The labour market perspective on the role identities of vocational teacher educators: a case study in Malta

The overall purpose of this qualitative study is to gain a deeper understanding of how employers, who represent the Maltese labour market, view the role identities of Vocational Teacher Educators (VTEs). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, adopting thematic analysis. Findings from this research, where it gives a voice to a group that has too often been neglected in policy and research, may help policymakers in small states to be wary of taking on board concepts related to the roles of VTEs originating from much larger countries and from the mainstream education contexts. Implications on how the relationship between the labour market and VTEs are discussed.


Introduction and background
The social stigma attached to the vocational education and training (VET) context, gave impetus to this study. Not long ago, the mentality in Malta was that the only way to meet expectations of a good income and a better career, was to go to university. In particular, the distinction between 'intellectual work' (academic education for white collar employees) and 'manual work' (vocational education for blue collar workers) is still felt. However, both post-compulsory vocational and academic streams of education offer advanced education where students are prepared for future occupations.
The VET sector, which is deeply rooted in the traditions of crafts and industry, educates and trains individuals of all ages and at different stages of their careers and lives. Programmes vary from initial VET (IVET) which leads to upper secondary vocational qualifications, to continuing VET (CVET) for individuals to improve their knowledge, skills and competences (KSCs) during their working life [39]. Specifically, with its diverse programmes and qualifications, VET is becoming increasingly important to address the needs of the labour market in a fast-changing economy. Although there is no consistency in the way VET is understood across societies, it is concerned with the "social development of labour" [18], p.1).
The European Commission (EC), with the help of Cedefop (the acronym of its French title, Centre Européen pour le Développement de la Formation Professionnelle), an agency that supports the development of European VET policies, recognises the need to maintain and grow a skilled workforce in order to combat unemployment. Hence, it has turned its attention to education providers to equip citizens with useful skillsets to participate fully in society. The quality of teachers within the VET sector is one of the major aspects in achieving this goal [39]. To improve educational outcomes, strategic developments in formal and non-formal education and training should not only be directed to the learners and their teachers, but also to those responsible for the instruction, supervision and support of future teachers, that is the

Literature review
Having previously described the Maltese VET context, this section discusses the differences between the vocational education and general education systems.
Many authors, such as Thompson [58], are concerned about the inconsistencies and difficulties in defining "vocational education" [41]. Vocational education is often compared with general education. However, the two "can mean different things in different countries, depending on the traditions that have formed in the education system" [33], p. 26).
The lack of a clear definition of vocational education is a weakness [57]. Moodie [40,41] argues that the best approach is to recognise it from its epistemological, teleological, hierarchical and pragmatic aspect: VET is based on a particular way of knowing or learning, has a distinctive purpose, such as that of preparing learning for a specific vocation; is categorised by occupational, educational or cognitive levels; and positioned as either residual (not elsewhere included or as "what happens to be the arrangement in a particular place at a particular time" [41], p.39).
According to Billet [8], vocational education revolves around the needs of societies and communities and addresses a range of distinct educational purposes and, therefore, varies within different educational sectors and engages all types of learners within varied programmes, institutions and experiences. Considering the diversity in VET, the role identities of the TEs within the VET context are likely to be continuously changing and adapting to the demands of a rapidly evolving labour market.
Apprenticeships are one of the key markers of VET. A set of interlocking institutional supports make up the apprenticeship systems. These may range from coordination of employment relations and training, guaranteeing consistency in the training content and standards, to the legal regulation of apprentices, training and related wages.
The nature of VET is that it relates to specific occupations where technical facilities, such as workshops, are used in teaching and on-the-job training [41]. Avis [2] emphasises the link between VET and the workplace and stresses the need for recognising the "articulation between practice-based and employer interest in vocational education and training" (p. 45).
One criticism of VET is that although it may ease bridging the gap between education and the labour market, and reduce unemployment rates, by developing specific job-related skills to prepare students to work in specific occupations, these skills may become obsolete at a faster rate. Students who choose general education are better equipped with broad knowledge and basic skills in mathematics and communication, as they have a better foundation for further learning and training at work [28]. However, this is not the case for VET in Malta. Apart from the vocational units, MCAST gives the opportunity to its students to enhance their key skills in English and Maths through vocational content within each full-time programme. These key skills subjects are embedded into each vocational area which promotes the practical aspect of these subjects [37].
According to Danielewicz [21], a focus on professional identities is important, because being a teacher, requires "engagement with identity" […and] "teaching is a state of being, not merely ways of acting or behaving" (p.3). This assumption has also been accepted by other scholars where the interpretation, judgement, behaviour and performance of individuals in their professional roles are influenced by their view on their professional identities [6,10,53]. Thus, investigating the role identities of VTEs, can result in identifying effective ways to support them in their practice, and inspire and inform policymakers in this endeavour, leading to higher quality teaching.
In addition, TEs who work within a VET context are less visible, yet still impacted heavily by the new demands on teacher training [20]. This paper argues that the professionalism of the VET workforce has been under-researched, particularly in the context of VTEs. It presents a foundation for establishing the professional role profiles of VTEs, to foster understanding among policymakers and to support policy learning, through recommendations.

