Technical and Vocational Postsecondary Educational Transitions: Experiences of Singapore Students

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring International Student Outcomes and Global Contexts in Higher Education (Table 26)

Abstract

The post-secondary education landscape in Singapore has changed radically over the recent decade. Greater access to higher education has increased cohort participation but has also meant students now have more pathways and their choices have longer term career consequence. This paper explores how vocational and technical students, considered to be the least academically oriented students in Singapore, utilise their social capital (family, peers, teachers) and leverage on their psychological capital to interpret the variegated landscape in support of their aspirations. It argues that while the broadening of VET options in Singapore ensures that students are now given greater choice in acquiring job-ready skills, they do receive sufficient guidance to maximise such opportunities, leading to less-than-ideal outcomes.

Authors

• Trivina Kang, National Institute of Education - Nanyang Technological University

• Melvin Chan, National Institute of Education - Nanyang Technological University

• Simon Lim, National Institute of Education - Nanyang Technological University

• Michelle Kwan, National Institute of Education - Nanyang Technological University