cedefopinfo 2/2004 1

cedefopinfoThird report on vocational education and trainingresearch in Europe

Cedefop has published its series of reports on vocationaleducation and training research since 1998. The reports pro-vide a comprehensive review of current research in initialand continuing vocational education and training (VET) inEurope, its results and their implications for policy, practiceand future research. Attention is also paid to theoretical andmethodological foundations and due reference given to re-lations with institutional, economic, social, demographic andother fields of social action.

Each research report comprises a background report of sev-eral volumes, with contributions from renowned researchers,and a synthesis report prepared by Cedefop experts.

Detailed information on the reports and how they can beobtained are found in Cedefop’s electronic training village(www.trainingvillage.gr/etv/Projects_Networks/ResearchLab/).

Cedefop’s third research report deals with the evaluationand impact of education, training and skills. It illustrates thecontribution of education and training to realising a knowl-edge-based society and specifies their benefits for individ-

uals, enterprises and society as a whole. It also suggests waysof improving the design and implementation of educationand training programmes or measures. The report servesboth to inform and improve policy and practice, and furtherdevelop research. It also contributes to the discussion on thegoals set by the European Council at its Lisbon and fol-low-up summits.

The background report, edited by Pascaline Descyand Manfred Tessaring (Cedefop), gathers contributionsfrom renowned experts and researchers into three pub-lished volumes (1). These contributions review the im-pact of education and training from various angles: indi-vidual, enterprise and macro/system level. They discussconcrete evaluations of education and training systemsand active labour market policies, with detail of approaches,foundations, methods and standards of evaluation andimpact research.

Education and training impactThe first volume focuses on the impact of education and

training, reviewing their contribution, and that of human

capital, to the economic growth of countries and regions,to company performance and to individual careers. The pa-pers include research findings on material and non-materi-al, social and private benefits of education, training and skills.They also discuss the limitations to investigating these is-sues. The picture is completed by case studies on the impacton the economy and social integration of active labour mar-ket policies (ALMP) with training components.

R. Wilson and G. Briscoe (IER, University of Warwick, UK)discuss the contribution of education, training and skills toeconomic growth and productivity at macro level; H.Izushi (Coventry Business School, UK) and R. Huggins (RobertHuggins Ass., UK) review related research at regional level.A. Green, J. Preston and L.-E. Malmberg (Institute of Edu-cation, University of London, UK) discuss the non-materialbenefits of education and training, in areas such as citi-zenship, health, crime, trust and political participation. B.Hansson, U. Johanson (IPF, Sweden) and K.-H. Leitner (Aus-trian Research Centers, ARC) investigate the impact of train-

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Evaluation and impact of education and training

Vocational training in Europe 2/04

The German federal government hasfor the time being suspended thelegislative process on the introductionof the training levy. The socialpartners are deeply divided on theissue of the proposed levy.

The possible introduction of a training levyhas been the subject of controversy in thefederal debate on training places for a num-ber of years. With another yawning gapbetween training place supply and demandlooming up on the horizon again this year,the Social Democratic/Green coalition gov-ernment decided to bring before Parliamenta bill introducing the controversial levy. On 7May, the government pushed the Law on Se-curing Vocational Training through the Bun-destag against the votes of the opposition.However the bill was blocked by the upperhouse representing the Länder in June in or-der to give the voluntary ‘training pact ‘ withindustry another chance of fruition.

The bill which is now ‘on ice’ before theconciliation committee imposes the levy onall companies with over ten employees liableto social insurance contributions if the num-ber of their trainees is less than seven per-cent of the entire workforce (referred to asthe training ratio). These firms will have topay a fine, or levy, into a fund by means ofwhich the federal government intends to fundadditional training places, on the one hand,and reward enterprises with a training ratioof more than seven percent, on the other.

The federal government nevertheless givespriority to voluntary efforts over the imposi-tion of the levy. The cut-off date is 30 Septem-ber each year. If the number of vacant train-ing places on that date does not exceed thenumber of unplaced applicants by at least15%, the levy will not be imposed. Efforts to

conclude a binding multi-annual training pactbetween the federal government and indus-try initially failed. Whereas the federal gov-ernment merely wished to suspend applica-tion of the law by entering into this alliance,industry refused to sign the pact unless thebill introducing the levy was scrapped entirely.This condition has now to all intents and pur-poses been fulfilled although the legislativeprocess has only been suspended and not ac-tually shelved.

The social partners hold diametrically op-posed views on the training levy. While theemployers condemn the bill as a ‘scandal ‘,it is welcomed by the workers as ‘long over-due ‘.

In May, Michael Sommer, President of theGerman Trades Union Congress (DGB), con-gratulated the federal government on its de-cision to introduce the levy which he believedwould improve young people’s opportuni-ties in the training market. He recalled thatthe assurance of employers’ representativesthat an adequate number of training placeswould be offered without the need for legalconstraints had repeatedly been proven wrongin the past and that, on the contrary, the sit-uation in the training market had continuedto deteriorate. The number of training placeshad fallen by some 82 000 to about 380 000in the course of the last two years, while theranks of the applicants had swollen. The fig-ures proved that the introduction of a train-ing levy was necessary. Sommer describedthe position of the employers - who wouldonly agree to a training pact if the law im-posing the levy was suspended for three years- as absurd and said that it made them loseevery credibility.

In contrast, the decision on the training levy

GERMANY

A blessing or a curse?On 28 May the Education, Youth and Cul-ture Council of Ministers took a historic stepby adopting a Resolution on lifelong guid-ance. This endorsement by Ministers and thedecision to opt for a Council Resolution onthis area of education, training and em-ployment policies constitute a strong signalof the importance now accorded to guid-ance at the highest level. Clearly guidance isno longer considered as a peripheral issueor mere accompanying action but has movedfrom the wings and is now firmly centre stage.

The main reason for this attention is therecognition of the key role guidance plays inpromoting public policy goals such as life-long learning, social inclusion, labour mar-ket efficiency and economic developmentwhich all contribute to the realisation of thestrategic objective the EU has set itself of be-coming the most competitive and dynamicknowledge-based society in the world by2010.

Lifelong learning is the foundation uponwhich the development of a successful knowl-edge-based society is built. Access to goodquality education and training across the life-span is crucial. And the more diverse andflexible learning systems are, the greater in-dividuals’ needs for guidance become to en-able them to make sense of the diversity ofchoice they are faced with. Individuals haveto be able to make decisions about careerand learning opportunities at all stages intheir lives and to be equipped with the skillsto self-manage their career-paths. In fact,lifelong guidance is a pre-requisite for ef-fective lifelong learning.

The Resolution defines guidance as: ‘arange of activities that enables citizens ofany age and at any point in their lives to iden-tify their capacities, competences and inter-

ests, to make educational, training and oc-cupational decisions and to manage their in-dividual life paths in learning, work and oth-er settings in which these capacities and com-petences are learned and/or used.’ Makinglifelong guidance a reality, however, is a chal-lenging task. Recent research, carried out bythe OECD, Cedefop, the European TrainingFoundation and the World Bank, shows thatcurrent guidance provision is generally bothnarrowly targeted (mainly on secondary schoolpupils and unemployed adults) and limitedin its content.

The Resolution stresses that, in many coun-tries, policies, systems and practices for guid-ance in Europe do not match the demandsof knowledge-based economies and soci-eties and call for a reform of policies and arethinking of practices. The Resolution putsespecial emphasis on improving access sothat guidance services are: ‘available at timesand in forms which will encourage all citi-zens to continue to develop their skills andcompetences throughout their lives, linkedto changing needs in the labour market.’ Par-ticular attention is also given to provision forindividuals and groups at risk and to the needfor more flexible and diverse guidance pro-vision, including the use of innovative method-ologies and technologies as well as outreachservices.