Occupations, professions, professionalisation and professionalism
This section discusses the concept and substance of occupations, professions, professionalisation and professionalism of TEs. It is crucial to make sense of their role identity upon which that professionalism draws, as their professionalism may influence their behaviours and teaching practice.

The concepts of occupation, profession, professionalisation and professionalism
Different types of occupations are fundamental to people's well-being. However, not all of them are essential to keeping us alive. There are others which contribute to well-being in a broader sense and others which satisfy both.
Winch [62] distinguishes occupations between "basic" and "civic" necessities, based on David Carr's criteria: "the professions' essential role in promoting human flourishing, their contestability; their direct concern for the well-being of clients; their provision of a high degree of autonomy for practitioners" (p.261). The former type often relate to life and death matters, such as the need for food and housing, together with medical care and proper legal representation. The latter are important to human well-being. For example, teaching falls within the category of a "civic necessity".
There have been many attempts to provide some definition of the term 'profession' . Evetts [23], p.937) states that professions are characterised as "the knowledge-based category of occupations which usually follow a period of tertiary education and vocational training and experience".
Professional codes of ethics and conduct make up the professional organisations through which professions are organised. In addition, professions hold autonomy when compared with other occupations [29]. In professional practice, autonomy means that practitioners "should be sufficiently free from bureaucratic and political constraints to act on judgements made in the best interests (as they see them) of the clients" [30], p.77). This would mean that professionals, who work with others to decide on their modus operandi and on a suitable definition of their aims [62], should be responsible for this autonomy.
Winch [62] claims that one can distinguish a profession from other occupations by "an essential concern with ethics" (p.270), and if an occupation meets the specific criteria mentioned above, the process by which it becomes a profession is termed "professionalisation" [29]. Professionalisation takes on a different form in this new understanding of professions, in which attention is directed to the development of professionality. This study adopts Evetts' [23] perception. Traditions of professions and ways of speaking about them, have been different in Anglo-American and the continental European contexts [41]. Evetts ([29], p.1), states that "in continental models the state was the main actor while in the Anglo-Saxon model self-employed practitioners had freedom to control work conditions". There have been attempts to avoid such distinction in the processes of internationalisation and these differences are somewhat obsolete except in historical accounts [24]. Development in the new understanding of professions is removing the differences between these two traditions of defining professions. Evetts [23] states that: a different way of categorizing… is to see professions as the structural, occupational and institutional arrangements for dealing with work associated with the uncertainties of modern lives in risk societies. Professionals are extensively engaged in dealing with risk, with risk assessment and, through the use of expert knowledge, enabling customers and clients to deal with uncertainty (p.397).
To summarise, a profession refers to structural aspects of an occupation; professionalisation is the process of becoming a professional by developing professionality; and professionality is related to practice representing a particular quality of occupational action. The following paragraphs discuss the concept of professionalism and relate it to education in further detail.
Winch [64] argues that the academic element of teacher education programmes should be more rigorous, and emphasises the need for partnership between university and school in ensuring proper theoretical elements and classroom practice, where each key actor contributes to the assessment for the initial capability of student teachers.
Many TEs have to acquire new skills when taking on this role, whether they come from a school teaching or academic background [26,44,50]. Research into what constitutes specific professional expertise, what makes TEs different from other professional actors, what professional knowledge they possess, and how this knowledge is enacted in their professional practices has to be established [32]. This impacts upon their professional role identity and how they are distinguished from other professional actors.
TEs in mainstream education are conceptualised as advancing from being "first-order practitioners"-that is schoolteachers-to being "second-order practitioners" within HE [42]. They are both teachers of teachers and subject teachers, teaching how to teach their subject discipline [42]. Hence, a fundamental shift in expertise, practices, as well as changes in role identity are experienced when a teacher moves from teaching to teacher education [7]. Moreover, some TEs in mainstream education also become researchers when taking up their new role, thus adding another identity (see e.g. [, 34, 61]. Current literature argues that changes from policy, research and practice, and changes in identity, knowledge, research and professional learning, mean that teacher education should be recognised as an autonomous profession, [32,32,38,43]. Understanding TEs professional role identity is crucial, considering their importance in teacher education. The EC defines the term 'TE' as "all those who actively facilitate the (formal) learning of student teachers and teachers" ( [22], p.8). This acknowledges that TEs are becoming increasingly diverse as an occupational group which makes it more difficult to build a common understanding of their role identities. TEs are recognised as a group of professionals who are significantly different from one another in terms of qualification level (type of degree), subject discipline, and work experience, although the EC does not make a distinction between TEs from different educational sectors when defining the term. This may be because there is not yet enough understanding about their specific role identities.
Literature based on the general education context identifies institution-based TEs and school-based TEs, but, their roles are very different from one another. The former are involved in tertiary pre-service teacher education programmes and are mainly responsible for future teachers, whereas the latter hold roles as 'mentors' for student teachers on teaching practice and new teachers. A clear definition of the latter is still absent in literature and there can be tensions in their professional role identity as teachers, and their TE role as mentors. This may also lead them to experience tensions between the two contexts they form part of, due to the continuous change in roles.
As the majority of the literature is focussing on the HE sector [51], the role of TEs in the VET context is even more obscured. One of the reasons for this could be due to significant variations in ways of describing key terminology in the field of VET, and hence the difficulty when conducting comparative studies between countries [66]. For example, Winch [66] argues that British people find it hard when translating terms such as 'Ausbildung' (German) and 'formation professionelle' (French), and thus choose 'training' because it is the most commonly used word in English for vocational education. On these conceptual tensions, he states: A related and parallel tendency continues to be an unease with the vocabulary of vocational education as opposed to training, which is a term which most policymakers and not a few researchers feel more comfortable with. Indeed, it can be argued that the distinction between the two is quite difficult to grasp with[in] the British context [66], p.61.
Although the professional role identities of TEs in the general education context might still be similar to those working in the VET context, due to the similar nature of ITE programmes, what distinguishes them the most is the link they should have towards industry or the workplace in general. Moreover, VTEs may have a professional identity in their previous occupation, such as that of an engineer, and then shift towards the education context. This makes them holders of a dual professional role identity [25]. Having such a diverse workforce makes it more difficult to provide support in their professional development. This is the reason why it is crucial to open up and specifically establish a shared understanding of the professional role identity of VTEs.

