The educational experiences of four displaced workers : a qualitative study of the difficulties encountered by displaced workers during retraining

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the experiences of four displaced workers as they prepared for, and progressed through, a retraining program. The study's purpose was to identify the difficulties and barriers encountered by displaced workers during retraining, and to offer a better understanding of the college experience from the viewpoint of the student. -- Qualitative methods were chosen because of the exploratory and emergent nature of the study. Oral histories were obtained through extensive interviews with four participants. These interviews were audio-taped and from each a first-person narrative was produced. The analysis of these narratives provided an understanding of the retraining experiences from the participant's perspective. -- The findings indicate that the greatest difficulty encountered by the four participants was academic weakness. It was concluded that, with respect to the four displaced workers who participated in this study, the system failed to give adequate counselling before entrance into college and was not equipped or prepared to address the participant's academic deficiencies after enrolment. -- As a result of this study, the following recommendations are presented as a basis for further investigation. -- Recommendation 1: Counselling services should be provided by the funding agency to ensure workers make appropriate program selections. -- Recommendation 2: Training institutes should be more discriminating in their use of a mature student admissions policy. -- Recommendation 3: Institutions should consider making programs flexible for older students, especially in their first year. -- Recommendation 4: All institutions involved with retraining displaced workers should offer special counselling services to assist individuals in their first year of studies. -- Recommendation 5: Training institutions should stress the importance of social integration of students, and promote the involvement of all students in extra-curricular activities and events. -- Recommendation 6: Institutions should promote the creation of peer groups amongst older students.