Key priorities highlighted in the Resolu-tion include:● improving the content of guidance ser-vices by refocusing provision on skills to man-age learning and work;● developing better quality assurance mech-anisms for guidance services, informationand products, especially from a citizen/con-sumer perspective;

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1 May marked the formal en-largement of the EuropeanUnion. Our ManagementBoard meeting on 13/14 Maywas therefore the first, whichall 25 countries could attendwith the power to vote. Cede-fop organised a special in-formation day for boardmembers from the newMember States on 12 May.We are pleased that the newMember States and the Can-didate Countries are well rep-resented in the national con-tributions to this issue ofCedefop Info.

In June all these countriesas well as the remaining EEAcountries participated in theannual meeting of our Re-ferNet (see Cedefop Info2/2002). This meeting car-ried out its normal task of re-viewing inputs from the Re-ferNet members to Cedefop’sdifferent activities, for ex-ample the Knowledge Man-agement System, the VET bib-liographical and institutionaldatabases, Cedefop Info, etc.It also looked at the questionof how to effectively organ-ise a network covering 30countries, comprising, at thenational level, hundreds ofmembers and carrying out abroad range of different tasks.

The results of the Councilof Education Ministers heldunder the Irish presidency on28 May illustrated graphicallythat the momentum of ac-tivity at European level in thefields of education and VETis being maintained. It adopt-ed a Resolution on strength-ening policies, systems andpractices in the field of life-long guidance (see article onpage 1 and 17). It also drewconclusions on common Euro-pean principles for the iden-tification and validation ofnon-formal and informal learn-ing and on quality assurancein vocational education andtraining (see OJ C C 104,30.4.2004). In addition itreached political agreementfor a common position ona Decision of the EuropeanParliament and Council on asingle framework for the trans-parency of qualifications andcompetences (see separatearticle on page 20).

At the meeting of the Ad-visory Committee for Voca-tional Training (ACVT) held inBrussels on 24/25 June, therewas a first discussion on whatmight be included in the com-muniqué to be adopted byMember States in Maastrichtin December. The progress inachieving the Lisbon goalsand, in particular, in imple-menting the Copenhagen de-claration on enhancing the

role of VET was welcomed.However, members, particu-larly from the social partners,drew attention to the infor-mation gap and the enormousdifficulty in making Europeancitizens aware of the practi-cal and positive implicationsfor them of what is nowplanned in the areas of edu-cation and vocational train-ing. Much of what has beendone is neither easily avail-able nor comprehensible tothe individual learner. This ineffect can be seen as echo-ing one of the conclusionsdrawn from the very lowturnout in some countries inthe elections to the EuropeanParliament held earlier thismonth. One of the challengesfor Cedefop is to identify howit can promote its informa-tion instruments (both elec-tronic and hardcopy), in or-der to support the EuropeanCommission, the MemberStates and the social partnersin getting the messages aboutprogress in creating a Euro-pean space of lifelong learn-ing over to the individual Euro-pean citizen. In this contextour virtual communities (seehttp://cedefop.communityzero.com/) could play an even moreimportant role in the future.

The study visit programmefor experts in the field of vo-cational training which Cede-fop has organised for manyyears, most recently as partof the Leonardo da Vinci pro-gramme, is a particular in-strument for the intensive ex-change of information andexperience. In this and futureissues of Cedefop Info wewill have a new section (‘Studyvisit programme corner’) withcontributions from programmeorganisers and participants.

Johan van RensDirector30 June 2004

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Letter from the DirectorReturning from Thessaloniki to Berlin shortly after the

20th Agora conference, my attention was caught by a bill-board advertising a global credit card company which pro-claimed that ‘there is Olympic spirit in all of us’. And it struckme that this slogan could have been coined by the organ-isers to describe the spirit which reigned at the 20th Ago-ra conference held on 10 and 11 May 2004 on the subjectof ‘New approaches to vocational education and trainingthrough sport’.

In a year which not only sees the Olympic Games returnto their birthplace, but has also been proclaimed ‘EuropeanYear of Education through Sport’ by the EU, this was an ide-al choice of subject for a Cedefop event in Greece, the cra-dle of world sport. Cedefop’s long-standing member of staffNorbert Wollschläger had got the timing exactly right.

And so they came to discuss the role which could or shouldbe played by sport in VET: politicians, scientists, practition-ers, teachers, sportspersons and administrative experts.

The participants arrived in beautiful Thessaloniki fromAustralia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Mal-ta, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

The Agora conference was offered a particular high-light by the host country in the shape of a visit (amid greatmedia hype) by Greek opposition leader and former foreignand education minister, George Papandreou (Socialist Par-ty, PASOK). Although many were puzzled about the reasonsfor his lightning visit, to their surprise he actually addressedthe subject of the conference, thus proving that his visit wasnot a ritual exercise. Papandreou expressly underlined the‘power of knowledge in the hands of the citizens’ and‘the importance of lifelong learning’, and emphasised therole of sport not only as a health factor, but also as a sinequa non in the life of society, in terms of the values it im-parts. He echoed what Cedefop Director Johan van Renshad described as the role of sport in his introductory state-ment to the conference: ‘Sport is an essential part of oursociety. One in three Europeans regularly practices a sport,not only to keep fit and healthy, but also to enjoy thecompetition with others.’ Sport instils ‘noble virtues’:team spirit, sharing, tolerance and strength of character.Along similar lines, the paper inviting contributions to the20th Agora had read:

‘Sport undeniably instils noble values: team spirit, a feel-ing of togetherness, greater self-confidence. But ethics, healthand the assumption of personal challenges belong to theethics enshrined in the Olympic Charter of Baron de Cou-bertin since 1896. Thus, when those values take the form ofskills that can be used in daily life as well as in professionallife, should they not appear in one way or another in the cur-riculum vitae? Turning the question round, is it not possibleto use sport as an educational tool in order to impart certainskills or values that are necessary professionally? Is this notprecisely what we mean by vocational training?’ These werethe issues which had drawn the experts to Thessaloniki. Asonly limited and isolated national activities have been con-ducted in this field so far, they wished to find out more.

The assembled experts wished to find out what role couldbe played by sport as an educational tool in VET and in work-

ing life, but also what dangers are inherent to the com-mercialisation of sport. Unfortunately this aspect was onlytouched upon. However the conference participants weregiven impressive accounts of how active sportsmen andsportswomen devote their lives to competitive sport andtraining. At the end of their sporting careers, many feel ata loss. Life after a sporting career is not easy. Many formersportspersons have difficulty coping with the transition to‘normal’ working life, a different working world, withoutthe assistance of others, such as their former clubs, andabove all without the support of training institutions at alllevels. In a nutshell: coordination between sports and work-ing life is vital.

Detailed reports and presentations were given on effortsin e.g. Finland, the Netherlands and Scotland or - outsidethe EU - Australia or Switzerland to integrate sport as an in-separable dimension of education/training. All the partici-pants agreed on the educational and social values and virtuesinstilled by sport, although it was recognised that sport andeducation have so far existed in separate worlds. Bringingthese two worlds together could be one of the successes ofthis conference: after all, both sport and education facesome of the same areas of conflict: violence, drugs andracism. The educational and social values of sports, includ-ing the ability to appraise one’s own errors and strong points,and to appraise others, must therefore be incorporated in-to both these worlds.

How can this be done? The question of incorporatingsport into the future EU constitution gave rise to debate.Should the EU have responsibility for amateur and profes-sional sport, along similar lines as its competences in cul-tural affairs? Good arguments were presented for and against.

Ultimately, therefore - and this is one of the insights fromthis conference - organisers and participants must be on thelookout for partners. However they must have sound andconvincing arguments to convince politicians to establishsport as a fundamental educational tool in the curricula ofall educational institutions. Both Finland and the Nether-lands offer good examples of how this could be tackled.

