Challenges for Work-Based Learning in Vocational Education and Training in the Nordic Countries

Abstract

Scope 'Research on the Education and Learning of Adults' aims at providing an in-depth insight on the diversity of current research on adult education in diverse teaching/learning contexts in both geographical and cultural terms in Europe. Research on adult education has been characterised by different intellectual traditions, theoretical and methodological approaches and which are still alive today in Europe from the north to the south and from the west to the east. This book series is edited by the European Society for Research on the Education of Adults (ESREA). The content of the series reflects the wide range of research activities undertaken by ESREA's members and networks such as: access, learning careers and identities; active citizenship; the professional development of adult educators; working life; the history of adult education; gender; local development and adult learning; ethnicity; older learners; adult education policies and biographical research. This book series will appeal to an international audience as it engages with current and relevant empirical research, a range of theoretical perspectives and knowledge thus stimulating debate, discussion and knowledge dissemination in the field in a democratic and heterogeneous way.

Apprentice or Student? The Structures of Construction Industry Vocational Education and Training in Denmark and Sweden and their Possible Consequences for Safety Learning

“…Laws and regulations, as well as documents from the government organizations and from the institutions (represented by the stakeholders to the labour market) controlling the quality of VET education, were analyzed. Sweden and Denmark have pursued different avenues for public and employer involvement in VET (Jørgensen 2015). Based on this and on Busemeyer and Schlicht-Schmälzle (2014) models on diverse VET systems with varying degrees of public and employer involvement, special focus was placed on the role of the state, the organization of workplace training, and the status of students.…”

“…Unlike other Nordic countries, Denmark has a dual-track upper secondary education system. It is divided into a track for education that qualifies students for access to higher education, and a track for vocational or technical education that qualifies students for entrance to the professional labor market (Juul and Jørgensen 2011;Jørgensen 2015). VET is regulated by laws issued by the Ministry of Education.…”

“…The study suggested that differences in education and experience, training and learning, and attitude might explain this difference (ibid). The Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in the two countries are generally described as representing a universalist Nordic model of education, promoting social equality as well as cooperation between the political establishment, the trade unions, and employer organizations (see Busemeyer and Schlicht-Schmälzle 2014;Jørgensen 2015). There are, however, differences between these two systems.…”

“…There are, however, differences between these two systems. Swedish VET is categorized as a school-based system, where the students spend 15-60% of their time in a training company, whereas Danish VET is a company-based system, where students spend 60-80% of their time employed as apprentices in a training company (Tynjälä 2009;Jørgensen 2015;Persson and Hallqvist 2014). Differences between the Swedish and Danish organization of VET lend relevance to exploring in greater detail how these differences might influence safety learning of VET students since forms of participation at the workplace have been identified as relevant for apprenticeship learning (Lave and Wenger 1991), and for safety attitudes and practices related to occupational injury prevention (Grill et al 2015).…”

Dual Training Schemes Promoting Entrepreneurship and Business Transfers – Experiences From Lithuania

“…In general, almost all graduates of the "dual system" of vocational education experience good chances to immediately access appropriate job positions (Konietzka, 2003). In fact, countries with traditional solid apprenticeship systems show a lower youth unemployment and a smoother transition to the labour market than those countries with a solely school-based vocational training (Jørgensen, 2015). Furthermore, due to the integration of companies into the education process, it is assured that students are learning skills according to the labour market's needs, hence providing qualified employees and, later on, successors.…”