Enhancing the status of vocational education

Globally, there are concerns in both the developed and developing world that status of vocational education is relatively low, when compared with other educational sectors. This has a significant impact upon parents and young people’s participation in it, and how governments fund and organize it, and also community support for it.

Consequently, enhancing the status of vocational education is a worthwhile goal to ensure that this important educational sector can realize its potential and provide students with effective education, workplaces with the kinds and quantum of skilled workers, and countries with the skill base that they desire. Below are some resources from two projects intended to inform about how to enhance the standing of vocational education.

UNESCO–UNEVOC Virtual conference

In July 2018, UNESCO–UNEVOC organised a virtual conference that involved over 400 participants from over 80 countries. The responses from participants were synthesized and published in the attached: i) brief overview and ii) final report from UNESCO.

• A brief overview of this virtual conference can be found here
• A copy of the final UNESCO report can be found here

Enhancing the status of vocational education: the Queensland study

Across 2018 and 2019, a study funded through the Education Horizon scheme of the states schooling system – Education Queensland – interviewed and surveyed school age students, parents and teachers, as well as students and teachers from vocational education to ascertain how vocational education can be seen as being worthwhile and legitimate post school pathway.

• A research bulletin over viewing the project and its key findings can be found here

• A listing of strategies that can be implemented by governments, schooling systems, vocational education system and industry to enhance the standing of vocational education can be found here.

SVEOS VET Stockholm conference April 2022

This is a presentation of a conference paper, in absence, about the importance of enhancing the status of vocational education and training and the occupation it serves. Centrally, it draws upon this study in Australia which sought to identify how that standing might be enhanced through engagement with young people, their teachers, parents and others. It provides an overview of the reasons why addressing this problem is worthwhile, the means by which the research was undertaken and some strategies and approaches to begin to address this issue. Attached to the conference presentation is reference to additional resources and references.