Vocational Education And Training Schools Research Articles

Factors sustaining legitimacy of smoking in Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools: a qualitative needs assessment

BackgroundMost adult smokers started smoking in their teenage years, which increases the risk of nicotine dependence. In Denmark, there is a high prevalence of youth smoking among students in Vocational Education and Training (VET). However, reducing and preventing smoking in this group is a major challenge. This article presents a needs assessment aimed to explore factors sustaining legitimacy of smoking in VET schools and consider the measures needed to prepare VET schools’ implementation of smoking reduction and prevention interventions.MethodsParticipant observations were conducted in four VET classes representing three VET schools in Denmark with a duration of four days each. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers, managers, and a student advisor, as well as four focus groups with a total of 20 students. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and the data material was analyzed following Malterud’s systematic text condensation.FindingsFactors that helped sustain legitimacy of smoking in VET schools included a positive and normalized attitude towards smoking at home and among friends, an understanding of smoking as an integral and expected practice in VET professions and schools, a perceived reliance on smoking as an icebreaker in new social relations and as a pedagogical tool, and smoking as a habit and a means to deal with boredom and stress relief.ConclusionsThe factors sustaining legitimacy of smoking in VET schools are reciprocal and call for smoking reduction and prevention intervention efforts which consider and address social influence, habitual behavior, and psychological needs, as well as changes at the policy level.

Relationship between smoking and mental health in educational settings with high smoking rates: a cohort study among Danish youth

Background: Smoking and poor mental health in youth represent important public health priorities. This study aimed to (i) compare tobacco-related behaviors and mental health in two educational settings with high smoking rates: vocational education and training (VET) schools and preparatory basic education (PBE) schools, and (ii) examine associations between smoking at school start and mental health 5 months later. Methods: Data were obtained from baseline ( N = 1843) and follow-up ( N = 1039) assessments conducted as part of a school-based trial in two rounds (baseline in August 2018 and August 2019). Students’ characteristics were presented by adjusted prevalences. Logistic regression analyses assessed associations between smoking and measures of mental health: school-related well-being, overall loneliness, and stress. Results: More PBE students than VET students reported daily smoking (40% vs. 27%), nicotine dependence, perceived benefits of smoking (e.g., stress reduction: 41% vs. 33%), low smoking-related self-efficacy (e.g., ability to resist smoking if offered by a friend: 20% vs. 32%), school-related loneliness, and low school connectedness (25% vs. 11%). Daily smokers at VET and PBE schools had lower odds of school-related loneliness (AOR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.35–0.74) and higher odds of stress (AOR = 2.75, 95% CI: 2.00–3.80). Smoking was associated with better classmate relations in VET schools but not in PBE schools. Conclusions: Our study suggested that students in PBE schools constitute a more vulnerable group in terms of smoking and mental health compared with students in VET schools. Smoking seemed to prevent loneliness in school but was associated with heightened stress levels.

An Institutional Analysis of Local Lifelong Learning Approaches to Early School Leaving in Italy and Spain

In this paper, we will analyze how a few initial vocational education and training (VET) schools have elaborated wide-ranging responses to early leaving from education and training in Liguria (Italy) and Catalonia (Spain). In contrast with many members of the EU and the OECD, the prevailing institutional arrangements in these two countries hardly support disadvantaged youths to catch up with basic academic performance and find an appealing pathway between compulsory and post-compulsory education. Despite this bias of official policies, we argue that some initial VET schools manage to navigate the interface between social structure and agency and accommodate the aspirations of disadvantaged students by involving local stakeholders and shaping school time organization in a particular way.

