Growing beans with Thoreau: rescuing skills and vocational education from the UK's deficit approach

Abstract

This paper argues for a broader‐based approach to vocational education (VET) and the concept of skill, one that is capable of extending responsibility for improvement to society as a whole, rather than expecting change to come from a single constituency, that of employers. By reclaiming the important roles which vocational education and practical skills play in the everyday lives of people and communities, it might be possible to rescue the concept of VET from its current manifestation as a deficit activity, reluctantly funded by government.

Notes

* Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester, 7 Salisbury Road, Leicester LE1 7QR, UK. Email: [email protected]

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lorna Unwin *

* Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester, 7 Salisbury Road, Leicester LE1 7QR, UK. Email: [email protected]