When reading the article on the proposal to reform vocational education in New Zealand, it got me wondering about my own and societies perception when it comes to VET (Vocational Education Trainings) and how it fits into the culture of further education. For myself and many others, the so called traditional pathway for education has started with primary school followed by secondary school and 3-4 years at university then work life , if you finished secondary school and didn’t’ go to university the second option was a polytechnic or vocational education.
According to research conducted by the tertiary education commission in 2018, they wanted to look further into this so called stigma in VET to find out some of the reasons why it is considered second rate to universities academy based education.
They concluded In New Zealand as in many other western nations, the majority of learners, teachers, and parents consider VET to be a second-best alternative to university study. They believe that:
- a university education is the safest path to a good career;
- anyone who can go to university would be best-advised to do so, rather than to study for a vocational degree at an institute of technology or polytechnic (ITP) ; and
- VET education represents a lower standard than academic education, requiring and developing a lower level of skill and knowledge. (Kelly, 2018)
However in today’s society and economy especially our issues surrounding housing and infrastructure the vocational education route is becoming more and more popular with students. According to Lettmayr & Riihimäki,(2011). Vocational education training provides career and technical education to interested students. These students are prepared as trainees for jobs that are based upon manual or practical fields. Jobs are related to specific trades, occupations, and vocations.For student moving into this type of education, they have a better of chance of employment and in some cases get paid as they study, so less impact on student debt.
One interesting statistics came to light to around the numbers of VET vs university based students. According to education counts website, There were 175,240 university students in 2018, including 49,400 post-graduate students (29%), However according to the same site there were 241,650 in 2017, who enrolled in vocational education such as industry training, polytechnic or private training establishment. (Education Counts. 2019)
What is this indicates to me is the appetite is there for VET, however there is still an element of class predujice and eltistism in how society views it . University based academic education is still associated with higher society and well paid jobs and VET is considered working class and lower paid. One article recently out of Australia local GP’s who spend 7 years at university earn 156k a year, while a tradie can earn upwards of 193k with no student loan (Charleston, 2018)
What I am hoping with these new reforms into VET is by moving to one centralised process, it can change the image from being a second rate education to having a clear well understood pathway, that can change the perception of future students and society.
References
Central, E. (2019, August 29). Education Central. Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://educationcentral.co.nz/a-good-first-step-but-more-attention-is-needed-to-strengthen-dual-education-in-new-zealand/.
Charleston, L. J. (2018, August 12). The job that’s earning more than doctors. Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12105551.
Kelly, B. (15AD). TERTIARY EDUCATION REPORT: MARKET RESEARCH DONE TO DATE ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF VOCATIONAL CAREERS. Teritary Education Report: Perceptions of Vocational Education and Careers in New Zealand, 1–7. Retrieved from https://www.tec.govt.nz/assets/Ministerial-papers/6d56b4c3f8/B_18_00388-Perceptions-of-vocational-education-and-careers-in-New-Zealand.pdf
Lettmayr, C. F., & Riihimäki, T. (2011). The benefits of vocational education and training. European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the Europian Union.
Ministry of Education – Education Counts. (2019, March 1). Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-education/vocational-education-and-training.
Silly Point 