Higher vocational education and social mobility: educational participation in Australia and England

Abstract

This article explores the issue of social mobility in relation to the recent expansion of higher vocational education (HIVE) by non-university providers. The post-school vocational education sector has become the object of policies to widen access to higher education to ensure greater social mobility and provide second chance education to those who do not complete initial education in Anglophone countries. Drawing on typologies of vocational education and training systems, the article generates understanding of the expansion of HIVE within two Anglophone countries (Australia and England). The article considers the implications for widening opportunities to higher education for non-traditional students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds in these two contexts. Descriptive analysis of current national data on participation reveals surprising differences between countries. The article concludes by discussing the extent to which the higher education offerings in vocational institutions can contribute to social mobility within these two countries.

Keywords:

• Access to HE
• HE in FE
• vocational education and training
• comparative VET
• policy analysis

Notes

1. Anglo-Saxon competency models refers to an approach to industrial training that has developed over the last 40 years focused on identifying the skills needed for specific tasks and developing training and assessment in workplaces or their proxies to ensure people learn to perform these tasks. Competency models usually specify learning outcomes and assessment criteria for skills, but do not overly specify the underpinning knowledge required and the methods of teaching and learning (Guthrie 2009).

2. Currently, the Commonwealth of Australia Government has an Industry and Skills Council advised by the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) that oversees Industry Reference Committees that are supported by Skills Service Organisations that have replaced Industry Skills Councils.

3. At the time of writing, policy changes to expand the role of FECs have led to degree awarding powers for Foundation degrees being granted to 6 FECs, and one of these also has bachelor's degree awarding powers. However, the majority of 240 FECs and sixth form colleges delivering higher education, do this in conjunction with one of the 139 providers (primarily universities) that have degree awarding powers. See http://www.hefce.ac.uk/reg/register/search/Overview.

4. At the time of writing here was a total of 840,333 domestic students in bachelor (pass) degrees in Australia in 2015, with 43,285 of them in bachelor degrees at ‘non-university providers’. That makes enrolments in non-university bachelor degrees 5.15% of the total. The Australian Government Department of Education and Training statistics do not differentiate between TAFE and non-TAFE providers within their category of ‘non-university providers’. The category includes private universities and ‘Non-University Higher Education Institutions’ (DET 2016a, 2016b).

5. The Skills Funding Agency overseas the provision in 1000 providers including private providers of which there are 209 FECs. HIVE though is mostly found within the 325 colleges and sixth forms. See https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/skills-funding-agency and https://www.aoc.co.uk/about-colleges/research-and-stats/key-further-education-statistics.

6. In Scotland, HIVE has continued to expand through the use of higher vocational qualifications awarded by Edexcel (Reeve, Gallacher, and Ingram 2007).

7. Here a distinction is being drawn between the direct funding of the costs of tuition through the scheme, commonwealth supported places, and the funding students may apply for to take out a loan to cover their fees. Most degrees in TAFEs do not have CSP funding, and tuition fees are set to cover the full cost. Typically degrees in TAFEs cost similar amounts or more to degrees in universities unlike England where FECs fees have been structured to be lower than universities.

8. This report was based on Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE) data and definitions of equity groups for all VET associate and bachelor degrees.

9. Note that in the States of New South Wales and the Australia Capital Territory, where there is considerable provision of HIVE, the Universities Admissions Centre requires applicants to TAFEs to apply direct to the institutions. Therefore, direct admissions data from NSW and the ACT are not available to compare with the data from South Australia and Victoria.

10. Low participation neighbourhoods have been defined using HEFCE’s Participation of Local Areas Classifications, POLAR 2 and POLAR 3. These classifications divide POLAR into five quintiles with quintile 1 having the lowest rates of participation. See http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/yp/POLAR/.

11. By 2016, this figure had increased to six providers.