Vocational Education and School to Work Transitions in Norway

Nyen, Torgeir; Skålholt, Asgeir; Tønder, Anna Hagen

doi:10.1007/978-94-6300-244-8_13

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Rising youth unemployment at the end of the 1980s was an important backdrop for the introduction of a statutory right to upper-secondary education for young people in Norway via the 1994 reform (Nyen, Skålholt, & Tønder, 2015). Today, almost all 16year-olds (98 percent) start directly in upper-secondary after completing lower-secondary education (Statistics Norway, 2017).…”

Section: A Brief Overview Of the Norwegian Vet Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Work Comes First: Young Adults in Vocational Education and Training in Norway

Tønder

Aspøy

2017

IJRVET

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Since reforms implemented in 1994, vocational education and training (VET) in Norway has been integrated and standardized as part of upper-secondary education. When young people enter upper-secondary education at the age of 15 or 16, they can choose either a vocational programme or a general academic programme. The standard model in vocational programmes is 2 years of school-based education, followed by 2 years of apprenticeship training. However, in practice, only a minority follow the standard route and acquire a trade certificate within 4 years. The average age upon completion of a vocational programme in Norway is 28 years, which is among the highest in the OECD. The purpose of this study was to explore personal trajectories within the Norwegian context to gain a better understanding of why people choose to obtain a trade certificate as young adults, instead of following the standardized route, drawn up by policy makers. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 34 people who obtained a trade certificate when they were aged between 25 and 35 years. The study showed that the opportunity to acquire formal VET qualifications through workplace learning provides an important second chance for many young adults in Norway. Based on the findings, we argue that policy makers need to see educational achievement in a long-term perspective and to design institutional structures that support learning opportunities at work, as well as in formal educational settings.

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Section: A Brief Overview Of the Norwegian Vet Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Work Comes First: Young Adults in Vocational Education and Training in Norway

Tønder

Aspøy

2017

IJRVET

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“…The life situation of newly arrived refugee students (the threat of deportation) can also be decisive for them in choosing the vocational education. Job opportunities after completing vocational education are important for all students' choice of education (Atkins & Flint, 2015;Kalalahti et al, 2017;Paulsen & Haug, 2020) and can make the vocational education popular among applicants (Bratsberg et al, 2017;Jørgensen, 2013Jørgensen, , 2018Nyen et al, 2013). What is specific to the newly arrived refugee young people is that they need opportunities for work that can help them stay in Sweden.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Finland, work-related learning, vocational students' opportunities for further studies in higher education, the strengthening of links between educational institutions and working life, international exchange programs, and opportunities to participate in national and international competitions have improved the status of vocational education in the country (Stenström & Virolainen, 2016;Virolainen & Persson Thunqvist, 2017). Good job opportunities after completing vocational education in Sweden, Norway and Denmark have made some vocational education popular (though to varying degrees) for some students in these countries (Jørgensen, 2013(Jørgensen, , 2018Nyen et al, 2013).…”

Section: Previous Research On Students' Choice Of Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards industrial careers in Sweden

Asghari

2023

SJVD

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Towards industrial careers in Sweden – A narrative study of students choosing the industrial technology program This article is about six students’ descriptions of their choice of the Industrial technology program. I have applied a narrative perspective and analysed the students’ narratives thematically. The research question is about the prominent themes of students’ descriptions of their choice of the program, and the answer is that four themes emerge from the descriptions. Two of the themes point to the advantages and disadvantages of industry jobs and industrial education. The third theme is about the choice of the program as a way for newly arrived refugees to get industrial work and eventually a permanent residence permit. The fourth theme is about students’ choice of industrial education as influenced by other people such as parents, teachers or study counsellors. The conclusion is that students who choose industrial education do not necessarily have the ambition to work as industrial workers. This may affect the industrial skills supply in the future in Sweden as an industrial country. Newly arrived refugees in industrial education can be included in this supply of skills, but these young people can also pursue other careers after completing their education. Although the choice of upper secondary education is free in Sweden, this freedom does not apply to these young people who make the choice based on the pressure on them to get a job after completing their education to be able to stay in Sweden.

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“…In Norway, the two-year apprenticeships are organised differently than the longer, more demanding VET programmes. The latter follow the 2 + 2 model combining two years of mainly school-based training with two years of apprenticeship training (Nyen et al 2015) whereas in two-year apprenticeships the focus on in-company training is much stronger, with 4 days per week in a training company (Utdanningsdirektoratet 2017). Two-year apprenticeships are currently not recognised as an upper secondary qualification.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing Two-Year Apprenticeships in Norway and Switzerland

Schmid

Scharnhorst

Kammermann

2020

Vocations and Learning

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Over the last 15 years, different countries have developed low-level vocational education and training (VET) programmes for young people who struggle to enter or complete education at upper secondary level. Switzerland introduced nationally standardised two-year initial VET programmes in 2005, Norway in 2016. Data of interviews with curriculum experts in Norway and Switzerland provided an empirical basis to examine the underlying intentions for offering these programmes and the respective criteria for defining the learning outcomes and the curricula. The reference frame in Norway for identifying appropriate learning outcomes and selecting learning goals are the national curricula of the respective four-year VET programmes. In Switzerland, the learning outcomes of two-year curricula are defined by lower-level occupational activities which are usually identified in analyses involving active workers and experts in the respective fields. Despite these differences, the criteria for developing two-year curricula are largely the same in both countries. The findings further show that two-year VET programmes in Norway are not intended to lead to a direct labour market entry but are understood as a first step of a staged qualification whereas in Switzerland they are designed to find a viable balance between employability and permeability to the more demanding three-or four-year VET programmes. In both countries, the twoyear apprenticeships do not correspond to a holistic concept of vocation.

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Vocational Education and School to Work Transitions in Norway

Cited by 7 publications

References 7 publications

When Work Comes First: Young Adults in Vocational Education and Training in Norway

When Work Comes First: Young Adults in Vocational Education and Training in Norway

Towards industrial careers in Sweden

Developing Two-Year Apprenticeships in Norway and Switzerland

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