Learning an Occupation

Education and training have often been considered as polar extremes, the first being the development of the mind and the latter the mastery of strictly practical endeavours. But the two worlds of practical and conceptual endeavours are less distant than it may seem and these simplistic views of education and training are misguided. Indeed, there are definitional problems concerning education and training, leading to misguided policies. There is a need for a clear understanding of the overlaps and contrasts between the two concepts. The papers collected in this book reflect the past experience of the author, working in Brazil, for the ILO, for the World Bank and for the Interamerican Development Bank; in addition, as an outside observer, watching SENAI (the Brazilian Industrial Training Service) and other similar institutions in the country. They are neither theoretical exercises nor efforts to count heads. Instead, the papers result from the effort to understand training, as it happens inside schools and training centres. But also, looking at a broader picture and asking what policies are appropriate to deal with them as a group.