This book addresses what is, perhaps, the single most important issue for vocational education; its relatively low standing in an era of high aspiration. The work explores the nature, extent and consequences for an educational sector that whilst having an increasingly important role in contemporary societies is seen to be of low standing across both countries with developed and developing economies.

This book elaborates on the project of continuing education and training (CET), its purposes, practices and prospects for future models and approaches. As such, it also seeks to elaborate the needs for a means by which this important educational sector can achieve its goals both now, and in the near future. Often seen as a supplementary or additional educational sector, CET is gaining increased relevance and importance given the need for individuals to remain employable across lengthening working lives, enterprises needing to maintain their viability and nation states requiring skilled workforces to deliver the goods and services they require. Drawing upon an extensive review of literature and grounded in a national multi-phased investigation of how CET is currently provided, might be enhanced and envisaged for the future, this book provides both clear premises for proceeding with this important educational sector in an era of growing concerns about the currency of workforce capacities, and sustaining employability across lengthening working lives. It also provides advice on how its goals can be achieved drawing upon evidence from this investigation, and associated literature from the broader field.

This book addresses what is, perhaps, the single most important issue for vocational education; its relatively low standing in an era of high aspiration. The work explores the nature, extent and consequences for an educational sector that whilst having an increasingly important role in contemporary societies is seen to be of low standing across both countries with developed and developing economies.

This book elaborates on the project of continuing education and training (CET), its purposes, practices and prospects for future models and approaches. As such, it also seeks to elaborate the needs for a means by which this important educational sector can achieve its goals both now, and in the near future. Often seen as a supplementary or additional educational sector, CET is gaining increased relevance and importance given the need for individuals to remain employable across lengthening working lives, enterprises needing to maintain their viability and nation states requiring skilled workforces to deliver the goods and services they require. Drawing upon an extensive review of literature and grounded in a national multi-phased investigation of how CET is currently provided, might be enhanced and envisaged for the future, this book provides both clear premises for proceeding with this important educational sector in an era of growing concerns about the currency of workforce capacities, and sustaining employability across lengthening working lives. It also provides advice on how its goals can be achieved drawing upon evidence from this investigation, and associated literature from the broader field.