Despite a considerable degree of cross-fertilisation amongthe Agora participants, with many interested questions askedand a lot of new ideas gained, the fundamental issues re-mained unanswered. As pointed out by Cedefop DeputyDirector Stavros Stavrou in his concluding address: ‘It hasbecome clear that sport is a supplement, an element or amain element of education and in life, when learning andat work. Sport is a means of imparting knowledge and abi-lities which are useful for later working life.’

Until a decision on the integration of sport into VET istaken, long efforts of persuasion will be necessary to bringtogether the separate worlds of sport and education. AsCedefop Director, Johan van Rens, put it ‘It is not a sprintwe have ahead of us, but a long-distance run’.

Ulrich Eickhoff, journalist, Berlin

For more information: Norbert Wollschläger, Cedefop, nw@cedefop.eu.int

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Cedefop publishes a glossary of 86 essential VETpolicy terms.

Cedefop is publishing a glossary of vocation-al training policy addressed to the new MemberStates: Terminology of vocational training policy- A multilingual glossary for an enlarged Europe.The initial edition of the glossary presents 86widely used terms from all levels of vocationaltraining (policy, research, action in the field) insix languages: English, French, German, Czech,Hungarian and Polish.

Each term is accompanied by a definition, alongwith its source, as well as comments on both thegeneral concept and the use of the term in therelevant countries. Closely related terms are al-so listed so that the user can ‘surf’ throughout

the glossary to a deeper level of research. Anindex in each of the six languages aids consul-tation.

Better mutual understanding The multilingual glossary is the result of a long

process of research and consultation among prac-titioners in the various countries as well as Euro-pean and international institutions.

It is designed to assist the work of participantsat meetings on vocational training at Euro-pean level. It provides a uniform working ba-sis, creating the same understanding of currentlywidely-used concepts of vocational training pol-icy, e.g. ‘non-formal learning’, ‘lifelong learn-ing’, ‘the digital divide’ and the ‘learning region’.

Practitioners working on the basis of commondefinitions will thus be able to dialogue moreeasily.

As a bridge towards the languages of the newMember States, the glossary will also facilitatethe work of translators and interpreters in a fieldin which policy trends have a considerable influ-ence on the content of terms.

The glossary is available from Cedefop free of charge. At present it is onlyavailable in hard copy form but will soon be accessible for online consultation.

Further information from Philippe Tissot, pht@cedefop.eu.int Sylvie Bousquet, sbo@cedefop.eu.int.

Source: Cedefop/sbo/pht

CEDEFOP

New glossary to promote mutual understanding throughout the new Europe

Within the framework of its study vis-it programme (see page 19), Cedefopheld a synthesis seminar in Bratislava,1-2/12/2003, on ‘Reforming vocationaltraining in Europe’ to discuss the reformsin the east and the west.

Of the innumerable changes which havehad to take place in the countries of centraland eastern Europe, those in the field of vo-cational education and training are the leastwell known, the most delicate and, perhaps,among the most decisive for the success oftheir integration into the European Union.They are the least well known changes be-cause, in both eastern and western Europe,training issues are often seen as administra-tive matters, lacking excitement comparedwith the political and economic upheavalstaking place. They are the most delicatechanges, because transforming training sys-tems simultaneously brings into play policy-making, the attitudes of the social partnersand the choices of individuals. And finally,they are the most decisive changes becausethey create - or fail to create - the level ofskills and human resources which will enablethese countries to narrow the gap still se-parating them from the European average.

The challenges facing these reforms are infact very similar to those facing vocationaltraining in western Europe: how to keep pacewith excessively fast changes in the workingworld without leaving behind a growing num-ber of workers and how to forge skills thatwill meet the needs of our economies inthe first decades of the 21st century.

Apart from some circles close to Com-munity institutions, few experts, researchers,politicians or media are interested in thechanges taking place in the education andtraining systems of eastern Europe. This istrue of France and western Europe general-ly. This is why it is so significant that at the

end of 2003 the European Training Foun-dation (ETF) published a report on thirteenyears of cooperation and reforms in voca-tional education and training in the acced-ing and candidate countries (see CedefopInfo 1/2001).

Since 1989, the vocational training sys-tems of the former Communist countrieshave seen their links with big industry fallaway together with the funds they gener-ated. Under the old regime, anyone startingtraining could be sure he would be assignedand guaranteed a job for life. In Czecho-slovakia, 80% of a generation pursued vo-cational studies and 70% in Poland. Sub-sequently the public authorities, supportedby Community programmes, tried to replacethe declining large industries with privatetraining offers, responding to the immedi-ate needs of the enterprises suddenly con-fronted with market mechanisms and a heavysocial demand for disciplines and technolo-gies coming ‘from the west’: computers, fo-reign languages (especially English), mar-keting, management, etc. But this devel-opment meant that the private training mar-ket only satisfied the most ‘solvent’ demandcoming from the most well-to-do groups. Atthe same time, public policies gave priorityto general education, thus responding to themass popular demand for access to highereducation which, until that time, had beenreserved for a small elite: in Poland, for ex-ample, the number of staff in higher edu-cation institutions tripled between 1989 and1996, and the proportion of a generation ingeneral higher education reached 70% in1997. Vocational training thus suddenly be-came the poor relation of the education sys-tem.

Lately, rising unemployment as a result ofmassive industrial restructuring and the in-ability of young people who have complet-

ed training to find a job have become ma-jor problems in the countries undergoingtransition. Today’s priorities are to set up acontinuing training system that will pro-vide re-training for the unemployed and quali-fications for adults and to create an initialtraining system that will prepare young peo-ple for the labour market as it is today (theoversupply of general higher education diplo-mas today increases youth unemployment).

To respond to these short-term needs,public policies have largely been oriented to-wards decentralisation, with the local levelappearing in principle to be the best level forachieving a match between labour-marketneeds and training provision.

However it would appear from the dis-cussions between the participants at the se-minar in Bratislava that this approach ofmatching skills to workplace requirements

does not necessarily meet (relatively) longer-term needs, such as those identified in theobjectives of the European Union at the Lis-bon summit: to build between now and 2010the world’s most competitive knowledgeeconomy. One could even say that the grad-ual approach is the most appropriate onehere: how can one claim to base the economiesof eastern Europe on the development of aservices sector with a high intellectual valueadded component - as the ones in westernEurope claim to have done - when the lega-cy of heavy industry is still far from being sur-mounted? This argument can be counteredby saying that the skill-matching strategiesin the west have also led to dead ends: it isnot very efficient to orient young people to-wards a particular path on the basis of needs

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Vocational training between skills for the workplace and personal development

3cedefopinfo 2/2004

Contents Austria 16, 18 • Belgium 7, 10, 18 • Cyprus 4 • Czech Republic 12, 13, 16 • Denmark 5 • Estonia 18 • Finland 8 • France 10, 11, 14 • Germany 1, 8, 16 • Ireland 11, 12 • Italy 6, 8, 19 • Latvia 13• Lithuania 7, 17 • Norway 7 • Poland 9, 12 • Romania 14 • Slovakia 9, 13 • Spain 14 • The Nether-lands 6, 15, 17 • Turkey 18 • United Kingdom 10, 15

Cedefop/Europe 1-5Cedefop: Evaluation and impact of education and training • Germany: A blessing or a curse? • Euro-pean Union: Historic step for guidance • Cedefop: Letter from the Director • Cedefop: Was theOlympic spirit present at the 20th Agora conference? • Cedefop: New glossary to promote mutualunderstanding throughout the new Europe • Cedefop: Streamlining Cedefop for the challenges ofthe future • Cedefop: Vocational training between skills for the workplace and personal develop-ment • Europen: Trading at the edge of reality • Cedefop/Cyprus: Preparing Cyprus for ReferNet •Europe/ETF: Financing of VET reforms in South-Eastern Europe

Internationalisation of vocational education and training 5-6Denmark: Strategy to strengthen internationalisation of education and training • Europe: Launch ofEuropean Youth Portal • European Training Foundation/Syria: Making all the difference • Italy: Train-ing passport popular among young Italians

Lifelong learning 6-7The Netherlands: Latest developments in accreditation of prior learning and in lifelong learning • Bel-gium: First skills centre opens in Flanders

Educational policy 7-8Norway: Culture for learning • Lithuania: Colleges: a new higher education opportunity in Lithuania• Finland: Guidelines for education and research until 2008

Initial and continuing vocational education and training 8-11Italy: The right and duty to education and training: training standards • Germany: Reforms to backup new offensive • Slovenia: Decentralisation, a key instrument in developing the training system •Poland: New challenges for vocational education • France: New right to training in industry • Bel-gium: Technical education offers better job market prospects in Flanders • United Kingdom: New ap-prenticeships to widen opportunity and boost business • France: Governmental plan to moderniseapprenticeship training • Ireland: Who is trained at work, and how?

