Does Vocational Training Help Young People Find a Good Job? 职业培训能帮助年轻人找到好工作吗？

Youth unemployment has increased in many industrialized countries following the recent global recession. However， this reflects not only the cyclical shock， but also the crucial role of institutions in structuring the transition from school to work. Vocational training， in particular in a dual form combining vocational schooling and structured learning on-the-job， is often considered to be one of the most important policy solutions in combating youth unemployment.

随着最近的全球经济衰退，许多工业化国家的青年失业率有所上升。然而，这不仅是周期性冲击的反映，也凸显了教育机构在引导学生从学校向职场过渡的过程中的关键作用。职业培训，尤其是把职业学校教育和结构化在岗学习结合起来的双元模式，通常被认为是应对青年失业难题最重要的政策方案之一。

In developed countries， vocational education and training can be classified into three distinct systems： vocational/technical schools， formal apprenticeships， and dual vocational training systems.

在发达国家，职业教育和培训可以分为三种不同的体系：职业学校/技工学校、正式学徒制和双元制职业教育体系。

School-based vocational training and education

基于学校的职业教育培训

Some countries have a large vocational schooling component as part of their upper secondary education system. This is the case for most southern European countries， including France， Italy， and Spain， and for some eastern European countries. In those countries， the schooling system is divided into a general education track and a vocational education track. While the general education track aims to provide youth with general， often academically-oriented knowledge as the basis for a university education， vocational education and training aims to provide youth with practice-oriented knowledge and skills to prepare them for particular occupations.

一些国家在中等教育的高级阶段融入了大量职业教育内容。法国、意大利、西班牙等大多数的南欧国家以及部分东欧国家就是这种情况。在这些国家，教育体系分为普通教育轨道和职业教育轨道。普通教育轨道侧重于以学术为导向的一般知识教学，为大学教育奠定基础；职业教育轨道则侧重于实务型知识和技能的培养，帮助学生为将来从事特定职业做好准备。

In many countries， the vocational option is frequently seen as a safety net for students with poor academic performance who are at risk of dropping out of school and for students who are less academically inclined. The close link to work tasks and hands-on practical experience is expected to motivate more practically-oriented youths to continue training and remain in school longer. However， because the share of students who enter academic education after vocational schooling is very low， the vocational schooling option is often seen as a dead-end track and a second-choice education.

在许多国家，职业教育通常被视为一种兜底方案，为学业成绩不佳、有辍学风险的学生以及对学习知识兴趣不大的学生提供保障。职业教育与实际工作任务和实践经验紧密相关，以期激励重实务的年轻人继续接受培训，并延长上学时间。然而，由于从职业教育转入学术教育的学生比例非常低，职业教育常被视为死胡同或次选教育途径。

Formal apprenticeship schemes

正式学徒制

In some countries， vocational education and training is provided through formal apprenticeships， with institutional instruction complementing workplace training.

在一些国家，职业教育和培训实行正式的学徒制，学校教育与职场培训互为补充。

This is mostly the case in Australia， the UK， and the US， but also in France and Italy， at least in some occupational groups. In the US， formal apprenticeships still have limited scope and are confined largely to so-called “Registered Apprenticeships” in the construction sector （occupations such as electricians， carpenters， and plumbers）. By devoting time to both theoretical instruction and work-based training， the US apprenticeship model aims to provide both general and occupation-specific knowledge. However， training in this apprenticeship system is focused at the firm level and functions without close links to the formal education system.

这种体系主要存在于澳大利亚、英国和美国，但在法国和意大利也有类似情况，至少存在于某些职业群体中。在美国，正式学徒制仍然范围有限，大多局限于建筑行业（如电工、木匠和水管工等职业）的“注册学徒制”。美国的学徒制模式既注重理论指导也提供实操培训，旨在实现通识教育和职业技能培训双管齐下。只是这种学徒制培训集中在企业层面，其运作与正规的学校教育体系并无紧密的联系。

Dual vocational training

双元制职业教育

Only a few countries—Austria， Denmark， Germany， and Switzerland—accommodate a major share of all secondary school graduates in dual vocational and educational training that combines vocational schooling and structured learning on-the-job. These countries’ dual systems have four key institutional elements in common.

只有为数不多的几个国家能将中学的大部分毕业生纳入到双元制职业教育和培训体系中，如奥地利、丹麦、德国和瑞士。这些国家的双元制职业教育体系有四个共同的关键制度要素。

· First， they have a high degree of formalization. The training is provided in centrally accredited occupational qualification institutions， where the training content is continuously adapted to meet changing labor market requirements.

· 首先，这些双元制系统具有高度的规范性。培训是在经过统一认证的职业资格培训机构中进行的，培训内容不断调整，以满足不断变化的劳动力市场需求。

· Second， there is strong and long-standing involvement by social partners， including regional trade and occupational committees， through advisory boards that assist in developing and maintaining curricula and monitoring outcomes.