Professionalisation of the vocational education and training teaching workforce
This section aims to identify the literature that focusses on the professionalisation of the VET teaching workforce, especially that of VTEs. High quality teaching in VET is enhanced by having vocational teachers who have prior occupational experience [25]. As previously mentioned, VET should bridge the gap between educational and occupational practice [14]. Thus, the vocational teacher is responsible for integrating the socio-culture of the workplace together with that of the school practice [25]. Furthermore, Roger et al. [47] argue that students and apprentices learn more when they are engaged in real life scenarios.
Similarly, Avis and Orr [5] noted the significance of practice-based workplace learning (performing an occupational role appropriately arising in professional settings) of vocational teachers within the current models of professional learning. These pedagogical changes put pressure on the vocational teachers and the TEs within ITE programmes, as it is vital for them to keep up with the essential competences in this fast-changing world. These changes require a transformation in their practice which affects their identity formation together with the scope of their learning [5].
There is a significant difference between teaching a vocational subject as opposed to a theoretical one [25]. The former considers both knowledge and occupational skills that the vocational teacher has acquired during their occupational experience. By contrast, the latter is based on knowledge which is gained in academia [25]. Problems and challenges related to working at the intersection of occupational and educational practices are being revealed through a limited, yet growing area of research on vocational teachers' professionalism.
A study that provides an outline of the VET teacher training system and discusses the issues of its teachers' profession, was conducted by Misra [39]. He argues that VET teachers lack professional recognition and high status. Robson [46] has also reported on the crises in the FE sector with regard to how vulnerable the FE teaching profession is, due to its low status. She argues that since there are many cultures within the FE workplace due to the different occupations and roles that FE teachers have, combined with the lack of formal requirements for teacher training, the emergence of a clear professional identity may be hindered [46]. Despite the clear need for research on the professionalisation of VET teachers, it is under-developed.
Moreover, another weakness which is highlighted in Misra's [39] study, is the fact that each country works differently due to its traditions. There is no uniformity in the policies of CPD which impacts on the role identities of teachers and TEs in the VET workforce. A report from Cedefop ([13], p 26) observes that: "although it is by means of CPD that most gains in quality and responsiveness of VET can be realised, CPD of VET teachers and trainers in Europe is mostly self-regulated and self-motivated". This lack of a common understanding or common policies might have an effect on teaching quality but also the professional role identities of vocational teachers and VTEs as, among other issues, it would be difficult to profile such a diverse occupational group. As a consequence, there is a need to professionalise the role of VET teachers and of VTEs so that, among other things, CPD can be tailored to their diverse needs to maintain quality and effectiveness.