Employment policy 12Czech Republic: Information support for human resources management • Ireland: Changes proposedin focus of human resource investment • Poland: First Job: implementation and results

New organisations and programmes 13Czech Republic: Launch of the centre for evaluation of educational results • Slovakia: PCs for schools:from rhetoric to reality • Latvia: Latvian cultural craftsmen

Quality of VET - certification systems 14France: Pass’ compétences promotes access to sustainable employment • Romania: New qualityassurance mechanisms in continuing vocational training

Training of trainers 14-15Spain: Teacher training • Eurydice: Keeping teaching attractive for the 21st century • The Nether-lands: Making the teaching profession more attractive - more on-the-job training

Financing of training 15United Kingdom: Earn as you learn • Germany: The price to pay for continuing vocational training

Special target groups 16-17Austria: The long shadow of the knowledge society • Czech Republic: Intensive individual work withunemployed young people pays off • The Netherlands: The threat of a lost generation - strong com-mitment to fight growing youth unemployment

Vocational guidance 17-19Lithuania: Computerised vocational information system • Austria: The secret of success? - Vocationalguidance, Austrian style • Belgium: Social partner project tempts job-seekers to the construction sec-tor • Turkey: I

.S,KUR career guidance and counselling 2004 • Estonia: Coordination of career guid-

ance and counselling • Italy: New national resource centre for guidance

The Study Visits corner 19The British trade unions’ silent revolution

Mobility 20Promoting mobility in Europe

New developments, particularly those re-lated to enlargement made it necessary toamend the Council Regulation of February1975, which established Cedefop. This pro-vided an opportunity for the Commission topropose and for the Council to agree to anumber of additional changes in Cedefop’sfounding regulation. These resulted from therecommendations of an external evaluationcarried out in 2001 and an action plan forthe implementation of its findings, estab-lished by Cedefop’s Management Board.They also took account of an opinion on re-forms delivered jointly in 2003 by the mana-gement boards of Cedefop and the two oth-er tripartite agencies (Dublin and Bilbao). Theobjective is to maintain the efficiency and ef-fectiveness of the Centre and its manage-ment structures.

Under the Council Regulation (1), the Mana-gement Board now becomes the GoverningBoard. The principal of parity between gov-ernments and the social partners is main-

tained and the Board to have three repre-sentatives from each member state and fromthe Commission. However due to the size ofthe Board, it will normally now meet onlyonce a year. It will however establish a Bureau,which will be made up of the chairpersonand the three vice-chairpersons of the Govern-ing Board and a further representative ofeach of the groups on the Governing Board.The Bureau will monitor the implementationof the decisions of the Board and take allnecessary measures for the management ofthe Centre between Board meetings. Deci-sions in the Bureau are to be taken by con-sensus.

The new regulation also formally stipu-lates that Cedefop should establish MediumTerm Priorities and cooperate with the Euro-pean Training Foundation (ETF).

Source Cedefop/JMA

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Streamlining Cedefop for the challenges of the future

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The Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus(HRDA) is the National Coordinator for the ReferNet con-sortium in Cyprus. In early March 2004, the HRDA sub-mitted a proposal in response to Cedefop’s wish to awardcontracts for coordinators of national ReferNet consortiumsin acceding countries.

In preparation, the HRDA has already brought eigh-teen network partners into the Cyprus national consortium.All appropriate national stakeholders are represented: min-istries and relevant government departments; employer andtrade union organisations; non-profit making organisations;and national agencies/units for managing European pro-grammes/ initiatives. The members of the consortium haveextensive experience and knowledge of vocational guid-ance and counselling, organisation and provision of initialand continuing training, research studies, surveys and or-ganisation of conferences and workshops.

It is expected that the work of the consortium will bet-ter serve vocational education and training informationneeds in Cyprus, in particular in the preparation of thematicoverviews, research studies and reports in various subjectareas, as well as in disseminating the results of Cedefop ac-tivities. Dissemination networks and tools to be used, suchas the Cyprus ReferNet website, exhibitions, press relea-ses, magazines, newspapers, etc. are expected to be ef-fective both nationally and at European level. The list ofconsortium member contacts is extensive, covering the gov-ernment and professional bodies and business.

The HRDA used ETF financial support for cooperationactivities related to preparation for ReferNet to invite offi-cials from QCA/UK ReferNet to Cyprus to present anddiscuss their own experience. In a two-day workshop inApril 2004, two UK officials provided valuable backgroundinformation and discussed the main functions and core ac-tivities of ReferNet with their Cypriot counterparts. Bothconceptual issues and technical aspects of the networkwere covered.

The UK team explained the role of the national coordi-nator and its relationship with the national steering group,providing detailed information on aspects such as aware-ness-raising, dissemination and promotional activities, andthe construction, structure and content of a relevant web-site. Discussion on core activities mostly covered thematicreporting and the function of the various databases, whichwas very well demonstrated.

This two-day meeting was constructive, creative, inter-active and useful. It gave the Cyprus team the opportuni-ty to get first hand information and useful hints on howthe whole system could function effectively to meet thespecific needs of Cyprus.

Further information:George Siekkeris, Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA), P.O. Box: 25431, 1392Nicosia, Cyprus, Tel. (357) 22 390363, Fax (357) 22 428522, E-mail: g.siekkeris@hrdauth.org.cy,HRDA website: www.hrdauth.org.cy, CY ReferNet website: www.refernet.org.cy

Source: Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus

CEDEFOP/CYPRUS

Preparing Cyprus for ReferNet

Seventy representatives from South-EasternEurope met at the Cedefop headquarters in Thes-saloniki, on 11-12 March 2004, to seek newways of tackling common problems. They sharedbest practice of vocational education and train-ing development in the region, assessed theneeds and costs of reform and talked togetherabout potential funding sources for new de-velopments.

Country representatives were joined in themeeting by international experts in vocationaltraining and finance. Speakers from the Euro-pean Investment Bank, the European Agency forReconstruction and the World Bank explainedhow they were now actively seeking to back newprojects from South Eastern European countries.

A series of smaller meetings provided forumsfor representatives to explore these and otherrelated issues in depth. In one, for example, theworkshop leader asked the question: how can

barriers to VET development be overcome? Ideasincluded: sharing information on a regional web-site; greater access to existing EU programmesand a special mini-programme for South EasternEurope.

The ETF workshop concluded by emphasisingtwo key issues: the necessity for specific initia-tives for disadvantaged groups and the need forgreater co-operation within the region.

South Eastern European countries face hugechallenges in working together to promote so-cial cohesion. There were nonetheless many in-stances of new working relationships beingformed throughout the two days.

Further information: www.etf.eu.intJoanna Anstey, PR Dept.joanne.anstey@etf.eu.int

Source: Cedefop/ETF

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expressed at any given mo-ment on the labour market,when those requirements willhave changed by the timethose young people have com-pleted their training. Compa-nies which make their man-power forecasts on a long-term basis, always prefer torecruit overqualified butadaptable people, rejectingthe less qualified in the ranksof the unemployed, even ifthey were trained to meet thedemand for ‘immediately op-erational’ employees!

