How do micro-placements in industry within an initial teachers’ training programme contribute towards bridging the gap between education and employment?

ABSTRACT

The complex interplay between labour market needs and education poses significant challenges to the teaching profession, frequently criticised for its perceived inadequacy in addressing contemporary work – life dynamics and professional practices. In response to these challenges, the ‘Micro-Placements’ initiative was introduced in an initial teacher training programme in Malta, aimed at providing student teachers with practical exposure to different industries. This study reports on an evaluation conducted within a higher education institution, utilising a responsive approach alongside the RUFDATA evaluation framework to observe the value-added of having micro-placements in a programme that enables students to become teachers. Through qualitative analysis, this study underscores the value of micro-placements in enriching pedagogical practices by enabling teachers to integrate diverse workplace experiences, thereby fostering the development of skills essential for active citizenship among students. The findings advocate for the integration of micro-placements into initial teacher training programmes and for their incorporation into continuous professional development initiatives for educators.

KEYWORDS:

• Teachers’ placements in industry
• RUFDATA
• evaluation
• twenty-first-century skills

Acknowledgments

This article forms part of the author’s studies at Lancaster University. The author thanks all the students who participated in the research and Professor Murray Saunders, who provided valuable feedback on the work. The author acknowledges the support of academic staff on the Doctoral Programme in Higher Education Research, Evaluation and Enhancement at Lancaster University from which this publication has arisen: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/educational-research/study/phd/phd-in-higher-education-research,-evaluation-and-enhancement/.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Angelique Grech

Angelique Grech is a PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University. Her research interests centre on quality assurance in higher education, qualifications frameworks and work-based learning.