Those Who Would Have Drifted Off Somewhere...: How VET in Retail Fosters Social Equality

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Research in Workplace Learning

Abstract

Although professions in the retail industry suffer from low prestige, vocational education and training (VET) in this sector has the potential to foster social rise and inclusion to many socially underprivileged retail workers. In our explorative case study consisting of 45 qualitative in-depth interviews with actors involved in VET of one of the largest Swiss retail stores, we have explored how VET has changed, how its prestige improved and how changing learning cultures can foster social equality. The narrations revealed that with a new understanding of competence development with an emphasis on transversal competences, the retail company in our case study created an equitable and sustainable VET system with an important benefit for Swiss society.

Authors

• Patric Raemy, Swiss Federal University of Vocational Education and Training

• Antje Barabasch, SFUVET