Abstract
Migration is increasingly being seen as a political challenge and, thus, a policy priority. Yet the integration of migrants into labor markets is a key element of the political contestations of migration. On the one hand, successful labor market integration offers the promises of wider integration into society and the prospect of migrants being net financial contributors to the host economy; on the other, xenophobia often centers on the notion of migrants “taking our jobs.” Clearly, these wider issues cannot be solved simply through TVET. The reasons for migration, immigration law, and overall labor market structure lie outside TVET’s sphere of control. Nonetheless, TVET can and does play a role in managing migration.
Conventionally, this has been largely a systemic response, focusing primarily on qualifications and certification. These do have an important role to play, but we have learned over time the limitations and costs of such approaches. In particular, opinions of employers and educational institutions regarding comparability of qualifications have proved resistant to messages of portability. We suggest that there is a need to look beneath the system level at how institutions, classrooms, and teachers can become more responsive to migration. Key issues here include language and psychosocial learning, as well as information, advice, and guidance. Migration can change classrooms and learning for the better, but vocational providers and teachers need support in capitalizing on the opportunities available.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Aggarwal A (2013) Recognition of prior learning: key success factors and the building blocks of an effective system. ILO, Pretoria
Beicht U, Walden G (2017) Transitions of young migrants to initial vocational education and training in Germany: the significance of social origin and gender. J Vocat Educ Train 69:424–449
Bhagwati J, Hamada K (1974) The brain drain, international integration of markets for professionals and unemployment: a theoretical analysis. J Dev Econ 1(1):19–42
Bodnár K, Szabó L (2014) The effect of emigration on the Hungarian labour market. MNB occasional papers no. 114. Accessed via https://www.mnb.hu/letoltes/mnb-tanulmany-eng-114-1126.pdf. On 12 Jun 2008
Callebert R (2016) African mobility and labor in global history. Hist Compass 14(3):116–127
Cedefop – European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (2011) The benefits of vocational education and training. Research paper no. 10. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. Accessed via http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5510_en.pdf. On 5 Jun 2008
Crush J (2014) Southern hub: the globalization of migration to South Africa. In: Lucas R (ed) International handbook on migration and economic development. Edward Elgar, London
De la Rama M (2018) Recognition of prior learning of migrant workers: the Philippines example. Presentation at the UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Learning Forum, Bonn, May
Desiderio M (2016) Integrating refugees into host country labour markets: challenges and policy options. Migration Policy Institute, Washington, DC
Diehl O (2018) Disruption and healings: state of the migration challenge in the German VET system. Presentation at the UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Learning Forum, Bonn, May
Dodani S, LaPorte R (2005) Brain drain from developing countries: how can brain drain be converted into wisdom gain? J R Soc Med 98(11):487–491
Doomernik J, Bruquetas-Callejo M (2016) National immigration and integration policies in Europe since 1973. In: Integration processes and policies in Europe. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 57–76
Doyle L, O’Toole G (2013) Refugee Council: a lot to learn: refugees, asylum seekers and post-16 learning. Refugee Council, London
European Council on Refugees and Exiles (2011) Information note on the qualification directive- 2011/95/EU. Accessed via https://www.ecre.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ECRE-Information-Note-on-the-Qualification-Directive-recast_October-2013.pdf. On 7 Jun 2018
European Employment Policy Observatory (2016) Challenges faced by asylum seekers and refugees in successfully integrating into the labour market. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg
Friberg JH, Midtbøen AH (2017) Ethnicity as skill: immigrant employment hierarchies in Norwegian low-wage labour markets. J Ethn Migr Stud 44(9):1463–1478
Guo S (ed) (2013) Transnational migration and lifelong learning: global issues and perspectives. Routledge, London
Hannah (2000) Education, training and adult refugees in the UK and Australia. In: Field J, Leicester M (eds) Lifelong learning. Education across the lifespan. RoutledgeFalmer, London, pp 263–275
Hartmann E (2008) The role of qualifications in the global migration regime. GARNET working paper no 39. University of Lausanne, Warwick
Huang C, Ash N, Gough K, Post L (2018) Designing refugee compacts: lessons from Jordan. Forced Migr Rev 57:52–54
Humphrey M, Charbit Y, Palat M (1991) The changing role of Asian labour migration in the Middle East. Rev Eur Migr Int 7(1):45–63
International Labour Migration (n.d.) Labour migration. Accessed via http://www.ilo.org/beirut/areasofwork/labour-migration/lang%2D%2Den/index.htm. On 26 Jan 2018
International Organization for Migration (2017) World migration report 2018. IOM, Geneva
Ip C (2013) Policy convergence and policy borrowing: what are the implications for Hong Kong’s qualifications framework? Unpublished EdD thesis, University of Nottingham
