Many developing countries have relied on the varied forms of diversified secondary technical education as the main venue for training skilled workers and mid-level technicians. But there have been numerous and strong critics aginst this mode of technical education. As an alternative, the Mexican Government established the CONALEP system in the late 1970s. This study tests the viabilit of the system by evaluating CONALEP graduates' labor market performance in comparison with other forms of education. It also supplements the scant literature on the transition from technical education to work and on the use of technical skills. Through innovations - interalia, an autonomous national organization structure, decentralized operations, strong links to industry, use of industry-experienced instructors, termanal secondary program with modest cost recovery, and highly practical courses - CONALEP has forged an effective technical secondary education system aimed at the Mexican labor market with substantial spill-over effects. Although it is a Mexican program, the special features of the CONALEP system bear policy implications for other countries as well. With globalization and rapidly changing technology requirements of the Mexican economy, however, this alternative form of technical secondary education faces new challenges, notably adjustment of its curriculum to changing market circumstances and improvement of its external and internal efficiency.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords
