A broader ‘vocation’ view of careers rather than a segmented approach may improve educational pathways and career transition according to a suite of research published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
The three-year research program, by a consortium of researchers from the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney and RMIT University, is exploring the notion of ‘vocations’ as a means of improving pathways within education, within work and between education and work, rather than a narrower segmented labour market approach.
This suite of research is unique as it focuses on three strands, starting with an analysis of VET in Schools programs, moving to an investigation of choices made in vocational and university study, and finally looking at the transition to work and career establishment and progression.
NCVER General Manager of Research, Ms Sue Fergusson, said educational pathways are viewed as being intrinsic to productivity, lifelong learning, occupational progression and helping people to realise their goals.
“The suite of research was commissioned in light of government initiatives to increase workforce productivity and social inclusion”, said Ms Fergusson.
One of the research projects examined the role of VET in Schools. The researcher concludes that to help young people move into meaningful full-time work, VET in Schools should be reconceptualised as a post-school education and training pathway, rather than a direct job outcome.
Beyond school, the authors suggest that vocational streams may help students make decisions about future careers, knowing that they can specialise in ways that will enable them to move to jobs with greater responsibility or more specialised and technical roles.
Combined with differentiated educational policies and strategies, this approach would help with retention in the workplace, thereby gaining an additional benefit for employers.
Copies of the following reports are available from NCVER’s website at:
- Entry to vocations: the efficacy of VET in Schools by Kira Clarke - www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2567.html
- Missing links: the fragmented relationship between tertiary education and jobs by Leesa Wheelahan, Mary Leahy, Gavin Moodie, Sophie Arkoudis and Emmaline Bexley – www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2554.html
- Vocational trajectories with the Australian labour market by Serena Yu, Tanya Bretherton and Hanna Schutz – www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2557.html
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