In the end, the policy ofraising the general level ofeducation applied in easternEuropean countries in the1990s may, paradoxically, bethe most appropriate prepa-ration for a ‘knowledge econ-omy’. Some Scandinaviancountries are adopting this

type of strategy today by try-ing to bring not only youngpeople but also poorly-quali-fied adults up to a general lev-el of knowledge close to thatrequired for university entrance.The fight against failure inschool - the first factor of so-cial exclusion - becomes a pri-ority once again. Vocationaltraining at a later stage is notoften able to ‘remedy’ whathas been missed in the firstround. The notion of ‘personaldevelopment’ which has beenoverlooked both in the eastand the west by the reformsaimed at satisfying the de-mands of enterprises or in-dustrial restructuring, can per-haps acquire a new legitima-cy in the objectives set by theEuropean Union.

Antoine Reverchon, journalist with Le Monde

Vocational trainingbetween skills for the workplace andpersonal development

Continued from page 3

Education worldwide is in transition. Newways of learning encourage engagementand involvement; they offer problem-solvingchallenges and virtual environment techno-logy training and they promote communi-cation and skill development and entrepre-neurial attitudes.

Despite an origin that can be traced backto 17th-century Germany, the practice firmconcept is still very much in tune with mod-ern training needs. It is flexible and respondsto the demand for qualified people with skillsthat can be applied to a global marketplace.Now it also offers a recognised educationalquality mark through the EUROPEN networkof over 5 000 practice firms across 42 coun-tries.

Real businessA practice firm is a virtual company that

is run like a real business, mirroring an ac-tual firm’s business procedures, products and

services. Each practice firm trades with oth-er practice firms, following commercial busi-ness procedures in their worldwide economicenvironment. The concept enables studentsto develop technological, professional, so-cial and business language skills and to puttheir theoretical knowledge into practice. Allpractice firms have a real company that as-sists them by giving commercial support inthe running of the business in line with thementor company’s products and policies.

The practice firm concept is an ideal methodfor imparting free-enterprise thinking to stu-dents and unemployed people in EasternEuropean countries. It offers them compre-hensive hands-on business education andlearning by doing, with personalised and prac-tical soft skills training. It can be targeted atthe unemployed, those returning to work,school/college/university students, and thoseneeding training or retraining. It can also ben-efit business start-up training, people with

disabilities and other disaffected people, plusfuture employees being assessed for a job.

NetworkEUROPEN, the worldwide network of prac-

tice firms, is a non-profit association, whoseheadquarters are located in Essen, Germany.The association’s strategic aim is to enhancethe international training of young peopleand adults for the world of work. It uses re-al commercial documentation, proceduresand systems, via the practice firms, underthe auspices of each country’s central office.

The central offices provide support for thepractice firms by offering some of the com-mercial services expected in the businessworld. These can include post office, bank,customs, insurance, labour office, tax offices,water companies, electricity companies, phonecompanies.

Recent EUROPEN developments include aminimum quality certificate for practice firms

and their trainees, a move cofinanced by aLeonardo da Vinci project. Since January2004, eight European countries have imple-mented this innovative transnational mini-mum standard educational methodology;the rest of the EUROPEN network is currentlylaunching the certification. It assesses trainees’practical office employability skills, within thepractice firm environment, to the same stan-dard throughout the world. This will ensurethat all the practice firms train, assess andverify in a way that meets the current andfuture needs of employers.

More information from:Suzana TemkovEUROPEN e.V.Altenessener Str. 80-84D-45326 EssenTel. (49-201) 320 44 49Fax (49-201) 320 44 51http://www.europen.info

Source: EUROPEN / Cedefop

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Europe 123,GR-570 01 Thessaloniki (Pylea)Postal address: PO Box 22427GR551 02 ThessalonikiTel. (30) 23 10 49 01 11Fax (30) 23 10 49 00 20E-mail: info@cedefop.eu.intHomepage: www.cedefop.eu.intInteractive website: www.trainingvillage.gr

Brussels Office20, Av. d'AuderghemB-1040 BrusselsTel. (322) 230 19 78Fax (322) 230 58 24E-mail: info.be@cedefop.eu.int

Cedefop Info is published in DE, EN, FR andcontains information on vocational train-ing in Europe, in particular the findings ofwork carried out by Cedefop and reportsfrom the social partners and the MemberStates. It is provided free of charge upon re-quest. Cedefop Info is also available on theInternet (http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/etv/publication/publications.asp? section=24).The electronic version often contains addi-tional items for which there was no space inthe printed version.

The contents have been selected and editedby Cedefop staff. Articles do not necessari-ly reflect the views of Cedefop. Articles con-cerning activities and events at EU level andparticularly those involving Cedefop are usu-ally written by Cedefop colleagues. Theirnames and contact addresses are given. Mostof the articles concerning the Member Statesor other EEA countries have been submittedto Cedefop by the members of ReferNet (seeCedefop Info 2/2002). Contact informationfor these, including names and addresses, e-mails and web sites, can be found athttp://www.cedefop.eu.int/directory. asp?refer-net. Articles concerning the Candidate Coun-tries have been submitted through the Euro-pean Training Foundation (ETF) by its net-work of National Observatories.

Unsolicited manuscripts, books and othermaterial will be carefully examined and as-sessed. Requests for contacts, news of forth-coming conferences and other informationwould be welcomed. For the accuracy ofthese, however, Cedefop bears no respon-sibility. Reproduction in whole or in part ofthe contents of this publication is authorized,provided that the source is acknowledged.

Responsible publisher: Johan van Rens, Director Stavros Stavrou, Deputy DirectorEditors:J. Michael Adamsjma@cedefop.eu.intCorinna Freycf@cedefop.eu.intÉric Fries Guggenheimefg@cedefop.eu.int

in cooperation with:Vaclav Klenha, ETF(39011) 630 2225Vaclav.Klenha@etf.eu.int

Coordination: J. Michael Adams,Corinna Frey, Dagmar Wolny

Responsible for translation:David Crabbe

Layout/Design: Panos Haramoglou, M. Diamantidi S.A.Thessaloniki, GreeceEditorial deadline: 30.6.2004

Printed in Spain 2004Cat. number: TI-AD-04-002-EN-C

ing on company production growth, pro-ductivity and competitiveness. M. Heise andW. Meyer (Universität des Saarlandes, Ger-many) review research work on the influenceof education and training in an individual lifecourse perspective.

Finally, K. Walsh and D. J. Parsons (HOSTPolicy Research, UK) discuss the impact ofALMP on integration into the labour marketand R. Hujer, M. Caliendo and C. Zeiss (Univer-sität Frankfurt, Germany) present a case studyon macroeconomic evaluation of ALMP inGermany.

Foundations of evaluation and impactresearch

The second volume addresses the foun-dations of evaluation and impact research:the different evaluation approaches, theirphilosophical roots and theories and theirfunctions. It also examines the main meth-ods and tools for evaluating education andtraining systems and reforms as well as train-ing programmes at micro and macro level.

Ethical and normative standards of evalua-tion practice are given special attention. Ap-proaches to competence measurement andthe designing and selection of key compe-tences in an international context com-plete the content.

E. Stern (Tavistock Institute, UK) discuss-es the philosophies underlying evaluationand presents different types of evaluation aswell as the basic approaches. The issue ofethical and normative standards for evalu-ation practices is detailed by W. Beywl (Uni-vation Evaluation Institute, Germany). M.Caliendo and D. Radic (Universität Frankfurt,Germany) present an overview of the mostimportant evaluation methods and tech-niques at micro and macro level includingtheir usability, adequacy and data require-ments. A set of tools for evaluating VET sys-tems and reforms is presented and discussedby E. Viertel et al. (European Training Foun-dation, ETF, Italy). The methodology and im-pact of external evaluations of education andtraining systems as organised by the OECDin the context of adult learning is presentedby B. Ponz and P. Werquin (OECD, Paris). G.Straka (Universität Bremen, Germany) dis-cusses competence measurement and eval-

uation. Designing and selecting key compe-tences in an international context is addressedby D. Rychen (Swiss Federal Statistical Of-fice, SFSO).

