Mike Rose's blog

While away just after Easter to support my aged parents, I managed to catch up on several blogs pertinent to my work. These will form the basis for the next few postings as it is important to match my perceptions with those of others who are also working in similar fields.

To begin:

It has been sometime since I checked out the blog of Professor Mike Rose - author of the book 'the mind at work - summarised here.

Professor Rose's work advocates for the recognition of vocational education as a valid pathway and his blog provides rationale for the adoption of 'pathways' and better funding and support for American community college. Also for schools to provide better alternatives to the academic track.

His blogs are usually long but well thought through and structured. Most are therefore 'essays', bringing together his thoughts on each topic rather than short bursts of commentary and links. In a way, the blogs summarise his viewpoints, albeit from an American perspective, of the state of play with vocational education.

His latest blog, posted mid- April, provides a good overview of the effects of the recent election of President Trump and its effects on the American psyche.

Of note is the blog of  21/3, on re-reading vocational education and the new world of work, which fits in well with my recent readings and blog posts on 'the future of work'. From Professor Roses' point of view, there is a need to raise profile and esteem of vocational education and ensure vocational education is widened beyond occupational focuses to prepare people for the 'gig economy - see examples from Channel Asia News on 'the sharing / collaborative economy'. Trades work, would I think, be the original 'gig; economy as historically, 'journeyman' craftspeople would obtain work as they travelled to learn more about their trade before attaining 'master' status. Many trades occupation require 'in-situ' work and are less threatened by 'outsourcing'. Although 'pre-fabrication' as per Dr. Philip Alviano from Master Builders Association Victoria from presentation at recent AVETRA  examples may well change the nature of even more trade occupations. So, as with all occupations, there is still a need to ensure workers attain skills to continually retrain, re-skill or up-skill to meet the challenges represented by AI, automation, robotics and technology-enhanced everything.