Purpose: This research paper aims to explore how secondary school-aged business owners utilise social media to engage in informal learning. The authors make use of the concept of a self-directed experiential learning cycle to empirically explore adolescents' entrepreneurial learning processes without formal guidance or curriculum.…

This paper aims to determine what motivates small firms to offer apprenticeship training. The current state of research provides various indications. While research focusing on the specificity of small firms identifies the important role of the owner and their personality, values, attitudes and experiences, economic research mainly refers to the…

Purpose: This article explores the perceptions of professionals on the implementation and impact of Dual Vocational Training (Dual VET) in the Spanish education system. Design/methodology/approach: The study involves interviews with various professionals in the education and employment sectors and two discussion groups. Findings: Results reveal…

Purpose: Students experience a range of benefits by participating in work-based learning (WBL) including increased employability skills, career development learning and enhanced industry networks. However, some approaches to WBL are not easily accessed by all students, with placement-based models placing demands on students to attend a physical…

Context: For many businesses, one of the key indicators in their management is the adaptation of Information Technology in their operations. In Kenya, there has been a phenomenal growth in access to mobile phones, by June 2023, over 66 million mobile phones were connected to various telecommunication operators of which 58.3% were smart phones…

This report presents findings from an assessment of the implication of skills in Moldova's smart specialisation strategy. The ETF's role is to support Moldova as it endeavours to give vocational education and training systems a clear role in the implementation of its smart specialisation strategy. The report explores skills data at sub-sectoral…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate sustainable strategies for skills development that is specific to the youth of South Africa. International and South African data are statistically analysed and quantified to provide inputs for the systems dynamics (SD)-based predictive skills model. The skills model simulates the impact of…

Soft skills have become a critical factor in enhancing individual employability. A deeper understanding of the specific soft skills valued by employers in various types of enterprises enables higher education institutions to more precisely cultivate these qualities in students. This study focuses on 15 essential soft skill indicators categorized…

This study explored the experiences and implications of transitioning from school to work without family support for university graduates in Uganda. The research was a qualitative exploratory study in Kampala city, Uganda. The data was collected through in-depth individual interviews with university graduates (first-degree graduates). The research…

In this paper, we propose a methodology to support the Curriculum Design and Development (CDD) process with the aim of aligning competences provided by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with the ones required by companies. The proposed methodology stems from the identification of companies' training needs and aims at classifying a set of…

Educational collaboration activities are generally under-researched part of the interactive learning between universities and industry. The study based on 529 Master of Science (MSc) theses from a major Swedish engineering school, the faculty of engineering LTH at Lund University, shows that MSc theses are a frequently used collaboration mechanism…

This handbook, first published in 2014, aims at helping policy makers and social partners understand some of the ways in which learning in the workplace can be encouraged and how its quality can be improved. It is also intended to help them understand some of the ways that such learning can be organised in a structured manner so that it benefits…

This report has been produced by four organisations--the National Foundation for Educational Research, South East Strategic Leaders, London Councils and the London Enterprise Panel. It is based on research into how secondary schools, colleges, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and micro-businesses in London and the South East work together…

A current problem faced in South Africa is that university graduates are weak and underprepared for the work environment. The purpose of this study was to assist students in bridging the aforementioned gap and to ease the transition from theory to practice. The aim of the study was to critically analyse the development and implementation of the…

This report has been produced by four organisations--the National Foundation for Educational Research, South East Strategic Leaders, London Councils and the London Enterprise Panel. It is based on research into how secondary schools, colleges, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and micro-businesses in London and the South East work together…