Institutional Narratives of Skill Formation: Comparing Thematic Shifts in Parliamentary Speeches from 1946 to 2019

This work explores narratives on skill formation that have been developed historically in parliamentary debates. Vocational education and training institutions are tightly embedded into countries' political economies. In reference to the Variety of Capitalism literature, the formal institutionalisation process is well researched, suggesting institutional variety across countries, but also profound differences in informal themes and framing. The image and beliefs related to skill formation institutions, however, have yet to be explored. I focus on the long-term manifestation of topics that are associated with discussions on apprenticeships and provide evidence on the persistent influence of historical themes to this day. I further generate insight into new trends and emerging topics associated with apprenticeships in parliamentary debates. The paper compares parliamentary debates in the German Bundestag with the House of Commons in the UK from 1946 to 2019. Even though both countries follow significantly different institutional trajectories, debates concerned with apprenticeships and Vocational Education and Training have a long-standing tradition in both. Utilising quantitative text analysis, such as Topic Models, I explore debates concerned with apprenticeships and Vocational Education since World War II. The analysis relies on the frequency analysis of relevant debates to identify when connected matters were discussed and link them to a policy timeline. The analysis of associated words, considering co-occurrence, and controlling for time, allows me to derive patterns and thematic trends, highlighting persistence and change. I quantify how both countries significantly differ in timing, quantity, sentiment, and associated terms. My findings contribute to the understanding of the institutionalisation of skill formation within country specific structures of the political debate. The theoretical framework relies on previous research providing important insights into institutional development, path dependencies, and differences in vocational education systems. It shifts the focus from the development of apprenticeships as institutions to the development of image and narrative surrounding this institution and associated policy decisions. This research supports the idea that themes in parliamentary debates reflect social development, major themes align with policy development in the considered timeframe, while more surprisingly revealing underlying concepts associated with various aspects of social policy, associations with the military and the image of youth and skills, which differ considerably over time and between both countries. The findings suggest that with increase focus on skills and skills shortage, the understanding of apprenticeships becomes narrower and looses complexity.