The labour market perspective on education
The purpose of this section is to highlight studies that have focussed on investigating the labour market perspective on education. Research that explores the labour market perspective on the link between VET systems and employment can add valuable insights. This is a critical dimension of this study as it addresses the lack of research on TEs and seeks to understand the perspective on their role. This study extends the work of previous studies by Triganza Scott & Cassar [59] and Bolli et al., [9], by delving deeper into the labour market perspective to help shed light on what is understood about the role identity of VTEs.
VET is responsible for preparing and helping graduates transition from the education system to the workforce in a given occupation or job [31,52]. Specifically, VET is believed to hold the key to economic prosperity, irrespective of the effects that general education has [66]. The qualified worker's usefulness is a focus for vocational training within an economic system that privileges the maximisation of profits. Successfully transitioning from school to the labour market is the measure of success of a VET system, according to individual governments and the EC [31]. However, Avis [4], who conducted a study rooted in critical policy analysis that explored the relationship between VET, the labour market and social justice, argues that such a direction may easily lead only to accommodating the needs of the employers. In fact, Winch [67] draws attention to the conceptualisation of know-how in VET where the balance of power is shifted from educational institutions to labour markets for more responsiveness to accommodate their demands. Despite this, he still endorses Paul Hager's claims about the benefits of workplace learning to secure high-quality IVET and the possibilities it offers for further development, through CVET [67]. Those who possess expertise in an occupation can help and guide others due to their breadth and depth of the practical knowledge gained within the profession or occupation [65].
Although employers use many different mechanisms to influence educational policy-making, because they have a vested interest in the outcome, they are more interested in promoting an appropriate work ethic which puts demands on school curricula to respond well to the perceived labour market needs [56], and the TEs working in a VET context seem to be left out. Triganza Scott and Cassar [59] investigated the link between education and industry in the Maltese context. They argue that the need to foster stronger collaboration between industry and education is greater than ever before, due to the rapid changes in technology, globalisation and changes in the workforce. Particularly, they investigated perceived gaps of competence between what one domain (education) offers and what the other (industry) is expecting. Their findings indicate a discrepancy between how industry views competency domains and how students and instructors view them. While students and instructors consider that the technical competencies are a priority for industry, HR representatives think that soft skills are high on the manufacturing agenda. According to Matteson, Anderson and Boyden [35], soft skills are "a collection of people management skills, important to many professions and job positions" (p. 71). However, they argue that authors use the phrase 'soft skills' extensively with little agreement on meaning. For example, Grugulis and Vincent [27] list them as "communication, problem-solving, team-working, an ability to improve personal learning and performance, motivation, judgement, leader and initiative" (p.598, as cited in [35], p.75). Avis [3] also draws attention to a range of wider skills such as teamwork, problem solving, entrepreneurialism and resilience that may be deemed appropriate by employers [3], which may also be present in this study when investigating the labour market perspective on education.

Research design
Due to the nature of the subject, this study was conducted using a qualitative methodology located within an interpretivist paradigm, where semi-structured interviews were used. Convenience and purposive sampling were adopted. The main participants of this paper were seven employers, representing the labour market, from various industries who agreed to be interviewed. However, during one of the interview sessions, another employer volunteered to be interviewed. The companies where they work have employees who have VET and also academic qualifications. All participants requested to be interviewed in their natural working habitat, that is, their offices. All educational research guidelines and ethical rules have been followed and approved by the University's research committee. Biographical information about them is given below. All names representing these participants are pseudonyms to minimise the risk of identification.
1. Francis has over forty years' experience in the enterprise and business sector. He is the owner and managing director of a company specialising in the supply of textiles, industrial sewing machines and all related equipment. Besides the Maltese market, the group also exports and offers its services to companies outside Malta. 2. Ted has over forty years' experience in the financial and trading sector. He is currently a chairman and owner of a financial investment company. During the past thirty-five years, he held various appointments including directorships at large corporations in Malta. 3. Caroline has been in the audio-visual sector for more than twenty-six years. She currently holds the position of manager in the conference and events sector. Her role within the company is to bring unique vision to life with innovative audio-visual solutions in conferences and events. 4. Martin has been the owner and local distributor of a world-renowned manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning technologies for more than twenty-five years. He employs seventy full-time employees and around fifty part-timers who are subcontractors within his company. His employees range from those with an academic background to a VET background. 5. Rachel is a quality assurance (QA) manager in a local pharmaceutical company. She is a pharmacist by profession.
Her role is to manage the testing and release of certain products. Specifically, her role is to implement, maintain and improve the QA management system together with regulatory compliance. She needs to make sure that testing is carried out conforming with the relevant EU legislation. The employees within her department come from either a VET or academic background. 6. Sara is a psychologist, and is the Human Resources (HR) manager within a pharmaceutical company. The company employs over a hundred and fifty employees. Her role as a manager takes more of a psychological approach as she looks after the well-being and the training of all employees. She takes care of the overall development of the employees, not just professional but also personal development too. 7. David is a managing director within a pharmaceutical technology company. He has been involved within this sector for the past twenty years. He started in the sales position and grew from there. The company he manages employs around twenty people who are mostly Maltese and come from both an academic and VET background. They provide solutions to the scientific and health care industries. 8. Joseph is the chairman and owner of a group of several companies in the fire, security and theft industry, which employ over two hundred employees. The group is a global provider of total solutions.

Interview with employers
Each interview session followed the same procedure. A description of the context and the purpose of the study was discussed. The first part of the interview consisted of generic questions regarding their background in industry. Participants were then asked to introduce themselves and describe their roles within the company they work for. They were also asked to discuss their views on VET. The second part of the interview placed the focus on the TEs. Participants were asked questions related to TEs' roles as well as for their opinion on which roles needed more support. The final part of the interview asked questions about what employers look for in potential employees and how the labour market can support the role of VTEs.

Employers
Three main themes emerged from the data: views on VET; views on the roles of the VTEs; and support from industry.

Views on vocational education and training
This overarching theme captures and explores the employers' views on VET. The sub-themes that emerged were: VET is essential; alternative ways to learning; and bridging the gap between school and employment. Each sub-theme is discussed below.

