What Determines Who Obtains National Vocational Qualifications?

Abstract

This paper assesses the determinants of National Vocational Qualification/ Scottish Vocational Qualification (NVQ/SVQ) acquisition, using a probit model, and discusses the possible implications for government policy. Labour Force Survey data are used to show that the factors which positively affect the likelihood of having an NVQ or SVQ contradict the findings of earlier papers on the determinants of all work-related training. In particular, it is found that being female and non-white increase the chances of having an NVQ, and there is a negative relationship between previous formal qualifications and the likelihood of having an NVQ.

Lifelong learning trajectories: some voices of those 'in transit'

“…It should be borne in mind that episodes of training vary in length and there is some evidence that recent increases in the number of reported training events are accounted for in large part by very short courses. This, coupled with the relative novelty of the qualification, may partly explain why older people are less likely to take NVQs (Shackleton and Walsh 1997). The finding is not a clear confirmation of the human capital theory prediction that ' investment' in training will decrease with age since participation may be as much period as age-related.…”

“…Compared to the USA, for example, more British males receive training immediately after school, but this figure gets proportionately less with every year out of school until the US cohorts have overtaken them (Tan and Peterson 1992). In fact, and in contradiction of human capital theory, those with longer initial education are less likely to obtain an NVQ for example which may be a kind of compensation (Shackleton and Walsh 1997), and this is one reason why early participation is not necessarily a good indicator of later. This finding resonates well with the discovery by Gambetta (1987) of a form of natural selection in lifetime educational choices.…”

“…Firstly, Wales is different in many ways to other regions of the UK -against the national trend it has a decreasing proportion of the workforce who are self-employed, and a lower proportion of job-related training than every region of England outside the east Midlands for example (DfEE 1997a). Similarly, the chances of participating in government employment and training programmes, and hence the chances of taking NVQs, have regional variations (Shackleton and Walsh 1997). This has to be taken into account when examining the frequency of training episodes.…”

“…More women are now working (economic activity up from 57% of those aged 16-59 in 1971 to 71% in 1995), while fewer men are (a drop from 91% to 85% over the same period). However, the rise in employment has been chiefly in part-time posts (DfEE 1996), which are less likely to lead to training and qualification (Shackleton and Walsh 1997). Some of the same factors determining employment prospects for women also apply to offthe-job learning.…”

“…Women often face more of a barrier to participation than men due to having children and other relatives to care for (Frazer and Ward 1988) and are, in consequence, unable to travel as far to institutions. On the other hand, women are more likely to gain an NVQ via government programmes (Shackleton and Walsh 1997), and a recent report suggests that, in fact, women and men train equally often, but that women' s episodes are briefer (DfEE 1997b).…”