An exploratory study of employers’ recruitment practices

This report presents the findings of a small-scale study exploring employers’ use of qualifications - particularly technical and vocational qualifications - within the recruitment process.

Technical and vocational qualifications are practical, work-based qualifications intended to give participants the skills and experience needed for particular occupations and career paths. However, research has shown that there is generally low understanding and perceived value of technical and vocational qualifications amongst employers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Despite this low understanding and perceived value, there is evidence of positive employment outcomes and wage returns for candidates who hold these types of qualifications.

This report by Megan Lucus and Suzanne Straw from the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) set out to achieve two objectives: 

1. quantify the proportion of job postings that list qualifications (particularly technical and vocational qualifications) in their adverts and explore how this varies by industry sector
2. understand employers’ motivations and decision-making when hiring to fill vacancies and any barriers to the inclusion of technical and vocational qualifications within their recruitment process.

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