VET-education og industry

Our research on skills development and employment in the context of regional development has been a key topic in economic geography, and has recently included two different projects and sources of funding. Grete Rusten has from 2013-2018 participated in a study led by Brita Hermelin (external link) (external link) at Linköping University, and which has specifically addressed the collaboration between industry and education in relation to vocational training in upper secondary school. The study, which has been funded by the Swedish Research Council, has focused on initiative and organisation of theory and practice, but also on factors such as regional robustness and lock-in effects in business development of the observed educational models. The Swedish study has included Industrial Upper Secondary Schools (Finspång and Mjölby), while the Norwegian study has looked specifically at the TAF model (Nordhordland). The industrial sites in both countries are pioneer cases when it comes to the development of these aforementioned educational programmes, both of which are based on cooperation between industry and schools in vocational training.

Both education models are so-called dual in their orientation. TAF (also labelled YSK), which is the focus of the Norwegian project, is a 4-year education course that combines general and vocational subjects in teaching and practical training given at school, and practice as an apprentice in the workplace (dual in relation to professional content and training arenas). The TAF-education provides competence and a trade certificate that qualifies directly for working life, while the theoretical additional subjects provide a diploma that qualifies for further education at colleges and universities (double diploma). Nordhordland is the place where the idea of TAF was first initiated by schools and industry in 1992, but which has later become an

educational offer that can be found in around 20 industrial sites in Norway. Most of the TAF-education is technical, but health and upbringing have gradually been added. The study, which includes the technical and craft-based subjects, analyses organisation, practice and experiences in the region. In connection with this, a career study of people who have taken this education over the years is also included.

In a follow-up project: Competence and education in Nordhordland, structures, cooperation and experience from the region (2018-2019), Grete Rusten together with research colleagues Kari Elida Eriksen (UiB now UiTø), and Gro Marit Grimsrud (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences) have carried out a comprehensive empirical analysis based on quantitative figures and interview data, and which addresses the organisation, motivations, strategies and practices related to the upper secondary education offered. Experience in this region shows that the strength of the various training programmes is business anchoring, commitment and cooperation across institutions and industries. The study adresseses how weaknesses of the education programmes are partly related to a lack of "patient" capital from the public authorities when new courses are to be launched. Many of the companies are actively involved in influencing the education portfolio. However, it is also important to get more of the smaller businesses on board, and not least identify the needs of the working life of the future. This speak in favour of the development of supplementary training models.