ABSTRACT

The article assesses the role comparative research plays from the 1980s in understanding vocational education and training (VET) systems in Europe, driven by political, economic, social and labour market changes. This research has been transformed, moving from national comparisons of VET systems, grounded in institutional theory and engaging with convergence versus divergence debates or human capital theory, to the varieties of capitalism approach considering groups of countries as representative of particular capitalist economies, to transcending national boundaries and emphasising capitalist diversity, governance and labour agency. Drawing on examples of research in which the authors and others have been involved, particularly on the construction industry, the article traces this development and shows how, despite governance weaknesses, comparative research has been enriched by the addition of a European Union level through the introduction of tools, such as the European Qualifications Framework. Four dimensions are proposed – labour market, governance, education and competence – capable of identifying VET ‘families’ and intra-national variations and capturing the dynamics of VET systems. Through a multi-dimensional and multi-level framework, comparative VET research can provide a deeper understanding of how and why VET systems respond to the challenges of technological, economic and environmental change.

摘要

本文评估了 1980 年代在政治、经济、社会和劳动力市场变化的推动下，比较研究在理解欧洲职业教育和培训 (VET) 系统方面所起的作用。这项研究已经转变，从以制度理论为基础并参与趋同与发散辩论或人力资本理论的职业教育与培训系统的国家比较，到将国家集团作为特定资本主义经济体代表的资本主义方法的多样性，到超越国家边界并强调资本主义的多样性、治理和劳工代理。借鉴作者和其他人参与的研究实例，特别是在建筑行业，文章追溯了这一发展，并展示了尽管存在治理缺陷，通过引入欧洲资格框架等工具，增加了欧盟级别，从而丰富了比较研究。提出了四个维度——劳动力市场、治理、教育和能力——能够识别职业教育与培训“家庭”和国内差异并捕捉职业教育与培训系统的动态。通过多维度、多层次的框架，比较职业教育与培训研究可以更深入地了解职业教育与培训系统如何以及为何应对技术、经济和环境变化的挑战。教育和能力——能够识别职业教育与培训的“家族”和国内差异，并捕捉职业教育与培训系统的动态。通过多维度、多层次的框架，比较职业教育与培训研究可以更深入地了解职业教育与培训系统如何以及为何应对技术、经济和环境变化的挑战。教育和能力——能够识别职业教育与培训的“家庭”和国内差异，并捕捉职业教育与培训系统的动态。通过多维度、多层次的框架，比较职业教育与培训研究可以更深入地了解职业教育与培训系统如何以及为何应对技术、经济和环境变化的挑战。