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Post-secondary technical vocational education (TVE) is primarily directed towards youth that have recently finished high school, preparing them directly for the labor market. Post-secondary TVE programs focus on practical knowledge and tend to be directly linked to a particular industry or profession. They last a minimum of six months but are usually shorter than a full tertiary, academic education, and lead to a title or certification.
There are multiple studies that point out or speculate about the benefits of TVE, particularly highlighting its potential to improve social integration and human capital competitiveness at a national scale. However, a major limitation to contemporary understandings of post-secondary TVE at scale is the fragmentation and general lack of understanding that exists between different post-secondary TVE systems both at domestic and international levels. There is a general lack of coordination and consistency between key actors in TVE systems that hinders the development of cross-country, large-scale studies.
OECD countries present some of the best examples of well-developed and integrated post-secondary ETV programs. Countries like Sweden and Australia particularly stand out. The examples put forth by these countries can be greatly valuable to Latin America, where post-secondary TVE has been rapidly expanding during the last decade. This document is broken down into three main sections. First, it reviews lessons from OECD experiences with post-secondary TVE. Then, it analyzes the current development of post-secondary TVE in Latin America, putting particular emphasis on key challenges across the region. Finally, it offers recommendations for post-secondary TVE in the region.
