The unmet potential of higher education graduates as boundary crossers to vocational education and training

Liana Roos; Karmen Trasberg

doi:10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.25151180

Authors

Liana Roos University of Tartu, Estonia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5083-4431
Karmen Trasberg University of Tartu, Estonia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0414-4856

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.25151180

Keywords:

reverse educational transition, vocational education, boundary crossing, life transition, experienced learner

Abstract

This article delves into a unique form of potential academic drift in Estonian vocational education and training (VET) institutions, where many VET entrants already hold higher education degrees. While there is extensive research on transitions from vocational education to higher education, the reverse transition from higher education to VET needs to be explored. The study aimed to identify the life transitions that bring higher education graduates to VET, the boundaries they experience during their transition and how they manage these in terms of boundary crossing. Findings from 12 semi-structured in-depth interviews with VET students holding university diplomas revealed that these students enter VET driven by career-related life-transitions. However, their trans-formative potential as boundary crossers still needs to be met, as there was evidence of a predominant trend of unilateral adaptation to the norms and practices of the vocational context, sidelining the potential for negotiation and hybridisation of practices.

References

Accaro Solutions OÜ. (2018). Kutsehariduse maine üldhariduskoolide õpilaste, õpetajatening lapsevanemate seas [Reputation of vocational education among general education students, their parents and teachers]. https://www.hm.ee/sites/default/files/documents/2022-10/kh_maine.pdf

Akkerman, S. F., & Bakker, A. (2011). Boundary crossing and boundary objects. Review of educational research, 81(2), 132–169. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311404435

Akkerman, S. F., & Bakker, A. (2012). Crossing boundaries between school and work during apprenticeships. Vocations and Learning, 5(2), 153–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-011-9073-6

Bakker, A., & Akkerman, S. F. (2019). The learning potential of boundary crossing in the vocational curriculum. In D. Guile, & L. Unwin (Eds.), The Wiley handbook of vocational education and training (pp. 351–371). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119098713.ch18

Biemans, H., Mariën, H., Fleur, E., Tobi, H., Nieuwenhuis, L., & Runhaar, P. (2016). Students’ learning performance and transitions in different learning pathways to higher vocational education. Vocations and Learning, 9, 315–332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-016-9155-6

Billett, S., Le, A. H., Smith, R., & Choy, S. (2021). The kinds and character of changes adults negotiate across worklife transitions. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 40(5–6), 499–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2021.1989723

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The Journal of Positive Psycho-logy, 12(3), 297–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613

Bronkhorst, L. H., & Akkerman, S. F. (2016). At the boundary of school: Continuity and discontinuity in learning across contexts. Educational Research Review, 19, 18–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2016.04.001

Catterall, J., Davis, J., & Yang, D. F. (2014). Facilitating the learning journey from vocational education and training to higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 33(2), 242–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2013.832156

Cedefop. (2017). Cedefop European public opinion survey on vocational education and training (Cedefop research paper No 62). Publications Office. https://doi.org/10.2801/264585

Council of the European Union. (2016). Council recommendation of 19 December 2016 on upskilling pathways: New opportunities for adults. Official Journal of the European Union, C 484, 1–6. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AJOC_2016_484_R_0001

Crossan, B., Field, J., Gallacher, J., & Merrill, B. (2003). Understanding participation in learning for non-traditional adult learners: Learning careers and the construction of learning identities. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 24(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425690301907

Curtis, D. (2009). Student transfer. National Centre for Vocational Education Research. https://www.ncver.edu.au/__data/assets/file/0010/2404/nd06103.pdf

Eesti Pank. (2024). Labour market review. https://haldus.eestipank.ee/sites/default/files/202406/tty_1_2024_eng.pdf

Estonian Educational Database Haridussilm. (n.d.). https://www.haridussilm.ee/en

Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11

European Commission. (2025, April 8). Estonia. National reforms in vocational education and training. Eurydice. https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/eurypedia/estonia/national-reforms-vocational-education-and-training

Field, J. (2012). Transitions in lifelong learning: Public issues, private troubles, liminal identities. Studies for the Learning Society, 2(2–3), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10240-012-0001-6

Field, J. (2013). Lifelong learning and the restructuring of the adult life course. In W. Schroer, B. Stauber, A. Walher, L. Bohnisch, & K. Lenz (Eds.), Handbuch Übergänge [Handbook on transitions] (pp. 378–393). Beltz Juventa.

