Do You See Me? How Recognition Shapes Future Expectations among Vocational Education and Training (VET) Students in the Netherlands

Abstract

Vocational education and training (VET) is often perceived as less prestigious than academic education and previous research found that VET students in the Netherlands do not feel heard and have more worries about their future. However, little is known about how recognition and future expectations are related, specifically for VET students. The present study explored how experiences of recognition shape future expectations among VET students in the Netherlands. Fifteen Dutch VET students (mean age=19) were interviewed after which data was analyzed using the Framework Method. An explanatory model was proposed, illustrating the relationship between recognition and future expectations of VET students. Recognition from family, friends and teachers were more often linked with positive future expectations, whereas misrecognition in internships or the workplace contributed to doubts about future career prospects. The association between recognition and future expectation depended on personal characteristics, interpretations and responses of VET students. Additionally, lower levels of awareness on societal views of VET functioned as a buffer when facing misrecognition. Differences in experienced recognition and future expectations existed across different work sectors, making this another important factor to take into account. These findings underscore the importance of fostering recognition in personal and professional environments to support the development of positive future expectations of VET students.