Evaluations of education and trainingsystems and reforms

The last volume gathers studies on recentevaluations of education and training sys-tems and reforms. Case studies provide aninsight into evaluation practices in severalEuropean countries - old and new MemberStates - and their role in reform. Other con-tributions assess the results of internationaland EU-supported programmes and initia-tives as well as the impact of the introduc-tion of market forces in employment andtraining services.

M. Coles and T. Leney (Qualifications andCurriculum Authority, QCA, UK) look at cur-rent practices to assess the impact of edu-cation and training reforms in various Euro-pean countries. L. Nieuwenhuis (STOASResearch, the Netherlands) and H. Shapiro(Danish Technological Institute) compare eval-uations of VET system reforms in the Nether-lands and in Denmark. W. Hellwig et al. (Ger-man Institute for International Educational

Research, DIPF) review evaluations of mo-bility and exchange programmes implementedeither with the support of the EU or in thecontext of binational exchanges. B. Baum-gartl et al. (Navreme Knowledge Develop-ment, Austria) present case studies of eval-uations of the NARIC network of the Socratesprogramme, of the PHARE VET programmesand of Leonardo da Vinci in selected coun-tries. The impact of the introduction of mar-ket forces in employment and training ser-vices for integrating job-seekers is the sub-ject of the contribution of L. Struyven andG. Steurs (IDEA Consult, Belgium). Finally,J. Molsosa (EU Commission, DG EAC) takesstock and proposes future steps for evalua-tion activities in the European Commission.

The three volumes of the background report are currently beingprepared for print and should be published separately in July-October2004. The synthesis report should be published in winter 2004.

Source: Cedefop/Pascaline Descy, Manfred Tessaring

5cedefopinfo 2/2004

Evaluation and impact of educationand training

Continued from page 1

Internationalisation of vocational education and training

Political support for international cooperation in theeducation system is ever increasing. Never before haveso many students participated in study trips or stud-ied abroad as exchange or regular students. Despitethis, the Danish government is now encouraging anextra effort in the field.

The government has presented an action plan (1) withnew strategies for the internationalisation of Danish edu-cation and training. It was discussed in parliament in May2004 and has the following overall objectives:● Danish education and training should be among the bestin the world, and Danish research programmes should beof the highest international standard;● Danish education and training should be contempo-rary and attractive so as to avoid brain drain;● Before 2010, Europe should possess the most competitiveand knowledge-based economy in the world and Danish com-panies should be at the forefront of this development.

To ensure Danish competitiveness in the global educationmarket and a satisfactory listing in international compar-isons, the quality of education and training should be im-proved, by, for example, participation in international co-operation and attracting highly qualified students and re-searchers to Danish education institutions.

Initiatives are encouraged in the following fields:● The international dimension is strengthened by intro-

ducing English as a teaching language. More study pro-grammes should be offered in English than today, specifi-cally in higher education, so that more foreign students areattracted to follow a study programme in Denmark. In thisway, Danish students improve their opportunities for aninternational career and thus have a higher value in the in-ternational working environment. The opportunities for un-dertaking studies, research and work abroad for a period oftime must therefore be improved.● The international dimension is incorporated into localgovernment objectives and future legislation.● Mobility for pupils, students, and teachers is increasedby introducing a new financing structure for international-isation in short cycle higher education and vocational edu-cation and training. Funding is allocated per student andthe rate is set by the state on the basis of actual costs of theeducation in question. This is called the ‘taximeter’ princi-ple and is already in vigour in the vocational educationand training system. The special rate for internationalisationis called the internationalisation taximeter rate. The op-portunities for undertaking a work placement abroad arealso strengthened,● The use of information and communication technolo-gies (ICT) as a tool for internationalisation, e.g. to developand provide e-learning, is increased.● Focus is put on the international profile of education in-stitutions. Danish education and training should be mar-keted abroad, and cooperation in higher education should

be enhanced with parties outside Europe. To attract highlyqualified students from countries outside the EU/EEA, a grantscheme is established for this target group.

Evaluation of these internationalisation initiatives is totake place before 2007.

The administrative structure for internationalisation ofeducation and training is affected by the government’s strat-egy. As from 2005, CIRIUS is to undertake the administra-tion of programmes and schemes for international coop-eration in the education sector and be responsible for analy-sis and documentary work, as well as for the assessment offoreign qualifications. Today, these tasks are carried out byCirius (the Danish Centre for International Cooperation andMobility in Education and Training) and the Center for Vur-dering af Udenlandske Uddannelser (Danish Centre for Assess-ment of Foreign Qualifications). The new CIRIUS is a merg-er of the two and will be a unit under the Ministry of Edu-cation with direct links to the permanent secretary. Fundingwill be allocated in the annual finance bill.

(1) Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, ‘Styrketinternationalisering af uddannelserne, redegørelse til Folketinget, April 2004’ (Statement to theDanish parliament on increased internationalisation of education and training, April 2004). Inearly autumn, an English version of the statement will be available from the Ministry’s Englishweb site (http://eng.uvm.dk).

For more information: Svend-Erik Povelsen, Cirius, tel. (45-33) 95 70 99, e-mail: sep@ciriusmail.dk.

Source: Cirius

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Strategy to strengthen internationalisation of education and training

How can I do voluntary work in Estonia? How can I fulfil mydream to find a summer job in Italy? How can I exchangeviews on the enlarged Europe with young people from oth-er countries? How can I create a project in my local com-munity? For young people who want to discover and par-ticipate in Europe, the European Youth Portal with links tomore than 10 000 websites of interest to young people isthe place to start.

The portal, which has been developed with and for youngpeople, was launched on 26 May 2004 in Brussels by Euro-pean Commissioners Viviane Reding and Dalia Grybauskaite.The press conference was followed by a live internet chatbetween the two Commissioners and young people, or any-

one active in European youth affairs. Participants had theopportunity to ask questions in 19 languages of the Euro-pean Union thanks to the assistance of a team of interpreters.It was also possible to follow the whole discussion in Eng-lish. Many questions were about mobility issues (finding asummer job, studying abroad). Young people also had ques-tions regarding enlargement, European values, intercultur-al Europe and participation of young people in society.The current YOUTH programme and the future programmein the youth field were also of considerable interest.

The European Youth Portal (http://europa.eu.int/youth/)intends to give young people in Europe quick and easy ac-cess to youth related information in the 25 EU member states.

The links available include detailed national, regional andlocal level information and are presented under headingssuch as Studying, Working, Volunteering and exchanges,Your rights, Portals for young people, Travelling Europe andInfo on Europe. In addition, the public can submit their owncontributions, participate in discussion forums and ask ques-tions.

Further information:http://europa.eu.int/youth in all official EU languages

Concerning the YOUTH programme: http://www.europa.eu.int/youth/index_en.html

Source: European Commission/Rapid Press Releases/Cedefop/cf

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ETF’s project to launch an apprenticeship scheme for the firsttime in Syria has left behind a legacy to be proud of.

Since the project began in January 2001, almost 400 ap-prentices have completed or are undergoing training in Da-mascus in four trades: garment-making, automation, mould-making and mechanical handling. The scheme has been ex-tended to Syria’s second city and important industrial cen-tre, Aleppo.

Teachers have been trained technically, pedagogically andin IT and have spent time in companies to improve their tech-nical skills. Several have become trainers themselves. TheSyrian government has spent around EUR 0.7 million on up-grading equipment and a brand new school, dedicatedexclusively to the apprenticeship scheme, has been set up.

