Abstract:

In August 2002, University College of Southeast Norway, Faculty of Technology (USN—FT), Porsgrunn, commenced a nationally supported pilot project on recruiting vocational school graduates holding a relevant trade certificate to its electrical engineering undergraduate program. Earlier, vocational school graduates would have to spend one academic year or more in the study of Mathematics, Physics, and Language to be considered eligible for admission in Norway. Due to a major reform from 1994 in Norway at high school level the idea of equivalence between vocational trade certificates and theoretical senior high school education concerning engineering education seemed rational. To make this equivalence principle work, the Faculty of Technology, and not the students, had to change. After 14 years of operation the admission is competitive, the academic results appear very satisfactory, the completion rate at USN—FT, has been improved, all resulting in a better faculty economy. These benefits at present seem to outweigh the administrative challenges of running two parallel and different types of programs.

The vocational based (VOC) program at USN—FT has been improved continuously since the start in 2002. All grades in all courses has been statistically treated for the period 2002-2015. The results from each year (cohort) are reported unambiguously in order to compare each cohort. Both the student’s completion rates and Grade Point Ratio (GPR) are significantly better than the average scores for bachelor programs of engineering in Norway. The completion rates are varying from 63 to 90 % for the 11 cohorts 2005-2015. The national average is between 46 to 60 % in the same period. The GPRs are also significantly better than other engineering programs at bachelor level at USN—FT. The results were improving in the period 2002-2011, but the last four years the results were worsening both concerning completion rates and GPR.

Feedback from industry indicates that VOC program still is important for future engineering jobs in business and enhances the quality of future engineers. There is a strong indication that USN—FT is heading the right way concerning the VOC electrical engineering bachelor program. Improvements in this program do not automatically produce better completion rates and GPR. The paper will discuss different parameters that may influence the results both ways.

Keywords:

Trade certificates, Completion Rates, Grade Point Ratio, New Teaching Model.