secondary schools, local VET colleges, and the Ministry of Education in order to design and establish a college counseling program for prospective VET students. From our interviews with current and prospective VET students, we found that very few students expressed that they had adequate information about VET colleges before making a decision about their post-secondary educational options. All but two of the students indicated that they had not had access to a college counselor, nor had a representative from VET colleges visited their campus to discuss
VET college programming. Relevant literature also suggests that college counseling is an
important entry-point for students deciding to enroll in VET colleges. Diamond (2007) suggested that college counseling should serve to improve training and job-related decision-making
processes so that students feel like agents able to influence their own professional careers and futures. Furthermore, various authors indicate that college counseling should empower students to make better decisions and have more self-control so that they are able to set realistic goals and make the effort necessary to reach them (Diamond, 2007; Mohd Kamalludeen, 2012). The literature we analyzed highlights the need to make students aware of the various post-secondary training options and career paths available to them via established college counseling programs (Diamond, 2007; Mohd Kamalludeen, 2012). Finally, research about apprenticeship programs also suggests that students should be provided with information and knowledge about the working world, professions, job opportunities, and the characteristics of the jobs that are
associated with each training program (Colding, 2006). In consort with data from our interviews with students, we therefore recommend that AEN should coordinate collaboration between VET colleges, local high schools, and the Ministry of Education to design a college counseling program that supports all involved stakeholders.
CONCLUSION
These recommendations outline ways in which P&T might take action to improve the viability of vocational education and training in the rural communities of Goris and Sisian, Armenia. We recognize that each of these recommendations may be seen as a project in and of itself, and that the project of improving the viability of VET in Goris and Sisian is a long-term, expansive, multi-faceted process that requires collaboration among a plurality of stakeholders.
However, when part of a long-term strategy, we believe that these recommendations may offer a
path towards improving the viability of VET in rural Armenia. We know that P&T’s commitment to the youth in their community, their capacity for collaborating with other stakeholders to design and enact educational reforms, and their leadership in the area of community development will be invaluable in this endeavor, and we offer this data, these findings, and these recommendations in support of their efforts to improve the viability of VET for the youth and the members of the Goris and Sisian communities.
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APPENDICES
Appendix A: Format of Semi-Structured Qualitative Focus Groups Introductions
Name, town, vocational interest
Personal Introductions & Purpose of the Study General Info about us (individually)
I. College & General Interest
1. What was your primary reason for choosing VET? Please explain below.
2. What was your general perception of VET?
3. Do you think there is a connection between going to college and getting a job after finishing your studies?
Do you know if both a certificate and/or diploma are required in your area of interest?
I. College Access and Information
A. College Counseling: What orientation or information about professional certifications/college programs was available to you in High School?
▪ Was this orientation helpful? In what areas or in what ways might more orientation or information be helpful?
▪ If there was no orientation, how did you hear about and decide on college/university programs?
B. Financing: How will you and your family pay for your university or college education?
C. Financing: Are you aware of any financial, transportation, or other resources available to you to help finance your studies?
D. We are in Goris where the vocational college is. If you’re from a community outside of Goris, what other resources might you need?
III. Conditions for Viability of College/ Advice
A. What aspects of your VET training are most relevant to your career?
B. During your VET studies, how would you rate the following on a scale of 1-5?
1- very poor 2- poor 3- neither poor or good quality 4- good quality 5- very good quality Quality of education and teaching methods 1 2 3 4 5
Availability of course materials and other resources 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of modern workshop/laboratory equipment 1 2 3 4 5 Organization of practical training 1 2 3 4 5
C. What, if any, gaps were there in your VET training itself or in your ability to access that training?
--> If so, to what degree did those gaps impact your ability to: a) learn critical information necessary in your field, b) complete the VET program, c) pay for the cost of your VET program, or d) obtain relevant employment?
D. What conditions, areas of study, qualities, or opportunities would you like to see to improve college programs?
IV. Employment Information
● Are you currently employed?
If yes, please continue with the questions below:
● What is the main activity of the company you currently work for? / Please describe the nature of your job.
● Is your job relevant to your qualification? Yes No
1. If not, please explain how it is not relevant or partially relevant to your qualification?
2. Why did you accept a job which is different from your qualification?
How much is your average monthly salary?
In relation to your qualification, what skills did you acquire that were adequate to your current job?
How many jobs were you offered after graduation (including self-employment and the current job)?
To what extent was the diploma important for finding the job?
In order to find this job, did you have to move from your city/region of residence? Yes No
For how many months after your graduation did you look for your first job? ___________
If not employed, please continue with the questions below:
Have you ever worked after graduation? Yes No
What was your employment contract?
