The Curious Case of Complexity in VET Systems

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The Curious Case of Complexity in VET Systems

• Geoff Hayward
• University of Leeds

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In the beginning there was the guild
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The decline of the Guild

• It is to prevent this reduction of price, and
  consequently of wages and profit, by restraining
  that free competition which would most certainly
  occasion it, that all corporations, and the
  greater part of corporation laws, have been
  established. (...) and when any particular class
  of artificers or traders thought proper to act as
  a corporation without a charter, such adulterine
  guilds, as they were called, were not always
  disfranchised upon that account, but obliged to
  fine annually to the king for permission to
  exercise their usurped privileges. (Adam Smith,
  The Wealth of Nations, Book 1)

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The rise of the qualification
Emperor Wen of Sui (r 561-604)
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(No Transcript)
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ility
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Number of accredited qualifications as of 30th
September of each year. Source Ofqual NDAQ
database.
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Stacking em up
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Secondary school expenditure on examinations.
Source DCSF Outturn data www.dcsf.gov.uk/everych
ildmatters/strategy/financeandfunding/informationf
orlocalauthorities/section52/dataarchive/s52da
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Overall value of the qualifications market
Ofqual 2010
Using the latest available figures for schools
(DCSF 2008-9 - 280 million) and colleges
(Learning and Skills Council 2006-7 - 173
million) we can say for England only the total
market is about 453 million excluding fees paid
by learning providers, and employers to awarding
organisations.
Using the crude estimates for the fees paid for
GCSE, A level and other qualifications we come
to a combined figure of 933 million. This
estimate has the potential to be high or low and
should only be taken as an illustrative figure.
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Geoff this is a success story!

• If qualifications are social goods in their own
  right then we can see this outcome as a success
• But qualification for an individual is about
  progression a VQ is only useful if it supports
  progression and produces a private rate of return
  on investment
• For the state there has to be a social rate of
  return on investment in complicated qualification
  systems

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State intervention

• Perceived market failure
• State intervenes to increase supply of valued
  good qualified individuals
• Direct payment for general education
• Subsidy for training Train to Gain, EMA
  deadweight problems clear
• System regulation competence, levels,
  modularisation

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But its the labour market stupid

• Deregulated labour market with few licences to
  practice
• Internal labour market rather than an occupation
  based labour market?
• What purchase do VQs have, especially at the
  lower end of such a labour market?
• Are VQs a means to deliver an alternative general
  education?

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Dreadnoughts racing
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Promoting labour and social mobility
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Meeting employer needs
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In search of an elusive quarry employability
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The unbearable lightness of skill
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Hunting an elusive quarry the search for
generic skills
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So what is the role of the state?

• Protecting the interests of young people
• Make sure they have access to qualifications that
  support progression
• Support the acquisition of such qualifications
• The Wolf report makes salutary reading
• The variable quality of apprenticeship the new
  Train to Gain
• Adult quals, exception those failed develop basic
  skills, let the market work
• Dont try to certify the uncertifiable