Multilingualism in technical vocational education and training: Linguistic diversity, practices, and norms

Abstract

Policy considers multilingualism as a key skill for all learners in vocational education and training (VET), but this is not consistently reflected in practice. The M-Voc project adopted a mixed-method research design to address the under-researched phenomenon of multilingualism in VET with a focus on technical professions. The findings, based on perceptions from 674 students and 87 stakeholders in the Swiss-Liechtenstein border region reveal that VET learners brought multiple languages to VET, which were used to communicate, collaborate, and build relationships in their workplaces internally and externally. However, linguistic diversity also created division and barriers, and the learners' linguistic experiences varied greatly. Differences in perceptions depended on learner language backgrounds, the companies that employed them, and the VET pathways they were enrolled in. This project argues for more flexible approaches to language education in VET to prepare future generations for the globalized workplace.