This course examines the dynamics of employer engagement in vocational education and training (VET) within England’s high-skilled sectors. The focus is on how employers engage with supply-side initiatives in a neoliberal economic context, which consistently experiences skills shortages and mismatches between educational outputs and industry needs. Using a single case-study approach and convergent interviews with employers and policy stakeholders, the research explores three types of employer agency: individualized, collective, and progressive. It identifies constraints in employer engagement due to weak institutional support and complex funding models, despite recent reforms aimed at improving VET alignment with industry needs.
In this course you will,
- Understand the Concept of Employer Engagement: Participants will be able to define and discuss the concept of employer engagement within the context of vocational education and training (VET), and understand its significance in bridging the gap between the supply of skilled labor and industry demands in high-skill sectors.
- Analyze Employer Agency Forms: Learners will identify and analyze the three distinct forms of employer agency—individualized, collective, and progressive—and evaluate their impact on the effectiveness of vocational training programs.
- Evaluate Institutional Challenges and Policy Responses: Participants will assess the institutional challenges and policy responses that influence employer engagement in VET, including the effects of neoliberal economic policies and historical shifts in VET structures in England.
- Develop Strategies for Improved Engagement: Learners will develop strategies to enhance employer engagement in VET programs, focusing on overcoming constraints like weak institutional support, complex funding models, and the mismatch between training outputs and industry needs.
- Apply Insights to Real-world Contexts: Participants will apply the insights gained from the study to propose practical solutions for improving employer participation in VET, tailored to meet the needs of high-skill industries and foster a more responsive educational framework.
Curriculum
- 1 Section
- 11 Lessons
- 4 Hours
- Course Content11
- 1.1Engaging Industry – The starting point60 Minutes
- 1.2Engaging Industry – Warm up15 Minutes
- 1.3Engaging Industry – Crossword time20 Minutes
- 1.4Engaging Industry – A case study15 Minutes
- 1.5Engaging Industry – Scenario20 Minutes
- 1.6Engaging Industry – Cryptic crossword20 Minutes
- 1.7Engaging Industry – Wordoku20 Minutes
- 1.8Engaging Industry – Connections
- 1.9Engaging Industry – Multi-choice quiz20 Minutes
- 1.10Engaging Industry – Glossary15 Minutes
- 1.11Engaging Industry – Next steps and further readings10 Minutes
Instructor
