Work-Based Education in VET

Overview & Synopsis

The inclusion of work as a distinct component of an education program is a key element of a successful vocational education and training (VET) system. This summary explores available literature with the aim of identifying the benefits and challenges associated with work-based education experiences. It also presents a range of best practices for the provision of work-based education. The benefits of work-based education for students include smoother transitions into ongoing employment and the development of broad occupational skills. Employers benefit from productivity gains through 'work-ready' recruits, having current employees upskilled in the workplace, and the more effective transfer of skills learned in the classroom to work tasks. The challenges of work-based education for employers relate to costs and resourcing. For training providers, on the other hand, resourcing and coordination of placements are areas identified as problematic. Students are constrained by motivation and access to work-based education opportunities.