Implications for VocED of Changing Work Arrangements.

Overview & Synopsis

The definition of work has undergone a massive transition within the last decade, and this trend has major implications for vocational education. Earlier ideas of work included that it was full-time, permanent, and for life; in addition, work provided opportunities for career development, a clearly-defined employer-worker relationship, and clear work and family separation. Since these assumptions no longer exist, and have not really existed in developed nations for some time, vocational education must be examined in light of changes in this concept of work. For example, in an attempt to meet employer needs, vocational education has been shifting location from the education system to the workplace, with resulting confusion on the part of vocational educators. Throughout the western world, nations have shifted the emphasis from meeting the individual needs of vocational education students to a system that is industry-driven, although there is now some reaction against that change. In addition, the nature of workplaces is changing. Organizations are becoming increasingly specialized and multi-disciplinary, and large corporations are breaking into smaller units. As a result, there are vocational education needs to be met in the areas of content, especially in increasing demand for the development of conceptual and intellectual skills. The processes of vocational education also are changing, with debate about pre-employment versus on-the-job training, classroom-based versus experienced-based vocational education, and course-centered versus individualized delivery systems. Immediate challenges for vocational education include the following: (1) making employer involvement an economic imperative; (2) improving awareness of workplace realities among vocational education teachers; (3) adopting cooperative programs to deal with multiple employers, and (4) building international alliances in vocational education. (Contains 24 references.) (KC)