ABSTRACT
Vocational education, worldwide, is rich and diverse. The students range in age from those who are at school full-time, those emerging into the world of work and those studying for a trade, a profession or to be entrepreneurs, to those seeking, updating or changing careers and those preparing for retirement. The aims of their studies range from basic numeracy, language and survival skills, through competence at work, to professional qualifications at postgraduate level. The content of vocational education is the ‘hidden hand’ behind most aspects of everyday life. Everything we do is affected by commerce or industry, and behind commerce and industry is a massive chain of vocational competence which is normally based on vocational education.
