VET ecosystems and labour market integration of at-risk youth in the Baltic countries: implications of Baltic neoliberalism

Abstract

Purpose: The paper seeks to disclose the features and implications of the neoliberal VET and employment policy agendas for the social and institutional VET ecosystems and the integration of at-risk youth in the labour market in the Baltic countries. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on the comparative policy analysis approach with reference to the theories of social and skill formation ecosystems and the historical institutionalism perspective. Findings: The research has revealed three interconnected and alternately/simultaneously applied development pathways in the skill formation and vocational education of at-risk youth in the Baltic countries: (1) the market-oriented approach based on fostering immediate employability based on the momentary skills needs in the economy; (2) the state-assistance approach based on ensuring equal access to the VET and employment services by the state and (3) the approach of systemic support to socially disadvantaged or at-risk young people in developing their capabilities. Originality/value: The originality of the paper lies in a new, holistic and comparative perspective in analysing the implications of the “Baltic neoliberalism” for the development of skill formation systems, VET and employment of at-risk youth in this region. © 2022, Vidmantas Tūtlys, Ilze Buligina, Juris Dzelme, Genutė Gedvilienė, Krista Loogma, Biruta Sloka, Tarja Irene Tikkanen, Ginta Tora, Lina Vaitkutė, Terje Valjataga and Meril Ümarik.

Keywords

Author Keywords

employment vocational education and training (VET) skill formation at-risk youth Baltic countries

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Tallinn University, Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia

Università degli Studi di Verona, Verona, VR, Italy, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Kaunas, Lithuania

Institute of Education, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Kaunas, Lithuania

Faculty of Business, Latvijas Universitāte, Riga, Latvia

Latvijas Universitāte, Riga, Latvia

Universitetet i Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway

Funding & Acknowledgements

Grant: LT08-2-LMT-K-01-010, S-BMT-21-2

This research has been supported by the project “Vocational education and workplace training enhancing social inclusion of at-risk young people (EmpowerVET)” using a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. The aim of the project is to explore how vocational education and training (VET) can enhance social inclusion of young people at-risk, both in terms of combating school drop-out rates and promoting transitions between various (social) learning contexts, such as school-work transition. The project contract with the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT) No S-BMT-21-2 (LT08-2-LMT-K-01-010).

European Environment Agency, EEA

This research has been supported by the project “Vocational education and workplace training enhancing social inclusion of at-risk young people (EmpowerVET)” using a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. The aim of the project is to explore how vocational education and training (VET) can enhance social inclusion of young people at-risk, both in terms of combating school drop-out rates and promoting transitions between various (social) learning contexts, such as school-work transition. The project contract with the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT) No S-BMT-21-2 (LT08-2-LMT-K-01-010).

Lietuvos Mokslo Taryba

This research has been supported by the project “Vocational education and workplace training enhancing social inclusion of at-risk young people (EmpowerVET)” using a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. The aim of the project is to explore how vocational education and training (VET) can enhance social inclusion of young people at-risk, both in terms of combating school drop-out rates and promoting transitions between various (social) learning contexts, such as school-work transition. The project contract with the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT) No S-BMT-21-2 (LT08-2-LMT-K-01-010).

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VET ecosystems and labour market integration of at-risk youth in the Baltic countries: implications of Baltic neoliberalism

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