We are excited to announce a new groundbreaking partnership for Linq Consulting and Management. We have joined forces with leading European universities to tackle a pressing issue that has puzzled politicians and educators alike for years: how do we get more young people to choose vocational education?
Understanding the Decline
Vocational education is crucial for meeting the growing demand for skilled labour, especially in sectors essential for sustainable transitions, healthcare, and eldercare. Despite its importance, many EU countries and the UK have observed a decline in young people opting for vocational education, triggering concerns about a potential shortage of skilled workers. Projections indicate a significant deficit in skilled labour across various sectors by 2030.
The Role of Linq and Our European Partners
Supported by a significant EU Horizon grant of €2.85 million, Linq, in collaboration with universities including the Universitat De Valencia (Spain), University of Glasgow (UK), Institute for Social Research in Zagreb (Croatia), and Tallinn University (Estonia), will engage in an extensive three-year research project, where Linq will manage the project communications. Led by the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), the project aims to delve into why a relatively small fraction of youth in certain European countries are pursuing vocational education compared to their peers in other regions.
Asking the Right Questions
An essential part of this research involves directly engaging with young people and understanding their educational choices. By surveying 7,500 young Europeans from five countries, including Spain, Croatia, Estonia, and the UK, we aim to uncover the underlying factors that influence whether they choose vocational education, stay engaged in their programs, or drop out.
Professor Ane Qvortrup, head of SDU’s Center for Gymnasie – og Erhvervsskoleforskning, underscores the importance of this approach. She points out that a comprehensive understanding of the factors driving choices in vocational education is lacking. This project promises to provide nuanced and actionable insights that can reform vocational education and training across Europe.
"It is our hope that the project will contribute to better vocational education and training in Denmark and Europe" - Ane Qvortrup, professor
Learning from Best Practices
The project also offers an invaluable opportunity to learn from best practices across Europe. Countries like Croatia have successfully guided a significant proportion of their youth into vocational education – a staggering 70%. By analyzing the educational environments and support systems in these countries, we can glean strategies that could be adapted and applied elsewhere in the EU and the UK.
Sharing Knowledge and Driving Change
Knowledge sharing is a cornerstone of the project. Annual co-creation seminars will be organized to bring together researchers, students, stakeholders, and policymakers. These seminars will be pivotal for discussing findings, sharing best practices, and formulating actionable plans to enhance vocational education.
Our Commitment
At Linq, we are committed to playing an active role in this innovative project. We believe that our combined expertise and efforts will yield insights that can shape the future of vocational education in Europe and the UK. We are eager to contribute to discussions aimed at transforming vocational schools and creating effective educational policies and practices that benefit all young Europeans.
Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this journey to make vocational education more attractive and effective for the youth across Europe and the UK.
We hope you find this project as exciting and promising as we do. For more information or to involve Linq Consulting as a partner in your project, contact us at info@linq-consulting.com.
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