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Competence-Based Vocational Education and Training (VET): the Cases of England and France in a European Perspective

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Abstract

This paper examines the notion of ‘competence’ in the VET systems of France and England. While both countries have developed ‘competence-based’ approaches, underlying the similar terminology are distinct meanings, rooted in the countries’ institutional structures and labour processes. A key distinction is identified between a knowledge-based model in France and a skills-based model in England. Competence in the French sense is multi-dimensional and relies on the integration of practical and theoretical knowledge, as well as personal and social qualities within a broadly defined occupational field. By contrast, in England, competence refers to the performance of fragmented and narrowly defined tasks, with minimal underpinning knowledge. Thus, whereas ‘competence’ in the English VET system usually denotes functional employability for what may be relatively low-skilled employment, in France, it encapsulates the multi-dimensional development of the individual as a citizen as well as an employee.

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Notes

  1. The paper focuses on the English VET system which, due to the devolution in education policy, is distinct from the systems in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  2. The study ‘Cross-national equivalence of vocational qualifications and skills’ is funded by the Nuffield Foundation. We would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution made to this project by our research partners, Dr. Anneke Westerhuis of CINOP, Netherlands, and Dr. Georg Hanf of BIBB, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Westminster, London, UK

    Michaela Brockmann & Linda Clarke

  2. LEST-UMR6123, Aix en Provence, France

    Philippe Méhaut

  3. King’s College, London, UK

    Christopher Winch

Authors
  1. Michaela Brockmann
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  2. Linda Clarke
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  3. Philippe Méhaut
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  4. Christopher Winch
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Correspondence to Michaela Brockmann.

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Brockmann, M., Clarke, L., Méhaut, P. et al. Competence-Based Vocational Education and Training (VET): the Cases of England and France in a European Perspective. Vocations and Learning 1, 227–244 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-008-9013-2

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