Stepping into the labour market from the VET sector in China: student perceptions and experiences

ABSTRACT The Chinese Government is clear that investment is needed to upskill the workforce, yet VET students, who will play a key role in the upskilling, continue to be positioned at the bottom of the educational hierarchy and suffer considerable societal prejudice. This paper presents new findings on Chinese VET students’ perceptions of the job market and career possibilities in the context of the negatively stereotyped VET system. The findings are analysed through the lens of Gramsci’s hegemonic power and with reference to Bauman’s individualisation. A lack of confidence was found among the VET students who were about to enter the labour market; moreover, they exhibited a passive acceptance of whatever jobs were available, rather than mindfully choosing. Analysis of the findings suggests that the students gave their active consent to the hegemonic human capital form of thinking and accepted their perceived ‘inadequacy’ and unfavourable places in the division of labour. They were under the impression that they needed to take responsibility for the choices they made as ‘[our] chances all come down to us'. The study concludes that this individualising force could sustain hegemonic control as well as provide the ‘flexible workers’ needed by an economy influenced by neoliberalism.