Moving through post-16 education : a mixed methods study of the characteristics and perspectives of level 2 vocational learners in England

• Main Author: Moosavi, Salma
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Southampton 2018

In 2017 24.8% of 16-18 year olds in England were studying level 2 vocational and technical qualifications. However, the demographic characteristics of this group are unknown, as is their experience of these qualifications and how these experiences shape transitions to further education and work. Moreover, opportunities and outcomes for these young people remain unequal and complex despite recent reforms to the vocational sector in England. Therefore, a better understanding of who these learners are, their perceptions of their courses and how these shape their transitions and future career choices can empower practitioners and policy makers to implement strategies to better enable these young people to make transitions that are more successful. This is particularly relevant for those young people aged 16-18 who follow vocational routes at lower levels as there is currently no clear trajectory for their subsequent progression to higher levels of learning. This mixed methods study was carried out in two phases. The first phase analysed data from the English longitudinal Next Steps study to reveal the demographic factors that characterise young peoples' (aged 16-18) educational pathways. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews were carried out with young people in an FE college in England who were studying one of four vocational subject areas to achieve a fuller understanding of their experiences of vocational education and how it can shape their future aspirations. The findings from Phase 1 showed that young people's post-16 choice of educational pathway was differentiated by their gender and ethnicity as well as their parents' highest achieved level of qualification (favouring 'female', 'white' and parents with 'degrees' rather than 'GCSEs A-C'). The findings from Phase 2 revealed choice influencers including: parents, teachers, careers advisors, timing of decisions, work-related learning, and technology. Most importantly, it was found that these choice influencers could change young people's dispositions towards education and work and what they believed was within their horizons for action. These findings have implications for educational practice and policy regarding the quality, depth and breadth of careers advice, work-related learning, use of technology, and the complex pathways available to young people at post-16. For example, the use of a transition tracker to enable an integrated approach towards preparing young people for their future-plans, embedded careers information to be provided in vocational subjects and continual professional development in post-16 pathways for teachers.