Benefits of Engineering Education Recruitment from Vocational School

1. Benefits of Engineering Education Recruitmentfrom Vocational School Trond Clausen Telemark University College (HiT) Porsgrunn, Norway ReflekTori Conference Espoo, Finland, 3 - 4 December, 2007

2. 16 August, 1995 The HiT group of the Norwegian Society for Chartered Engineers (NIF) addressed the administration, stating: The NIF group is acknowledging the fact that technical education at HiT like other places in the industrial world, presently is fighting a strong head wind. Simultaneously, the group is aware that the labor market looks promising to entering engineering students. Therefore, the group recommends that the rules of admission should be changed so that graduates from vocational school's departments for the training of electricians, electronics technicians, chemistry technicians, and process operators could be admitted to the college, if possible, from the academic year 1996.

3. Background • Legislation. Since 1978, all upper secondary education has been governed by a common law, stating (among others) that training should be given in "scientific thought and method". This requirement even applied to the vocational schools. • Practical results of the legislation. The learning program resembles that of engineering education. New teachers having other skills (engineers, science and language teachers holding a bachelor's or a master's degree, etc.) are replacing the old. The teacher's role changes. Small trades are replaced by larger and combined trades; the principles of course integration and interdiscipline are introduced.

4. The principle ofequivalence: "...scientific thought and method..." • NOT a concern restricted to upper secondary school's science departments • In vocational school it's called SYSTEMS THINKING

5. One question to be answered: Can we trust that vocational school teachers are loyal to the Ministry's requirement of giving an introduction to "....scientific thought and method..."? We do. Some results will follow.....

6. 3 years of vocational school 1 year of college preparation 3 years of engineering education 3 years of voc. school + trade certificate 3 years of engineering education; new program Two alternative roads, ordinary and pilot class (Y-VEI) to a Bachelor's Degree in engineering

7. Credit transfer and substitutionContent and form of all vocational school interdisciplinary learning programs had to be examined(ETC: European Transfer Credit)

8. Benefits of Y-VEI • More students (no closing of department) • Improved retention • Better academic results • Exceptional high starting salaries • Students doing well in foreign universities • Better contact between industry confede-rations and HiT Some documentation will follow...

9. Some consequences • HiT must handle a more complicated and expensive administrative system • The Y-VEI concept has spread to other colleges and disciplines • The pilot project and its academic results has inspired the Ministry to preparing a law on lifelong learning

10. Student body development & retention Student body development Retention (%) - national average is about 57 %

11. Class average grade point ratio (GPR) after one year of study A: 4.5 to 5.0 B: 3.5 to 4.5 C: 2.5 to 3.5 D: 1.5 to 2.5 E: 1.0 to 1.5 F: 0 to 1.0 (Non-passing grade)

12. Discussion? • Vocational school status in your country? • Do you have similar programs? • Political/legislative incitements in your country? • Pro's & Con's?