National Vocational Educational and Training Initiatives - Essay Example

2) Select one major national UK education policy concerned with the organisation and governance of schools and consider its' impact on contemporary schooling experiences. National Vocational Educational and Training initiatives in relation to the objectives of the United Kingdom Department for Education and Employment This essay will explore and discuss the history f vocational training (VT) within the United Kingdom from it's initial existence and follow the development f VT to where it stands now. It will discuss the large number f stake holders involved with the UK system including government and private sector and discuss the complexities and problems f UK Vocational Training. It will discuss the German system f skills training and how it compares with the UK system f training for workers. The essay will then lay out some f the future practices f training within the UK as described by the government white paper (2005). National Vocational Educational and Training (NVET) initiatives in relation to the objectives f the United Kingdom Department for Education and Employment (1996) were to encourage lifetime learning and to encourage employers to invest in building the skills required for competitive business. NVET seeks to reconcile the educational training needs f the individual, the employer and the economy in such a way as to increase the competitiveness f organisations and British Industry as a whole, while at the same time ensuring that individuals can develop in ways that will enable them to lead meaningful and satisfying lives. Harrison, R. (1992).cited in Walton, J. (1999) p75. Methods f training and educating employees had been in existence in some form or other since medieval times. In certain industries such as engineering and printing apprenticeships had long been established. Although the education act f 1944 required employers to release young employees to attend 'further education and liberal studies' classes in 'county colleges', it wasn't until the nineteen sixties that national training and learning initiatives came into existence. Reid et al. (2004)Up to this point many organisations were still rigid in structure and ruled by bureaucracy as fathered by Weber, (1947) and followed the principles f Taylor (from Morgan.1997) where workers were deskilled for efficiency and hierarchic managers held a position f superiority and knowledge held by them was never shared as this knowledge was power. The middle years f the twentieth century saw theories from Maslow (1943) who defined a 'hierarchy f needs' for individuals in the work place and McGregor (1960) who contrasted management styles and categorised them into 'X and Y' theories, X being akin to Taylor's scientific management principles and his Y theory proposing that managers understood that workers wanted to contribute to the organisations objectives. Work now involved tasks being challenging and meaningful for the worker and the term 'job enrichment ' now existed as stated by Herzber,g et al. (1959). The later part f the century was subject to relentless change. Kolb, (1974, 1984) introduced a theory that managers should be naturally learned 'by experience' and described a four stage sequential process for learning at work without a teacher or trainer. In industry new products and processes emerged, especially regarding information technology and the advent f the internet. Organisations grew in stature and now had mission statements, corporate objectives and medium term plans which would include personnel issues. This era saw organisations introduce systems which were open to their environment and socio-technical systems, Trist (1981) a theory that proposed that a key task for managers was to understand changing relationships between people, tasks, technology and structure. Consultation now existed with the workforce and participation became respectable. Government agencies such as the 'Manpower Services Commission' the 'Training Services Agency' and Youth Training Schemes all existed to assist improving the economy by reduce skills shortages. Reid, et al. (2006). It can be said that Human Resource Development had now been established but until nineteen eighty five this was minimal as the concentration f training effort was on induction or on a change f job, at this point HRD was not a concern f senior management and was given a low priority, they received very little training themselves within organisations. At this time no connection was made between training effort and the achievement f organisational objectives. Following this, up to nineteen ninety five saw a growing interest in training and development by top management and the focus f training changed to emphasise 'personal development', with the introduction f 'personal development plans' HRD now had its own plan within an organisation and was dealt with at branch and divisional level with annual review by senior management. Training was now increasingly linked with the idea f continuing professional development and the concept f lifelong learning. After nineteen ninety one HRD was linked with the delivery f business objectives, the emphasis f personal development shifted to training and development for 'organisational goals' and HRD became part f operational planning. Service level agreements now existed between