Why are you not currently employed?
Continuation of education Family circumstances Hard working conditions
Cannot find work relevant to my qualifications Health conditions
I do not need a job/I am not looking for a job
Other (specify) _____________________________________________
If self-employed/own business, please continue with the questions below:
To what extent do you feel that your business is successful? Please explain.
In your opinion, how well was entrepreneurship covered in the study plan of your school/college?
IV. Military
● For those in the room who are male, we know that military service is part of your duty to your country. In what ways does this impact your studies? What college programs would you like to have available to you in order to minimize the disruption to your studies? Do you see this impacting your future employment opportunities?
Appendix B: One-on-One Semi-Structured Interview Protocol Introductions
Name, town, vocational interest
Personal Introductions & Purpose of the Study General Info about us (individually)
Labor Market Research & Resources from central government –
A. Does local Dev. of Education Officer/ Do YOU play a role in the creation/availability of training to meet the needs of the labor market?
B. STATEMENT: (Precursor source document about fiscal powers in the social and educational sector to the local governments), so…
C. What would be helpful in terms of greater powers, more resources, and greater
collaboration from the Min of Education for you to be able to better address the needs of the vocational colleges in the area?
Collaboration with Local Economic Dev. Officer
A. What is the internal engagement between the Education and Economic departments?
B. Is there a political imperative from the city council for collaboration?
Collaboration with colleges and business/local private sector A. How much collaboration is there with the local colleges?
B. Are there any impediments to collaboration with local colleges to better align the needs of the labor market and the curriculum?
Interest in Future Broader Involvement with Colleges and Business
A. Would the municipality be interested in joining forces with colleges and local business owners?
Appendix C: Coding Example
Appendix D: Photographs of Goris State College
Appendix E: Photographs of Sisian State College
Appendix F: Photographs of the Adult Learning Center in Sisian
Appendix G: Findings, Themes, and Related Topics
High Level Finding Themes Topics
1. VET college programming is currently managed by the Ministry of Education, is funded by both the state budget and global development agencies, and has experienced a consistent decline in student enrollment, graduation, and employment outcomes over the last decade. VET college funding, enrollment, and programmatic policy initiatives have also been recently and significantly impacted by several geopolitical contextual factors.
National Development and Security Strategy Funding Outcomes
● Consolidation of Communities
● Military service
● Involvement of national government in VET
● [Involvement of international AID organizations]
● Employment opportunities
● Registration for VET colleges 2. The national government’s limited engagement with
local communities regarding VET policy and administration impedes learning and community development outcomes.
VET Policy, Organization
and Management
1. VET policy
2. VET organization and management 3. Partnership and cooperation 3. Many VET college teachers are not required to have
specific qualifications or demonstrate relevant certification, and there is no formal performance evaluation system for VET college teachers.
VET Teacher Education and
Quality
● Teacher education and experience
● Teacher performance evaluation
4. There are gaps between the Ministry’s vision for VET curricula and the described needs of college students and local labor markets, including outdated content, antiquated curricular resources, and a lack of coherence in the interaction between policy and practice.
VET
Curriculum A. Quality and transferability B. Practical experiences
5. Many students reported three primary challenges when deciding whether or not to attend VET colleges, including awareness of college programming, physical access to the college itself, and a negative perception about the facilities and resources offered at VET colleges.
Access to and Awareness of Quality VET
Colleges
I. College/Career Counseling II. Physical accessibility of college III. Building Infrastructure
6. There are significant challenges for VET college students seeking to enter the workforce in Goris and Sisian due to limited opportunities for apprenticeships,
employment upon graduation, and employers’ negative perception of VET colleges.
Entering the
Workforce IV. Availability of and capacity for apprenticeships
V. Employers’ perceptions of the skills of VET graduates
7. P&T has capacity in the form of social and political capital, technical skills, access to relevant resources, a consistent philosophical approach to community development, and capacity for designing educational reform initiatives via AEN, their proposed multi- stakeholder subsidiary. Various community leaders we interviewed suggested that these elements of
organizational capacity would enable P&T to improve the viability of VET in Goris and Sisian.
P&T’s Competence and Capacity for Supporting Improved VET
Viability
Separate Mission of
AEN
- Local projects and initiatives Competence:
A. Components of Community Development Theory (agency;
solidarity) Capacity:
B. Institutional Culture C. Social and Political Capital
(understanding for relationships with a broad set of stakeholders)
D. Position to coordinate collaboration E. Sufficient Resources/ Access to
resources F. Technical skills
AEN as a unique entity with more specific mission