Higher Vocational Education in Canada: The Continuing Predominance of Two-Year Diploma Programmes

Abstract

This chapter uses the Canadian experience to reflect on issues related to four aspects of Higher Vocational Education (HIVE): defining HIVE; varieties of HIVE; scale of HIVE; and the impact of HIVE particularly with respect to equity. Although the focus of this chapter is on Canada, the discussion is placed in a comparative context in order to better illuminate the issues addressed.Higher Level Vocational Education is generally thought of as vocational education at the level of higher education. This conception of HIVE raises questions as to who determines whether a specific form of vocational education is at the higher education level. In some cases, there is formal recognition by the state, an example being college-based bachelor’s degrees accredited by government-established agencies in Canada. However, problems arise when determination that vocational education programs are at the level of higher education is effectively left to universities, as there may be a conflict between the properties deemed important by universities and those considered essential to achieving the goals of vocational educationA substantial proportion of HIVE provided by Canadian colleges is in the form of two-year programs that normally require completion of secondary school for admission. Canada also has some unique types of HIVE programs: three-year diploma programs and one-year graduate programs designed for graduates of university bachelor programs and of two- and three-year college diploma programs. In contrast, in some countries two-year college-based HIVE programs have disappeared, while HIVE is offered mainly in the form of bachelor’s degree programs. These examples give rise to questions about the sources and implications of differences in the mix of HIVE activities in different jurisdictions.There are substantial international differences in the scale of different forms of HIVE. The proportion of adults who have completed a two- or three-year vocational program in a college in Canada is the highest of any OECD member country and more than double the rate of any of the other countries covered in this book. The scale of HIVE can affect opportunities for graduates in conflicting ways. As with other types of qualifications, an increase in supply can reduce the labour market value of a credential. On the other hand, with a newer or less well-known type of labour market credential, an increase in the supply of workers with the credential can be important in gaining recognition and acceptance of the credential, which can enhance opportunities for those with the credential. The scale of vocationally oriented bachelor’s degrees awarded by Canadian colleges may not yet be sufficient to achieve labour market recognition of what graduates of these programs bring to the workplace.As in most other countries, in Canada learners with characteristics such as lower income, minority group membership, single-parenthood, rural residence, and disabilities are over-represented in college HIVE programs relative to universities. And as in many other countries, HIVE has been criticized in Canada for failing to foster the same extent of social mobility and access to higher income and social status as universities, and thus failing to alleviate social inequality. This chapter will explore this question at a more disaggregated level by looking at variation by type of HIVE and field of study, and trends over time as HIVE has evolved. In Canada, as in the United States, there is considerable overlap in the earnings of college and university graduates, and graduates of two-year college programs in some fields earn more than university graduates in other fields earnings.Another way of looking at the outcomes of HIVE is to compare the employment and earnings opportunities of HIVE graduates with those of individuals who enter the workforce directly after secondary school without additional education. The government of Canada has indicated that a high proportion of new job openings will require college-based HIVE and that HIVE provides essential skills for the Canadian workforce. Less is known about how the aggregate demand for HIVE-prepared workers translates into career advancement and social mobility opportunities for HIVE graduates.