Industry certification and apprenticeship programs are vital in closing the labor shortage gap while improving graduation rates nationwide. New Mexico has trailed behind the rest of the nation in rebalancing the emphasis on skilled trades, particularly in rural schools. This phenomenological study interviewed ten Career and Technical Education…

In Germany, about half of the school-leavers -- irrespective of their school-leaving certificate -- start an apprenticeship instead of entering the labour market or university. Firms act as gatekeepers who influence which school-leavers start an apprenticeship. Previous studies have provided important information on the reasons firms train. By…

The learning of apprentices is always embedded within the overall learning culture of an enterprise. The structures for learning, as well as the attitudes, values and beliefs of the members of the organisation in respect to training, influence the ways in which apprentices are socialised and prepared for the labour market. This qualitative case…

This paper looks at a specific set of corporate images, namely photographs of apprentices of the Luxembourg steel conglomerate ARBED, and analyses how young workers are depicted in these images. The paper draws on a collection of 2251 glass-plate negatives (re)presenting ARBED's industrial cosmos, including its vocational school the Institut Emile…

The public health measures established to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic have created uncertain economic conditions in Australia, significantly impacting on the activities of businesses. As the country continues to adjust to living with the virus, it is important that the vocational education and training (VET) sector understands the…

This book addresses what is, perhaps, the single most important issue for vocational education; its relatively low standing in an era of high aspiration. The work explores the nature, extent and consequences for an educational sector that whilst having an increasingly important role in contemporary societies is seen to be of low standing across…

Swiss Vocational Education and Training (VET) is based on national legislation which was introduced in the 1930s and renewed in the 1960s (as well as in the 1970s and in 2002). At first, the goal of the national VET legislation was to further Vocational Education and Training in order to support small and medium enterprises; however, later, it…

Many people have studied and written about Switzerland's youth apprenticeship system, and there are good reasons to do so. The Swiss economy has been called the most innovative in the world. Switzerland's students significantly outperform U.S. students in scholastic achievement. Its youth unemployment rate is lower than in the United States.…

This report explores, from a variety of perspectives, the volume and nature of recognition of prior learning (RPL) currently granted in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system. Of particular interest are the areas where most RPL is taking place, including the qualifications being completed with high rates of RPL. The report…

The integration of theory and practice constitutes an anchor of today's technical vocational education and training (T-VET) and a major determinant of professional development. Understanding such integration is expected to contribute to pedagogical advancement and to provide new research tools. Current knowledge on the epistemological roots of…

Streamlining the vocational qualification development process in Australia is a current priority of the skills ministers of both the Australian Government and state and territory governments. This research summary explores the development processes associated with vocational qualifications in selected countries and compares them with the current…

"Research Messages 2021" highlights the diverse range of research activities undertaken over the past year by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). In 2021, research was shaped both by the VET (vocational education and training) reform agenda, and issues emerging from the pandemic. The 2021 national VET research…

To date, there has been little examination of those who complete training in male-dominated sectors and continue to work in these sectors within regional Australia. Therefore, in this preliminary qualitative study, we examine the attraction and retention issues of women entering male-dominated trades within regional NSW. This paper reports on…

This project is focused on the second element noted by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) to streamline the national vocational education and training (VET) system so that it can better respond to the needs of industry -- faster development of qualifications. It looks at the vocational qualification development processes in different…

Many states include non-degree credentials (such as certificates, industry certifications, or licenses) within their statewide educational attainment goal. These goals set targets for the percentage of residents with a postsecondary credential. In order to measure progress towards educational attainment goals, states must collect data about each…