Benefits of Vocational Education in France
There are many benefits to vocational education compared to the traditional academic educational stream. The vocational education system in France better prepares students for future careers as seen through three important. First, the vocational education is applicable to real life. Secondly, it benefits students giving them the mobility to post secondary education and continuing their education. Thirdly, vocational education is monitored and structured to a high standard that is required by employers.
A vocational education system is beneficial to society because it helps the economy. Students acquire practical hands-on experiences with technical equipment that is applicable to a specific job. In a vocational education all classes are designed to be relevant and consistent with what is currently happening within the workplace. There is a fostered cooperation between corporations and schools. This is seen in the statistics by Gendron, who states that in France’s vocational education “only a few people continue on to the higher education 23% with the majority entering the labour markets (77%).”[1] Since most students want to graduate and then start working, vocational education is very practical and relevant to real life. Classes offer hands-on participation when learning skills and techniques. The education allows for the development of these techniques and benefits the kinesthetic learner. Another benefit for making schooling relevant to the real world is a decreased dropout rate. Vocational education is the place for students who are not academically driven and need practical hands-on experiences to learn. Every child learns differently and each child has various talents and skills; therefore, vocational education is beneficial in making schooling relevant to them.
Vocational education and training (VET) is sometimes look down upon and has had a negative attitude because it was perceived to divide students based on social class. Historically, the theoretical and academic schooling “was reserved for the children of the aristocracy and burgeoning bourgeois; on the other hand VET, organized in the form of apprenticeships within corporations, constituted the sole education option for the working classes”[2] as stated by Jean – Paul Gehin, in Vocational Education in France. Today, in France’s educational system, the vocational pathway is seen as a positive stream of education because it leads to a baccalaureate and provides every student practical skills. The vocational education is open to all races and ethnicities found in France and gives equal rights for any student that wants to learn.
Students within the vocational stream have flexibility and every student has the opportunity to complete a baccalaureate and continue onward to university or an other post secondary education. “The success rate in France for the vocational baccalaureate reached 75%, in 2005.”[3] The different pathways within the France's educational system allows students to be lifelong learners and provides them with the best opportunity to grow and achieve success. The vocational stream is designed to lead students to the workforce but is still flexible enough to achieve the baccalaureate or the opportunity to complete a two year vocational-oriented courses called the Brevet de Technicien Superieur (BTS) (vocational training certificate) and the Diplome Universitarie de technologie (DUT). The educational system in France is not restrictive because as long as students meet requirements they “can also switch between learning routes and systems, being able to move from general and technical education or from vocational training into technical studies.”[4]
[1] Gendron, Pr. Bénédicte, 2009, The vocational baccalaureate: a gateway to higher education?. P.10
[2] Gehin, J.P., 2007, Vocational Education in France. P. 35
[3] Gendron, Pr. Bénédicte, 2009, The vocational baccalaureate: a gateway to higher education?. P.9
[4] EQAVET European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training. European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training. (n.d.) http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/what-we-do/implementing-the-framework/france.aspx (accessed February 11, 2013).
A vocational education system is beneficial to society because it helps the economy. Students acquire practical hands-on experiences with technical equipment that is applicable to a specific job. In a vocational education all classes are designed to be relevant and consistent with what is currently happening within the workplace. There is a fostered cooperation between corporations and schools. This is seen in the statistics by Gendron, who states that in France’s vocational education “only a few people continue on to the higher education 23% with the majority entering the labour markets (77%).”[1] Since most students want to graduate and then start working, vocational education is very practical and relevant to real life. Classes offer hands-on participation when learning skills and techniques. The education allows for the development of these techniques and benefits the kinesthetic learner. Another benefit for making schooling relevant to the real world is a decreased dropout rate. Vocational education is the place for students who are not academically driven and need practical hands-on experiences to learn. Every child learns differently and each child has various talents and skills; therefore, vocational education is beneficial in making schooling relevant to them.
Vocational education and training (VET) is sometimes look down upon and has had a negative attitude because it was perceived to divide students based on social class. Historically, the theoretical and academic schooling “was reserved for the children of the aristocracy and burgeoning bourgeois; on the other hand VET, organized in the form of apprenticeships within corporations, constituted the sole education option for the working classes”[2] as stated by Jean – Paul Gehin, in Vocational Education in France. Today, in France’s educational system, the vocational pathway is seen as a positive stream of education because it leads to a baccalaureate and provides every student practical skills. The vocational education is open to all races and ethnicities found in France and gives equal rights for any student that wants to learn.
Students within the vocational stream have flexibility and every student has the opportunity to complete a baccalaureate and continue onward to university or an other post secondary education. “The success rate in France for the vocational baccalaureate reached 75%, in 2005.”[3] The different pathways within the France's educational system allows students to be lifelong learners and provides them with the best opportunity to grow and achieve success. The vocational stream is designed to lead students to the workforce but is still flexible enough to achieve the baccalaureate or the opportunity to complete a two year vocational-oriented courses called the Brevet de Technicien Superieur (BTS) (vocational training certificate) and the Diplome Universitarie de technologie (DUT). The educational system in France is not restrictive because as long as students meet requirements they “can also switch between learning routes and systems, being able to move from general and technical education or from vocational training into technical studies.”[4]
[1] Gendron, Pr. Bénédicte, 2009, The vocational baccalaureate: a gateway to higher education?. P.10
[2] Gehin, J.P., 2007, Vocational Education in France. P. 35
[3] Gendron, Pr. Bénédicte, 2009, The vocational baccalaureate: a gateway to higher education?. P.9
[4] EQAVET European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training. European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training. (n.d.) http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/what-we-do/implementing-the-framework/france.aspx (accessed February 11, 2013).
This Video talks about the Vocational Education in France
Links to France's Vocational Education System
EQAVET- in France
http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/what-we-do/implementing-the-framework/france.aspx
National Education and Vocational Education in France
http://media.eduscol.education.fr/file/dossiers/61/8/formation_professionnelle_VA_151618.pdf
Education International Literature Review Vocational Education and Traininghttp://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/091213_VET_Literature_EDITED%20AA.pdf
Education and Training throughout life- objective 2020
http://www.europe-education-formation.fr/
http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/what-we-do/implementing-the-framework/france.aspx
National Education and Vocational Education in France
http://media.eduscol.education.fr/file/dossiers/61/8/formation_professionnelle_VA_151618.pdf
Education International Literature Review Vocational Education and Traininghttp://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/091213_VET_Literature_EDITED%20AA.pdf
Education and Training throughout life- objective 2020
http://www.europe-education-formation.fr/