VET: an attractive and viable pathway. Innovating in VET through guidance processes and exploring flexible and diversified opportunities in VET

Background and Problem

The second phase of learning after completion of lower secondary education is essential both for continuing general and/or vocational education and for successful integration into the labour market (OECD, 2020). Countries with well-developed and consolidated vocational education and training (VET) programmes in particular prove more effective in combating youth unemployment. Vocational training therefore plays an important role in integrating young people into the labour market. By improving and strengthening their VET programmes, countries can help to increase employment opportunities for young people.

Despite increased acceptance, reservations about vocational training persist (OECD, 2020). Many people regard an academic career as more prestigious, which casts vocational training in a less attractive light. The rather traditional view that a university degree opens up better career opportunities persists. Young people often lack information about the advantages of vocational training (cf. ibid.). Better information could increase interest and enhance the attractiveness of vocational training.

The aim of Orienta4VET is to improve the perception of vocational education and training in the national context while at the same time identifying and describing challenges and social impacts. On this basis, suitable orientation and learning strategies are to be developed in VET plans in order to point out alternative routes into VET and to present strategies for diversification and flexibility. An essential prerequisite for this is cooperation with VET stakeholders in order to promote exchange on guidance processes and orientation strategies as integrated elements of their teaching practice. This complex undertaking requires a project consortium with a multi-perspective orientation. In each of the participating countries, there is close cooperation with eight general or vocational schools that offer orientation courses.

Research question

• What are the key factors influencing students' perceptions of and attitudes towards vocational education and training in the partner countries?

• How effective are the current careers guidance and orientation strategies used by VET institutions in supporting students' transition into vocational education and training?

Approach and Methods

The project combined comprehensive scientific methodologies that focused on the perspectives of school heads and teachers. In selecting the pedagogical cooperation partners, care was taken to ensure that they worked as careers advisers in Danish, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Romanian VET centres. Specifically, research methods such as semi-structured guided interviews, group discussions and subsequent content analyses were applied in order to collect, analyse and compare context-rich information in a structured manner. During data collection, a tailored matrix was created to facilitate cooperation between the partners. The results were fed into the development of an interactive guide that addresses risk factors and highlights innovative teaching and learning approaches. Proven results and insights from earlier projects were also incorporated into the guide. The aim of the final step was then to develop an interactive map and to create a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).

Results

Three products were created within the project:

• Orienta4VET Interactive Guide (an interactive guide for a guidance plan): this was an orientation aid for implementing VET orientation and learning strategies that were understood as innovative teaching and learning approaches. The most important feature of this guidance plan was that it was co-created with vocational school teachers involved in the project and evaluated during the project's lifetime.

• Orienta4VET Interactive Map: this was an online tool for guidance counsellors, teachers/educators/trainers, young people, researchers, education centres and administrators in the VET sector. The Interactive Map was a response to the specific requirements and needs of the stakeholders in the partner countries involved in this project.

• Orienta4VET MOOC: a training resource for implementing guidance processes as well as orientation and tutorial action strategies as integrated elements of teaching and learning processes for VET representatives.

Dissemination and Transfer Activities

Project presentation at the Stockholm Conference 2024 (May 2024), Orienta4VET symposium at the XVII CIOIE Congress in Oviedo (November 2023), project presentation at the Slovak ‘Catching-up Regions Initiative 5’ (April 2023)