Field, J. (2010). Preface. In K. Ecclestone, G. Biesta, & M. Hughes (Eds.), Transitions and learning through lifecourse (pp. 17–24). Routledge.

Field, J., & Lynch, H. (2015). Getting stuck, becoming unstuck: Agency, identity and transitions between learning contexts. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 21(1), 3–17. https://doi.org/10.7227/JACE.21.1.2

Frawley, J., Smith, J. A., Gunstone, A., Pechenkina, E., Ludwig, W., & Stewart, A. (2017). Indigenous VET to higher education pathways and transitions: A literature review. International Studies in Widening Participation, 4(1), 34–54. https://novaojs.newcastle.edu.au/ceehe/index.php/iswp/article/view/45

Golding, B., & Vallence, K. (1999). The university-VET transition. UTS Research Centre for Vocational Education and Training.

Haltia, N., Isopahkala-Bouret, U., & Jauhiainen, A. (2022). The vocational route to higher education in Finland: Students’ backgrounds, choices and study experiences. European Educational Research Journal, 21(3), 541–558. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474904121996265

Harris, R., & Ramos, C. R. (2012). ‘The one less travelled’: Adult learners moving from the academic sector to the vocational sector in Singapore and Australia. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 64(4), 387–402. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2012.691539

Kitto, S. C., Chesters, J., & Grbich, C. (2008). Quality in qualitative research. Medical Journal of Australia, 188(4), 243–246. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01595.x

Koeglreiter, G., Torlina, L., & Smith, R. (2008). Reaching beyond the “bounda-ries”: Communities of practice and boundaries in tertiary education. In C. Kimble, P. Hildreth, & I. Bourdon (Eds.), Communities of practice: Creating learning environments for educators (Vol. 1, pp. 163–190). Information Age Publishing.

Loogma, K., Ümarik, M., Sirk, M., & Liivik, R. (2019). How history matters: The emergence and persistence of structural conflict between academic and vocational education: The case of post-Soviet Estonia. Journal of Educational Change, 20, 105–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-018-09336-w

Martin, M., & Furiv, U. (2022). Increasing equity through diverse entry pathways into higher education: Flexible learning pathways in higher education (IIEP Policy Brief No. 1). UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning.

Masdonati, J., Fournier, G., & Lahrizi, I. Z. (2017). The reasons behind a career change through vocational education and training. International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training, 4(3), 249–269. https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.4.3.4

Mavromaras, K., & McGuinness, S. (2012). Overskilling dynamics and education pathways. Economics of Education Review, 31(5), 619–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2012.02.006

Merriam, S. B. (2005). How adult life transitions foster learning and development. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 108, 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.193

Milena, Z., Dainora, G., & Alins, S. (2008). Qualitative research methods: A comparison between focus-group and in-depth interview. Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 4(1), 1279–1283.

