GLOBAL: Vocational education vital

If the world is to make a sound and lasting recovery from the recession more attention should be paid to vocational training, even by the better-off countries, says the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Arguing that vocational training should not be taken for granted nor considered a matter mainly for lower-income countries, the OECD says that "good vocational education is vital for a strong economy as the world comes out of recession".

In an initial report on its review of vocational education and training, Learning for Jobs, the OECD says that "some of the world's richest countries need to improve the quality and relevance of their training if they are to continue to prosper".

The paper proposes a set of policy recommendations "to help countries make their vocational systems more responsive to business needs and boost economic growth." Suggestions include offering a mix of vocational programmes reflecting student preferences and employers' needs and the provision of transferable skills to support people changing jobs and professions.

"Beyond secondary level the costs of training should be shared among government, employers and students, based on the benefits obtained," says the report, while to sustain the workforce of teachers and trainers, partnerships with industry, part-time working opportunities and flexible pathways to recruitment should be promoted in vocational institutions.

More specifically, the OECD calls on vocational institutions to promote partnerships with industry, encourage part-time work, and promote flexible pathways of recruitment. In the workplace, they should provide appropriate pedagogical preparation to those responsible for trainees and apprentices.

Nationally, a standardised assessment framework should be adopted, the OECD says. If the world is to emerge from the economic crisis in a sustainable way, "we need a new growth model that will deliver more and better jobs".

"If we can give young people high quality training, then we have a much better chance to succeed," said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

alan.osborn@uw-news.com