Development and Feasibility Test of a Theory- and Evidence-Based Multicomponent Intervention to Reduce Student Smoking at Danish Vocational Schools

The smoking prevalence among vocational education and training (VET) students is high. This paper describes the development and feasibility test of a multicomponent intervention designed to promote non-smoking behaviour at VET schools. We applied the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) stages and the capability, opportunity, and motivation for behaviour (COM-B) model to develop the intervention components based on theory, evidence, and a thorough needs-assessment study. Moreover, we feasibility-tested the preliminary ideas. All in all, our study was based on the literature, survey data, fieldwork, workshops, and expert and stakeholder involvement. The final intervention programme targets VET students’ smoking behaviour at the school, class, and individual levels through (a) a comprehensive tobacco policy to limit the physical and social opportunities to smoke, supplemented with a two-day staff course in conversations about smoking and an edutainment session (a lecture that both educates and entertains) to support a smoke-free environment; (b) classroom curricular with teaching materials to increase knowledge and social support, along with a quit-and-win competition to increase motivation; and (c) the national Quitline adapted to VET students to increase access to cessation support. The BCW model enabled a systematic and comprehensive development of an intervention, which demonstrates relevant techniques and delivery options to have the potential to reduce smoking in VET schools.

Educational and Occupational Potential of Ukraine: Main Challenges and Ways of Improvement Under Current Conditions

Problems of the skills development and the quality of human capital became the priorities of the current socio-economic development. That’s why the relevance of the investigation of the main trends in the formation and development of the human potential of country (especially, educational and qualification component) significantly increased. However, the possibilities for the stable and effective development of the labour market and vocational education system in Ukraine are limited because of the influence of war. Therefore, it is extremely important to study the specific features of the development of educational and occupational potential of country under the influence of war, to define the main challenges of its development connected with constrains and limitations of effective realization during this period of time. The aim of the paper is to identify the challenges and threats to the realization of the educational and occupational potential of Ukraine under current conditions, to determine the ways of the development of employees’ individual skills and competencies needed under conditions of post-war recovery period. In order to achieve the defined aim, the authors have used data of sociological surveys, as well as all available sources of information (especially, data of State Employment Service, opendata). During research process, such research methods as analysis and synthesis, system analysis, scientific abstraction, comparison, generalization, logical approach were used. The results of the study made it possible to define that the quality of educational and occupational potential depends not only on the demographic basis of labour force reproduction, but also on the readiness of the employees to acquire new skills, to upgrade qualifications. It was also defined that the negative trends in the development of the vocational education and training (VET) system significantly increased under conditions of war due to: the damage to the network of vocational education schools in the regions affected by hostilities; the significant scale of external and internal migration; the disruption of established coordination relations between enterprises and vocational education schools; the aggravation of the problems of VET schools financing. Calculations of the structural changes intensity coefficients (by 25 most popular occupations) indicates a higher probability of balancing the list of occupations for which vocational education schools provide training with the dynamics of changes and the occupational structure of vacancies (taking into account the degree of load on the part of unemployed). Results of calculations can be taken into account when determining the number of students and the structure of training organized by vocational education schools and employment centres. During the investigation process, it was proved that the factors related to the employees’ incentive for training, retraining, acquiring skills and competencies necessary for increasing competitiveness in the labour market, realizing their educational and occupational potential are also important. The aggravation of the problems of realization and development of the educational and occupational potential of internally displaced persons was defined as a serious challenge. Based on the results of surveys, it was outlined that internally displaced persons are interested in receiving professional assistance for career development and employment, but not able to formulate specific requests regarding areas of study and assistance. In the paper the necessity of the widening of the ‘work-based learning’ practice (training organized at the workplace), which will contribute to the integration of training at the work -place and formal (academic) training for the acquisition of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills, is suggested and proved. The main ways of the minimization of the risks and threats of ensuring the professional development of the labour force, the development of the educational and occupational potential of the labour force were proposed in paper. The conclusions of this article can be useful for elaboration of the measures of educational and employment policies aimed at the improvement of the quality of educational and occupational potential of the labour force in Ukraine during war and post-war recovery period.