Vocational education and training is essential
All participants agreed that VET is essential in many ways. For example, Ted says: VET is very important which every country should have. Education should be broad after all (Ted).
By implication, Ted values all forms of education, whether mainstream or vocational, as countries need both. Similarly, Caroline says: It is essential for the simple reason that our education system as it stands right now, lacks making students aware of the working world outside (Caroline).
Here, Caroline presents a bleak view of mainstream education as lacking in a vocational focus. She suggests that mainstream education does not provide for students to be work-ready, thus VET is vital to cater for this gap.

Alternative ways to learning
Employers outlined their views on VET, all of which were positive. One way was that VET offers alternative ways to learning. For example, David says: VET is much needed as an alternative or a support to traditional education. My wife is into education, so I have been exposed to that and I have also been gifted with four children all with different abilities and different needs. I have seen at first-hand how the traditional rigid system reaches the high majority of students leaving out others (David).
This extract demonstrates the harsh reality that David finds within the traditional education system of mainstream education. He suggests that mainstream education is rigid and does not offer all the learning opportunities for all types of learners and some are left out. He is suggesting that VET fills the gap and offers alternative ways of learning, catering for everyone. Similar to Ted, David implies that education should be broad.

Bridges the gap between school and employment
Employers have stressed that VET bridges the gap between school and employment, which they see as something positive. In fact, Sara says: We find that VET prospective employees are better. We find that they stay longer. In fact, their retention period is longer than those coming out from university. They also come with a different mindset, a work ready mindset which is a gold dust for an employee in today's world (Sara).
Those with a VET background are at an advantage because of their work-readiness and have better retention rates than graduates.
Likewise, Rachel concurs with Sara's views and says: VET students adapt more and are used to the working environment (Rachel).
It seems that having work-based learning and apprenticeship schemes in VET colleges, helps students to adapt quicker to the working environment. Adapting quicker, helps in gaining more production output from that employee, which is beneficial for the company

Views on the roles of vocational teacher educators
This overarching theme captures the views of employers on the role identities of VTEs. Employers perceived the ability to deliver lectures as the overarching competence that is required; then industrial experience and knowledge of the pedagogy. Participants perceived that the subject area expertise required not only knowledge of the related labour market, but, preferably, also previous experience in that specific industry, as well as ongoing links with the labour market to help VTEs to keep up to date with changes. In fact, participants identified four requirements of VTEs, they should: have a hands-on approach; keep abreast with regulations and policies; be supportive towards student teachers; and create awareness of what the labour market needs. Each of these sub-themes is discussed below.

Vocational teacher educators should have a hands-on approach
This sub-theme explores how employers believe that VTEs should have a hands-on approach in their teaching, similar to how VTEs view the ideal TE, as discussed before. For example, Ted says: [Those] training vocational student teachers (VSTs) to become teachers in VET should have industrial experience themselves. They need to get their hands dirty a little bit. They would know exactly the difficulties you face on a day-to-day basis. In addition, I believe that part of the teaching practice should take place in industry, at least four weeks (Ted).
This illustrates why VTEs should have industrial experience to be fully aware of industrial needs and what KSCs to transmit to students-teachers. Moreover, he believes in a hands-on approach, where student teachers are given the opportunity to spend some of their teaching practice in industry. This concurs with Winch's [64] argument that practical knowledge is acquired through participation with the help of an experienced practitioner. Winch [67] also draws attention to the benefits of workplace learning as it secures high-quality VET and the possibilities for further professional development of skilled labour across different societies. Similarly, Martin says:

This person has to a bridge between school and work. It is very difficult and it's a huge challenge. (Martin)
This extract illustrates the bridging role of the VTE who should act as the contact link between education and employment. This is the aim of VET after all. Here, Francis talks frankly about the crucial role of the VTE. If the VTE does not have the enthusiasm to keep up to date with how the labour market is evolving, it is a futile endeavour. The VET context requires learning for employability and such initiative should be part of the VTEs' responsibilities within their role identities. This is in accord with Martin's views and Winch's [67] argument regarding a fully-formed occupational capacity as discussed earlier on.

Be supportive towards student teachers
All employers in the study perceived that VTEs should be perceptive of the needs of their student teachers. This will allow them to support them to achieve desired outcomes. For example, Joseph says VTEs should be: psychologically well prepared to understand their student teachers. That's very important (Joseph).
According to Joseph, the mental well-being of VTEs is important to be able to help student teachers. Similarly, Francis says: TEs cannot be boring because students won't be attracted. He/she must be approachable and well-motivated. Communication skills are important (Francis).
These qualities mentioned are likely to enhance student retention and maintain student teachers' positive attention. The importance of communication skills is discussed below.

