Skills for Human Development: Transforming Vocational Education and Training

Description

Focusing on reimagining the purpose of vocational education and training (VET) and grounded in the reality of a small cohort of young South Africans and an institution seeking to serve them, Skills for Human Development moves beyond the inadequacies of the dominant human capital orthodoxy to present a rich theoretical and practical alternative for VET. Offering a human development and capability approach, it brings social justice to the forefront of the discussion of VET’s purpose at the national, institutional and individual levels. In doing so, this book insists that VET should be about enlarging peoples’ opportunities to live a flourishing life, rather than simply being about narrow employability and productivity. It argues that human development approaches, while acknowledging the importance of work in its broadest sense, offer a better way of bringing together VET and development than the current human capital-inspired orthodoxy. Offering a transformative vision for skills development, this book: Considers the potential contribution skills development could make to broader human development, as well as to economic development Points to an alternative approach to the current and flawed deficit assumptions of VET learners Presents for the first time an alternative evaluative frame for judging VET purpose and quality Presents a timely account of current vocational and education training that is high on the agenda of international policymakers Taking a broad perspective, Skills for Human Development presents a comprehensive and unique framework which bridges theory, policy and practice to give VET institutions a new way of thinking about their practice, and VET policymakers a new way of engaging with global messages of sustainable human development. It is a vital resource for those working on the human development and skills approach in multiple disciplines and offers a grounding framework for international policymakers interested in this growing area. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of illustrations Acknowledgements 1. Introduction The tricky terrain of terminology Why VET matters The need for a new theoretical approach Methodological notes A brief history of VET in South Africa The purpose of this book 2. The realist-capability model: Bringing critical realism to human capability What the capability approach brings to our thinking of VET Margaret Archer and analytic dualism Blending Sen and Archer Conclusions 3. Operationalising the realist-capability model Operationalising the realist-capability approach Identifying dimensions and capabilities Epistemological approach Methods used Ethical considerations Conclusions 4. The multiple dimensions of poverty Dimensions of poverty Core poverty Key findings 5. Why students enrol at vocational education and training colleges Public VET colleges advancing life choices Here by default: colleges as the only place possible for improving their lives Constrained choices: “I didn’t want to be a motor mechanic from the first place” Powerful enabler – “. . . what more do you want?” Student segmentation: differentiated needs Agentially-mediating structure Key findings 6. A capability list for college students Summary of dimensions of capabilities and valued functionings Capability Dimension 1: economic opportunities that matter Capability Dimension 2: active citizenship Capability Dimension 3: confidence and personal empowerment Capability Dimension 4: bodily integrity and health Capability Dimension 5: senses and imagination Capability Dimension 6: recognition and respect Capability Dimension 7: upgrading skills and qualifications throughout the life course Capability Dimension 8: occupational knowledge Key findings 7. Student achievements and institutional enablements Capability Dimension 1: economic opportunities that matter Capability Dimension 2: active citizenship Capability Dimension 3: confidence and personal empowerment Capability Dimension 4: bodily integrity and health Capability Dimension 5: senses and imagination Capability Dimension 6: recognition and respect Capability Dimension 7: upgrading skills and qualifications throughout the life course Capability Dimension 8: occupational knowledge Overall evaluation of the college Agentially-mediating structure Key findings 8. Conclusion Index