The Challenges of Dual Education and the Role of Resilience in the Balance Between Learning and Work

The rapid transformation of the 21st-century labour market requires students to be highly psychologically adaptable, especially in dual education systems where academic and work-based learning occur simultaneously. This study examines resilience as a psychological and pedagogical protective factor among students in dual vocational education and dual higher education programmes. Using a quantitative research design with validated scales measuring resilience, motivation, satisfaction, and stress, the research investigates how individual and contextual factors influence students’ adaptability. The results showed that vocational education and training students exhibited greater resilience, greater learning satisfaction, and lower levels of stress than those in higher education. Regression analysis confirmed that resilience positively contributes to academic success, while supportive mentoring and a structured learning environment enhance emotional stability and motivation. The analysis highlights that autonomy and pressure to perform are associated with higher levels of stress in higher education, underscoring the critical role of mentorship and peer support in improving adaptability. These findings emphasise that resilience is not only an individual capacity, but also a pedagogical and organisational construct; its systematic development should be integrated into the dual education framework to support student well-being, learning effectiveness, and long-term professional adaptation.