Sociology Of Education Essay Examples
Introduction
The pathways to success for an individual within the employment scene are numerous. As such, university and polytechnics are some of the avenues available for an individual towards career growth. Nonetheless, it is imperative for an individual to examine personal and market demands to ensure effective choice regarding career path. Thus, this paper will examine ASPIRE and the diverse literature as per the case questions within a holistic mandate.
First and foremost, university, polytechnic and ITE are educational institutions that focus on ensuring higher study to the diverse aspirants. Thus, the diverse educations courses are within the areas of art, science, law, commerce and so forth. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that there are disparities in regards to career prospects. Firstly, ITE and Polytechnic aim towards the provision of numerous diploma courses as per the analysis of ASPIRE. Furthermore, the time duration that an individual undertakes in learning within the two institutions is short usually under three years (Elearn 2012). On the other hand universities offer individuals a lot of courses to the individuals in various areas of study. Individuals with the necessary qualifications can pursue the courses offered and meet the job opportunities available. Thus, from the analysis of the institutions, the main aspects of disparity are:
Universities offer a broader approach in which the courses are completed within longer time duration. The latter provide short term programs that are centralized
Universities offer a more theoretical approach in study while the latter are more focused on a practical approach
Thus, from the analysis of the disparity, there are distinctive differences in career prospects. Polytechnics and ITE graduates are more limited in regards to career prospects with a blue collar opportunity available for the individuals. The notion of practicality in the career paths lays forth a limiting factor towards the evident career opportunities. On the other hand, universities offer a broader spectrum of career prospects both within the white and blue collar sectors in the employment scene
Secondly, the concept of “personal desire” and the evident global trends in the higher educational institution has become an aspect of concern. The global trend in regards to education institutional sector is becoming highly competitive (Hallinan 2000). As such, the shift from labor intensive to capital intensive employment scene has become a facet of concern for the diverse individuals especially within the educational scene. Most fundamentally, it has become imperative that the stakeholders diversify the skill to ensure that alignment to the economic environment prevails (Archer 2008). Thus, from the evaluation of personal desire to the institutional sector, it is imperative for an individual to acknowledge that development of learning avenues that suit personal desire has been minimal in the various institutions (Elearn 2012). Maintenance of flexibility in training through developing apprenticeship training should form a basis within the higher educational institutions. The development of more communication based approach in development of courses is a plausible approach in ensuring that a more cohesive mandate in regards to personal desire and global demand prevails.
Thirdly, the concept of “pathways to success have become an imperative aspect of evaluation. From an individual perspective, there are more pathways to success for an individual. As such, from the examination of Fowlie & Smale (2009) It is imperative that proper development of skill centric institutions such as polytechnics is evident as per the statements from the ASPIRE. In regards to ASPIRE, good skill focused progression pathways are extensively advisable for proper development of an individual that can meet the market needs. As such, while a degree is one pathway to success, it is imperative that individuals acknowledge that there are other options such as polytechnics and technical institutes (Schiller 2010). As such, learning the evident technical skills is imperative especially in the market environments in which they can be applied within the real work environment. Thus, the availability of novel avenues such as the polytechnics lays forth an avenue in which an individual can improve skills both within the white and blue collar avenue. As such, the evident polytechnics and other institutions present an individual with the prospect of undertaking an internship. The internship generates a quality of experience and resolution as to whether an individual can take the diverse career paths evident. Additionally, it is imperative to acknowledge that in regions such as Singapore, in which the employment scene is not highly capital intensive, both blue collar and white collar skills are highly imperative and an individual should not focus on university as the most plausible career path.
However, it is imperative that the notion of flexibility to the evident dynamics within the job market is inculcated. Despite the evident career paths for an individual, it is imperative to acknowledge that the employment scene changes in regards to the economic and technological growth (Fee 2011). Thus, it is imperative that the effect of undertaking other career pathways apart from the university degree is evaluated and its impact on the stakeholders.
Institutional stakeholders: universities, polytechnics and other learning environments present an individual with an avenue towards enhancement of individual skills. Thus, the evident institutions, towards ensuring diversity in pathways to success should invest highly into a more skill centric learning environment. Furthermore, the institutions should ensure that they develop an enabling environment for talent planning and growth to meet the skill sets of an individual.
Fourthly, and finally, the analysis of the Singapore environment exudes plausible evidence of a highly vibrant economy with diversity in skills required. Thus, the economic environment lays forth an avenue in which it is not mandatory for an individual to have a university degree to meet the career prospects within Singapore. The most plausible approach for an individual is to undertake a more specified approach in learning or acquisition of skills. As such, an individual should enroll into a polytechnic or an institution whereby they have inculcated a formidable skill system (Hallinan 2000). The skill system should focus on ensuring a support system that aligns the skills to the market job requirements as per the evaluation of ASPIRE. As such, through an effective analysis of the market needs both within the white collar and blue collar jobs, an individual can obtain the right skills from the diverse institutions apart from the university (Fee 2011). Through the introduction of learning options that assist individuals towards effective skill acquisition, individuals can meet the career prospects without the need for university education. The diversity in options should play a critical role in ensuring a novel environment for learning preferences. Furthermore, through diversity in learning options that align to the market needs, individuals despite their circumstances can get jobs within an effective skill mandate.
Conclusion
An examination of the evident ASPIRES and the diverse literature reveals that there are diverse pathways and options to success for an individual. Despite the evident emphasis on university education, it is imperative that an individual makes an extensive personal analysis and the market trends. Through an in-depth evaluation, the most plausible career path is undertaken.
References
Archer, M. (2008). Social origins of educational systems. London: Sage.
Biddle, B. J. (2008). Recent research on the role of the teacher. In B. J. Biddle, T. L. Good, & I. F. Goodson (Eds.), International Handbook of Teachers and Teaching (Vol. 1, pp. 499–520). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Elearn, A. (2012). Managing yourself revised edition. London: Routledge.
Fee, K. (2011). 101 learning and development tools: Essential techniques for creating, delivering and managing effective training. London: Kogan Page Publishers.
Fowlie, J., and Smale, B. (2009). How to succeed at university: An essential guide to academic skills and personal development. London: SAGE.
Floud, J., Halsey, A. H., & Martin, F. (2002). Social class and educational opportunity. London: Heinemann.
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Good, T. L., & Brophy, J. (2005). Looking in classrooms (7th Ed.). New York: Harper & Row.
Hallinan, M. T. (2000). Introduction: Sociology of education at the threshold of the twentieth- first century. In M. T. Hallinan (Ed.), Handbook of the sociology of education (pp. 1–12). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
Levinson, D. L., & Sadovnik, A. R. (2002). Education and sociology: An introduction. In D. L. Levinson, P. W. Cookson, & A. R. Sadovnik (Eds.), Education and sociology (pp. 1–15). New York: Routledge Falmer.
Saha, L. J. (2001). Durkheim’s sociology of education: A critical assessment. Education and Society, 19(2), 19–31.
Saha, L. J., & Keeves, J. P. (2003). Leading the way: The development of analytic techniques in the sociology of education. In C.A. Torres & A. Antikainen (Eds.), The international handbook on the sociology of education (pp. 160–179). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Schiller, K. (2010). Longitudinal studies: An introduction: Opening the black box. In D. L. Levinson, P. W. Cookson, Jr., & A. R. Sadovnik (Eds.), Education and sociology: An encyclopedia (pp. 403–408). New York: Routledge Falmer.
Young, M. (2002). Sociology of education as critical theory. In D. L. Levinson, P. W. Cookson, & A. R. Sadovnik (Eds.), Education and sociology (pp. 559–569). New York: Routledge Falmer.
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