VET Teachers and Trainers

Vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers are often overlooked in policy and research, so in response this chapter reviews international literature to analyze their position and role. Although national VET systems vary greatly, there are common themes for teachers and trainers that emerge from this international review, which include the experience of change in those systems and the experience of weak social status. This chapter argues that the position and role of VET staff are best understood in how they relate to society and to the economy and how those relationships determine their professional autonomy.