This paper investigates the effects of the increased unemployment rate during the school-to-work transition for Norwegian vocational students. In this vocational system, students first spend two years in school before transitioning into the labour market. They spend two years in an apprenticeship, followed by a final exam, resulting in a trade certificate. We document that in the 2004-2015 period, a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate reduces the proportion of students in an apprenticeship by 3 percentage points. We provide evidence that the emphasis placed on general skills in this vocational system protects vocational students against adverse economic shocks by permitting them to switch tracks and stay in school. A result that holds across the ability distribution. This leads more students to complete upper secondary education with academic qualifications, thereby outweighing the reduction in vocational track completion. This again leads more students to pursue higher education.