An exploration of the identities of qualified artisans employed as Technical Vocational Education and Training College lecturers.

Abstract

One of the most important contributions of exploratory research is its potential to broaden ideas on currently accepted knowledge. This research ventured to do this by exploring the life histories of the lecturers who constitute a core group within the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. Their life histories are explored with explicit attention to occupationally directed changes in trying to make meaning of the impact their identities had on their occupational decisions and vice versa. Identity theory places emphasis on the relationships and interactions an individual has within their environment and how these contribute to the validation of their identities. In understanding this, the research utilised the Communities of Practice (CoP) theory as the framework that would provide the lens through which the participants‟ experiences are explored. The findings of the research illustrate how identities have determined ones‟ inclination to fulfil roles competently; and how the extent to which different identities interact and allow each other to flourish will contribute to the decisions each one makes in their various CoP. The findings furthermore offer insights into critical components of the TVET arena that upon further exploration can provide robust insights into the development of the sector. The expansion of knowledge around TVET lecturers, artisan development and occupational migration are presented as areas of opportunity with the need for further probing of these in the endeavour to expand a prosperous TVET sector in South Africa.