Vocational education and training for social inclusion: a research project

VET schools and other VET centres of learning are ‘at the front-line’ when it comes to preventing young people from leaving school early and placing themselves ‘at risk’ of social exclusion. By providing high quality VET programmes and an environment that is conducive to learning, schools support young people to acquire valued qualifications that enable them to compete for jobs in the labour market and thereby arrest the cycle of disadvantage. Guidance and counselling is also a universal need given the rapid changes in occupations and labour markets.

VET schools cannot do everything alone! VET decision-makers need to take account of the front-line needs of VET schools and develop supportive policies and strategies. Intermediaries are needed to support their implementation by linking policy to practice.  Meso-level services can efficiently and effectively support clusters of schools to address certain needs (e.g. psychological services, welfare services, guidance services). Joined up policies, co-ordinated services and maximising co-operation and collaboration between all VET stakeholders can all serve to promote a ‘fair deal’ for all young people.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor 

via ETF – Vocational education and training for social inclusion.