internal and external customers. Training and development was now dealt with by line mangers who held their own budgets for customised training and development f their own staff. This period saw the active promotion f competency based programmes and the introduction f 'National Vocational Qualifications'. Human Resource Development had become a national concern and was now called National Vocational and Education and Training, government was now involved with the Department for Education and Employment holding the responsibility. The key issues with this national training programme was to provide broad based initiatives which would; resource learning, provide national frameworks and encourage learning by individuals who would act independently using their own initiative or through the sponsorship f their employers. Walton, (1999) In order to meet increasingly competitive demands which impact the economy, the provision f knowledge and skill bases turned to the needs f Small to Medium Enterprises, (SMEs) whose contribution to the economy had grown. In nineteen ninety three the United Kingdom Department f Education and Employment had four national UK strategies for vocational education and training these national priorities were to invest effectively in employers and individuals to provide skills needed for business creation and growth. For the people out f work to acquire the relevant skills and obtaining the appropriate support to enable them to compete better for employment and contribute more effectively to the economy. To encourage young people to gain skills and enterprising attitudes needed to begin work and for them to realise their own potential throughout their working life and to make the market for vocational education and training dynamic so it can respond to changing needs f employers and individuals quickly and cost effectively. This link between training and the individual, the employer and the economy is also set out in the objectives f the United Kingdom Department f Education and Employment (1996). These include the encouragement f lifetime learning so that skills and knowledge can be used to compete effectively within changing labour markets and to provide a framework which will encourage employers to invest in the skills they need to be competitive in business. The network f vocational training provision in the United Kingdom is complex and involves many different agencies f which the government forms only a part. The government's policy on NVET is target driven and they instituted 'wholesale' reform f the education and NVET systems through centralising control. They set up Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) to improve the quality f training on a national level and created a task force (which is now business led) to promote National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). NVQs are based on National Occupational Standards; these standards describe what competencies are required for people to perform a particular job or role within an organisation. The NVQ concept is based four main principles; it is led by industry, it is based on job performance rather than entirely on knowledge, accessibility and flexibility, in that NVQs are transferable and can include Accredited Prior Learning. This NVET objective is managed by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Major governmental initiatives include; Investors in People (Iip) (1994) scheme to promote standards in development and training, Following the recommendations f the Dearing report (1996) the government introduced Modern National Traineeships which replaced the former Youth Training Scheme and was designed to offer work based training to NVQ level two. Government also introduced Modern Apprenticeships which provided employer based learning to NVQ level 3. Reid. Barrington (1999). Other governmental departments involved with the training network include; The Treasury, the Department f trade and Industry (DTI). Alongside the government there are the Learning Skills Councils (LSCs) (National and Local) who deal with post sixteen strategy and funding, national learning targets, the development f local learning partnerships and liaise with regional development agencies. There are many other agencies who hold a stake in the development and training provision for the UK. These include employers; which consist f large employers (500+) and SMEs, organisations such as the Confederation f British Industry (CBI), Sector Skills Councils, Trade Associations, and Chambers f Commerce etc. Trade unions and the Trades Union Congress have are involved with the development f workforces in relation to the training required f their members for reasons f wellbeing and safety. This development f the UK workforce is delivered and regulated by Education and Training providers such as Further Education Colleges, Universities and Business Schools, including Open Universities. To qualify people within the NVQ system their exists a chain f awarding bodies who have integral verification processes and include; the NVQ body themselves, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Sector Skills Development Agency and others. Reid, et al (1999)With so many stakeholders involved in NVET a divide may exist between governmental and private control, although the concept f NVET is that is led by industry there is still government