The EU places the pursuit of a high-skilled knowledge economy at the heart of the European enterprise and calls for more open and flexible vocational, educational and training (VET) systems to help deliver it. Compared to other countries in the EU, the flexibilities that appear to characterise UK VET may on the face of it stand it in good stead for achieving EU goals. But are they more apparent than real? And do their benefits outweigh the drawbacks?

The countries that make up the Union face unique circumstances and are equipped with vastly different education and training systems. Each VET system is deeply interwoven into the social and economic fabric of its country and so it isn’t surprising to find, looking around Europe, huge variation in the structure and role of VET systems.

However, one of the most striking features is the distinctive nature of the UK’s systems – and arguably these features point to a level of flexibility than can seem high compared to other EU states.

Indeed, at a broad level, the UK system is part of an economy and labour market that emphasises flexibility and competition rather than structure and social consensus, which is more common amongst our neighbours (certainly the older member states – the new members are still finding their feet in the post-communist era).

Some of the most salient features of the UK system are:

• A system structure that stresses choice, and has much more of an open market in qualifications. This contrasts especially with systems such as those in Austria and Germany where individuals are tracked into different types of education and training from an early age (ten or 11) leading to a set of structured opportunities tied into occupations.
• The much lower level of formal structure to employer and employee involvement: in most of Europe the involvement of these 'social partners' (in European terminology) has been built into VET systems and qualifications to a degree that has never been the case in Britain.

However, do such features amount to a level of flexibility that is more apparent than real compared to our neighbours? The German system might be placed at the opposite end of the flexibility spectrum because of what can appear to be a very structured and regulated system. But it has successfully adapted to the emergence of new occupations and has built into it myriad opportunities for individuals to switch tracks. The challenge is to make sure they are used; in contrast to the English system whose structures remain subject to continual
reform.

Flexibility at a price?

In the round, does this mean the UK stands in a favourable position compared to its neighbours?

Answering that question is, of course, not easy. Arguably the UK system makes for easier movements between occupations and levels of adult learning are high compared to, say, Germany. But there are also the well-known negative consequences: an attitude to the value of VET compared to general education which is ambiguous at best, as well as unimpressive rates of early school leaving.

Moreover, even where other systems appear to be rigid and inflexible, the wider social systems of which they are part also need to be taken into account.

Thus German VET is part of a much broader coherent social system that offers employment protection in return for the disbenefits to the individual of early tracking.

It would be wise, then, not to rush into thinking that the UK’s system is necessarily more flexible than others or that its particular type of openness makes it better positioned to deliver on the EU’s chief policy goals.

An important lesson we can learn from comparing the countries of the EU is that different systems are open and flexible in different ways. In that context, trying to second guess which might deliver high-skilled knowledge economies would be a dangerous game.

Andrew McCoshan PhD is a director of ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd. He can be contacted at admccoshan@btinternet.com

You can download this article free by subscribing and logging in as a Full TJ member

Price: £1.00

Related News

• e-portfolio launch for National Vocational Qualifications
• Prime Minister thanks Skills for Health employee
• Campbell issues skills warning

Related Discussion Topics

• NVQ Assessor
• BBC interview: feedback, please
• Assessment Centre Statistics

Latest News

• Vocational training sector faces further consolidation with £20 million acquisition
• Energy Saving Trust launches green driving training programme.
• Suzuki GB awards its first NVQ qualifications
• Economist expert warns “pay tomorrow” pre-budget could mean more job losses
• Shell announces national award Step scheme winner