Search Results for
"Vocational education"

To better apply information technology in vocational education and enhance the quality of skilled talent training, the article constructs a dual-coding analysis framework for higher vocational classroom teaching behavior. It conducts S-T analysis and classroom interaction matrix analysis on nine high-quality higher vocational classrooms characterized by information technology empowerment, refining the teaching models of high-quality higher vocational classrooms under different course types. Then, using lag sequence analysis, it identifies typical teaching behaviors and the characteristics of teaching behavior sequences. Finally, the article proposes strategies to optimize information technology-enabled higher vocational classrooms from three aspects: the creation of teaching environments, the construction of teaching strategies, and the development of teaching resources, with the aim of optimizing teaching efficiency and improving the quality of talent training. © 2025 IGI Global. All rights reserved.

This paper examines the lived experiences of vocational education and training teachers during and post-COVID within the context of adult and lifelong learning, as many of these individuals are mature-age learners returning to education or seeking career transitions. The study explores how VET teachers navigated ethical dilemmas in decision-making while balancing professional standards, student welfare, and institutional pressures, revealing critical gaps in support systems and the impact on teaching quality within Australia’s unique competency-based VET framework. The paper uses a qualitative phenomenological approach grounded in situational ethics theory to understand teachers’ experiences of navigating unprecedented ethical challenges in their professional practice. Teachers encountered complex ethical dilemmas as they attempted to balance professional standards, student welfare, and institutional survival during unprecedented circumstances. The application of situational ethics proves particularly illuminating in understanding how teachers experienced moral distress when forced to choose between competing ethical imperativesThere are significant equity implications arising from challenges to teachers’ well-being, as well as considerable consequences for teacher retention. The research investigated experiences of a small number of Australian teacher participants; the topic merits further investigation with larger cohorts both in Australia and internationally. The research provides evidence of confronting situations that shape teacher decision-making, recognising the individually differentiated need for teacher support and development to retain teachers in the profession. The paper argues for finding ways to provide more practical training to produce more confident and industry-ready graduates. Ways to better build teacher and student readiness for uncertainties of a post-COVID future are highlighted. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Using full population Norwegian register data, we investigate how the outcomes of vocational school students are impacted by the accessibility of apprenticeships, a characteristic of dual vocational systems that is sparsely researched. Our data contains information on vocational students’ applications for apprenticeships within specializations, as well as the number of contracts actually signed. Thus, we can construct access rates (contracts signed/applications) that vary across specialization, county and year for four birth cohorts of vocational school students (1993 – 1996). We also control for a rich set of variables, including GPA from lower secondary school and several student and parent characteristics. The outcomes considered are dropout from upper secondary school, employment, and NEE (not being in post-secondary school nor employment) at age 23. The results show that access to apprenticeship has a strong effect on the dropout risk for students at age 21: at the average dropout risk, increasing the access rate by 10 percentage points decreases the dropout risk by 10 %. The results also suggest that employment and NEE are favourably affected, but to a lesser extent. A heterogeneity analysis revealed modest gender differences. However, students with an immigrant background from Africa and Asia, who exhibit the highest dropout risk, had less effects of the access rate for apprenticeships than students with a non-immigrant background. © 2025 The Author(s).

Studies have examined the reforms in program duration, and socioeconomic status (SES) to proffer possible solutions to alleviate the impact of SES on graduates’ success. However, the impact of SES persists and is aggravated by inequalities and an inflexible TVET (Technical and vocational education and Training) pathway to university. This study explored whether a reform in program type and duration may contribute to the SES discrimination of TVET graduates. The sample population comprised 660 graduates from Sichuan Province, China. Secondary data was analyzed via a cross-sectional survey using group regression. The findings showed that the effects of SES on graduates’ success are moderated by program duration (β = −0.383, p < .01), and that the moderating effect of program duration on graduates’ success remains consistent across the three program types: digital-paradigm discipline (β = −0.251, p < .05), low-paradigm discipline (β = −0.889, p < .001), and high-paradigm discipline (β = −0.385, p < .05). Additionally, the nature of the program strongly moderates the success of graduates in digital-paradigm (β = −0.007, p < .05) and low-paradigm (β = −0.003, p < .05) disciplines. This article enriches the discourse on TVET education by suggesting equal education from basic to tertiary education so that the SES effect on education is addressed. The paper argued that educational reforms should prevent SES discrimination and ensure better success for TVET graduates. © The Author(s) 2025

