Dynamics of Educational Regimes and Capability-Oriented Research

Abstract

The paper analyses the results of the WORKBABLE-project in relation to debates about educational regimes, which highlight the connections between different concepts of skill (general, firm specific, and occupational) and varied institutional settings of educational paths. The analysis focuses on emerging strategies to tackle to problems of a growing number of young people to succeed in the standard path of education. After an analysis of dynamics which are common to all regime-types (such as strategies of decentralization of educational processes etc) and a rough overview over dynamics which vary between regimes a more detailed analysis of emerging variations to tackle the growing problems of VET in countries where the “dual system” dominates is offered. The paper contrasts the emergence of a transitory system in Germany, which rather serves a flexibilised labour market than to offer an adequate transition into VET; the regionalized emergence of programmes which aim to reintegrate the growing number of young unemployed who have to rely on social assistance into the standard path of the apprenticeships in companies; and the implementation of a complementary pillar in the Austrian VET-system based on a training guarantee agreed between the social partners and the government.