Being successful in the educational market: employers in practice of Swedish higher VET provision

ABSTRACT

Contemporary vocational education and training (VET), both initial and higher, is strongly market oriented, and governments shape systems with significant roles for employers. The study presented in this article aims at examining how employers are positioned in the practice of VET provision in such a system. Specifically, it recognises and interprets how employers are positioned in the provision of state-funded Swedish higher VET as expressions of relative power and control. The study was conducted using interviews with educational personnel and observations of meetings between employers and VET programme providers.

KEYWORDS:

• VET
• VET employer engagement
• market relevance in education
• school–industry relationships
• higher vocational education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).