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The objective of this research was to study the existing financing mechanisms available to finance students for vocational training. It also aimed to identify scalable solutions and to develop a broad implementation roadmap to make finance available to students from diverse income-segments and education background. The contents of this paper include the broad approach of study, the methodology, two potential solutions, recommendations, and the roadmap. Show less

Adult learning today is of strategic importance with individuals everywhere aspiring to improve the quality of their life and living conditions through self-improvement and new skills. The main theme of this book is the challenge of liberating the creative forces. It is based on five years of empirical research involving countries from every region of the world with the aim of providing analytical and operational reference points for players involved in the development and implementation of new adult learning policies. The chapters are: Reconstructing the fragmented world of adult learning; The process of developing and implementing adult learning policies; The four functions of transition policies; Shifting perspectives 1: the development and liberalisation of adults' creative and productive capacities; Shifting perspectives 2: productivity and creativity: rediscovering the actor; The expression and management of social demand; Policies and measures promoting the expression and synergy of learning demand; Learning continuities and discontinuities; The transformation of the state's role; Promoting adult literacy: a revealing field; Conclusion. Included as appendices are: Adult learning policy framework; Tables (containing policy documents by country); Researchers participating in the country studies. Show less

In 2012, the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers gave significant attention to apprenticeships and called for sharing of experience in the design and implementation of apprenticeship programs. This high level international interest was also reflected in discussions of tripartite constituents at the 2012 International Labour Conference's committee on youth employment, which called for the promotion of quality apprenticeships, including in developing countries. In this context, the ILO and World Bank in 2012 jointly conducted a study to review international experience in apprenticeships and identify good practice principles based on the cross-country analysis. This report contains case studies on 11 countries' apprenticeship systems, a cross-case analysis and the development of a framework for a model apprenticeship system. Show less

In this article the importance of a dynamic sales force to an organisation involved in marketing products is described. The article goes on to stress the importance of a sales training program based on a sound understanding of the sales force environment and reinforcing the overall marketing objectives. It is suggested that sales training program effectiveness also needs to be monitored. Show less

This paper attempts to explore the possibilities of an emerging technology to be applied for creating innovative methods for training people in different disciplines. The emerging technology that finds a great potential for applications in training is Virtual Reality (VR). In simple terms, VR is an entity or event, which is real in effect but not in fact. The unique features and flexibility of VR give it extraordinary potential for use in work-related applications. VR enhances the effectiveness of any form of training from a classroom environment to manufacturing, military, medical training and even distance education. This paper is part of an AICTE [All India Council for Technical Education] sponsored project on 'Virtual Reality Applications in Marketing' carried out in Mepco Schlenk Engineering College.

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The paper is based on a qualitative study of 66 skilled workers comprising drivers, tailors, electricians and also murtikars, a traditional craft group. All of them had taken informal training through family, apprenticeship or self-learning. The paper reflects on access, quality and relevance issues arising from such training. The findings reveal that there is sometimes an overlapping of boundaries between a skill group and a caste group especially with regards to traditional skills. However such boundaries are not impenetrable. The informal training process can be long and unpaid and these pose considerable opportunities cost for the trainees. The finding also suggests that learning one skill alone is often insufficient to support a family livelihood, families sometimes resolve to the diversification of skills or jobs to make a decent income. The study is part of the RECOUP research into improving outcomes of education and skills training for disadvantaged groups.

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The outward bound method is based on the proven fact that the easiest [knowledge] to remember and recall is the knowledge that is acquired through authentic personal experience. Learning in such programs is purely experiential, based on the philosophy 'if you don't do it, you probably won't get it'. The participants get an opportunity to get away from their routine and embark on an adventure dealing with the unfamiliar and get the excitement of discovery, challenge and growth. Outward bound programs provide opportunities to realise the physical and mental potential by overcoming challenges and obstacles.

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This chapter reviews the steps taken to integrate vocational education and general education through vocationalisation of education and skill development initiatives under the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). It also examines the challenges that India faces to develop policies and to ensure effective implementation of various schemes and programmes for preparing youth for the world of work and further education and training.

Section one gives an overview of the status of general education, vocationalisation of education and recognition of non-formal skills development initiatives in India. Section two explains the policy context for integrating academic and vocational education qualifications under the NSQF. The third section focuses on the revised Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of vocationalisation of secondary and higher secondary education under the National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework (NVEQF), now subsumed in the NSQF, and discusses its implementation aspects. Section four deals with the role of the private sector led by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Sector Skill Council (SSC) in the development of Qualification Packs (QP) and National Occupation Standards (NOS). Section five deals with the development of learning outcome based curriculum packages and section six deals with the initiatives taken in India for developing a system of further education and training. Section seven looks at the initiatives taken to recognise prior learning and the final section focuses on ways forward and potential areas for improving the implementation of the NSQF in order to promote vocationalisation of education and strengthening the link between vocational education and training (VET) and the labour market.

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Globally, access to higher education has increased, but inequalities by socio-economic background remain. This article explores the relationship between early schooling opportunities (and learning) and progression into higher education in four low and middle-income countries. We analyse data from the Young Lives longitudinal study, following cohorts of young people from age 5 to 22 in four country settings: Ethiopia, Peru, Vietnam and India. We reveal wide variability in higher education participation between the four countries, with a common pattern of a very strong association between early learning and later higher education participation, even after allowing for a range of demographic characteristics. Whilst early learning is important in predicting later higher education participation, we also find that significant barriers to higher education participation remain for low socio-economic status groups, even if they initially show good levels of learning. We track the trajectories of children who have initial good levels of learning, and hence arguably the potential to progress to higher education, and assess the extent to which socio-economic background plays a mediating role in these trajectories.

Pupils with initially good levels of learning at primary school age, but who are from poor backgrounds, fall back in terms of their relative attainment during secondary schooling years. This implies that socio-economic status continues to be a barrier to educational attainment throughout these children's lives. We discuss the implications of these findings for policy initiatives aimed at narrowing inequalities in higher education access in poorer countries.

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Purpose: This study aims to identify and classify various competences and competencies that educational leaders should essentially possess. Design/methodology/approach: The systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify various competences of educational leaders in the institutions. Later, an empirical research was conducted. The data were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS 20.0 to classify these competences according to their relative importance considering natural gaps in standardized beta (ß) values. In all, 96 administrators of 35 technical institutions of Punjab (India) offering engineering and management programs and 93 veteran educational experts had responded in a survey. Findings: The results of the study identified five competences: pedagogical, leadership, innovative, research and evaluation competences. The competencies 'help others in improvement and not blame circumstances', 'set high benchmarks' and 'align class activities with learning objectives' have qualified among the 'most important' competencies for the educational leaders.

Research limitations/implications: The sample was specific to one state. There may be the chances of response bias in a few situations. Therefore, there are few reservations in generalizing the findings. Practical implications: The study has several implications for both the faculty and the technical education degree institutes. The study provides a link between the characteristics and competencies of educational leaders. This study also contributes in terms of mapping of these competencies while recruitment of the faculty to test whether the candidates possess the potential of becoming educational leaders. Originality/value: The administrators can test these competencies in their faculty for the purpose of identifying both the educational leaders within their institutes and the potential educational leaders in future by assessing 'requisite' and 'important' competencies.

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