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fe2he: Launching a new project exploring transitions from Further Education to Higher Education and beyond

Aug 24, 2010

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Career Development Centre at University of Westminster has recently completed a research project examining the career transitions and educational experiences of students who have come into Higher Education from vocational Further Education backgrounds. By mapping the educational and transitional experiences across levels 3 to 6 and across the graduate job market, the project aims to enhance understandings of vocational learner progression across FE and HE, and to contribute to the raising of aspirations amongst vocational learner groups.

The project was co-ordinated by Dr Wayne Clark, Senior Manager for Research and Development in Careers and Student Employment (CaSE). Funding was provided by Linking London Lifelong Learning Network, as part of their remit for improving progression opportunities for vocational learners entering HE.

Drawing upon interviews and case studies with current students and graduates, the project examines real-life journeys of learners from non-traditional (i.e. non A-level) backgrounds across FE, HE and the graduate labour market. Data has been collected from:

The full report, FE to HE Transitions: Understanding Vocational Learner Experiences in HE, can be downloaded from:

http://www.linkinglondon.ac.uk/partners/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=315%3Afe-to-he-transitions-understanding-vocational-learner-experiences-in-he&catid=38%3Acase-studies&Itemid=153

Wayne said of the project: ‘We are very pleased to be able to present an in-depth study of the educational and career aspirations of learners who have taken a non-traditional route into University’. He went on to say that the findings ‘reveal that these students undertake tremendous journeys to get into HE and then to move beyond HE into the graduate labour market. I hope that this project raises the profile of non-traditional entry routes at a time when the roles of FE and HE are becoming increasingly interconnected’.

THE fe2he ONLINE RESOURCE

The project has included the launch of a new online resource, fe2he, containing a series of real-life case studies of vocational learners and graduates from the University of Westminster. The website is designed to provide a source of encouragement for potential students and a resource for those staff involved in delivering information, advice and guidance to students in both Further and Higher Education. The website aims to contribute to the raising of aspirations of vocational students by presenting emblematic examples of real-life learners who have successfully made the transition from FE to HE, and then beyond HE into the graduate labour market.

The fe2he website can be found at: http://www.westminster.ac.uk/fe2he

KEY QUOTES FROM INTERVIEWS

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