decent Work Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(2), 206–221. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000191 Duffy, R. D., Blustein, D. L., Diemer, M. A., & Autin, K. L. (2016). The psychology of working theory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(2), 127–148. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000140 Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis (2nd ed.). Guilford Press. International Labour Organization. (2019). Decent work. ILO. Longo, Y., Coyne, I., & Joseph, S. (2018). Development of the short version of the Scales of General Well-Being: The 14-item SGWB. Personality and Individual Differences, 124, 31–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.11.042 Odacı, H., Kaya, F., & Kınık, Ö. (2021). Genel İyi Oluş Ölçeği Kısa Formu’nun Türkçeye uyarlanması. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Buca Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 52, 97–111. https://doi.org/10.53444/deubefd.841481 Özgülük Üçok, S. B., & Hatipoğlu Sümer, Z. (2021). Çift-kariyerli yaşam tarzı doyumu ölçeğinin Türkçeye uyarlanması. Ege Eğitim Dergisi, 22(1), 30–39. https://doi.org/10.12984/egeefd.815974 Perrone, K. M., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2001). Factors influencing ratings of marital quality by individuals within dual-career marriages: A conceptual model. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 48(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.48.1.3 | ||