Purpose -Vocational courses in England support the progression to higher education (HE) of large numbers of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, yet there is little research exploring the college experiences of these young people prior to entering university. The purpose of this paper is to consider the experiences of young people on Level 3 Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) vocational courses in their progression to HE from differently positioned post-16 colleges in England. Design/methodology/approach -A qualitative study was undertaken into the experiences of students on BTEC courses in four subject clusters (science, technology, engineering and maths, arts and humanities, social sciences and health) at both a Further Education College and a Sixth Form College in an area of multiple deprivation and low HE participation. Young people's experiences of BTEC courses and the support and guidance they receive are explored through the conceptual lens of "possible selves" and using Bourdieu's ideas of capital, habitus and field. Findings -Pedagogies and practices on BTEC courses are found to support the development of relevant social and cultural capital and help young people formulate well-articulated "possible selves" as university students, even amongst students who previously had not considered university as an option. The findings illustrate how differently positioned colleges support students' progression and identify challenges presented by an increasingly stratified and marketised system. Originality/value -The study highlights the transformative potential of BTEC courses and their role in supporting progression to HE amongst young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The current emphasis on standardisation and rigour as mechanisms to better equip students for HE neglects the unique contribution BTEC pedagogies and practices make to encouraging HE participation. A Bourdieusian and "possible selves" theoretical framework has provided new insights into these valuable learning processes.
Psychotic depression is characterized by greater severity, higher rate of recurrence, greater incapacitation, more frequent hospitalization, and longer episodes than nonpsychotic depression. The use of combined tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and neuroleptic therapy, as well as electroconvulsive therapy, has proven effectiveness in the treatment of psychotic depression. Although it is limited, evidence for efficacy of selective serontonin reuptake inhibitors both alone and in combination with antipsychotics in psychotic depression suggests that these strategies may provide a desirable alternative to the traditional TCA- neuroleptic therapy. These treatments, in addition to the continual introduction of new psychotropic agents suggest that the prospect of future research in this area is promising.
THE PERCEPTION OF ORGANIZATIONAL PRESTIGE AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTInterest concerning employee engagement is on the rise, especially given the reported financial and behavioral gains of engaged employees. Naturally, as a consequence of the astounding reports from consulting firms that significant dollars are saved because of engaged employees, organizations are seeking ways to hire, retain, and foster employee engagement. This study contributes to the literature by examining how perceptions of organizational prestige, a construct studied in recruitment and attraction of employees, relates to experiences of employee engagement. Full-time, working adults completed a web-based survey assessing employee engagement, organizational identification, and perceived organizational prestige. It was hypothesized that perceived organizational prestige would be positively related to employee engagement. This study used this archival data to explore this relationship. Results support the positive association between perceived organizational prestige and employee engagement.Furthermore, results indicate organizational identification partially mediates this relationship. By examining the relationship between employee engagement and perceived organizational prestige, a variable that organizations can influence, this study contributes to the practical application of initiatives to increase employee engagement, as well as the scientific understanding of employee engagement.iii
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