Vocationalism Varies (a Lot)

Abstract

To encourage adult participation in education and training, contemporary policy makers typically encourage education and training provision to have a strongly vocational (employment-related) character, while also stressing individuals' responsibility for developing their own learning. Adults' motivation to learn is not, however, purely vocational-it varies substantially, not only between individuals but between populations. This article uses regression analysis to explain motivation among 12,000 learners in formal education and training in 12 European countries. Although vocational motivation is influenced by individual-level characteristics (such as age, gender, education, occupation), it turns out that the country in which the participation takes place is a far stronger explanatory variable. For example, although men's vocational motivation to participate is higher than women's in all countries, Eastern European women have significantly higher levels of vocational motivation than men in Western Europe. This supports other research which suggests that, despite globalization, national institutional structures (social, economic) have continuing policy significance.

Right Competence at the Right Time—but for Whom? Social Recruitment of Participants in an Expanding Higher Vocational Education Segment in Sweden (2005–2019)

“…That participation in formal adult education varies within and between countries, and factors impacting who participates in formal adult learning are multifaceted, is well established in the literature (Boeren, 2009;Lee & Desjardins, 2021). However, the conclusions for these variations differ, with some arguing that national institutional settings matter while others suggesting that life course constraints are what influences participation decisions more than institutional arrangements (Blossfeld et al, 2014;Boeren & Holford, 2016;Bratsberg et al, 2020). These various lines of reasoning are linked to conceptions of whether formal adult learning plays a compensatory or "upskilling"role in people's lives.…”

“…While research on formalized HVE is varied in scope, the literature on how participation in formal adult education varies by individual characteristics or national contexts is a rich area we can learn from. For instance, studies have demonstrated how adult vocational motivations vary by gender in different ways, and that institutional contexts matter when disentangling these individual-level effects (Boeren & Holford, 2016). Earlier studies also show that age has been one of the strongest determining characteristics for participation, and that older workers participate less in continuing education and training (Blossfeld et al, 2014; Boeren et al, 2010; Desjardins et al, 2006).…”

“…While this study explores the phenomenon of work-related HVE expansion from one particular national site, it is empirically and theoretically generative to the broader adult education literature for several reasons. First, it contributes to research on the vocational turn at higher levels of education (Brint et al, 2005; Symes & McIntyre, 2000; Boeren & Holford, 2016). This trend is related to increasing demands on individuals to rapidly adjust to labor market needs, and transformations due to technological and industrial developments that place pressure on adults to engage in continuous training (Jarvis, 2010; World Economic Forum, 2016).…”

Based on Work Value to Discuss the Effect of College Students’ Corporate Internship on the Employability

“…Yoon et al (2015) indicated that internship was the simulation process of college students attempting the career selection; students' work value of internship was the work value of a university' correct establishment of guidance for the basis of the future occupation intention. Boeren & Holford (2016) proposed that students' learning experience acquiring in the internship process would to some degree aff ect the learning outcome and work value of future employment. Pasban & Nojedeh (2016) stated that internship allowed a student directly acquiring a job and leaving deep impression to the potential employer to build the confi dence in seeking a job, enhance work value, and establish social skills, which would benefi t the future recruitment interview.…”

Innovation in the government-run Continuing Vocational Education and Training programme for unemployed in Catalonia (Spain): challenges and opportunities

“…The pressing demands for a more educated workforce caused by the global economy in the United States (Kallison, 2017) exist also in the European Union (EU) (Lundvall & Rasmussen, 2016). At the same time, the literature observes that in the area of Adult Learning and Education there is a trend consisting in favoring educational initiatives related to VET, due to its incidence in economic growth and competitiveness (Boeren & Holford, 2016), a similar phenomenon also observed in Spain (Lucio-Villegas, 2012). As a response to these phenomena, the EU established four objectives for education and training systems within the lifelong learning perspective, that the Member States (including Catalonia as part of Spain) should implement by 2020 and one of them is 'enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training' (European Council, 2009, p. 3).…”