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Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions play an important role in equipping young people to enter the world of work and in improving their employability throughout their careers. Tvet institutions were established to produce the skills required by the economy. Tvet institutions are an alternative study path that can be very beneficial to the right student. TVET has become a vital component of many educational systems due to its importance in helping students to develop the technical and practical skills needed to improve their livelihood and to be competitive in today’s ever-changing world.
Over the years many have believed that if you study at a university you will have more opportunities than people who have studied at TVET programs. This has caused confusion amongst young people. To separate the two and how they function we can see TVET offer more practicals than universities. TVET puts more emphasis on practical experience and after ended education, you are skilled and you can easily start working. University generally offers an ‘academic’ education experience. ‘Academic’ education is normally defined as education with learning as its primary purpose. An academic education explores the theoretical and hypothetical but is not necessarily practical, realistic or directly useful.
Which Kind of Secondary Education Produces the Greatest Benefits for Individuals and the Economies?
Which kind of secondary education – general/academic or TVET – produces the greatest benefits for individuals and economies? Global perspectives on this question have changed in line with the evolving skills needs of businesses. Until recently, general education was considered the more lucrative track, since it teaches transferrable skills that can be applied across a range of occupations and tends to offer greater access to decent, well-paid jobs. However, the recent surge in global youth unemployment has been found to stem from
‘skills mismatches’ produced by an overly theoretical approach to education that does not supply the specific technical and vocational skills increasingly demanded by employers. Hence, in many countries, there is high youth unemployment at the same time as there are skills shortages in key sectors of the economy.
Universities or Technical Vocational Education and Training for the Student
There are a huge variety of courses and subjects in both the University and TVET systems today. If you are a student, the most important factors to consider are your strengths and your interests. You’ll always find it difficult to really apply yourself to something you hate doing.
University courses commonly have a long-term payoff – it might be several years before you can use your qualifications to start earning an income. Even if you’re not necessarily interested in going to university, some careers do require you to earn a degree – for example, school teachers need to complete a teaching degree in order to work in Australian schools.
Vocational education can be a great way to get fast-tracked into a well-paying skilled job, can be one of the quicker ways to change your career path, and is ideal for those starting tertiary education as an adult. Some vocational qualifications are mandatory to work in certain industries and roles.
References:
The role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in fostering inclusive growth at the local level in Southeast Asia, OECD Working Paper 2018
Lucubrate Magazine December 2019
The picture on the top of the article by science photo (Adobe Stock)
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