Varieties Within a Collective Skill Formation System: How VET Governance in Switzerland is Shaped by Associations

Context: International scholarship and policy tend to depict national structures governing Vocational Education and Training (VET) as uniform and devoid of internal differences. This macro perspective neglects the numerous processes at the meso and micro level that shape the structure and content of VET. This article focusses on professional associations (meso level) in Switzerland to examine the heterogeneity of governance of individual VET programmes that can exist within one country or one collective skill formation system. Approach: Drawing on insights from historical institutionalism and research on corporatism, we argue that these differences are the product of the characteristics, traditional practices and styles of reasoning of the various associations involved in VET governance. Our analysis is based on expert interviews and governance documents in two vocational areas: Electrotechnology and food services. Findings: We identify and decode an array of cooperative practices and show that collective skill formation has a different meaning for different associations and, correspondingly, different occupations. Collaboration with state actors, unions, VET schools and single firms, as well as voting procedures, differ considerably between associations. Furthermore, we find that these different modes of governance are determined by associational characteristics such as size, level of professionalization, location and established cooperative practices, as well as traditional styles of reasonings. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the decisions taken are not always the product of current day training requirements but of historically grown associational characteristics. Thus, path dependencies are to be considered not only at a macro level but also at the meso level. There is a multifaceted variety of governance approaches beneath the classification "collective skill formation system". Associations are key in defining VET content, working life structures and collectivity.

How do teachers collaborate in Hungarian VET schools? A quantitative study of forms, perceptions of impact and related individual and organisational factors

BackgroundThis study investigates teacher collaboration in Hungarian vocational education and training (VET) schools based on an online survey of teachers (n = 303). Collaboration of teachers has long been appreciated for its significant benefits including increased motivation, job satisfaction, self- and collective efficacy, as well as its role in teacher professional development and school improvement. Collaboration of teachers working in VET schools, especially in VET systems where initial VET is provided to young people and (in part) within compulsory education, appears as particularly desirable, given the special context, objectives and challenges of this sector and the spread of competence-based education. However, relatively little is known about VET teacher collaboration, especially in Hungary, where three different profiles of teachers—general subject and vocational teachers and vocational trainers—work in VET schools. The aim of our study was to provide data about how Hungarian VET teachers collaborate, which could validate prior research results on teacher collaboration as well as identify any special features of the VET context.MethodOur study design was exploratory, descriptive and correlational, applying quantitative statistical analysis. We measured teacher collaboration (practice and perception of impact) and explanatory individual and organisational factors selected for our research framework by adapting instruments of previous empirical studies (most importantly, OECD’s TALIS). We analysed connections between collaboration and independent variables created by principal component analysis.ResultsOur data show that sharing-type collaboration (professional discussions and exchange of materials) are widespread among Hungarian VET teachers. They are much less likely to participate in deeper collaborative activities that presuppose higher levels of interdependence, and they also appreciate the impact of deeper collaboration less. Female respondents participate in sharing-type activities more than their male colleagues, and middle-aged (40–55) are most active in both types of collaboration and perceive the most impact. Collaboration practices correlate most with perceptions of their impact. More frequent collaboration and perceptions of higher impact are related to teachers’ sense of higher self-efficacy and relaxed, tolerant and encouraging collegial relationships. Structural barriers seem to influence only sharing and perceptions of impact. Small, but statistically significant differences in collaboration were found between the three teacher profiles. Vocational trainers (who instruct vocational school practice) showed the highest level of participation in deeper collaboration, while vocational teachers were least likely to participate and perceived the least impact. No significant associations were found between collaboration and prior or current work experience in the taught vocation.ConclusionsOur results largely confirm and validate previous research on teacher collaboration in lower level and general educational contexts by providing data on VET teacher collaboration. They also note the role of some VET-specific factors, such as structural barriers and small, but statistically significant differences between different VET teacher profiles.

Szakképzés 4.0 és a mérnöktanár-képzés

A mérnöktanár-képzés a regionális iparfejlesztés összetett folyamatának egyik apró, de fontos eleme. A korszerű ipari termelés új szerepköröket (munkaköröket) és új kompetenciákat igényel. Ezekre figyelni kell a műszaki képzés minden szintjén, ha felelősen gondolkodunk, és meg akarjuk alapozni a végzett műszaki szakemberek sikeres karrierjét. A mérnöktanár-képzésből kerülnek ki a középfokú szakképzés új tanárgenerációi, az ő szemléletük határozza meg a szakképzés mindennapjait a következő évtizedekben. A képző intézményeknek érzékenyeknek kell lenniük az aktuális és a jövőbeli elvárásokra, a képzési programjuk és az oktatási módszereik megújításával támogatniuk kell a szakképzési rendszer törekvéseit az iparfejlesztés humán erőforrásának biztosításában.

