Michaela Brockmann

Attitudes, women’s employment and the domestic division of labour a cross-national analysis in two waves

This article draws on a repeat of a 1994 survey, carried out in 2002, in three contrasting countries: Britain, Norway and the Czech Republic.The 1994 survey demonstrated that there was a significant association between more ‘liberal’ gender role attitudes and a less traditional division of domestic labour in all three countries. In 2002, this association was no longer significant for Britain and Norway. Gender role attitudes had become less traditional in all three countries, although women’s attitudes had changed more than men’s.There had been little change in the gendered allocation of household tasks, suggesting a slowing down of the increase of men’s involvement in domestic work. It is suggested that work intensification may be making increased participation in domestic work by men more difficult. Although national governments are becoming more aware and supportive of the problems of work-life ‘balance’, an increase in competitiveness and intensification at workplaces may be working against more ‘positive’ policy supports.

Knowledge, skills, competence: European divergences in vocational education and training (VET)—the English, German and Dutch cases

Policy debates on employability, lifelong learning and competence‐based approaches suggest a convergence of VET approaches across European countries. Against the background of the creation of a European Qualifications Framework, this paper compares the VET systems of England, Germany and The Netherlands. The analysis reveals the distinct understandings and meanings of outwardly similar terms. These meanings are deeply rooted in the countries’ institutional structures and labour processes and still inform national debates and policies today. The paper identifies a major distinction between a ‘knowledge‐based’ VET model in Germany and The Netherlands and a ‘skills‐based’ model in England. There is a need to develop trans‐national categories that take into account the social construction of terms such as ‘skills’ and ‘qualifications’.

The Apprenticeship Framework in England: A New Beginning or a Continuing Sham?.

This paper highlights critical shortcomings in the approach to apprenticeship in England and argues that the proposed Apprenticeship Framework is unlikely to fulfil its stated aims of enhancing quality and quantity. The key weaknesses identified are a clear definition of what constitutes an apprenticeship framework, an educational component, employee involvement and lack of recognition of alternative college‐based routes. Drawing on a recent cross‐national study, the authors compare the English situation with the vocational education and training systems of other leading European countries. These embody a distinctly different approach and framework, being based on social partnership and the education of young people into a broadly defined occupation. It is shown how the current proposals mark a potential step backwards and a departure from the principles of the 1944 Education Act by ignoring general and civic educational elements in young people’s formation. Above all, for any framework to be successful, it needs to take into account the longer term interests of employees, given changes in the labour market, and to address the issue of employer disengagement. The conclusions drawn suggest ways forward.

Competence and competency in the EQF and in European VET systems

Purpose – Though the notion of competence is common terminology in European VET policy at national and supra‐national level, understandings vary widely, both across countries and within. The particular conceptions of competence adopted in the EQF are themselves problematic and the framework allows for a variety of interpretations. The purpose of this paper is to clarify those applied in the EQF and the vocational education and qualifications systems of particular European countries and to contribute to the development of a transnational understanding of the term, one which is compatible with a rapidly changing labour market.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on evidence from work funded by the Nuffield Foundation entitled “Cross‐national Equivalence of Vocational Skills and Qualifications”, the paper explores the various conceptions of competence in the EQF and the national systems – in particular in the sectors of construction, ICT and health – of England, Germany, France and The Netherlands.Findings ...

New perspectives on violence in social care

• Summary: Increasing concern in the UK about rising levels of violence in the health and social care sectors has led to new government initiatives, such as the zero-tolerance campaign in the NHS and the National Task Force on Violence against Social Care Staff. This article provides an overview of the research and guidance literature in social care and summarizes the main findings. • Findings: Research evidence in this field is scarce and contradictory, and contrasts with the apparent certainty underpinning national initiatives. Major issues are examined in the light of both theoretical perspectives on violence and recent changes in the organization of social care. • Applications: It is argued that violence is common, and that an understanding of the multiple causes of violence in any given social context is vital in strategies for its prevention and management. Attention is drawn to the crucial role of quality services in addressing violence.

Identity and apprenticeship: the case of English motor vehicle maintenance apprentices

The paper arises from my PhD thesis on the learner biographies of retail and motor vehicle maintenance apprentices in Germany and England which explores the interrelationship of social structures and individual agency in identity formation over time and in particular learning environments. The paper reports initial findings, focusing largely on the English case study of motor vehicle apprentices. It challenges common assumptions of young people in vocational education in England as second‐chance learners being socialised into pursuing low‐status occupations and invites reflection on the particular model of apprenticeship in England and its role in shaping young peoples identity.

Problematising short-term participant observation and multi-method ethnographic studies

This article reports on a study of apprentices in England and Germany designed to explore young peoples learner identities over time and in relation to particular learning environments. The research adopts a multi-method ethnographic approach, combining biographical interviews with multi-site participant observation. The article problematises the notion of participant observation and the possibility of obtaining meaningful data in short-term observations as part of a broader research design. It highlights the importance of the researcher role and the opportunities different roles entail for developing shared understanding and co-constructing meaning. It concludes that the observations yield important findings about the construction of identity in different sites and thus complement the interview data in enabling the researcher to reconstruct the apprentices’ learner biographies.

Learning Cultures in Retail: Apprenticeship, Identity and Emotional Work in England and Germany.

The paper is based on a study of apprentices in retail and motor vehicle maintenance in England and Germany, exploring their perceptions of themselves as learners over time and in particular learning environments. The study combines biographical interviews with participant observation in colleges and workplaces. The paper examines the concept of emotion work in the context of retail apprenticeships. It explores the extent to which the skill of emotion management is developed through apprenticeship programmes and the meaning young people attach to it in the context of their individual biographies. Comparing the German dual system with the minimalist approach of an English supermarket, it concludes that emotion work may be part of an occupational competence offering positive means for identification as a critical resource for young people’s negotiation of identity. The findings challenge existing conceptualisations of emotional labour and have important implications for the provision of apprenticeships in the service sector.

Towards a Model of Quality of Life for Older Ethnic Minority Migrants in Germany, Austria and the UK

This paper addresses the relationship between models of quality of life and Europes increasingly diverse older population. European social policy on old age is responding only slowly to the presence of older ethnic minority migrants. People who migrated primarily for economic reasons, and who may never have intended to stay in the host country, are now approaching retirement age and faced with crucial issues of how to manage old age in a foreign country. In view of a growing policy interest in extending the quality of life of Europes older population, the paper examines current approaches to measuring quality of life. It is argued that existing models are not suited to addressing the particular circumstances of older ethnic minority migrants, as they omit crucial aspects related to migration and their impact on key life domains. The outline of a model will be constructed which takes account of these issues and may thus serve as a basis for a more informed discussion.

Trade-based skills versus occupational capacity: the example of bricklaying in Europe

This article shows why qualifications built on occupational capacity rather than on trade-based skills have more potential to accommodate the aims of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and changes in the labour process, going together with the development of occupational labour markets. The article challenges the distinct Anglo-Saxon notion of ‘skill’ attached to a trade-based system of vocational education and training (VET), where qualifications have weak labour market currency. This distinctiveness has implications for EQF implementation, built on common understanding of knowledge, skills and competences and intended to establish equivalence between different occupational qualifications. The article focuses on the example of bricklaying in England and Germany, an occupation archetypal of construction and skilled manual work. Clear differences are identified between bricklaying founded on developing occupational capacity through negotiation and regulation by stakeholders, recognized through qualifications, and bricklaying as a demarcated trade, defined by output and with ‘skills’ distinct from other trades.