Vocational Challenges Since Covid-19

Vocational Education Challenges- Post Covid 19

Carla George PHD Researcher University Of Warwick

Vocational Education Challenges- Post Covid 19 Introduction Vocational education has evolved over the period to adapt to the changing situations to support training and learning needs. My past papers explain the history of how apprenticeships came to be and now education has now become challenging to adapt inline with pandemic we will look at some of the challenges and the overall outcomes concerning the vocational world.

The Challenges Psacharopoulos G (1997) explained that Vocational Training Education is a high topic of discussion, the debate surrounding technological development, labour economy and quality.

Youth Unemployment- The author argues that not all young people are able to sustain employment when they finish their training programme. The opportunity for Vocational Education is to support this and provide them with the skills required as part of the labour market.

Technological Knowledge Development- The economy relies on technological skills which has been an issue over a century period, there is a requirement to expand Vocational Education.

Target Non-Academic Students- The focus has always been on students that are less academic and are unable to adapt within the school system especially from Secondary level. Vocational Education is supposed to prepare them with the skills so that they are able to progress to further opportunities.

Lack of Experts- There is a minimum level of experts with the required skills to deliver support and training, these skills should be accessible through the Vocational pathway.

Poverty and Economy- There has been a rise in poverty to the high unemployment rates it is suggested that Vocational Education is to provide the necessary skills to sustain employment to avoid such circumstances. This has contributed towards the lack of productivity in the labour market and has a great effect on vocational education due to the recession labour demand.

The Author has argued that Vocational Education is not able to solve youth unemployment issues due to uncertainty therefore suggested to identify the main cause is to correct the issues surrounding the economy and environment to allow for businesses to prosper.

Reflecting on the above in summary there is a need for workplaces to support and training as well as providing the necessary resources.

Vocational and Academic qualifications are separate and the vocational pathway has always been devalued as they claim to prepare those with the skills needed for employment but they are not transferable skills and discouraging where they would have to take alternative employment.

The challenges are to address unemployment and further skills gap, HM government report proposes the changes that they would like to address in order to improve current apprenticeships across the board. They explain that economic growth is driven by productivity by targeting these areas that would match employer’s expectations. Further research explains that the employees had low levels of working hours as they had to attend training events that has impacted their time away from work. The apprenticeship levy of the past couple of years will now promote the need for apprenticeships especially within this area that would contribute to growth especially within the training sector on a long-term basis.

The contribution of poor productivity has been based on low levels of technical and professional skills. The areas that are in demand are ICT, Management and relevant trade sectors. Employers are finding difficulty to recruit due to lack of numeracy and lifelong skills.

Apprenticeships can address these issues where they can provide the opportunity to build confidence where they can progress towards their trade of choice.

Employers Engagement The employers is the foundation in apprenticeships, the level of engagement is important, research has been carried out on how employers can get involved through interviews, lunch events, video conferencing, networking events and coaching. There are suggestions that there are opportunities towards progression towards higher apprenticeships, foundation degrees and employers don't see this as necessary within the organisations as this varies due to demand and structure. Importance of taking on apprentices the research suggests different age sects with different attitudes towards work. When taking on apprentices need to ensure that they are able to work alongside with them and be adaptable and have the motivation to work alongside with them providing them with support necessary as part of their programme.

Recruitment and Selection When selecting the apprentices appropriate for the programme knowing how to promote and develop awareness. Speaking with the right agencies that will address your needs and that will channel your job prospect generating applications and interviews as well as deciding to make an offer. The apprentices will be required to complete an initial assessment involving their level of Maths and English indicating areas of support as well as determining whether they are right for the job role.

Statistics Reviewing the number of starts on apprenticeship standards they decreased by 63% in 20182019 compared to 2017-2018 that were 83%. The main subject matters are Business, Administration and Law; Health, Public Services and Care; Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and Retail & Commercial Enterprise.

Overall based on the above the quality of modern apprenticeships declined in numbers before the introduction of the funding system and this shows that there is constant room for improvement to address the issues as mentioned above to retain the numbers.

Lock Down Looking at the Synthesis Report COVID-19 has had an impact on VET that has affected students from different backgrounds especially socioeconomic background, disabilities and minorities. The challenges were to support those at-risk ensuring access to training material, remote support and monitoring progress. This is a new area for everyone overall, the digital media has revolutionized where all activities are carried out remotely and access to social media.

Summary Overall apprenticeships have changed since the lockdown the emphasis is to ensure that all learners affected are maintaining their learning and to provide opportunities where they feel encouraged and supported throughout their journey. The industry has been affected by the change and the challenges to adapt to the current environment where they are endeavoring to create apprenticeship jobs by 2030.