A comparative study of teaching and learning in German and Chinese vocational education and training schools: A classroom observation study

This study compares teaching and learning in German and Chinese vocational education and training (VET) schools. The adoption of teaching methods and instructional media are used as two descriptive dimensions. Relevant data on these factors were collected through systematic classroom observation. Generally, both similarities and differences can be noted between German and Chinese VET schools. The results concerning adoption of teaching methods and instructional media are discussed in the context of two factors: teacher education; and curriculum.

Dropout at Danish vocational schools: does the school\u2019s health promotion capacity play a role? A survey- and register-based prospective study

BackgroundSchool dropout rates and risky health behavior is common among students in vocational education and training (VET) schools. Students with poor physical and mental health are more likely to drop out, and as such VET schools may be an important setting for health promotion initiatives, not only to support a healthy lifestyle, but also to assure completion of education. A common feature of successful health promotion at VET schools is a high health promotion capacity at the school level. This study aimed to investigate the association between VET school’s health promotion capacity and later student dropout rates. Secondary, we explored other school characteristics associated with student dropout rates.MethodsThis prospective study comprised 58 Danish VET schools offering basic programs. Health promotion capacity was assessed using questionnaire data from 2017 from school managers and teachers, and this was combined with register-based data on student dropouts the following year. Health promotion capacity was assessed using six scales, representing six underlying domains, and managers and teachers’ ratings of these were compared using t-test. Associations between health promotion capacity and student dropout rates as well as associations between school characteristics and student dropout rates were analyzed using multiple linear regression.ResultsNo associations between VET schools’ health promotion capacity and student dropout rates were observed, neither for the schools’ overall health promotion capacity or for any of the six underlying domains (p = 0.17–0.84). School managers assessed health promotion capacity significantly higher than teachers overall and within all domains (p < 0.05). Moreover, student dropout rates were significantly lower at schools with a higher proportion of ethnic Danish students, VET-students at higher educational level and schools located in the Western part of Denmark (p < 0.05).ConclusionNo associations between VET schools’ health promotion capacity and student dropout rates were observed. This may be due to a relatively short follow-up time in our study and future research may reveal if VET school health promotion capacity may affect dropout rates over a longer time period. Moreover, more work is needed to further develop instruments for measuring health promotion capacity in a VET school context as well as other contexts.

Health Literacy is Associated with Health Behaviors in Students from Vocational Education and Training Schools: A Danish Population-Based Survey.

Health literacy has been identified as an important and changeable intermediary determinant of health equity. Vocational education and training (VET) schools are a relevant setting for health behavior interventions seeking to diminish health inequities because many VET students come from low socio-economic status backgrounds. This study examines VET students’ health literacy and its association with health behavior based on a cross-sectional survey among 6119 students from 58 VET schools in Denmark in 2019. Two scales from the Health Literacy Questionnaire was used to assess domains of health literacy. Data were analyzed using Anova and logistic regression. The study population consisted of 43.4% female, and mean age was 24.2 years (range 15.8–64.0). The health literacy domain ‘Actively managing my health’ mean was 2.51, SD 0.66, and ‘Appraisal of health information’ mean was 2.37, SD 0.65. For both domains, being female, older age, attending the VET educational program Care-health-pedagogy, and higher self-rated health were associated with higher scale scores. In the adjusted analyses, lower scale scores were associated with less frequent breakfast, daily smoking, high-risk alcohol behavior and moderate-to-low physical activity. Our results show that low health literacy is associated with unhealthy behaviors in this population. Our results support and inform health literacy research and practice in educational institutions and services.

