This thesis is a qualitative longitudinal research study of young rural-urban migrants and their education to work transitions in the capital city Kathmandu, Nepal. With the globalisation of the economy and ICT, the context of access to decent work and work structures has changed. Paradoxically, at a time when families are increasingly investing in formal education for their children, their opportunities to economically benefit from schooling are declining. While many families value education as an avenue for upward social mobility, young rural-urban migrants narratives show that education is necessary, but not sufficient to make a smooth education to work transition into a decent job.

The study identifies four different patterns reflecting the education to work transitions of young rural-urban migrants. These patterns encompass different pathways involving education, migration, work, and mandatory waiting periods. It then examines the various opportunities and barriers that the rural-urban migrants encounter during their life that influence their trajectories. The longitudinal character of the study helps to understand the nuanced experiences of the rural-urban migrant including continuity and discontinuity of work and also theorizes youth transitions as a process rather than a single event at a particular point in time. In addition, the study explores the various perceptions of rural-urban migrants about their job at the call centres and emphasizes integrating cultural context such as norms and values surrounding work to understand youth choices and decision-making during their education to work transition to inform better policies.