Policy and Practice in PCET - Essay Example

Running head: POLICY AND PRACTICE IN PCET Policy and Practice in PCET Introduction The Post Compulsory Education Training is under the Education department in the UK. Mostly it helps the students to further their education. This program mostly covers the young people mostly of the age between 15 and 24 years. It also involves training the young people. This program was mostly started because it was noted that the young people have got very many setbacks before they get employed. It was noted that they do not transit from education to employment as expected. These setbacks include the social and financial factors affecting them. It was noted that the young people aged between 15-24 years needed much support before they attained their goals. During this time they usually experience so many changes in their lives. This includes physical changes of growth and also in the social settings. In their youthful stages they normally have so many choices and it is normally tricky for them to make a decision. They need much guidance and support. 1 Vocationalising This is where the young people are helped to access the working environment. This helps the young people to get quality skills in different areas. In the past there was the need bridge the gap between what the industry needed and the education sector in general. The government strived very hard to bridge this gap. The education sector needed to know what was marketable at that time. During the early 80's it was noted that the entire market wanted that the education system systems prepare children to work. In the early 1980's the local authorities were mostly accused of carrying out controls in the learning institutions. During this time it was noted that what the industries needed is not what the schools produced. It was noted that the knowledge passed on in schools was not quite shallow and quite theoretical and not practical. Youth Training Schemes (YTSs) This was mostly started in the year 1973. It was aimed at helping the sixteen year olds to get the work experience. The government helped by financing such initiatives. The local companies and industries trained the young on job. This scheme was started on one year basis then later expanded to two years. Technical and Vocational Education This was initiated by the government in 1982.In this program the colleges were encouraged to include some practice of the work in their curriculum. Records had to be kept to monitor how the students performed Critically Assessing Vocationalising in the PCET has got its own advantages. It helps the young people be equipped with working skills early in life. This helps them to easily access jobs in the society. However it is healthy to note the other side of the coin of this venture. The vocationilising in the PCET is monolithic in nature. It really narrows down the learning process in the aim to meet what the market wants. Knowledge cannot just be narrowed down to a product, it is a process. In vocational education, as long as one gets the skill, that's all. The students lack reflection, insight and critique of things. 2 Strategies The PCET normally uses various strategies to widen participation. The widening participation strategy has got objectives like; The monitoring and tracking of students is done using a system. The system also helps the students who have completed their studies to get employment. This is where the companies the companies that are offering the training services retain the students. This strategy aims at encouraging the young people from backgrounds that are not highly represented to attend the PCET. Partnerships are highly encouraged to widen participation. The Higher Education Funding Council for England enhances participation in sports by funding the PCET programs. This enables the students from the low class groups in the society to access these services. Mostly the students ask the learning institutions or schools to retain them. The learning institutions normally give advice concerning the opportunities such that many students can participate. The participation is also enhanced by mentoring the students. (Payne, J.2003) Teaching and Learning Strategy In this strategy so much is done to help the students to progress in their studies. It also enhances their retention. Employability Skills The students are taught the updated skills in employment Student Support The students are supported during the learning process .This can be done by a personal tutor. It involves mentoring the students and tutoring the students. 3 Assessment Strategies One of the strategies is teacher based. This is where the students are given exams to asses their performance. Different measures are given to the students. Some of the measures involve team work. Other strategies are peer assessment where students are allowed to work with their peers in groups. This widens participation. Critically assessing These strategies are good because they enhance student participation. The students from low socio-economic status can also get access to skills and knowledge. Reformation of PCET Many reformations have occurred in the PCET sector in the past. The government ensured that there are full time teachers in the sector. Initially the sector was dominated by staffs who were only working part-time. This would cause some problems to the sector. It is good to note that the Post Compulsory Education Training initially never had any professionalism. There was poor organisation. The government granted the institution CPD and ITT system. The government has ensured that the PCET brings change in the society. It has ensured that only quality is produced from the PCET. Many reforms have been done to ensure that professional work is done. There has been the development of a code of ethics to govern the Post Compulsory Education Training. This has been very effective as the students have got adequate teachers and they are taught professionally. This has led to highly skilled workforce that fit the demand of the companies and the industries. 4 Managerialist and marketisation in the PCET The Post Compulsory Education Training has become quite managerialist in nature. There are two paradigms in the managerialist sector. They include the values for public service and the management experience from external sources. The paradigm of having the values for public service involves providing professional services in the Post Compulsory Education Training. There is much auditing that is carried out in the PCET. To ensure that quality work is done at the PCET, the lesson plans are standardised. The teaching staffs are required to come up with the schemes of work for teaching. The Post Compulsory Education Training has got a template culture that directs the teachers how to design the lesson plans. The standardisation of the lesson plans and the schemes of work ensure that quality services are provided. The government helps in the marketisation of the PCET. This is through the enacting of relevant policies. Generally, the marketisation and managerialist paradigms in the PCET are good and if well utilised can lead to improved results. 5 Government Policies The government put in place policies to enhance the learning in the PCET. This is where the 16 and 17 year old young people learn through the vocational system. In the policies, the government had various objectives. It intended to give a chance to the low performing students. It also intended to increase the level of skills that people had in the nation. This would lead to the improvement of the economic growth. One of the policies is where the frameworks and the qualifications of vocational training were reformed. The government introduced the National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) to be used in the colleges and schools. The Vocational Certificates of Education (VCE) was also incorporated in the learning institutions. This policy ensures that the training frame works are work based. In the second policy, is where the employers strive to get the skilled 16 year old children to employ them. In this policy, the learner the learners are followed by the money. This venture highly marketed the Post Compulsory Education training. It is good to evaluate whether these policies have been successful or not. To find out this, a thorough examination of the Post Compulsory Education Training needs to be carried out. ROLES FOR PCET PROVISION Provision of skills The Post Compulsory Education Training aims at providing or teaching the young people skills that are marketable in the Modern Britain. These skills are in various fields like engineering, marketing and even tailoring. It ensures that the skills provided are the ones needed by the companies. This enables the young people to be very marketable in Modern Britain. (Mason, G. 2001) Link between the students and employer The Post Compulsory Education Training helps to link the employers with the students very fast. In the past, it was noted that the students after clearing their education, stayed for quite a long time without getting employment. The PCET has solved this problem in the Modern Britain. The 16 year olds can now easily access good jobs through the help of the PCET because they have the necessary skills needed in the market. (Mayhew, K. 2004) Leadership roles In the Post Compulsory Education training, the young people are taught to be leaders early in life. They are guided in the choices that they should take. This helps to bring up the young people that are responsible in the society. They are taught leadership courses in the Post Compulsory Education Training. This is very important as it helps to bring up a very responsible society. 6 Conclusion The Post Compulsory Education Training is very important. It helps the young people to acquire skills early in life. The government policies help in ensuring that quality or professionalism goes on in the PCET . The schemes of work and the lesson plans are standardised. Students from the low represented regions are usually given priority. If well utilised, the PCETs can lead to increase in the economy. References Mason, G. (2001): The mix of graduate and Intermediate-level skills in Britain; What should the balance be Journal of Education and work, 4(1), 5-27 Mayhew, K. (2004): The Economic and Distributional Implications of Current Policies on Higher Education; Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 20, 298-314 Payne, J. (2003): Vocational Pathways at Age 16. Nottingham; DfES. Read More