·其次，社会合作伙伴在这一过程中发挥重要且持续的作用，包括地区性行业和职业委员会，他们通过顾问团协助制定和维护课程，并监控培训效果。

· Third， vocational colleges， financed by the government， provide the school-based part of dual vocational education and training， which covers both general and occupation-specific education.

· 第三，由政府资助的职业院校负责提供双元制职业教育和培训的校内部分，内容涵盖了通识教育和专业技能培养。

· And fourth， participating firms must meet certain technical standards to obtain accreditation.

· 第四，参与公司必须满足一定的技术标准才能获得培训资格认证。

While dual vocational education and training offers several benefits from a societal and individual perspective， establishing an efficient dual apprenticeship system depends on the willingness of a sufficient share of employers to participate actively in training young people. To ensure the transferability of skills across firms after graduation from apprenticeships， the training also needs to include an adequate amount of general schooling. As trainees could potentially leave a firm after completing training， thereby reaping all of the benefits of their acquired general skills， trainees must bear at least part of the general training costs in order for firms to continue to provide both specific and general training.

从社会和个人的角度来看，双元制职业教育和培训有诸多好处。然而，要建立一个高效的双元制培养体系，关键在于有足够多的雇主积极参与到培训工作中来。为了确保所学技能具有可迁移性，能使学生在毕业后适应不同公司的要求，培训内容还必须涵盖足够的通识课。由于学员在培训完成后可能离开原公司，从而独享其所获技能带来的好处，为了维持公司对专业性和通识类培训的持续投入，学员必须承担部分通识类培训的费用。

In countries like Germany， a collective agreement sets a generally applied remuneration rate for apprentices that is considerably below the wage for a full-time， low-paying job. This model can reconcile economic incentives for the apprentice and the employer. The apprentice benefits from moderate earnings and structured training that will facilitate promotion to a regular and better-paying job after the vocational education and training exams， while the employer receives some productive input from trainees even in the early phase of vocational training. The dual apprenticeship system is more likely to succeed in countries where firms can credibly commit to provide relevant training in an apprenticeship program that includes apprenticeship regulation and external accreditation， and in which employer associations promote dual training and the government funds general vocational schools.

在德国等国，集体协议设定了学徒的普适薪酬标准，这一标准远低于全职低薪工作的工资。这种模式可以协调对学徒和雇主的经济激励。学徒从适当收入和结构化培训中获益——这种培训将有助于他们在职业教育和培训考试后晋升到薪资更高的正规职位——而雇主即使在培训初期也能获得学员的一些生产性贡献。一个国家的双元制培养系统取得成功的前提是，公司能够可靠地承诺提供学徒项目（包括学徒制度规范和外部认证）的相关培训，雇主协会在参与中推动双元制培训，政府会为普通职业学校提供资助。

Policy advice

政策建议

A dual vocational education and training model might be preferable to other vocational education and training models， but it depends on three demanding preconditions.

双元制职业教育和培训模式可能比其他职业教育和培训模式更可取，但这有赖于三个苛刻的先决条件。

· First， it requires support from a sufficiently large number of employers and their associations in terms of their willingness to train young people in a systematic and certifiable fashion.

· 首先，它需要来自雇主及其行业协会的充分支持，他们都愿意对年轻人进行系统化的认证培训。

· Second， it requires support from young people， trade unions， and parents in accepting apprenticeships as a phase of lower earnings in exchange for skill acquisition， so that apprenticeships are not seen as a second-best alternative to higher education.

· 其次，它需要年轻人、工会和家长的支持。他们要能接受学员在学徒期内习得技能但收入较低的现实，不把学徒制视为不如高等教育的次优选择。

· Third， it requires the provision of vocational schooling （including funding）， a regulatory framework by government or employers， and monitoring to ensure the timely adaptation and labor market relevance of the curricula. Hence， the organizational capacities of governments and social partners are crucial.

· 第三，它需要职业教育配套设施（包括资金）、由政府或雇主提供的监管架构，以及确保课程能及时适应劳动力市场需求变化的监控机制。因此，政府和社会伙伴的组织能力至关重要。

Despite the benefits， vocational education and training should not be seen as a panacea to combat high youth unemployment. Vocational education and training must be complementary to structural reform policies to revive the economy and reduce such entry barriers to employment as too stringent dismissal protection and minimum wage regulations.

尽管职业教育和培训拥有诸多益处，却不应被视为解决青年高失业率的万灵药。职业教育和培训只是一种辅助，政府必须采取结构性经济改革政策来重振经济，并减少诸如过于严格的解雇保护和最低工资法规等就业准入障碍。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）