This book investigates the contexts of gender segregation in vocational education (VET) from a cross-national, comparative perspective. It tackles questions about occupational expectations, gendered pathways to applied fields of study, feminization of occupations and the relationship between educational choice and opportunity structures.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2022-521/ Both the labour markets and the education systems in the Nordic countries are highly gender segregated. This gender segregation has consequences for study and working conditions, pay, and the distribution of power and resources. Combating gender bias is one of the strategic areas of intervention in official Nordic cooperation in the area of gender equality. The Nordic Council of Ministers co-operation body NIKK was commissioned to conduct a study focusing on gender segregation in VET in the Nordic countries. The study provides an introduction to what we know about VET and gender as an area of knowledge, describes how VET in the Nordic countries is organised, and gives examples of how these countries have worked to break patterns of gender segregation and to retain pupils who belong to the under-represented sex. The study also includes a concluding analysis section.

This report aims to 'crack the code' by deciphering the factors that hinder and facilitate girls' and women's participation, achievement and continuation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and, in particular, what the education sector can do to promote girls' and women's interest in and engagement with STEM education and ultimately STEM careers.

The significant roles played and huge contributions made by women in agriculture and rural development throughout the developing nations have been well recognized and documented by various international development agencies, national government, development administrators, academicians and social science researchers alike, in the recent past. The book is expected to be of great help to the students, scholars, policy makers, development administrators and technology transfer personnel in the fields of agricultural and rural development throughout the globe.

Presenting original contributions from the key experts in the field, the Research Handbook on the Sociology of Education explores the major theoretical, methodological, empirical and political challenges and pressing social questions facing education in current times.

One of a series of studies on vocational education and training, this review assesses vocational education and training (VET) in Thailand and provides policy recommendations. VET has the potential to provide relevant education and training opportunities to young people and adults in Thailand, especially as the demand for technical skills is high. This can be achieved by building on the strengths of the system, including a strong postsecondary vocational system and a small but dynamic dual system. However, it remains an unattractive option for many students in Thailand, because of a poor image among students and parents, quality issues, a hard-to-navigate system and limited progression pathways. Additional efforts are therefore needed to align the mix of provision with the needs of the Thai labour market. This review provides recommendations on how to improve access to programmes, reduce inequalities in access to high-quality institutions and programmes, make better use of skills intelligence to inform education and training policies, and engage employers in the design and delivery of vocational education and training, including work-based learning.

These transcripts provide testimony regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. The first part of the transcripts presents testimony from members of national educational associations urging legislators to show a stronger commitment to helping education professionals improve their skills and to adopt a new research project to improve learning for special needs children. The major portion of the transcripts contains statements from school administrators, other experts from educational agencies and delivery systems, and legislators concerning: (1) the role of ESEA programs in school reform and the improvement of K-12 education; (2) the reauthorization and improvement of Chapters 1 and 2; (3) the Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Education program and techniques of successfully integrating technology into schools; (4) the need for coordinated education, health, and social services as a means of better serving young people; (5) recommendations for improving women's equity in education; and (6) issues related to the education programs for Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians. (SM)

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. It is free to read, download and share on Elgaronline.com. Skills and inequality have long been a central theme in analyses of social structure and economic development. A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality offers an insightful cross-disciplinary framework for research on how unequal living conditions form, persist and change in interplay with human skill formation and development.

This book addresses the different forms of austerity, contestation and resistance, in order to understand how they relate to one another and the impact they have on the democratic quality of public debates, the trust in public institutions and the legitimacy of law. Contestation of austerity includes not only traditional activism strategies such as human rights litigation and direct democracy instruments, but also new forms of collective action and collaborative resistance. Most importantly, many of the new anti-austerity initiatives also aim to renovate existing modes of democratic decision-making on the European, national, regional and local levels. The book focuses on different types of contesting austerity measures and the interaction between institutional and civil society actors. It will enhance understanding of how the various actors frame not only their goal but also the underlying social conflict to contest austerity and through which means they try to achieve political and legal changes. With 16 chapters written by contributors from Spain, Germany, Greece, Portugal and the UK, the book approaches 3 crucial areas of austerity policies: cuts in payment and pensions, labour law reform, and old and new poverty. In each field, the contributors analyse the processes of decision-making and contestation from 3 perspectives: institutions, democratic theory and societal responses.

As the economic growth and social development of a nation is reliant on its workforce, it is essential to increase the workforce’s employability through technical and vocational education. Through these programs, the nation’s workers will be able to acquire skills and flexibility in order to navigate across sectors of the economy and industry. However, due to gender disparities and socioeconomic statuses within society, women from a lower economic background are unable to gain access to these programs, hindering their career development and economic independence. Gender Issues in Technical and Vocational Education Programs is an essential critical resource that probes the issue of gender equity in specialized educational programs, such as vocational or technical education programs. It also presents global initiatives that are being undertaken to enhance the access to technical and vocational education programs to all citizens. Divided into two sections, this publication provides comprehensive coverage on understanding human resource skilling through vocational and training programs and promoting gender equity through skill development, making it an ideal resource for academicians, researchers, social scientists, educators, policymakers, government officials, and professionals.