GUIDE FOR SMART PRACTICES TO SUPPORT INNOVATION IN SMART TEXTILES

Smart Textiles for STEM training (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math’s).is an Erasmus+ project aiming to bridge Textile Companies with the Education sector via Smart Textiles Innovation and Training. Industries have been surveyed to analyze the needs for new jobs and skills in Smart textiles, contributing to improve the links with VET Schools training and closing the gap between industry and education. During the project a number of smart textiles examples and prototypes are worked to be transferred to Schools and used by students and teachers, aiming to foster STEM training. This paper presents the results of the survey applied to selected textile companies on Technical and Smart Textiles, based on data collected from 63 textile enterprises in Romania, Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal and Czech Republic. The survey identifies existing opportunities for producing smart textiles in enterprises and forecasting expected occupations and work profiles for young trainees. The guide for smart practices presents the results of this survey and aims to transfer smart practices from enterprises to Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools and young students. Providing real life prototypes and multi-disciplinary working activities on smart textiles will make textile occupations more attractive to young students, and will improve knowledge, skills and employability of VET students in STEM related fields.

VET teachers between school and working life: boundary processes enabling continuing professional development

ABSTRACTChanges in working life require development in vocational education and training (VET) to retain industrial currency. VET teachers are key actors in VET, and their continuing professional development (CPD) in vocational subjects is central to the currency of VET. This study is situated in Sweden, with a mainly school-based VET system where VET teachers have the main responsibility for students’ school-based and workplace learning, and they typically have a background in an initial occupation which they now teach their students. The study applies a situated learning perspective, with a particular focus on boundary processes between VET schools and working life, and how the modes of identification of engagement, imagination, and alignment are enacted and influence the identity formation and CPD of VET teachers. The findings are based on interviews with 30 Swedish VET teachers. The qualitative study shows how different forms of boundary encounter between VET teachers and working life, brokering of occupational knowledge, and reconstruction of occupational practices at schools provide opportunities for teachers’ CPD and influencing vocational teaching. It is important for the quality of VET teachers’ CPD to include and integrate the different modes of identification, to allow for updating of different aspects of the occupational identity.

Smoke-free-school-hours at vocational education and training schools in Denmark: attitudes among managers and teaching staff \u2013 a national cross-sectional study

BackgroundTobacco is the main cause of non-communicable disease and premature death globally. Implementing restrictive school tobacco policies such as smoke-free-school-hours (SFSH) may have the potential to reduce smoking among Vocational Education and Training (VET) school students. To be effective, school tobacco policies that largely involve strict and consistent enforcement by both managers and teaching teaching staff must be implemented. This study investigated the attitudes towards the implementation of SFSH among the managers and teaching staff at Danish VET schools.MethodsThe analyses were based on cross-sectional survey data collected with an online survey among managers and teaching staff at Danish VET schools. The data was collected from March to June 2017.ResultsManagers and teaching staff (n = 571) from 71 out of 87 Danish VET schools (81.6%) took part in the survey. In the adjusted analysis, teaching staff were twice as likely as managers to have a favourable attitude towards SFSH. Furthermore, being female and of increasing age correlated with having a favourable attitude. A trend towards schools in favour of SFSH having more health promotion facilities, policy and practice, was identified.Conclusion and implicationsExisting health promotion facilities and activities at the schools were associated with a favorable attitude among the management towards implementing SFSH. Thus, implementing other health promotion activities and policies might be an important first step to establish readiness to implement SFSH.

The ‘exceptional male teacher’ and the ‘vulnerable male student’: constructions of men and masculinities in vocational education and training in Estonia

ABSTRACTThis article takes a critical perspective on the construction of men and masculinities in vocational education and training (VET). We focus on ways in which key stakeholders in VET – teachers, heads of schools and VET experts – conceptualise men as educators and learners in VET, drawing on the case of Estonia. We identified two related discourses produced by the stakeholders which we labelled as ‘the exceptional male teacher’ and ‘the vulnerable male student’, which draw on and support the broader discourse of ‘feminisation of education’ prevalent in many Western societies. Treating men as exceptional, vulnerable and deserving special attention in VET leaves unchallenged and reproduces male privilege and endorses traditional ways of doing masculinity in this context. Such an institutional environment produced by the VET stakeholders may not be conducive to the emergence of more egalitarian masculinities in VET schools. More broadly, these two discourses on men in VET have important implications for gendered power relations and possibilities to advance gender equality in VET and in the labour market.