These initial results are encouraging, but the less tangibleachievements may prove even more significant in the longterm. Until now Syrian vocational education has been cut-off from industry, with too much emphasis on theoreticallearning and too little on practice. This has often producedgraduates who are ill-equipped for the labour market.

Building bridgesOver the past three years, the ETF project has been slow-

ly building bridges between education ministry officials, in-dustrialists and heads of schools and between teachers andcompany supervisors. The long term aim is to develop a train-ing system that is much more responsive to the needs of in-dustry, and for this, the involvement of the industrialists hasbeen paramount. Changing the attitudes of people is a keyto success.

Teachers, company supervisors and the project co-ordi-nators have worked together to design new curricula. Com-pany representatives and school teachers have developed anational system of testing, although the government hasyet to implement this. The project has established schoolboards with two representatives each from industry and theministry, a novelty in Syrian education.

Public/private partnershipOn a macro-level, the project has produced a Green

Paper that proposes introducing an apprenticeship scheme

throughout the country. Industrialists and the governmenthave also begun negotiating the future financing of sucha system.

Last but not least, the success of the apprenticeship schemehas paved the way for a much more ambitious MEDA pro-ject aimed at overhauling the entire VET system of Syria.With a budget of EUR 21 million, the project will begin inSeptember 2004 and will pay special attention to foster-ing the links between vocational training and the labourmarket.

Further information: External Communication Unit, ETF, viale Settimio Severo, 65, I - 10133Torino. E-mail: info@etf.eu.int Tel. (39-011) 630 2222, Fax (39-011) 630 2200; www.etf.eu.int

Source: ETF

The EU’s proximity policy towards the Mediterranean region is governed by the global andcomprehensive Euro-Mediterranean Partnership launched at the 1995 Barcelona Conference,between the European Union and its 12 Mediterranean Partners. The MEDA Programme is theprincipal financial instrument for the implementation of this partnership. The Programme offerstechnical and financial support measures to accompany the reform of economic and socialstructures in the Mediterranean partner countries.

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Making all the difference

Lifelong learning

In accordance with the agreements withinthe framework of the Bologna and Copen-hagen processes, the Dutch government andsocial partners promote employability andlife long learning. Important issues are theupgrading of the qualification level of thelabour force, the prevention of early schoolleaving from vocational education and asmooth transfer to higher levels of vocationaleducation. In alternate learning and work-ing, better arrangements are needed forrecognition, assessment and accreditationof competences obtained from practice-based, non-formal and informal learning(erkenning van verworven competenties -accreditation of prior learning - APL). Re-cently, further steps have been taken to bringAPL and lifelong learning closer together.

The national qualification structure forsecondary vocational education is the mostused standard for assessment of competencesin APL procedures in the Netherlands. Withthe development of a competence basedqualification structure and examination sys-tem, APL practitioners expect that importantproblems with the present standard will besolved. The new standard must be less edu-cation driven, and more outcomes based(emphasis on competences rather than end-less lists of knowledge and skills), and mustinclude assessment criteria (measurability ofstandard is one of the system demands).

One of the key quality aspects is thatthe new standards of the Quality Centre Ex-amination (see Cedefop Info 2/2002) shouldalso be applicable to prior learning. A groupof experts from regional training centres andCINOP has reviewed the organisational as-pects, identified the gaps in cooperation, cre-ated the necessary instruments and definedthe quality needs for examination in combi-nation with APL (1).

Application of APL in four spheres (2)The National Knowledge Centre APL (3)

has defined a structure to distinguish themany various APL services. The structure isbased on two leitmotifs that run through allAPL applications: the objective (accreditationof competencies for civil effect or for careerdevelopment) and the context (ranging fromone national standard - national qualifica-tion structure - to distinctive standards percompany, school, employment centre, etc.).Combining these leitmotifs gives four fieldsof application:● Professionalized model for certificationin/around the VET sector, aimed primarily atproviding diplomas or (partial) certificates inthe context of the qualification structure;● professionalized model for acquisition ofinitial qualifications focusing on the contri-bution made by accreditation and certifica-tion to obtaining or retaining employment

or career development;● model for accreditation of competencieswithin structured contexts, aimed primarilyat the accreditation of competencies (provi-sion of diplomas, certificates or partial cer-tificates) outside the context of the nation-al qualification structure;● model for lifelong learning (employabil-ity) seen as the integrated model within whichthe other three spheres are subsumed. ‘Life-long learning’ outlines the situation of citi-zens, who are engaged in a process of con-tinuous self-development in line with theirown development requirements on the onehand and the demands of their environmenton the other.

APL essential for future individuallearning account

The final evaluation of the Individual Learn-ing Account (4), after 3 years of piloting, waspositive and gave some further indicationsfor the continuation of the experiment. Com-panies, training and development funds, andintermediary organisations were positiveabout continuing the individual learning ac-count. Companies however stipulated thatthe training should be work-related. Learn-ers were also positive about the continua-tion of the scheme, but attached less im-portance to the ownership of their account,because of the administrative procedures.

A good perspective for the continuationof the experiment is the combination withAPL and the provision of tailor-made cour-ses. In fact, this is a key to the success of fu-ture developments. Discussions on continu-ation of this instrument, possibly in anotherform (lifelong account, development plansetc.), are continuing.

(1) Boerma, S., Van den Dungen, M., Pijls, T. Organisatie enverantwoording van examinering en EVC. (Organisation andaccountability of examination and APL) in Dutch, CINOP. November2003.(2) The world of EVC. The application of EVC in the Netherlands in fourspheres - article, available electronically in English, by Ruud Duvekot,Erik Kaemingk, Tijs Pijls. Knowledge Centre APL (Kenniscentrum EVC).April 2004.(3) In 2000, the National Knowledge Centre APL was initiated bygovernment ( Ministries of Economic Affairs; Education, Culture andSciences; Social Affairs and Employment) to speed up theimplementation of APL in the Netherlands. The National KnowledgeCentre is managed by a consortium consisting of CINOP, Stoas Groupand Cito Groep. National organisations for vocational education andtraining and social partners are engaged in the role of an advisorycommittee.(4) Doets, Geertsma, Groenenberg, Jansen, Westerhuis. Experimenterenmet individuele leerrekeningen: de balans opgemaakt (Experimentingwith individual learning accounts: a final balance) available in English Dutch report of experiments with individual learning accounts (2001-2002). CINOP. ‘s-Hertogenbosch. April 2004. ISBN 90_5003_381_4

Further information and further reading see www.kenniscentrumevc.nl(in English and Dutch), www.kce.nl (in Dutch).

Source: Kenniscentrum EVC (Knowledge Centre APL) / CINOP

THE NETHERLANDS

Latest developments in accreditation of prior learning and in lifelong learning

Europass Training (1) launched in Italyon 1 January 2000: Isfol survey threeyears on

Between November 2000 and December2003, more than 5 000 young Italian job-seekers used the Europass Training instru-ment developed by the European Commis-sion in 1998 (1999/51/CE).

Europass Training was introduced to pro-mote mobility by means of an individual book-let testifying work-linked training path-ways within the European Union. It providesgreater transparency and visibility of themodalities and content of training periodsabroad. Promoted by training agencies, firms,

schools and universities, it is addressed toworkers, apprentices, students and unem-ployed persons following a work-linked train-ing pathway.

In Italy, Europass Training is managed byIsfol in its capacity as National Contact Point(NCP), under the aegis of the Ministry of Em-ployment and Social Policy.

The data from the survey on the 2001 to2003 experimental phase point to a higherrate of participation among women than men,above all in the 14 to 19 age bracket. Themost popular host country was the UnitedKingdom (26%). Most of the youngsters heardabout Europass Training at school, in partic-

ular from their teachers. The main sectorschosen for the experience abroad were linkedto IT, research and occupational activities. Fol-lowing the mobility experience, approx. 60%of participants continued with their studies,21% found a job and 1.8% obtained train-ing credits or went into other training cours-es. 44% of the agencies promoting EuropassTraining were educational institutions, 25%training agencies, 1.11% universities and lo-cal authorities and 8.6% firms.

