A survey of over 500 teachers and trainers in the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector was carried out to examine whether their teaching practices and approaches varied with their qualification levels. The survey, carried out with teachers and trainers from different types of training providers -- public and private -- formed…

A notion of being a professional and acting with professionalism suggests particular standards associated with identity and practice. For vocational education and training (VET) educators in Australia, the notion of 'professional' that is encased within association and registration does not apply. Yet these educators operate in contexts where a…

The role of the education sector has expanded into areas of social welfare. A key influence, relates to the disintegration of public-funded organisations responsible for mental health and social welfare provision. This article considers the policy drive for a broadened welfare mandate within education settings. Drawing on illustrations of…

There has been an increasing emphasis placed on the skills and attributes that university students develop whilst studying for their degree. These 'narratives of employability' often construct extracurricular activity (ECA) as an essential part of gaining post-graduation employment. However, these future-oriented drivers of engagement often…

This article presents and discusses the findings of a small-scale research project into the occupational outcomes of graduates of an Initial Teacher (Further) Education (ITE) programme at Maynooth University in Ireland. The findings from this mixed-method research indicate that many graduates experience high levels of occupational precarity and a…

This study explores how Further Education (FE) lecturers are perceived in secondary school settings and their professional prospects in the context of the UK parity status Act of 2012. Designed as a mixed method research, it sought the views of FE-trained teachers on their experience of working in secondary schools, the perceptions of recruitment…

This study offers reflections on the TQFE in Scotland as an example of the transformative professional learning model as identified by various authors. The focus of this study is the professional learning of lecturers in Scotland's colleges. Informed by wider considerations of teacher education more broadly, it will be of particular interest to…

This paper explores the perceptions of professionals working with young people who are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) about their role in young people's trajectories. The issue of professionally and educationally inactive young people is a growing concern in Western economies and has been at the forefront of government agendas for…

This paper focuses on the proposals for the introduction of "technical degrees" in English higher education institutions advanced by the Labour Party's Liam Byrne in a document entitled "Robbins Rebooted" which was published in August 2014 by the Social Market Foundation. The context and rationale for the proposed technical…

Despite the United Kingdom government increasing efforts to tackle unemployment, young people face a number of barriers to be employed. As a leading awarding body, City & Guilds launched the TechBac in 2014 to address some of these barriers and provide learners with a balanced programme of vocational study. This article is based on the initial…