A comparative analysis between vocational and non-vocational graduates from a selected number of Jamaican New Secondary schools

Abstract

This study used a comparative approach to assess the vocational outcomes of a sample of 1977 Jamaican New Secondary graduates, in order to determine whether vocational education made any difference to outcomes for these graduates. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a random sample of 977 graduates from 21 secondary schools. Results of the data analysis revealed that most of the variables, including employment, failed to show any statistically significant differences between the responses from vocational and non-vocational graduates. All the variables that were related to employment had very low correlations. The four variables with employment accounted for 15 percent of the variation. The indications were that factors beyond the control of the school were far more critical than school factors in determining vocational outcomes of the 1979 Jamaican New Secondary graduates; the state of the economy appeared to be the most critical factor