Research article

Vocational education and training in the spotlight: back to the future for the UK's Coalition Government?

---

Abstract

This paper examines the Coalition Government's plans for vocational education and training for 14- to 19-year-olds in England. It argues that new types of educational institutions will enable the emergence of new forms of segmentation in which the vocational track is likely to become split into 'technical education' and lower level 'practical learning'. Whilst the new government has increased funding for apprenticeship, it has so far failed to address the systemic problems which have kept this as a minority track for 16- to 18-year-olds. The paper argues that the government-commissioned Wolf Review of 14–19 Vocational Education in England provides support for segmentation.

Keywords: VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIP, TECHNICAL EDUCATION, PRACTICAL LEARNING, SEGMENTATION, QUALIFICATIONS

How to Cite:

Fuller, A. & Unwin, L., (2011) “Vocational education and training in the spotlight: back to the future for the UK's Coalition Government?”, London Review of Education 9(2), 191–204. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14748460.2011.585879