Abstract
The relationship between young Australians' intentions to enter the full-time workforce immediately following completion of secondary school and their success in doing so is examined. In addition, the effects of particular social structures and academic resources on these intentions are considered. Recent theoretical developments in the conceptualisation of the relationships between attitudes and behaviour, the intention to perform the behaviour and the behaviour itself underline the argument. The analysis reveals that, while youths' own intentions do predict behaviour, they are not a sufficient cause of this behaviour. The expectations of key figures in the interpersonal environment, youths' own attitudes, their prior academic performance and their experience of unemployment all assist in explaining career beginnings.
