Higher Vocational Education and Training: Examining an unexpected upskilling and reskilling pathway for STEM and non-STEM university graduates in Spain

Abstract

This article focuses on individuals who possess a university degree and, at a specific juncture in their lives, choose to pursue higher vocational training in Spain with the aim to determine whether this transition is driven by upskilling or reskilling strategies. By using data from the latest Survey on Education-Training and Labour Market Transitions (ETEFIL-19), the extent of this phenomenon is examined, and the characteristics of those involved in this transition are analyzed. Subsequently, the relationship between the field of study originally pursued and the professional domain of the VET transition into is investigated. The findings reveal that this phenomenon predominantly involves females and that the decision to pursue vocational training is made several years after completing their university studies. The statistically significant and positive relationship between the field of the university degree and that of the vocational training program chosen indicates that the decision is primarily driven by a desire for upskilling rather than a career change. Additionally, those who undergo this transition perceive their Vocational Training qualification as valuable in finding employment. The article also considers the policy and practical implications of these findings and proposes potential avenues for future research to address the limitations of this study.

Keywords: Vocational Education and Training, university graduates, VET-University pathways, Post-Baccaulaureate Reverse Transfer, employability, STEM, contingency analysis, reskilling, upskilling, ETEFIL-19