TY - JOUR
T1 - ‘At the end of the course, where is their progression’? The paradox of progression for former so-called not in education, employment, and training youth
AU - Cornish, Carlene
N1 - Data availability statement: The data given this article are openly available in the University of Essex repository, PhD submission: https://repository.essex.ac.uk/24387/
Funding information: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - It is often presumed that when students complete a particular entry course at college, the acquisition of that qualification should grant access to the next, higher level of study. There is a dearth of academic research on the actual progression outcomes for so-called not in education, employment, and training (NEET) and disengaged youth, enrolled on an employability course. Purportedly, the employability qualifications should enable students to progress towards higher levels of study, but do they? Adopting a case study approach, research was conducted with seven tutors and 26 students enrolled on the 2013 and 2014 Level 1 Achieving Skills Course, an employability course delivered at The Site, a FE college in the East Region. The college’s database was also accessed to review success and progression outcomes. Highlighting discrepancy and controversy, key findings revealed that most participants were unable to progress onto higher level courses at The Site. Instead, they were recorded as either NEET or destination unknown. This paper reveals key factors impeding progression and the reification of NEET identities on this course. It calls for political debate and a sharper inspection into the quality of re-engagement provisions for so-called NEET and disengaged youth.
AB - It is often presumed that when students complete a particular entry course at college, the acquisition of that qualification should grant access to the next, higher level of study. There is a dearth of academic research on the actual progression outcomes for so-called not in education, employment, and training (NEET) and disengaged youth, enrolled on an employability course. Purportedly, the employability qualifications should enable students to progress towards higher levels of study, but do they? Adopting a case study approach, research was conducted with seven tutors and 26 students enrolled on the 2013 and 2014 Level 1 Achieving Skills Course, an employability course delivered at The Site, a FE college in the East Region. The college’s database was also accessed to review success and progression outcomes. Highlighting discrepancy and controversy, key findings revealed that most participants were unable to progress onto higher level courses at The Site. Instead, they were recorded as either NEET or destination unknown. This paper reveals key factors impeding progression and the reification of NEET identities on this course. It calls for political debate and a sharper inspection into the quality of re-engagement provisions for so-called NEET and disengaged youth.
KW - NEET (not in education, employment or training)
KW - further education (FE)
KW - Progression
KW - further education
KW - Not in education, employment, and training
KW - employability qualification
KW - exclusion
KW - progression
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170552939&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/17577438231200350
DO - 10.1177/17577438231200350
M3 - Article
SN - 1757-7438
VL - 16
SP - 196
EP - 212
JO - Power and Education
JF - Power and Education
IS - 2
ER -