Create awareness of what the labour market needs are
All employers perceived a need for good soft skills as well as technical skills. They said that most new graduates applying for a job, are lacking in soft skills, such as communication skills, time-management skills and work-ethic. Sara says: I think the crux of it is work ethic! We get a lot of young people without the work ethic. I think it's because everything is short term. Vocational students have a more long-term approach when compared to students who have an academic background. The problem is the culture across the board. Everything is short-term and it's no longer that a job is for life. It's almost that if people stay longer than two years within the same company, they feel that something is wrong. Rather than "Wow"! this person is committed. That mentality is being somehow filtered down to the employees and it's impacting the industry (Sara).
Here, Sara insists that she finds employees lacking work-ethic at her place of work on a daily basis. Martin and Joseph lamented that they are finding a lot of graduates who apply for a job, but, who do not even know what discipline or respect are. All the employers find soft skills and the right attitude as more important than formal qualifications or technical skills. Similar findings were reported in the study of Triganza Scott and Cassar [59], where it is stated that human resources (HR) executives think that soft skills are competences which are high on the manufacturing agenda when compared with technical skills. The participants of the study (employers) suggest that having a highly technical person without the right attitude for work, is fruitless, and seem to prioritise soft skills over qualifications [59]. Based on these comments, VTEs need to make VSTs aware of this. It is within their responsibility to put the industry needs in the limelight and create more awareness. Avis [3] also draws attention to the range of wider skills that employers may deem appropriate. Examples of these include teamwork, problem solving, entrepreneurialism and resilience.

Support from industry
The emerging findings related to the employers' views on how VTEs can be supported by industry may be understood in four ways: collaboration between education and employment; providing the space for teaching practice in an industry setting; sharing current updates with respect to policies and regulations with VTEs; and offering CPD programmes for VTEs. For example, David says: VTEs should know the system well, and also are aware of what laws are present within the authorities. They need to know all the policies. They also need to follow the legislation and not just the EU legislation but even outside the EU. We can offer our support, by sending the latest updates to VTEs so that they keep up to date and pass it on to their student teachers who will teach future VET students (David).
Here, David expressed his views on how the workplace can support VTEs. As explained before, he believes that TEs in VET should keep abreast with the latest updates. Similarly, Joseph mentions: We could offer VTEs short CPD programmes on the latest equipment or projects we invest in. It's all about collaboration. If we invest in VTEs, this will be something positive for us when vocational students graduate and could become potential employees (Joseph). This extract demonstrates how the workplace can help vocational teacher training, which is mutually beneficial and helps in the professional role identity formation of VTEs, which is continuously verified [11] with the identity standard (the expectations) of the labour market.
This section highlighted the main three themes (views on VET; views on the roles of VTEs; and support from industry) that emerged from the data collected from the employers.

Vocational teacher educators and employers
The previous findings revealed that overall, the perceptions of employers regarding VET are that it is essential, since it forms an alternative way for learning, and bridges the gap between education and employment. Moreover, their views on the role identities of VTEs are that, ideally, they should have relevant experience in industry, therefore, a former professional or occupational identity; and ability to engage in a hands-on approach in their lectures. Their views are very similar to those of VTEs.
In addition, employers suggested closer collaboration in the form of industry-based teaching practice and CPD, and regular updates for VTEs from industry. This concurs with [62], p.270) that "professionals have to work with others to arrive at a satisfactory definition of their goals and their modus operandi". This implies, that VTEs should work hand in hand with the labour market. Winch [64] argues that professional and technical knowledge are also gained from the practical element which can only be acquired through a combination of simulation and controlled practice during the tertiary phase. Thus, VSTs may benefit more when having part of the teaching practicum component at the workplace as it may help them gain professional and technical knowledge through participation alongside an experienced practitioner from the relevant industrial sector. Winch [67] considers the workplace as a site of learning, as discussed earlier on.
Furthermore, emerging findings revealed that soft skills are given priority over qualifications when it comes to recruiting potential candidates for a job. In fact, employers indicate that the right attitude is crucial in making the best staff appointments, thus TEs should be encouraged to pass on these skills to student teachers. According to Winch [65], two main characteristics that make up occupational capacity, apart from competence which encompasses both theoretical and practical knowledge, are 'autonomy' and 'responsibility' [65].
The employers' perceptions of the professional knowledge, associated standards, regulations and policies required were underpinned by the field and the industry they came from. It is unsurprising that employers perceived a need for VTEs to not only have technical and relevant pedagogical skills to create a supportive learning environment, but also the knowledge of the required soft skills to pass on to student teachers as well.

