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This study, based on Cohorts 9 and 10 of the England and Wales Youth Cohort Study (YCS), addresses a number of questions, including: (1) How many students work part-time in Years 12 and 13, and how many hours do they spend in jobs and on their studies? (2) What factors increase the probability of students taking part-time jobs? (3) What kinds of jobs do they do, and how much do they earn? and (4) What impact does part-time employment have on examination results? The extent of part-time employment amongst young people in full time education, both at age 16/17 and age 17/18, is described. Patterns of part-time employment amongst students in different types of courses, as well as the factors that increased theprobability of part-time employment from perspectives of gender, Year 11 results, ethnicity, home background and region, are looked at and a statistical model is fitted to disentangle the impact of these variables. The labour market for students aged 16/17 is analysed, providing information on occupational and industrial structure and wage levels and comparing the student labour market with that of 16/17 year olds who were not in full-time education. Further statistical models that explore the impact of part-time employment on examination results and/or vocational qualifications in Years 12 and 13 are presented. The final section highlights the main findings from the analyses and discusses their relevance to educational policy. Show less

This is the first biennial report issued by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre on its various activities. The report does not cover the whole range of UNESCO activities in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for the changing world of work, but only those undertaken by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre.

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The World Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Database is an online repository developed by UNESCO-UNEVOC. It aims to provide up-to-date information on TVET systems worldwide. This country profile for Afghanistan outlines the TVET mission, strategy and legislation and provides an overview of the TVET systems - formal, non-formal and informal, governance and financing, TVET teachers and trainers, the qualifications framework and current reforms and major projects. Show less

This paper provides an overview of vocationally-oriented higher education institutions in Japan and South Korea, known as senmongakko and jeonmun daehack respectively. These institutions were surprisingly competitive against universities in the 1990s and early 2000s, although they currently seem to be losing this competitive edge, mainly due to the increasing vocationalisation of the curriculum in the mainstream universities. Despite their significance for understanding the higher education systems in both Japan and South Korea, very little (and virtually nothing of an academic nature) has been published about the vocationally-oriented higher institutions. The paper seeks to locate senmongakko and jeonmun daehack in a historical, comparative and organisational framework.

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The Foundation Degree Taskforce released its report to UK government Ministers on 2nd September 2004. The report contains several recommendations aimed at embedding Foundation degrees within the UK higher education system. It presents the case for further expansion of Foundation degrees in England, documents the progress already made and outlines the next steps in establishing the new qualification. Research into the current and future skill shortages in the UK reveal a need for associate professional and higher technician level jobs. Foundation degrees have been developed in consultation with employers to address these skill shortages. A number of objectives for the development of Foundation degrees have been identified: (1) to contribute to the reduction in skill shortages at the associate professional and higher technician level by equipping students with a combination of technical skills, academic knowledge and transferable skills that are valued by employers and students; (2) to expand the number and range of Foundation degrees and contribute to widening participation by providing flexible and accessible progression routes for young people starting careers, those in employment, and those returning to work; and (3) to promote collaboration between employers, Regional Development Agencies, Sector Skills Councils, universities, and higher and further education colleges in developing Foundation degrees. Show less

This convention was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its twenty-fifth session in Paris, 10 November 1989. The fifteen articles outline the conditions under which the contracting states agree to develop policies relating to technical and further education. These conditions include agreements to: facilitate international co-operation; ensure adequate standards; take account of the educational, cultural and social background of the population; and ensure that individuals are not discriminated against. Show less

Skills Dialogues constitute a series of consultations with all major industrial and business sectors in the UK, generating high quality authoritative skills assessments for each of these broad sectors. Their purpose is to improve the quality of information available on skills at sector level and to provide an effective means for national training organisations (NTOs) and employers to contribute to the planning and implementation of education and training provision in their sector. This report is the result of the Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather, and Furniture, Furnishings and Interiors Skills Dialogue and provides an assessment of trends in employment and skill needs and associated issues in these industries. These industries have faced a difficult transformation over the past three decades as a result of overseas competition and technological change. The report provides overviews of these industries, examines issues related to the demand for, and supply of, skills, including employment change, occupational change, skill requirements, skills gaps and shortages, and summarises common skills issues. The report suggests that to maintain competitiveness, the industries will need to further enhance skills, particularly in management, marketing and technical expertise. Major skills issues common to these industries are: (1) changes to the skills mix resulting from the transition to a combination of UK and overseas production; (2) overall skills deficiencies exacerbated by lack of experience and of basic skills; (3) skills gaps particularly at management levels and for clerical, craft and plant and machine operatives; (4) the equal demand for soft skills and technical and information technology (IT) related skills; and (5) that recruitment and skills problems are responsible for business problems and delays in developing new products. Show less

The aim of the Second International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education was to present UNESCO’s Member States with a forum to define technical and vocational education (TVE) policy to address the employment and other socio-economic challenges of the first few years of the 21st century. More than 700 representatives met to determine how TVE should adapt to the likely technological developments and social phenomena of the era and this document presents the recommendations under the six themes of the Congress. The themes are: The changing demands of the twenty-first century: challenges to technical and vocational education; Improving systems providing education and training throughout life; Innovating the education and training process; Technical and vocational education for all; Changing roles of government and other stakeholders; Enhancing international co-operation in technical and vocational education.

The final report of the Congress is indexed at TD/INT 59.239; individual papers are indexed from TD/INT 58.150 to TD/INT 58.180 and at TD/UNEVOC 58.02, 58.03 and TD/UNEVOC 58.06; the main working document entitled ‘Lifelong learning and training: a bridge to the future’ is indexed at TD/TNC 68.445 and the volume of reference documents is indexed at TD/TNC 68.447. Show less

This report contains the findings of a research study commissioned by the Guidance Council to inform the future development of information and guidance (IAG) services in the UK. It is a comprehensive follow-up to the first Market & Opinion Research International (MORI) study undertaken in 2000 and its primary aim is to assess how the public's perceptions of IAG provision have changed since the first study. The research consisted of a literature review, a pilot survey and a large-scale face-to-face survey of the general public. The report analyses the relevance and perceived benefits of IAG, and suggests how provisions can be improved to meet the changing needs of adults. The research indicates that users are still generally very satisfied with IAG services currently available. One concern is that, although provision has expanded rapidly over the past four years, use of IAG has fallen slightly over this same period of time. The evidence suggests that the same, or very similar, groups are being excluded, or at risk of being excluded, as reported in the earlier survey. Employers continue to be seen as the most useful source of IAG, although the Internet has increased in importance. Demand for IAG remains tightly connected to demand for new skills, a new job and career progression. Targeted strategies are proposed to promote wider access and take-up of IAG services. The report presents its findings under the following topics: general attitudes towards learning and skills development, and perceptions of IAG services; awareness of different sources of IAG; levels of use of IAG and the nature of IAG interventions, including employer provision; satisfaction with IAG process and outcomes; unmet need for IAG provision; IAG service priorities and gaps in provision; image of IAG services; scope for expansion of services; and public willingness to pay for IAG. Show less

This report is the third in an annual series of employer surveys that investigate workforce development ('Learning and training at work 2000' is indexed at TD/TNC 67.435 and 'Learning and training at work 1999' is indexed at TD/TNC 62.664). The objectives of the 2001 survey were to collect information about: the volume, type and pattern of off-the-job training; key indicators of employers' commitment to training such as Investors in People (IiP); learning opportunities offered; and awareness of, and involvement with, a number of initiatives relevant to training. Show less