Introduction

Despite the much-debated relationship between vocational training and work, the nature of the connection between further education and production remains obscure. As previously indicated, the problem with official documents and reports is that they assume the existence of a causal connection between training and work. However, as the papers in this section seek to demonstrate, such a connection is more complex than this instrumental view would seem to suggest. Moreover, the assumption that investment in training would necessarily enhance industrial efficiency or employability, begs important questions concerning the nature of available jobs and the social hierarchies which surround those jobs. Consequently, this section seeks a broader understanding of the social relations which govern the relationship between training and work, and which find their expression within further education practice.