Discussion
Both VTEs and employers were unanimous in their perspectives of what the main characteristics of VTEs should be. Both groups highlighted that they should adopt a hands-on approach in their pedagogy, keep abreast with the latest updates, be aware of the labour market needs and most of all, be supportive towards student teachers. The only apparent discrepancy was that employers believe that VTEs should teach student teachers soft skills, which were most valued in industry, as well as the core subjects within the curricula. VTEs failed to mention the work ethic and other KSCs which are not directly related to the subject area.
These findings show that there is a difference in the perceptions between both parties. Employers agreed that VTEs should be there to support the needs of student teachers, which echoes the perceptions of VTEs.
Employers have also voiced their opinion that it would be better for the teaching practice of VSTs to take place in industry rather than in a school setting, as it currently is. Working in actual workplaces such as laboratories for example, helps them more, when they become fully qualified VET teachers. This concurs with what Roger et al. [47] report, where it is argued that students and apprentices learn more in real life scenarios. Similarly, it also concurs with Winch's [67] argument where he draws attention to the potential richness of the workplace as a site of vocational learning. Claxton, Lucas and Webster [19] also remark on the importance of practice-based knowledge in vocational and professional settings. Thus, it is suggested that the same would apply for VSTs, as it is an ideal place to bridge the gap between both worlds, industry and vocational teacher training. Employers suggested that VTEs could be required to hold teaching visits to companies, and VTEs should also be required to know about regulations and policies of the particular company, where the teaching practice is being held. Moreover, specific subject-matter content related to communities of practice in the workplace, is within the scope of VET [1].
These findings show that employers presented a different picture for VET than the VTEs perceived. The requirements and demands that employers are looking for, are more than just being knowledgeable and competent in the vocational area chosen by students. Work-oriented competences, such as time-management, are given priority and this is also confirmed by Triganza Scott & Cassar [59] in the Maltese context. Moreover, Avis [3] also reported on the range of wider skills that employers may deem to be appropriate, such as teamwork, problem solving, entrepreneurialism and resilience.
Although the VSTs that VTEs have within their cohort are already graduates with a Bachelor of Science related to their vocational discipline, VTEs still tend to focus on the skill training and its relevant pedagogy because it focusses on the KSCs of the subject discipline, and not on a broader level of education and training like the employers are expecting. The VTEs' perception of VET concurs with Winch's [66] argument about the conceptual tensions VET has. He argues that there is a prevailing tendency of commentators to conceptualise practical knowledge as skill. He draws the attention to the British context where he claims that the distinction between the two terms is quite difficult to grasp and VET is often thought of as skill training, as did the VTEs within this study. He argues that VET is more than just skill training. In fact, he states. a few commentators have emphasised the importance of vocational education and of training as an important but not exclusive component of vocational education (Entwistle, 1970;Pring, 1995), but in general, the discourse uses 'training' as the default term, even when translation is made from languages like French and German, in whose VET systems education has a well-established and respected place. [66], p.61).
Winch [66] emphasises the need to address and understand these VET shortcomings, especially when it comes to comparative studies across different cultures in which the key terminology in the field of VET may have somewhat different meanings in different societies. However, Winch [66] states that "VET, it should be remembered, like Education more broadly, because it is concerned with preparation for life within a particular society, has to be understood as a set of institutions within that society, inevitably deeply affected by the other institutions, concepts and practices of the wider society" (p. 58). Similarly, according to Wheelahan (2010 as cited in [3], the scope of VET is to prepare students not only for a specific field of practice, but also to provide them with a good foundation for educational progression within their field to underpin occupational progression. Equipping the students with these two elements will also help them when participating in society's broader conversations [3]. Although the VTEs and employers within this study share a common culture, there still seems to be different meanings in how VTE role identities are perceived. In addition, although VTEs emphasised a student-centred learning approach and having a hands-on approach in their pedagogy oriented towards 'real world' scenarios, they still missed drawing attention to the wider range of skills and sensitivities that employers look for.
VTEs in this study tend to be more concerned on the relation of theory to practice, whereas the employers put more value on other kinds of ability that are required for successful work. This shows that there is a mismatch between both groups on the understanding of the kinds of practical knowledge required in the workplace. It is also worth noting that both types of practical knowledge are required. VTEs should not only be trainers but educators. Considering that their VSTs enter the ITE programme with an undergraduate degree on the subject discipline, VTEs should aim on a broader level of educational teaching, including soft skills and professional codes of ethics and conduct.
In addition, the professional role identities of VTEs have a much wider ethical significance with regards to their impact on the well-being of their student teachers and the future vocational students. According to Winch [62], nearly all occupations have an ethical dimension and should be concerned with human flourishing and their well-being. In fact, he states that most occupations "have an impact on the public either qua client or through indirect effects" (p.270). The quality of the relationship between professionals and their clients is not only based on the technical abilities which the VTEs of this study emphasise. For example, there may be 'technically' good pharmaceutical technologists who fail to fulfil the broader professional ethical requirements of their profession. However, employers of this study prioritised the "work ethic" rather than the professional ethics over KSCs and mentioned that VTEs should pass on certain soft skills to their student teachers which will in turn leave an impact on the vocational students they teach.
In particular, Winch [62] distinguishes between 'technical' and 'occupational' virtues and claims that occupations should have both, the former are associated with practicing certain specific virtues, that include care, and attention to detail, when carrying out the technique. The latter are associated with the central client-relationship rather than the practice of the technique. He continues to argue that one of the principal aims of occupational formation is the achievement of technical virtue which involves a grasp of the aims of the activity, together with a practical understanding of how those 1 3 aims could be achieved to the highest degree in the realisation of the product or service. A professional can acquire the necessary technique, applied knowledge and technical virtues, but may fail to practise the occupational virtues of the profession due to being unable or unwilling to do so. Therefore, the VTEs should not only focus on the pedagogy of the 'technical virtues' as they seem to be doing, but also on the 'occupational virtues' that the employers emphasised. Moreover, the VSTs should have already gained the 'technical virtues' from their first degree prior to the ITE programme. However, they may enhance them through the links that VTEs will maintain with the labour market. In addition, it is quite unlikely that VTEs would be teaching students from all trades and occupational groups in Malta. In the current ITE MTL in VET programme, the VTEs that were employed all had a background in the two specific streams, HSC and Media. However, if the course continues and further vocational streams are included within the MTL in VET, it may not be possible for the UoM to find a VTE that focusses specifically on the vocational discipline. Hence, that is just one reason why VTEs should aim for a broader level of education that also includes the 'occupational virtues' within the curriculum.
Considering that the perceptions of VTEs and employers are dissimilar on this, and on identity standards, how could this impact upon the VTEs' identity formation? How could VTEs verify their role identities? Ideally, the identity standards should match. VTEs did highlight that they should keep themselves up to date with the industry needs as that is the aim of VET. Nonetheless, are VTEs given enough time for this to take place in order to go on industry placements? Moreover, these constraints were also found in Fejes and Kopsen's [25] small-scale study on VET teachers and it is argued that teachers find it difficult to maintain the occupational knowledge needed to pass it on to their vocational students for their future careers. The role identities of VET teachers and VTEs are likely to be similar.
VTEs are not only seen as holders of dual identities (the TE identity and the former occupation), but are better understood as holders of multi-dimensional identity. This term is also mentioned by Maurice-Takerei [36] to describe vocational teachers. She says that a VET teacher is a skilled practitioner, a structured innovator and planner, and a "guardian, mentor and guide" (p.128) who bridges the gap between industry and education. From what VTEs described and what employers discussed, their professional role identities are broad, ranging from teaching student teachers to become teachers as well as staying informed on the latest updates and current labour market needs.
Through the qualitative findings of this study, it is concluded that the professional role identity of VTEs is diverse and dependent on multiple sources of identification: their former occupation/profession; the labour market; and VET. Thus, VTEs are better understood as having multi-dimensional identity. Moreover, employers expect that VTEs should not only pass on innovative teaching practices to provide student teachers with the required KSCs of the vocational area and relevant pedagogy, but also the skills needed to perform at work-the "occupational virtues" claimed by Winch [62]. Thus, VTEs are expected to focus on: pedagogical skills, vocational skills and work-related skills to improve the cooperation between the world of education and the world of work.

