In recent years, young people’s economic and employment possibilities have been compromised, especially in the case of vulnerable populations such as unaccompanied foreign minors who migrate to Spain and enter the guardianship system. The aim of this study was to identify this group’s most representative training trajectories, and determine the risk and protective factors involved in their insertion to the labour market. To this end, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with young adult migrants who had left the system and 15 with professionals involved in their socio-educational intervention. The results highlight various factors that hinder the inclusion of young adult migrants in the formal education system, which has a negative impact on their subsequent insertion to the labour market. Actions and proposals were collected that aim to foster the educational inclusion of young adult migrants and promote their labour market insertion; an area considered essential in the transition to adulthood. © 2024 The Authors. International Journal of Social Welfare published by Akademikerförbundet SSR (ASSR) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

DOI: 10.1111/ijsw.12658
ISSN: 13696866