Hands-on creativity in Vocational Education

This presentation poses the question: what conception of the phenomenon of creativity is best suited to the field of vocational education? VET (Vocational Education and Training) aims to prepare people for employment in craft and industry. In this field, there is an ever-growing requirement for creativity and innovation. In response, it is my concern that an understanding of creativity be developed with vocational education and training in mind. It is not enough to import models from other areas, where the distinction between ideas and production or creativity and execution is often relatively hazy and therefore not well suited for VET comprising production, handcraft and industry. In Europe, vocational education schemes are considered the solid base on which almost all kinds of industry and craft depend. If Europe is to retain its innovative capacity, then vocational education, especially the capacity of VET courses to nurture the creative potential of students, must play a key role. Both service-oriented and productive industries need employees who are capable of recognising new opportunities and inventing new products and undertakings. Moreover, the rapid rise of technology in the global economy has highlighted the need for our human capacity to adapt to these technological changes and continue creating and developing. However, can we say that, in our various countries, we are on our way to a more creative educational system and more creative teaching that will assure the preconditions for innovation at all levels of the system, including vocational education? The answer seems to be “yes and no.” On the one hand, we know quite a lot about what is needed. On the other hand, there is not much evidence to suggest that educational systems around the world are able to address the challenge. This presentation will suggest a way to move forward with these challenges in the context of VET.