Alternative Pathways to Success: To what extent does Vocational Education contribute to regional economic growth and innovation?

The economic development and competitiveness of nations are increasingly thought to be underpinned by the growth and dynamism of regional economic hubs. Within the Regional Innovation Systems approach, education institutions such as universities feature prominently as generators of research, innovative technologies and human capital. However, the role of vocational education institutions in development is significantly under-researched. At the postsecondary level in the US, they mainly comprise community colleges and vocational/technical schools. In this study, I sought to uncover the possible contributions of VEIs to regional growth and innovation by conducting a quantitative panel data analysis. Collating publicly-available data from nearly 800 counties between 2010 to 2015, I assessed the suitability of various models for estimating the relationship between the population share of adults with associate's degrees as their highest education attainment, GDP growth and utility patent generation at the county-level. Results of my exploratory statistical analysis offer weak support to the hypothesis of a positive effect of increasing the population share of vocationally-trained workers on GDP at the county-level, but no significant effect was found on patenting activity. Overall, this study showcases the value of future quantitative research into the channels through which vocational education contribute to regional economic development.