The fundamental impact of human capital on innovative performance is a consensual finding in the innovation literature. Universities play a pivotal role in fuelling innovation across various industries, providing students with essential knowledge and skills to generate new products, processes, and business models. However, while the crucial role of the university is undeniable, it should be remembered that human capital formation is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, influenced not only by factors such as institutional context and culture but also by the prevailing secondary education system. Since 1999, the Bologna Process has resulted in numerous reforms aimed at ensuring comparability among standard and quality of higher education qualifications in Europe. However, secondary school education systems vary significantly among countries. One of the most striking differences is the relevance attributed to vocational training programmes. vocational training is essential for preparing students for specific careers and industries and focuses on the development of practical skills and knowledge that are directly applicable in the workplace. This paper analyses the impact of secondary school education on innovation performance in European regions. The rationale is that, despite a widely held belief that innovation requires workers with an academic education, vocational education and training is a major driver of innovation performance. We employ Eurostat data for the last two programming periods to and determine the extent to which secondary school systems and European Commission policy, specifically the European Social Fund Educational and vocational Training theme, can contribute to innovation performance in European regions. © 2025 International Conference on Higher education Advances. All rights reserved.

vocational education and training (VET) institutions are tightly embedded into countries’ political economies and sociocultural context. The theoretical focus on influential factors excludes crucial aspects of the multilayered institution, while historical, sociological, and youth transition literature strongly hint at cultural components. To add to the understanding of apprenticeship in its cultural context, I take a data-driven approach, comparing parliamentary debates in the German Bundestag with the House of Commons in the UK from 1946 to 2019. Utilising quantitative text analysis, such as Structural Topic Models, I explore debates concerning apprenticeships and VET since World War II. I focus on the long-term manifestation of related topics and provide evidence on the persistent influence of historical themes to this day, as well as new trends and emerging associations. My findings contribute to the understanding of VET systems within country-specific structures of political debates and discourse. The framework shifts the focus from the development of apprenticeships as institutions to the development of image and narrative surrounding this institution and associated policy decisions. Themes in parliamentary debates reflect social development, while revealing underlying concepts associated with various aspects of social policy, associations with military and youth, which differ considerably over time and between countries. © 2025 The vocational Aspect of education Ltd.

Employment outcomes are more strongly associated with specific career paths than with academic performance. Despite expanding university access, significant gaps persist between the training received and labor market conditions. The objective was to identify and analyze the factors that influence the employment situation of university graduates. A quantitative explanatory approach was used, with a sample of 3,009 graduates. A structured survey was administered, and the data were analyzed using Logistic regression, Lasso regression, and Random Forest models. The results show that the variables with the greatest predictive power are the type of contract, time spent working, and income level. In contrast, academic variables such as GPA and theoretical or practical training showed little relevance. In comparison, employability is more associated with specific career paths than academic merits. The study reveals important findings for universities to strengthen applied training, encourage early entry into the workforce, and develop monitoring systems that allow them to adapt their educational offerings to the real demands of the professional environment. Understanding the factors that influence graduate employability is crucial to enhancing the significance of education and improving professional opportunities. © © 2025 Portocarrero Ramos, Campos Trigoso, Cruz Caro, Reina Marín, Maicelo Guevara, Sánchez Bardales and Chávez Santos.

As graduating students transition into the professional world, they often find that their college education did not teach them the skills businesses demand. This disconnect between the skills learned during college and the skills needed to succeed within the workforce has led to increasing levels of unemployment and underemployment. Implementing entrepreneurial education in colleges could resolve many of the skill deficiencies both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. By training students entrepreneurial skills, colleges empower these students to think beyond conventional boundaries and develop productive economic activities. This paper reviews the positive impacts of entrepreneurial education in shaping the next generation of workers while also delving into theoretical frameworks, such as human capital and social cognitive theories, to understand the reasoning behind the success of entrepreneurial education. This research further addresses the steps and requirements for a successful implementation, the role of technology in the implementation process, and possible challenges faced which might impede on effective implementation. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

This meta-analysis synthesizes 39 studies (1990–2022) on the effects of formal vocational education and Training (VET) on labor market outcomes using causal counterfactual methods. Using Hedges’ g and Robust Variance Estimation, we find that VET versus general education yields a small positive effect (g = 0.021), increasing employment by 4.8 percentage points (p.p.) but showing no impact on wages. Based on 27 studies, VET compared to an unrestricted control group, including individuals with no specific education type, shows a medium effect (g = 0.071), boosting employment by 11.7 p.p. and wages by 37.6 p.p. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

vocational education plays a vital role in fostering green skills that are central for achieving climate goals, sustaining economic competitiveness, and promoting social inclusion. Expectations are especially high for collective vocational education systems, in which both employers and the state are deeply involved in governance and funding. However, little is known about the extent to which collective systems have adapted to the skill demands of a green economy. Using Denmark as a case, this paper examines how collective vocational systems adjust skill content to support a net-zero carbon economy. Using natural language processing, we analyze the integration of green skills in the training ordinances of 101 Danish vocational programs from 2015 to 2024. Rather than a uniform transition, this explorative study identifies diverse trajectories of skill adaptation. Based on the analysis, four reform trajectories are inductively identified: trailblazers, that rapidly integrate green skills; adaptors, that make substantial but incremental changes; laggards, that make limited updates; and late bloomers, that initially delay reforms but later accelerate green skill integration. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.