involvement, this plethora f influential bodies makes co-ordination difficult. This leads to a conflict f interests as both sides may have differing agendas. The government will strive towards low unemployment as this is a key measure on how well the economy is doing and is reflective on government performance. The private sector however is driven by sustainable profit and will want a maximum return on the organisation's investment on development spending thus adding value to the company. It is also possible for their to be a conflict in long and short term views on NVET, The government will have short term views on what is necessary and will do anything it sees fit and change political direction within term their f office to enable them to be re-elected. The private sector however will look at the issue in the long term as this will integrate with business strategies. As modern business evolves, internationalisation becomes more prevalent, therefore the skills bases f one or more country will be evaluated by the private sector in order to sustain competitive advantage. This poses a challenge to government who have to provide a skills base within the UK economy in competition with other EU members. Covering the skills gap within the UK to enable us to compete with other countries proposes major challenges to the government. The following is a statement regarding the present status f HRD within the UK in comparison with international competitors:Lord Leitch's interim report f his review f the nation's skills needs up to 2020 found that the UK lags behind its international competitors, ranked 24th out f 29 developed nations for the proportion f young people staying on in education or training after the age f 16. The number f adults in the workforce without the skills needed to succeed in a modern economy is also high: the UK is ranked 17th out f 30 countries. As previously explained vocational education and training extends beyond the United Kingdom and exists in countries that provide skills competition for the UK. According to Walton, (1999) this vocational training should be seen in a European context (EVET). A quotation from the (1995) European Commission White Paper on Education and Training states:The future f Europe and it's place in the world depends on it's ability to give as much room for the personal fulfilment f it's citizens, men and women alike, as it has up to now given to economic and monetary issues. From Walton, (1999)Although the future f the EU begins to appear homogenous it is worth noting that member states retain responsibility for the content and organisation f their own vocational developments. Walton, (1999) Within the EU there are vocational training programmes such as Leonardo which offers both a policy framework and operational support including funding for projects and exchanges. Another multi-stranded EU programme is Socrates which covers learners f all ages and social groups and is sister to the Leonardo programme. Both programmes share responsibility for language training and encourage open and distance learning. Reid, Barrington, (1999). In comparison to the UK's target focused skills creation framework, which forms the basis f the future f the UK economy, Germany has a dual system f filling the countries skills gap. Germanys' system is an institutional and organisational framework which provide two learning venues, firstly the company or master providing the apprenticeship and secondly the part time vocational school which instructs the apprentice in addition to their practical training. Deutscher, Ausschuss, (1996). There is also a shared responsibility to fund the qualification process between companies and Lander governments and the legal responsibilities are also shared between the two. Raggatt, (1988). Works Cited Deutscher Ausschuss (1996) fur das Erziehungs- und Bildungswesen. Gesamtausgabe der Emplfelhungen und Gutachten. Stuttgart, Klett. Harrison, R. (1992) Employee Development. London, IPM. Herzberg, F. et al(1959) The Motivation to Work. New York. John Wiley. http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgipn_id=2006_004514-19 Education and Skills. (2005) Government White Paper. HMSO Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the source f Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall. Kolb, D.A., Rubin, I.N., and McIntyre, J. M., (1974) Organizational Psychology. A book f readings. Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall. Raggatt, P., (1998) Quality and control in the dual system f West Germany, Oxford Review f Education, 14, pp 163-186Deissinger, T., (1996) Germany's Vocational Training Act: Its Function as an Instrument f Quality Control within a Tradition-Based Vocational Training System. Oxford review f Education, Vol 22, No3 pp317-336. Reid, M. A., Barrington, H. (1999) Training Interventions: Promoting Learning Opportunities. London. CIPD. Reid, M. A., Berrington, H., Brown, M., (2004) Human Resource Development: Beyond Ttraining Interventions. London. CIPD. Trist, E. (1981) The Evolution f Socio-Technical Systems. Ontario. Ontario Ministry f Labor/Ontario Quality f Working Life Centre. Walton, J. (1999) Strategic Human Resources Development. Harlow. Prentice Hall. Weber, M. (1943) The Theory f Social and Economic Organisation. New York Free PressMorgan, G. (1997) Imiges f Organisation. London. Sage Publications. Read More