Stakeholder involvement and influence in the reform of vocational qualifications in Wales

Downey, Gareth 2024. Stakeholder involvement and influence in the reform of vocational qualifications in Wales. EdD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Vocational qualifications (VQs) – which are expected to serve a range of interests and priorities – are a deeply contested area of education policy and have been the subject of repeated reforms across the UK over the past 40 years. VQs are widely taken by learners across Wales but traditionally most of these qualifications have been developed to meet the needs of the English system. It was not until the establishment of Qualifications Wales in 2015 and their programme of sector reviews that Wales begun to depart from its nearest and most powerful neighbour by developing Wales-only VQs in the Health and Social Care and Childcare (HSCC) and Construction and the Built Environment (CBE) sectors. This study explores the extent of stakeholder involvement and influence in the reform of VQs in Wales, focusing on the HSCC and CBE sectors. It considers how and why some stakeholders were more influential while others were marginalised or excluded and the impact this had on the reform process. A comparative case study approach is adopted, involving interviews with a range of actors during 2021, including representatives from Qualifications Wales, Welsh Government, sector bodies, employers, learning providers, and trade unions. These participants were involved in the reforms and/or are key actors in the vocational education and training (VET) system in Wales. The study identifies the varied stakeholder relations and competing interests that exist in the VET system in Wales and the uneven levels of involvement and influence observed in both reforms. It draws attention to the absence of, or weakness in, the networks, mechanisms and arrangements necessary for stakeholders to have a voice in relatively inclusive ways. The study points to the legacy of past policies and the turmoil of policy churn and institutional change as key explanations for the uneven levels of participation. The study offers a series of recommendations to strengthen policy and practice and inform future VQ reforms undertaken by Qualifications Wales, as well as advancing the academic field of policy development on stakeholder involvement.

Item Type:	Thesis (EdD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	19 March 2025
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2025 10:07
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/176972

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