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The socio-political significance of changes to the vocational education system in Germany

The socio-political significance of changes to the vocational education system in Germany
The socio-political significance of changes to the vocational education system in Germany
This paper explores the effects on social inequality in Germany of ongoing changes to the employment system and, thus, vocational education. Results based on an examination of the literature indicate that students from increasingly middleclass backgrounds with higher levels of general, rather than vocational, educational attainment are winning the competition for ever-fewer apprenticeships. Progress for women in education is accompanied by relative declines in men’s performance on high school exit examinations and does not translate into success in the employment system. Employers are abandoning the corporate-state organization of vocational education. The paper concludes that school degrees are increasingly important for later career opportunities. As a result, the educational system is increasingly stratified, contributing to social inequality in Germany.
0142-5692
85-97
Kupfer, Antonia
0d42c459-369a-4998-bcfb-1ac38e1e33d3
Kupfer, Antonia
0d42c459-369a-4998-bcfb-1ac38e1e33d3

Kupfer, Antonia (2010) The socio-political significance of changes to the vocational education system in Germany. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 31 (1), 85-97. (doi:10.1080/01425690903385519).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper explores the effects on social inequality in Germany of ongoing changes to the employment system and, thus, vocational education. Results based on an examination of the literature indicate that students from increasingly middleclass backgrounds with higher levels of general, rather than vocational, educational attainment are winning the competition for ever-fewer apprenticeships. Progress for women in education is accompanied by relative declines in men’s performance on high school exit examinations and does not translate into success in the employment system. Employers are abandoning the corporate-state organization of vocational education. The paper concludes that school degrees are increasingly important for later career opportunities. As a result, the educational system is increasingly stratified, contributing to social inequality in Germany.

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Published date: January 2010
Organisations: Southampton Education School

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 196363
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/196363
ISSN: 0142-5692
PURE UUID: d06e2502-4db2-44a1-ac77-dfec610da56d

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Date deposited: 06 Sep 2011 16:36
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 04:07

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Author: Antonia Kupfer

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