Because of an overwhelming response to an article on the Skills Development Act published in the previous edition of Open Learning through Distance Education, this issue of the Resource Centre Update focuses on resources on vocational education and training that we have available in SAIDE’s Resource Centre.

In Open and Flexible Learning in Vocational Education and Training by Judith Calder (London: Kogan Page, 1998), the author discusses open and flexible learning approaches that companies are using in training to increase access and participation. Case studies are provided, and strengths and weaknesses of various approaches are evaluated.

Another resource that is rich in international case studies is Vocational Education at a Distance: International Perspectives, edited by Greville Rumble and Joao Oliveira (London: Kogan Page and the International Labour Organization, 1992).

These case studies highlight to the role that distance education plays as a means of retraining individuals who have completed their initial education and who are working in the formal and informal sectors, without having to release them from their jobs. Another topic discussed in this collection is the importance of distance education in training home-based individuals who are seeking employment.

Another useful resource (from the National Extension College) is a training programme entitled Developing Competence (Cambridge: NEC, 1990). The purpose of this pack is to:

A further resource on key competencies, entitled Australian Key Competencies in an International perspective by Mark Werner (1995), is published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research Ltd, Leabrook, South Australia. It discusses the impact of generic competencies on the educational scene worldwide.

The author argues that acquisition of these competencies by the general population - and particularly the emerging workforce - is seen as essential for the development and maintenance of the workforce in order to enable sustained and improved economic performance in an increasingly competitive global environment.

A recent study entitled Access to Vocational Guidance for People at Risk of Social Exclusion by Pamela M Clayton. (Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 1999) is freely available on the Internet. This study explores 44 case studies in Europe focussing on people living in rural areas or in areas of deprivation, as well as on people with physical, psychological, and learning disabilities, and on those whose employment status is insecure and/or who are in low-paid unskilled jobs.

The study noted that there is a paucity of such guidance in the countries surveyed, and that, even when services were offered, access was often difficult. There are, nevertheless, guidance agencies that do exemplify good practice and offer creative ideas in enhancing access to their services.

Other than relevant policy documentation, our Resource Centre does not have much local documentation on vocational education and training. Two articles on skills development, which appeared in the second edition of Education Africa Forum published by Education Africa (1998), are, however, available. The articles are ‘Skills Development in South Africa: The Enterprise is the Life Raft’ by Janet Lopes, and ‘Where is Skills Development on the Business Training Agenda?’ by Carmel Marock.