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European vocational education and training

Year: 2012
Type: book
Abstract: This chapter starts with explaining the relationship between Human Resource Development (HRD) and Vocational Education and Training (VET). In this part the argument is that if HRD is taken broadly, and encompasses corporate HRD, it includes education and training, and thus vocational education and training. The next section builds on this argument and goes into the fading boundaries between initial and continuing vocational education and training, human resource development and life-long learning in Europe. Next, the chapter contends that there is a wide diversity in European VET and national systems of education. National VET systems are caught in their national contexts of legislation, culture and regulation. In some EU member states there is even variation within the state, such as in Germany (with its sixteen Bundeslander), the United Kingdom (with England, Wales, Scotland and NorthernIreland), and Belgium (with its three language communities). As an example some aspects of vocational education in the Netherlands will be presented, mainly to show a VET system which is characterised by massive participation and reasonably high recognition. The next section of the chapter describes the VET development process in the European Union and goes into the institutional context, which, as will be seen, is very complicated. Next an overview is given of the EU vocational education and training policy instruments which are the result of and give focus to the VET development process. Next, some impressions will be given about VET Theory and Research in Europe. This field is quite scattered, so giving a full overview is hardly possible. The chapter will be finalized by a conclusions section in which suggestions for further theory development and research are given.
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2187426823
FWCI: 0.772
Cites: 20
Cited by: 18
Related to: 10