ABSTRACT This article compares gender disparities in access, learning outcomes, and school‐to‐work transitions (STWT) among dual Vocational Education and Training (dVET) apprentices in Mexico. Drawing on data from a longitudinal research project, the study includes in‐depth interviews with 60 apprentices, conducted at the start of dVET and after graduation. The qualitative analysis compares apprentices' opportunities by gender and field of study, distinguishing between traditionally male‐ or female‐dominated areas. The findings reveal significant gender differences in access to dVET highlighting the critical roles played by family and teacher support, as well as peer information. Additionally, the analysis indicates that female apprentices in male‐dominated fields face disadvantages with gender‐related stereotypes persisting in both educational and workplace environments. Moreover, STWT results suggest that male apprentices experienced greater advantages in fulfilling their expectations. Our results contribute to the broader discussions on gender, equality, and inclusion within comparative dVET studies, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines how learning and development (L&D) leaders perceive and evaluate AI‐enabled coaching agents and identifies factors shaping organisational adoption. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 11 senior L&D and HR leaders from large organisations who had recent experience of using generative AI coaching tools. Reflexive thematic analysis generated six themes relating to perceived value at scale, hybrid human–AI delivery preferences, adoption barriers, perceived conversational strengths and limitations, trust and governance concerns, and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations. Findings are interpreted through UTAUT2 to clarify how performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, habit and perceived value are refracted through organisational risk, data protection, trust and inclusion. The study contributes an adoption‐focused account of how commissioners of workplace learning and development assess coaching and the emergence of AI coach agents, offering implications for governance, implementation design and future research on responsible deployment.

ABSTRACT This study aims to identify latent employment quality patterns among vocational high school graduates and examine how these patterns are influenced by their upper‐secondary vocational education and training (VET) experiences. Grounded in the International Labour Organisation's concept of decent work, this study considers employment quality within diverse indicators: job relevance to education, decent hours, social protection, employment status, adequate earnings, work–life balance, and social dialogue and workplace relations. Using nationally representative data from 1463 Korean vocational high school graduate workers, latent class analysis is employed to classify individuals into distinct employment quality patterns based on multiple dimensions of decent work. The analysis reveals three latent groups: stable (26.7%), partially stable (54.8%), and precarious (18.5%). Results from multinomial logistic regression indicate that students' active participation in vocational coursework, acquisition of industry certifications, and work experience are significantly associated with these latent patterns. Moreover, these relationships vary across different occupational programmes, including STEM, business and services, and others tracks. This study underscores the importance of incorporating diverse indicators of employment quality rather than relying on a single metric. It also suggests that VET strategies should be tailored to the unique characteristics of each occupational programme to improve employment outcomes for vocational high school graduates.

ABSTRACT The rapid pace of technological innovation and the advent of Industry 4.0 have profoundly transformed labour markets and the nature of work. This paper examines the preparedness of Initial Vocational Education and Training (IVET) programmes in Germany and Italy to meet the demands of Human Capital 4.0. Utilising a comparative analysis of three IVET programmes, this study investigates the skills and competencies these programmes aim to develop and evaluates their alignment with the requirements of a technologically advanced economy. In Germany, the dual system's practical orientation, strong industry feedback mechanisms, and continuous curriculum updates position it as a model of high readiness. The integration of practical training and close collaboration with employers ensures that students acquire relevant skills, making the German IVET system highly responsive to labour market needs. In contrast, Italy's predominantly school‐based IVET system emphasises theoretical knowledge with limited practical exposure. The centralised, state‐driven feedback mechanism in Italy leads to slower adaptation to industry changes, affecting the system's readiness to equip students with the necessary skills for Industry 4.0. Findings reveal that Germany's IVET programme is nominally better aligned with Human Capital 4.0, as it embraces soft skills, cognitive skills, digital competencies, and emotional intelligence. Italy's IVET programmes, while strong in theoretical knowledge, need to enhance their practical training components, incorporate industry feedback more effectively and integrate emotional intelligence to improve readiness. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on vocational education reform by highlighting the critical role of practical training and industry collaboration in preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0. It underscores the importance of revising traditional education systems to meet the dynamic needs of the modern economy and suggests areas for improvement in both German and Italian IVET systems.

ABSTRACT First‐time managers have received limited attention in academic research, with only a few studies appearing over the years in human resource development and related fields. Today, generation Z has entered the workforce, and many of them are being promoted to management. Therefore, our study explored the transition to the management process for generation Z employees. We interviewed 12 representatives of this cohort and analyzed the data using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings suggest that the transition for first‐time managers from generation Z has five facets that can be divided into two groups: dispositional and situational. Additionally, the study offers important insights into the transformation of professional identity during this transition, highlighting the significant roles of values and proactive behaviours. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of our findings, as well as suggestions for future research.

ABSTRACT Transnational education institutions promoting foreign curricula often claim to enhance international employability for local students, yet many assertions lack substantial evidence. This qualitative study investigates the study‐to‐work transitions of alumni from a binational university in Turkey, focusing on their motivations for selecting this university and their immediate labour market outcomes. The study introduces the concept of “exporting employability” through transnational education. The findings indicate that the extent to which transnational higher education institutions can “export” employability has limitations and largely depends on language skill development. Notably, nearly all graduates choose to work in their country of origin. By applying transnational social fields theory, this study illustrates how transnational education can offer a globally relevant yet locally applicable education, ultimately providing concrete evidence of transnational education's role in enhancing alumni employability and contributing to their labour market outcomes.