Learning for jobs: synthesis report of the OECD reviews of vocational education and training

Abstract

The OECD ‘Learning for jobs’ study of vocational education and training (VET) was designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs. Following a severe recession the need to help young people into work is a major objective for OECD countries and their education systems. VET for young people can play a big role in meeting this challenge but, as this report makes clear, reforms are needed in many countries. Those graduating from vocational programs need to be equipped not just with the skills that will get them their first job, but also with the broader capacities for further learning on and off the job that will support career development in a labour market undergoing rapid evolution. To that end, vocational programs need to be of high quality, with teachers and trainers who understand the needs of modern industry, and linked to clear opportunities for further learning. Workplace learning should play an important role in all vocational programs. Above all, there is the need for an effective partnership between education and training systems and industry, to provide for workplace training, to ensure that skills have real labour market relevance and that young people gain an early appreciation and understanding of the world of work. This report on the OECD study expands the evidence base, identifies a set of policy options and develops tools to appraise VET policy initiatives. It is linked to 17 individual country studies undertaken across the globe. In this review, and in its successor on postsecondary vocational education and training, to be undertaken in 2011-12, the OECD’s aim is to exploit the rich diversity of international experience in this field, and thereby help countries to develop their policies.