Ministry of Education and Research. (2017). Background report for OECD on vocational education and training (VET) in Estonia. https://www.hm.ee/sites/default/files/documents/2022-10/oecd_vet_background.pdf

Ministry of Education and Research. (2022). Vocational education. https://www.hm.ee/en/education-research-and-youth-affairs/general-education/vocational-education

Murasov, M. (2024). Edukus tööturul 2022: Üldkesk-, kutse- ja kõrghariduse lõpetanute hõive ja palgad [Labour market performance 2022: Employment and salaries of general secondary, vocational and higher education graduates]. Ministry of Education and Research. https://www.hm.ee/sites/default/files/documents/2024-02/Edukus%20t%C3%B6%C3%B6turul%202022.pdf

Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847

Nylund, M., Rosvall, P.-Å., & Ledman, K. (2017). The vocational–academic divide in neoliberal upper secondary curricula: The Swedish case. Journal of Education Policy, 32(6), 788–808. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2017.1318455

Pallas, A. M. (2003). Educational transitions, trajectories, and pathways. In J. T. Mortimer, & M. J. Shanahan (Eds.), Handbook of the life course (pp. 165–184). Springer US.

Räis, M. L., Kallaste, E., Kaska, M., Järve, J., & Anspal, S. (2014). Põhi-ja keskhariduseta täiskasvanute tasemeharidusse tagasitoomise toetamine [Supporting the reintegration of adults without basic and upper secondary education into further education]. Centar. https://dspace.ut.ee/server/api/core/bitstreams/7ead5c29-121d-4f43-9cee-f1bd911b944b/content

Räis, M. L., Kallaste, E., & Sandre, S. L. (2016). Haridusliku erivajadusega õpilaste kaasava hariduskorralduse ja sellega seotud meetmete tõhusus: Temaatiline raport: kaasamise tähenduslikkus [Effectiveness of inclusive education and related measures for pupils with special educational needs: Thematic report on the importance of inclusion]. Centar. https://dspace.ut.ee/server/api/core/bitstreams/c183abe1-5f82-45a2-aabb-e50805af3141/content

Standard of Vocational Education. (2013). https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/515012020003/consolide

Statistics Estonia. (n.d.) Vocational education. https://www.stat.ee/en/findstatistics/statisticstheme/education/vocational-education

Sych, S. M. (2016). The divide between vocational and academic education and how we might be able to repair the rift. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 14(2), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.25071/1916-4467.40258

Tønseth, C. (2018). Anticipated and unanticipated transitions as triggers for adult learning. Creative Education, 9(2), 165–181. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2018.92013

Townsend, B. K., & Lambert, R. Y. (1999). Postbaccalaureate reverse transfers in Maryland and Tennessee: Institutional problems and possibilities. New Directions for Community Colleges, 106, 67–76.

Vanderburg, R., Harris, L., Dargusch, J., & Richardson, S. (2023). Low socioeconomic status students transitioning from vocational education and training (VET) to university: Examining definitions of success. Higher Education Research & Development, 42(3), 742–756. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2022.2089098

van Houten, M. (2020). Individual development in a neoliberal context: Climbing to a ‘glass ceiling’? A plea for liberal pedagogy in upper secondary vocational education. Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 10(2), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.201021

Varmecky, J. H. (2012). Learning for life transitions. Journal of Adult Education, 41(2), 1–11.

Walther, A., Stauber, B., & Settersten Jr, R. A. (2022). “Doing transitions”: A new research perspective. In B. Stauber, A. Walther, & R. A. Settersten Jr (Eds.), Doing transitions in the life course: Processes and practices (pp. 3–18). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13512-5

Wenger, E. (2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization, 7(2), 225–246. https://doi.org/10.1177/135050840072002

Wenger, E. (2010). Conceptual tools for CoPs as social learning systems: Boundaries, identity, trajectories and participation. In C. Blackmore (Ed.), Social learning systems and communities of practice (pp. 125–143). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-133-2_8

Yang, P. (2006). UCLA community college review: Reverse transfer and multiple missions community colleges. Community College Review, 33(3–4), 55–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/009155210603300304

Zhu, R., & Chen, L. (2016). Overeducation, overskilling and mental well-being. The BE Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 16(4), 20150187.

https://doi.org/10.1515/bejeap-2015-0187

Zittoun, T. (2008). Learning through transitions: The role of institutions. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 23, 165–181. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03172743