Rethinking pathways: why a new approach is needed – a report from Australia

Leesa WheelahanParity, progression & social

mobility: critical issues for higher vocational education pathways

Background

2

• Vocations: the link between post-compulsory education and the labour market– http://www.ncver.edu.au/wor

kinprogress/projects/10454.html

– How to improve pathways within & between education & work

– 3 streams, 3 universities– Lot of reports from project

published & more coming

http://www.bvet.nsw.gov.au/pdf/rethinking_skills.pdf

• Educational pathways are shaped by the relationship between qualifications & structure of jobs

• Nature & structure of pathways will differ between industries

• Policy implications – a uniform approach to policy isn’t helpful

Argument

Outline

• Australian tertiary education• Conceptual framework• Thinking about pathways • What happens• 4 types of pathways• Dilemma!• Unpacking conceptual framework• Alternatives – vocational streams & capabilities• Where we are going with this work

Australia has 2 sectors of tertiary education

Conceptual framework

• Qualifications serve 3 distinct (but connected) roles

• Qualifications not synonymous with workforce development

• Qualifications guide transition to work in different ways (screen or signal)

• Capabilities, vocations, & vocational streams

• Links between education & work not strong

• Skills mismatches• Pathways shaped by

many factors, including structure of occupations

Thinking about pathways differently

Students change their field of education

8

VET to VET VET to HE HE to VET HE to HE0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

Source: Nick Fredman

Changes within fields of education

9

Natur

al sc

ience

s

Info

rmat

ion te

chno

logy

Engine

ering

Archit

ectu

re a

nd b

uildin

g

Agricu

lture

and

env

ironm

ent

Health

Educa

tion

Man

agem

ent a

nd c

omm

erce

Societ

y an

d cu

lture

Creat

ive a

rts

Food

and

hosp

itality

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Source: Nick Fredman

Four types of pathways

Business Nursing

Pure disciplines Engineering

High

HighLow

Link

s to

qua

lific

atio

ns

with

in f

ield

of

educ

atio

n

Links to jobs

• What does it mean to prepare people for work?

• What should VET be like if it is so weakly linked to work?

• Fixing the supply side (education) only won’t solve these problems

Dilemma!

All qualifications serve 3 purposes

1. In the labour market: as a entry or upgrade qualification

2. In the education system: as a transition qualification to higher level qualifications

3. In society: to widen access to tertiary education

• Signalling device– Occupational labour

markets - – Entry & progression

specified by the profession/ occupation

– Qualifications specify what people can know & do (broadly)

– Content & skills clearly mapped

Guide transition to work:Signalling or screening device?

• Screening device– Internal labour markets – Entry fairly open,

internal progression through ranks

– Qualifications indicator of capability & attributes (broadly)

– Content & skill less tightly specified

Qualifications not synonymous with workforce development• Structures of work condition &

help shape educational pathways

• Not suggesting a ‘tighter’ linear approach

• Qualifications not identical with specific occupations

• Workforce development must encompass a broader range of strategies

• Prepare people for a broader range of occupations

• Structure work & education on vocational streams

• Vocational steams: linked occupations with common concepts & practices

What are the alternatives?Vocations & vocational streams

15

Start with the person

• Rather than specific workplace requirements, focus is on development of person, attributes & knowledge & skills

• Starts with the person within vocational stream not workplace tasks & roles

• Allows coherent continuum of knowledge

17

The interaction between education & work

The capabilities approach

  Occupations

  Vocational Stream

  Jobs

  

Indi

vidu

al, s

ocia

l, ec

onom

ic, c

ultu

ral &

en

viro

nmen

t res

ourc

es

 

Indi

vidu

als

with

ca

pabi

lities

Care

ers

Prep

arati

on o

f ind

ivid

uals

for w

ork:

Structure of work: families of linked occupations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where we are going with this work

• Explore how 3 purposes of qualifications mediated by whether they are used as screen or signal

• Explore implications for curriculum, workplace learning, & skills mismatches

• Consider type of ‘industry policy’ based on ‘vocational development’

• Compare Canada

• Policy needs to be differentiated

• Recognise qualifications serve diverse purposes

• Emphasis will vary depending on whether qualifications used as screening or signalling device

Conclusion

• Capabilities approach – conceptual basis for qualifications that links work & education