Training in the age of liberalization and crisis: Understanding the learning experiences of young Active Labour Market Programme Participants

Abstract

AbstractVocational Training has been a prominent aspect of Active Labour Market Policy (ALMP) across EU member states, as part of efforts to boost the employability and human capital of young unemployed people and address new social risks arising within knowledge economies. However, young people's learning experiences of these programmes, and how these shape their early formative experiences in the labour market is underexplored. We address this gap by presenting new analysis of an extensive qualitative dataset, involving interviews with participants in Greece's Continuous Vocational Training (CVET) Program. Drawing on Unwin and Fuller's influential theory of restrictive and expansive learning environments which was developed through examination of formal apprenticeship programmes, we explore the extent to which these short‐term vocational training programs provide meaningful learning and work experiences for young people. We show that vocational training facilitated through ALMPs is often experienced as restrictive, underpinned by a lack of meaningful training, occupation‐specific skills, supportive guidance and quality employment prospects. Furthermore, we show how ALMPs in such contexts not only fail to support young people, but they also reinforce and legitimize precarious work practices by socializing the younger generation of workers into low‐pay, temporary and routine jobs.