Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy |
| Volume | 10 |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 27 Jul 2024 |
Abstract
Keywords
- Vocational education and training, pathways to higher education, permeability, social mobility
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- General Social Sciences
Research Area (based on ÖFOS 2012)
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
- Educational Sciences
- Educational Sciences
- Vocational education
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
- Educational Sciences
- Educational Sciences
- Vocational studies
- SOCIAL SCIENCES
- Sociology
- Sociology
- Educational sociology
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, Vol. 10, 27.07.2024.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Pathways to higher education for vocationally qualified students. The case of Norway
AU - Schmees, Johannes K.
AU - Smeplass, Eli
AU - Skålholt, Asgeir
AU - Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth
AU - Imdorf, Christian
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024/7/27
Y1 - 2024/7/27
N2 - This article investigates six pathways through which students possessing initial vocational qualifications can enter higher education in Norway. In Norway, vocational education and training (VET) tracks in upper secondary education are popular nationwide with the youth population, catering to almost half of every youth cohort. However, despite explicit goals to promote social mobility through education, there is evident reproduction of social inequalities in attraction to and completion of higher education programmes. This issue is of paramount importance for the welfare state context, given that students in VET tracks typically come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds compared to their peers in general education pathways. Therefore, prohibited permeability between VET and higher education undermines universal access to higher education. This study is designed in a threefold manner: First, the connection between VET and socioeconomic background is investigated, leading to the conclusion that underprivileged youth are overly represented in VET pathways. Secondly, we explore alternative routes to higher education available to vocationally qualified students in Norway; and thirdly, we present available data on to what extend these pathways facilitate access to higher education. We conclude that limited permeability is a social problem and discuss possible means to address the issue.
AB - This article investigates six pathways through which students possessing initial vocational qualifications can enter higher education in Norway. In Norway, vocational education and training (VET) tracks in upper secondary education are popular nationwide with the youth population, catering to almost half of every youth cohort. However, despite explicit goals to promote social mobility through education, there is evident reproduction of social inequalities in attraction to and completion of higher education programmes. This issue is of paramount importance for the welfare state context, given that students in VET tracks typically come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds compared to their peers in general education pathways. Therefore, prohibited permeability between VET and higher education undermines universal access to higher education. This study is designed in a threefold manner: First, the connection between VET and socioeconomic background is investigated, leading to the conclusion that underprivileged youth are overly represented in VET pathways. Secondly, we explore alternative routes to higher education available to vocationally qualified students in Norway; and thirdly, we present available data on to what extend these pathways facilitate access to higher education. We conclude that limited permeability is a social problem and discuss possible means to address the issue.
KW - Vocational education and training
KW - pathways to higher education
KW - permeability
KW - social mobility
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85199995520&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/20020317.2024.2384165
DO - 10.1080/20020317.2024.2384165
M3 - Article
VL - 10
JO - Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy
JF - Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy
SN - 2002-0317
ER -