Addressing mismatch in Spain: A concern and proposal beyond the economic sphere

Abstract

In times of economic crisis, labour shortage and high youth unemployment, the attention is put on the relation between education, skills and labour market demand. This article acknowledges the need to assess this relation but claims that a more holistic picture is necessary rather than the one that is behind the attention put on work-based learning in the form of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in some countries. Contrarily, to the concern of current mismatch discourses centred on individual labour wages and national productivity, the paper proposes a human centred approach the Capability Approach (CA) to explore the reasons causing mismatch and the consequences to the individual. By combining documentary and field work research in a college in Spain, the paper posits the view that a capability perspective centred on individual freedoms can be a conceptual but also intrinsic important starting point for formulating an enabling VET which is responsive to the needs of the employers as well as is able to protect students from market imperfections.