www.swslim.org.uk

A very short history of VET in England

Ben Neildb.neild@exeter.ac.uk

Marchmont Observatory / SLIM

www.swslim.org.uk

VET in England

Decentralised & Market Driven

Principle is VET should be provided by employers who require & will use the skills they are creating, not by the state / formal education institutions

Historic tension in policy – spontaneous order or spontaneous disorder

State’s concern is with identifying and rectifying market failure

www.swslim.org.uk

In middle ages non-vocational training would be considered odd.

Oxford & Cambridge emerging from monastic traditions of learning.

Apprenticeships formalised in 1563 - 7 year terms required before enter a trade - ‘Masters’ not allowed more than 3 apprentices at any time- Apprentices lived with masters, fed, housed & clothed- Apprentices pay masters a ‘registration’ fee, value of which depended on cost of materials working with & wages in industry - Apprenticeships controlled by ‘guilds’

Middle Ages

Apprentice in an apothecary shop, grinding medicines

www.swslim.org.uk

1776 Adam Smith attacks apprenticeship as restrictive practice, reinforced by law, intended to limit output, entry into trades and keep prices up.

7 years too long to learn even complex jobs (e.g. clock-making)

Is a form of exploitation, not ruled by market forces.

Better to protect customers via market forces and quality marks (e.g. stamps on knives, silver & wool) and via market forces.

Guilds criticised as ineffective – learning is matter of demonstration & correcting mistakes (no curriculum etc).

Guilds are increasingly ignored by larger corporations as industrialisation progresses.

www.swslim.org.uk

Punitive systems developed to discourage dependency on the state.

Poor law authorities pay factory owners to take on (take responsibility for?) ‘apprentices’. System tainted as a form of juvenile slavery.

Apprenticeship becomes an alternative to becoming a tax burden.

1802 – attempt at reform – regulation of apprenticeship hours, specification that apprentices should be taught reading, writing and maths.

1814 – requirement to serve an apprenticeship before legally practising a trade is abolished.

Poor law & workhouse 18th & 19th Century

www.swslim.org.uk

Mechanics Institutes - Teach artisans principles underlying their trades- Primarily evening classes. - Extremely popular - 750 running by 1860- Meets a thirst for general education, which is v. poor- Origins of Colleges and ethos of lifelong learning

Industrial Revolution & Competition

Manchester Mechanics Institute

www.swslim.org.uk

1855 Society of Arts (organiser of the ‘Great Exhibition’ sets first exams for artisans 1859 Government provides grants for teacher costs for some trade schools, esp in

‘strategically important subjects’, e.g. navigation1889 Technical Instruction Act – empowers local authorities to raise local tax in

aid of technical education1899 25 subjects recognised & supported by government, but teaching is restricted

to abstract learning, in order not to antagonise unions & employers

Industrial Revolution & Competition

www.swslim.org.uk

Evening classes remain dominant form of technical education- employers reluctant to lose labour during day- emergence of ‘college’ system, responsive to local industrial needs, often founded by industrialists with sense of civic pride

Employer training very variable, both by industry and by employer

Early 20th Century

Building of Baker Perkins Apprenticeship SchoolEvening School Band

www.swslim.org.uk

1900’s - Concern about young people leaving school at 12 to 14, with no training, to enter ‘dead-end’ jobs (‘errand boy’ or ‘newspaper vendor’).

A perceived ‘gap’ in vocational training, compared to planned systems (e.g. in Germany).

Yet ambivalence about state’s role, due to:- Union’s, concern to maintain wages- Tradition of ‘small government’ and laissez faire, market driven approach- Religious societies view on general education and their role in providing it,

much emphasis on improving general education

At this stage still only 2 Universities - Oxford & Cambridge.

University is only way into ‘professions’ as opposed to ‘trade’.

VET policy continues to be driven by ‘other’ pressures, e.g. - Concern re Germany in run up to world wars- 1st unemployment training schemes during ‘Great Depression’- Training for servicemen after WW I

State Concerns - early 20th Century

www.swslim.org.uk

1955 OECD Survey – UK has lowest % technically qualified staff in metals, food & electrical industries.

Repeated attempts to address lack of VET, e.g. industrial training boards in 1960’s

1971 – Apprenticeships still account for 3% UK manufacturing employment, compared to 5% in Germany.

However - massive rise in technician certificates (factor of 14) from 1951 to 1973 for non-

apprenticeships (tradition of lifelong learning). - Huge expansion of HE & ‘professional’ level qualifications through 20th Century, esp from 1960’s

1980’s – asset stripping, free-market capitalist philosophy & liberal ethic undermines corporate responsibility for training.

1990’s onwards – Apprenticeships formalised & driven by state funding / targets

Late - 20th Century