Vocational Education

Vocational education—also known as vocational education and training (VET), career education, or technical education—encompasses the scope of theoretical and technical abilities and skills transferred to learners, with the aim of integrating the trainee into a profession. Vocational education is often thought of as a prerequisite to entry into the blue-collar workforce in the trades, crafts, or industries, whereas academic education is thought to provide access into liberal professions.

This entry offers a broad overview of the history of vocational education in the West, spanning from preindustrial Europe to the 21st century. It also explores the topic of vocational education from the viewpoint of economists and policy makers. Finally, this entry critically reviews the ways in which vocational education can serve as a catalyst for technological innovation ...