The professionalisation of VTEs
The findings of this study show there is an urgent need for employers to work more closely with VTEs. However, when VTEs are made aware of employers' requirements, they may experience tensions in verifying their identity standard [11]. In an ideal scenario, the identity standards of both employers and VTEs should match. Policies concerning the professional role identities of VTEs can be successful only if a common understanding is guaranteed between both parties. Currently, VTEs develop their professional role identities independently. However, considering that the scope of VET is to build bridges between education and work, all respective parties should work in collaboration "with others to arrive at a satisfactory definition of their goals and their modus operandi" [62], p. 270). Hence, this creates a space for a debate on the professionalisation of VTEs, considering the possible loss/lack of full autonomy if decisions are to be taken with labour market representatives on aspects of vocational teacher training with the consequent impact on the VTEs professional identities. However, considering that all VTEs have demonstrated a shared understanding of their teaching aims and interests, which shows an understanding of the profession [23], this means that they should be regarded as professionals, and not only as practising professionally.

Recommendations for vocational education and training practitioners
As previously discussed, VTEs and employers must collaborate. From the interviews that took place with employers, they suggested that part of the teaching practice should be carried out within a company. This will be beneficial for both VTEs and their VSTs and will guarantee that vocational ITE integrates conceptual understanding and ethical deliberation with practical observation, experience and reflection. While the importance of on-the-job training in schools is well-understood, there is a real danger of losing sight of the critical and distinctive role that the VET context should play. Thus, having such a teaching practice within a real-life environment, would allow VSTs to adapt immediately and face challenges from the start, thus being more prepared. Additionally, they will be in a better position to experiment with new teaching methods, materials and working procedures. Moreover, VTEs would be in a better position to educate on the relevant pedagogical content knowledge when workplaces are used as it would allow for the acquisition of the elements of knowledge and expertise that are necessary for the development of professional future VET teachers. VTEs will also be prepared when they attend internships within companies, as this experience will help them in their professional role identity. Moreover, the employers could act as mentors as they are the ones who are specialists within the area and can offer specific technical knowledge that will involve the application of rules to specific activities. Schools are not the best place for VSTs to acquire such technical knowledge. Having the labour market collaborating with VTEs and recognising that each have something to contribute will result in reaching the full potential that the vocational ITE can offer. In addition, employers also suggested that they could update VTEs with the latest standards and procedures so that VSTs are also kept up to date. However, this would not guarantee that they will also be kept up to date when they become VET teachers unless there is ongoing CPD that is linked to industry. In turn, employers can be updated with the latest pedagogical innovations that could possibly be used in their companies.
To conclude, this research makes an original contribution to the knowledge of the professional role identities of VTEs in how they are perceived by the Maltese labour market. It was discussed in the literature that little research was conducted on this perspective. This research attempted to address this gap by giving a voice to a group that has too often been neglected in policy and research in Malta. This research argues how the relationship between the labour market and VTEs can be enhanced.
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