Cultural Diversity, Gender and Integrating Differences in Initial Vocational Training
This exploratory research reviews how diversity is taken into account in vocational schools. More specifically, the task is to study the forms of integration of two population types: migrants and persons in “pioneering” situations.
The share of students of foreign origin in VET is 23-25% and can rise to 40% depending on the curriculum (e.g. house painters), against 13% in Matura schools (Federal Statistical Office - FSO, 2008). As for the issue of non coeducation, it is linked to the strong gender specificity of some occupational activities, and consequently, to the specific issue of so-called “pioneers”, i.e. girls and boys who opt for a VET program in which they will represent a minority. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that half of all VET programs are “gendered”, i.e. with a proportion of 10% or less of students of the minority gender (Borkowski, 2001). A successful integration of qualitative and quantitative minorities in the VET process therefore represents a vital factor in the quality of teaching, and more generally, in social cohesion – all the more so since VET concerns two thirds of youngsters in Switzerland (FSO, 2008). Thus this project targets a better understanding of the situation in classes (needs, difficulties or assets specific to pioneers or migrants), as well as an in-depth knowledge of the skills and tools which are – or should be – available to teachers in order to ensure that each student is integrated in the training process. This research should contribute to the training of teachers in managing diversity in their classes.
This is a qualitative research of an exploratory character conducted in cantons Vaud, Valais and Neuchâtel. The selected VET programs are those for house painters and hairdressers, which combine the two factors to be addressed, i.e. the cultural diversity of the students and a strong gender-specific nature. 9 experts, 16 teachers and two nurses were interviewed. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded and finally analyzed. Observations were then conducted in three different classes: a class of house painter apprentices, a class of hairdresser apprentices and a class of basic training for house painters. In all three cases we attended 8 lecture periods, including general education courses and technical training. These observations were based on observations grids filled in before (with information provided by the teacher), during and after (analysis of teaching materials) the courses which we attended.