Jacinto C (2011) Technical and vocational education and training in the last decade in Latin America.Background paper for the Third International Conference on TVET, Shanghai
Kerr SP, Kerr W, Özden Ç, Parsons C (2016) Global talent flows. J Econ Perspect 30(4):83–106
Kobo O (2010) ‘We are citizens too’: the politics of citizenship in independent Ghana. J Mod Afr Stud 48(1):67–94
Leask B (2009) Using formal and informal curricula to improve interactions between home and international students. J Stud Int Educ 13(2):205–221
Lenner K, Turner L (2018) Learning from the Jordan compact. Forced Migr Rev 57:48–51
Longhi S, Nijkamp P, Poot J (2010) Meta-analyses of labour-market impacts of immigration: key conclusions and policy implications. Environ Plan C Gov Policy 28(5):819–833
Madziva R, McGrath S, Thondhlana J (2016) Communicating employability: the role of communicative competence for Zimbabwean highly skilled migrants in the UK. J Int Migr Integr 17(1):235–252
McGrath S (2012) Vocational education and training for development: a policy in need of a theory? Int J Educ Dev 32(5):623–631
Meagher K (2013) Informality, religious conflict, and governance in Northern Nigeria: economic inclusion in divided societies. Afr Stud Rev 56(3):209–234
Mertkan S, Gilanlioglu I, McGrath S (2016) Internationalizing higher education: from grand plans to evolving responses. J Organ Chang Manag 29(6):889–902
Morgan W, Sives A, Appleton S (2006) Teacher mobility, ‘brain drain’, labour markets and educational resources in the commonwealth. Education research report 66. DFID, London
OECD (2014) International migration outlook 2014. OECD Publishing. Accessed via https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/international-migration-outlook-2014_migr_outlook-2014-en. On 11 Jun 2018
Onsando G, Billett S (2009) African students from refugee backgrounds in Australian TAFE institutes: a case for transformative learning goals and processes. Int J Train Res 7(2):80–94
Paulet M-O (2013) France: the validation of acquired experience (VAE). In: Singh M, Duvekot R (eds) Linking recognition practices and national qualifications frameworks. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, Hamburg
Pilz M, Li J-M, Canning R, Minty S (2017) Modularisation approaches in Initial Vocational Education: evidence for policy convergence in Europe? J Vocat Educ Train 70(1):1–26
Ratha D, De S, Plaza S, Schuettler K, Seshan G, Wyss H, Yameogo N (2014) Migration and remittances: recent developments and outlook. Migration and development brief 27. World Bank, Washington, DC
Rietig V (2016) Moving beyond crisis: Germany’s new approaches to integrating refugees into the labour market. Migration Policy Institute, Washington, DC
Takahashi M, Moroz M, Peters J, Pronyk J, Barltrop R (2018) Expanding economic opportunities in protracted displacement. Forced Migr Rev 57:45–47
United Nations (2013) International migration policies: government views and priorities. United Nations, New York
United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (2017) International migration report, 2017. United Nations, New York
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2015) Asylum trends 2014. UNHCR, Geneva. Accessed via http://www.unhcr.org/uk/statistics/unhcrstats/551128679/asylum-levels-trends-industrialized-countries-2014.html. On 12 Jun 2018
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2017) Global trends forced migration 2016. UNHCR, Geneva. Accessed via http://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2016/. On 6 Jun 2018
Vadean F, Randazzo T, Piracha M (2017) Remittances, labour supply and activity of household members left-behind. J Dev Stud. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2017.1404031
Van Mol C, De Valk H (2016) Migration and immigrants in Europe: a historical and demographic perspective. In: Garcés-Mascareñas B, Penninx R (eds) Integration processes and policies in Europe. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 31–55
Varma R, Kapur D (2013) Comparative analysis of brain drain, brain circulation and brain retain: a case study of Indian Institutes of Technology. J Comp Policy Anal 15(4):315–330
Watts A (2011) Career guidance and orientation. Background paper for the Third International Conference on TVET, Shanghai
Webb S, Faine M, Pardy J, Roy R (2017) The role of VET in the (dis) placing of migrants’ skills in Australia. J Vocat Educ Train 69(3):351–370
World Bank (2018) Personal remittances, received (% of GDP). Accessed via https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS?contextual=default&end=2016&locations=LS&start=1975&view=chart. On 8 Jun 2018
World Health Organisation (n.d.) Mental health of refugees and migrants. Accessed via http://www.who.int/migrants/about/areas-of-work/en/index5.html. On 12 Jun 2008
Yang J (2015) Recognition, validation and accreditation of non-formal and informal learning in UNESCO member states. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, Hamburg
Young M, Allais S (eds) (2013) Implementing national qualifications frameworks across five continents. Routledge, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Alla-Mensah, J., Fakoush, H., McGrath, S., Wedekind, V. (2019). Migrants in the Labor Market: Implications for TVET. In: McGrath, S., Mulder, M., Papier, J., Suart, R. (eds) Handbook of Vocational Education and Training . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94532-3_114
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94532-3_114
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-94531-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-94532-3
eBook Packages: EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education