Yrkesgymnasiet Skellefteå Achieves 100% Graduation Rate: “Doing Everything to Motivate Students”

Vocational students at Yrkesgymnasiet are leading Sweden in goal fulfillment for upper secondary vocational education. Additionally, 9 out of 10 secure employment shortly after graduation. This article is part of a series highlighting the successes of the schools and the efforts behind them.

Even though high school students possess immense potential and can achieve more than they often realize, it remains a fact that their brains are not yet fully developed. One of the cognitive abilities refined in adulthood is the capacity for long-term thinking—delaying immediate rewards to achieve long-term goals.

It seems that high school students have a harder time than adults grasping the need for such delays in order to reap the benefits. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges for high schools is conveying the long-term value of the effort required for graduation.

Yrkesgymnasiet Skellefteå is a school that has decided not to give up in the face of this challenge. Through expertise, engagement, and well-oiled routines, the principal and staff do everything in their power to support and catch students so they can graduate with passing grades in all subjects. And their efforts work:

The school achieved a 100% graduation rate in the latest measurement (academic year 2023)—which is well above the national average for vocational upper secondary education. Moreover, many students secure employment immediately after graduation.

“Since the apprenticeship concept provides many students with jobs even before graduation, motivating them to keep up their studies until the end is a challenge. We try to remind and communicate the long-term value of obtaining a vocational diploma, both in terms of knowledge and financially.”

To succeed, the school approaches the issue from various angles:

“We do everything to motivate students. We have enlisted organizations and partner companies to give lectures during students’ development time on the schedule, hopefully reaching them in a different way. In other cases, it’s simply about sitting down with the student and saying: ‘Okay, let’s tackle this. Even if you find it tough, it’s worth it. We support you,’” says Principal Mari Winterlund.

With the clear apprenticeship concept—where students spend more than 50% of their high school time at real workplaces (workplace-based learning)—Yrkesgymnasiet’s top results seem straightforward. However, behind this lies hard, well-planned, and systematic work.

“We constantly follow up with all APL (workplace-based learning) placements. If any issues arise, the vocational teacher, APL coordinator, mentor, and sometimes even guardians discuss them with the student. Often, it’s small misunderstandings, but we think it’s important to have these conversations with students so they learn how the workplace functions. It’s crucial to complete one’s work even when it feels tough, and it’s important for students to understand this,” says Mari.

Routines and Follow-Ups

Yrkesgymnasiet Skellefteå has understood the value of routines and continuous follow-ups early on. They have mastered the processes to such an extent that the entire staff has a clear overview of the status of all students.

Every other week, they have student reviews, with the entire staff participating. They discuss various challenges students face and the best actions for each case:

“We decide if, for example, a mentor meeting is needed, closer contact with the mentor, an extra adjustment, or if it becomes a case for student health services, such as an assessment for special support. After implementing the measures, we follow up continuously.”

Becoming a top school is not easy. Yrkesgymnasiet Skellefteå’s comprehensive efforts have allowed them to reap the rewards. Their commitment provides students with an efficient and enjoyable path towards high school goals and employment.

Even though the school boasts an education of the highest caliber where students meet learning goals and quickly enter the workforce, they are not content to rest on their laurels. Before each new academic year, they analyze the previous year and develop strategies for improvement:

“For this year, we have chosen to focus on developing methods to ensure that students meet the grading criteria during regular class time. If we achieve this, I believe our school will be able to elevate the didactic and pedagogical issues to a whole new level. That is the goal—we must always start in the classroom.”