Despite the improving level of education in Hungary, the proportion of people with low school qualification who are permanently excluded from the labour market is still significant. For them – even under current labour market circumstances – the supply of jobs is very limited, hence, their employment rate is decreasing, while their unemployment and inactivity are rising. The study focuses on the issue of secondary school dropout in international and Hungarian, theoretical and empirical contexts. The importance of the subject is due to the fact that early school leaving is a complex phenomenon that affects a range of areas outside the educational and training system, therefore the management of the problem is a priority. Using the methodology of questionnaire surveys and semi-structured conversations, the study aimed at the exploration of the school life of people who dropped out of vocational training, the conditions of dropping out and the applied compensatory measures. The sole solution for the people concerned is public employment and the various types of aid that further increase their marginalization. Results of the study pointed out the impact of family background, the positive experience of school reintegration, and the role of career choice based on misinformation or compulsion. Conclusions of the study provide an adequate framework for the development of an action plan that may serve as a basis for future prevention, intervention and compensation developments. The conclusion of the research is that due to the strong family ties of the dropped out people it would have been rational for the school to focus on preventive measures in the form of closer contact with parents. Increasing the role of homeroom teachers might also be a key factor in preventing early school leaving. The results point to the conclusion that the presence of career guidance sessions is not sufficiently emphasized in educational institutions. As a suggestion, it could be argued that higher level teaching of learning techniques and the elimination of skill deficits could be a key element of education not only in the field of adult education but already in ninth grade, trying to prevent dropping out before it is realized.