Migrants in the labor market: implications for TVET

Alla-Mensah, Joyceline; Fakoush, Haya; McGrath, Simon; Wedekind, Volker

Abstract

Migration is increasingly being seen as a political challenge and, thus, a policy priority. Yet the integration of migrants into labor markets is a key element of the political contestations of migration. On the one hand, successful labor market integration offers the promises of wider integration into society and the prospect of migrants being net financial contributors to the host economy; on the other, xenophobia often centers on the notion of migrants “taking our jobs.” Clearly, these wider issues cannot be solved simply through TVET. The reasons for migration, immigration law, and overall labor market structure lie outside TVET’s sphere of control. Nonetheless, TVET can and does play a role in managing migration.

Conventionally, this has been largely a systemic response, focusing primarily on qualifications and certification. These do have an important role to play, but we have learned over time the limitations and costs of such approaches. In particular, opinions of employers and educational institutions regarding comparability of qualifications have proved resistant to messages of portability. We suggest that there is a need to look beneath the system level at how institutions, classrooms, and teachers can become more responsive to migration. Key issues here include language and psychosocial learning, as well as information, advice, and guidance. Migration can change classrooms and learning for the better, but vocational providers and teachers need support in capitalizing on the opportunities available.

Citation

Alla-Mensah, J., Fakoush, H., McGrath, S., & Wedekind, V. (2019). Migrants in the labor market: implications for TVET. In S. McGrath, M. Mulder, J. Papier, & R. Suart (Eds.), Handbook of vocational education and training: developments in the changing world of work (159-175). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94532-3_114

• Acceptance Date: Jan 30, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jul 14, 2019
• Publication Date: Jan 24, 2019
• Deposit Date: Sep 25, 2020
• Journal: Handbook of Vocational Education and Training
• Pages: 159-175
• Book Title: Handbook of vocational education and training: developments in the changing world of work
• Chapter Number: 9
• ISBN: 9783319945316
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94532-3_114
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2980350
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-94532-3_114
• Additional Information: First Online: 14 July 2019