Renaissance or a backward step? Disparities and tensions in two new Swedish pathways in VET

This article builds on results from studies of two new pathways in Swedish upper secondary VET. A major reform was launched in 2011 and the restructuring was presented by the Minister of Education as a 'renaissance for VET education'. The conclusion of the Upper Secondary Commission is that 'students shall be more specialised within their vocational or study area compared to today's vocationally oriented programmes'. We conceptualize the restructured upper secondary VET and these two new educational pathways as a new 'VET practice architecture'. Apprenticeship Education and Vocational Introduction are both regarded as alternatives to school-based VET, particularly beneficial for students with 'practical' learning styles and as alternatives for students who lack the motivation to study in regular VET programmes. The results from the empirical studies show a landscape of disparities and tensions and the vocational learning taking place challenges the notion of a 'renaissance for VET education'.