Can apprenticeships contribute to innovation in SMEs? The case of Catalonia

The objective of this study is to analyse the contribution of students of vocational education and training (VET) to the innovation processes of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) during their apprenticeships. Qualitative research was conducted through in‐depth interviews with 97 respondents in Catalonia, including VET teachers and students, SME managers, and social and institutional agents. Our findings reveal that public institutions have a partial view of innovation, mostly influenced by an industrial positioning, which leads to the neglect of other components, such as the social aspects. In addition, regarding public programmes designed to foster innovation through VET, the results show a lack of coordination between VET schools, SMEs and public administrations. Finally, in relation to apprentices, we find a low participation in innovation processes by students during their apprenticeship as a consequence of the bad implementation of innovation public programmes, due to the lack of coordination between VET schools and SMEs.

Peer Review as an Instrument for School Development

The school evaluation fulfils different functions. Due to its special characteristics, the peer review in vocational education and training (VET) mainly serves the function of school development. This evaluation concept has already been tested several times at European level in the vocational context. This article examines to what extent the peer review concept can be used for VET schools in Germany and whether it can demonstrate its strengths there as well. To answer these questions, a pilot project was conducted at three vocational schools in North Rhine-Westphalia. Participating observations and problem-oriented interviews were the methods preferred. Positive results but also some challenges come to light, which are reflected against the backdrop of the pilot research and the school evaluation research.

The Use of e-Learning in Vocational Education and Training (VET): Systematization of Existing Theoretical Approaches

Vocational education and training (VET) has been facing a lot of challenges lately in the context of geostrategic forces that are shaping our world. Recent technological changes, combined with shifts in global economic power, accelerating urbanization, and demographic changes have put pressure on the VET to become more responsive to the needs of the labour market and society. E-learning has been seen as an effective way of improving the quality of teaching and learning in VET schools due to its various forms. Nevertheless, there has been some disagreement in the litearture on the advantages and disadvantages of the use of of e-learning in VET. Besides, some studies recently reported a decline in enthusiasm about the effects of e-learning in companies. In order to closely examine the effects of e-learning in VET, we conduct a literature review. We then carry out a discussion of the pros and cons with the aim of developing suggestions for the better use of e-learning in VET. The results of the litearture review show that learners and providers of e-learning benefit from it in different ways. In order to minimise the risks involved in using e-learning, a mixture of online and face-to-face events could be used, and adjusted pedagogical concepts should be designed and developed explicitly for e-learning.

The tradies’ entrance into teaching: the challenges in designing teacher education for vocational education and training in schools

This article examines issues and challenges associated with the provision of effective professional teacher education for vocational education and training in schools (VETiS) teachers. Current minimum levels of qualifications for VETiS teachers are argued to be inadequate for the complexity of preparing senior secondary students for work in the future. VETiS teachers require a deep understanding of education and teaching that, as per their colleagues in schools, is acquired through completing a university-based teacher education program. Faculties of education are urged to enact strategies to recruit students to enter these university-based teacher education programs on the basis of their VET qualification and additional industrial experience. However, these university-based teacher education programs need to be specifically designed and tailored to the needs of these nontraditional higher education students. Evidence is presented from one such program and is used to identify potential features for an effective model of VETiS teacher education.

Identity strategies in light of a low-prestige occupation: the case of retail apprentices

Occupations differ in their prestige, but little research has examined how workers manage working in a low-prestige occupation. This case study with retail-clerk apprentices in Switzerland uncovers the identity strategies the apprentices employ to help them normalise the situation they find themselves in: they are learning an occupation that is not assumed to require any specific knowledge or skills. We base our arguments on theories about occupational prestige, identity and stigma management, as well as on a qualitative study in VET (vocational education and training) schools. Three identity strategies are dominant among retail-clerk apprentices and are deeply embedded within the retail context and the Swiss apprenticeship programme. First, apprentices embrace ideas of discontinuous careers and lifelong learning, which encourage them to improve their occupational position through mobility within or outside the retail sector. Second, the VET programme builds on apprentices’ consumer interests and encourages their self-valorisation through the prestige of products and shops. Third, apprentices emphasise that retail work is skilled work, a strategy that is consistent with the positive societal perception of the Swiss VET system. These strategies provide insights into how apprentices construct positive occupational identities although they are placed low on the occupational prestige hierarchy.