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In France, trade union officers are former shop stewards who have chosen to work full-time for the union for several years. This research investigates the career transitions of former union officers who have returned to the labour market following extended experience with high-level responsibilities in the union. Semi-directed interviews were conducted with 23 subjects and were analysed using thematic content analyses. The results indicate the existence of different perceptions of the career change and four types of transitions that are dependent on the level of support provided by the union and individual expectations regarding new jobs.

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The [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic has led people to experience significant personal and professional challenges. Although many studies were carried out during the pandemic and in the short term, few of them have focused on medium-term impacts. This article raises awareness on the situation of vulnerable young people and discusses the role of contexts and psychological resources in mitigating the detrimental effects of this pandemic. Twenty-three young people aged 18 to 25 registered at a career center in France took part in a semistructured interview. Thematic content analysis reveals an impact on some psychological processes, leading to four types of coping strategies. It shows that biographical disruptions occur in three successive stages. The discussion refers to a career counseling intervention program with a focus on sustainability.

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France has been a host country to immigrants from the Maghreb (Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco) for more than a century. This chapter focuses on the children of these migrants, most of whom were born in France and have French citizenship. And yet, as first or second generation citizens with a Maghrebi background, they nevertheless manifest particular patterns when it comes to school achievement and subsequent inclusion in the labour market, areas in which educational and occupational guidance play a mediating role. The chapter shows that this particular group experiences cultural and linguistic difficulties at school, as well as discrimination, resulting in socially inequitable outcomes. Educational and guidance policies and practices aimed at addressing and reducing such inequalities are described, noting, however, that such efforts have a paradoxical effect: by identifying this group as targets for specific and compensatory support, policies end up reinforcing stigmatisation processes. Students with a Maghrebi background are confronted with all sorts of difficulties throughout their years in education and training, starting from the first years of schooling onwards. Most end up unfavourably positioned when it comes to making a transition to the labour market, particularly given limited opportunities in a competitive environment. The ways guidance, as part of a broader range of strategic interventions, can be mobilised to address such a situation, are examined.

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