Opportunity or obligation? participation in adult vocational training

Abstract

Participation in adult education and training is one of the recurrent themes of educational research, and there has been much speculation about why some adult learners participate whilst others show reluctance. This paper examines key factors influencing participation in in-service job training among a group of nurses employed in the National Health Service and private health care. The study focuses on a group of Enrolled Nurses (ENs) who found themselves in a unique situation, whereby their level of job was being phased out, but ‘conversion’ course programmes were provided nationally to ‘up-skill’ nurses to meet the requirements of a higher level of job – first level Registered Nurse (RN). The findings of a national survey identified five categories of employee, based on attitudes to participating in the ‘up-skilling’ exercise. Both those who participated and those who did not have been categorised according to whether they viewed participation in retraining as an obligationor an opportunity.