With its name shortened to simply ‘Europass’,the training passport is to become a moregeneral instrument creating greater trans-parency of skills and qualifications at Euro-

pean level in the coming years.(1) The book-let will help individuals better communicatetheir skills and qualifications when search-ing for employment or for a different jobor when intending to move, both inside andoutside their own countries of origin. Europasswill be effective in all EU Member States,throughout the European Economic Area(Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), as well as inBulgaria, Romania and Turkey.

(1) See page 20 of this Cedefop Info

Further information at:www.isfol.iwww.welfare.gov.it

Source: Alessandra Pedone - ISFOL ReferNet Italy

ITALY

Training passport popular among young Italians

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7cedefopinfo 2/2004

Educational policy

In June 2004, a white paper on primary andsecondary education presented in April by theMinistry of Education and Research was adopt-ed, with some changes, by the Parliament.The white paper, called ‘Culture for Learning’(St.meld. nr. 30 Kultur for læring) (1), focuseson enhancing the quality of learning - fromkindergarten to working life.

‘Our vision is to create a better culture forlearning. If we are to succeed, we must bemore able and willing to learn. Schools them-selves must be learning organisations. Onlythen can they offer attractive jobs and sti-mulate the pupils’ curiosity and motivationfor learning. Schools cannot teach us every-thing, but they can teach us to learn.’

‘We wish to strive for the ideal goal whichis to give all pupils adapted and differenti-ated education based on their own abilitiesand needs. All pupils are of equal worth, butnone of them are alike. Both pupils who are‘fed up with theory’ and those ‘thirsting forknowledge’ must be met with respect. If wetreat all pupils in the same way, we creategreater differences. It is demanding work totake differences into consideration, but atthe same time this is the greatest challengefacing Norwegian schools.’

(Report no. 30 to the Storting (2003-2004)Culture for learning - Abridged version)

As part of its broad focus on the schooland on learning in general, and on the dif-ferent measures needed to realise the goal

of a flexible and differentiated education tomeet the needs of everyone who is under-going education, the white paper discussesseveral issues related to vocational educa-tion and training and proposes some im-portant changes, especially in upper sec-ondary school.

Major structural changes to vocationalprogrammes and programme areas(courses)

The existing 12 vocational programmesare reduced to 9. In addition, the 102 cur-rent programme areas (courses) offered inthe second year of upper secondary schoolare reduced to 35-50. These major structur-al changes are the result of a desire to changea course structure that is still seen as too spe-cialised, making it into an even more ‘modu-larised common content’ based system. Someof the existing programmes currently have avery small number of participants, typicallyapproximately 1% of the total number ofpupils. The nine programmes are a resultof combining and rearranging content fromseveral of the current programmes. In ad-dition to the nine vocational programmesthere will be three academic education quali-fication programmes, which is the same num-ber as previously.

With the new system, education is or-ganised in a more modularised fashion, al-lowing for greater flexibility in terms of shared

content between programmes. The aim is tocombine a common platform with the spe-cific modules necessary to reach the level ofspecialisation required for the trade / subjectin question.

Of the nine ‘new’ vocational programmes,five are unchanged, except for one smallchange of name. For the remaining four, theirnames are new and they result from com-bining content from two or more of theexisting programmes. This means that thecontent of the specific programmes that willno longer exist has been channelled into oneof the new programmes.

Early specialisationThe white paper proposes that pupils in

lower secondary school should be able tochoose upper secondary school moduleswithin the optional part of the curriculum.This can be a source of increased motivationto some pupils and can also be a way for up-per secondary schools to promote certainsubjects. Teaching of such modules shouldonly be done by staff that satisfy the nece-ssary competence requirements.

The government is considering applica-tion of the same principle to pupils in uppersecondary school and courses offered in high-er education.

Access to higher educationThe formal requirements to be accepted

for higher education will remain strict. How-ever the aim is at the same time for pupilshaving undergone vocational education andtraining to be able to be accepted for high-er education without having to meet the for-mal requirements for qualifications for high-er education. A study is currently being con-ducted and the issue will be considered inmore detail when the results of existing ex-periments are available.

Strengthened educational andvocational guidance and counselling

The white paper proposes some measuresin order to enhance the quality of educa-tional and vocational guidance and coun-selling. An increased focus on competencedevelopment among school counsellors andothers working in the field of educationaland career guidance will be actively pro-moted. A second measure is to establish re-gional partnerships initiated on a county/mu-nicipality level. These should comprise schools,local and regional authorities, social partners,industry and business life and other privateand public organisations.

(1) The white paper is available from Akademika AS, P.O. Box 8134 Dep,N-0033 Oslo. The electronic version in Norwegian (pdf) is available at:http://www.odin.dep.no/filarkiv/207625/STM0304030-TS.pdf. Anabridged version in English (html) is available at:http://www.odin.dep.no/ufd/engelsk/publ/veiledninger/045071-120012/dok-bn.html.

Source: Teknologisk institutt, Norway

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NORWAY

Culture for learning

On 19 April 2004, the Flemish ministerfor employment opened the first skills cen-tre of Flanders, in Zottegem, province ofEastern Flanders. This skills centre is in factnot a new establishment or institution butthe new name for the 70 training centresoperated by the Flemish employment andvocational training service, VDAB. But asVDAB’s Administrator General points out,

the changes go beyond a mere change ofname. In the past, the general perceptionwas that once one had completed one’straining, one was set up for the rest of one’slife and that any mishap occurring in thecourse of one’s career could be resolvedby a bit of retraining here or there. Butthis is no longer the case: we now live in aworld of rapid change. In this environment,

the new skills centres offer individuals thechance to take charge of their own skills de-velopment.

The VDAB Zottegem centre is the first tofocus on the new tasks of the skills cen-tres: information services, career manage-ment and certification (i.e. VDAB certificatesawarded to participants in a training or re-training course delivered by the centre). The

Flemish minister has set aside EUR 4.7 mil-lion for the development of the skills cen-tres.

Further information at: http://www.vdab.beThe info spot broadcast on the Flemish television network Kanaal- Z canbe viewed at:http://www.kanaalz.be/CMarticles/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=1309&KZ=83&SectionID=3&ParagraphId=5

Source: VDAB Media and Library Administration

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NBELGIUM

First skills centre opens in Flanders

Two major reforms have been implementedin Lithuania within a short period. In 1991,professional colleges were established, basedon former technical schools that had beenoperational in the Soviet Union. In 2000, pro-fessional colleges that met specific eligibili-ty requirements came together as the startof a new network.

The legal basis for the colleges was a newlaw developed from a White Paper on high-er education in Lithuania, prepared jointlywith EU experts. The law legitimised a dualstructure of higher education incorporatinguniversities and colleges. The colleges de-liver non-university higher education pro-grammes that are shorter than those un-dertaken in universities, with emphasis onpractical training rather than academic.

The network of public colleges is beingdeveloped by the regions. In the meantime

colleges, or their divisions, are situated through-out all 10 Lithuanian administration units,i.e. counties, ensuring that Lithuanian citi-zens have access to higher education. In ad-dition, there are several specialist colleges innavigation, forestry and environmental en-gineering, construction and design. The av-erage number of students at public collegesis 2 000, though the largest is Vilnius Col-lege with approximately 10 000 students.

Only those students who have complet-ed general secondary education are admit-ted to colleges. The duration of non-univer-sity higher education programmes is threeyears (full-time study, worth 120 credits).Practical training, including professional ac-tivity practice, must be not less than one thirdof the training programme. It must take placeat the workplace and must account for notless than 20 credits.

Lithuanian higher education programmesare classified into 62 study themes. Collegesoffer 271 different programme titles across34 study themes, with most students opt-ing for social and technological sciences pro-grammes. The programmes are prepared bythe colleges individually and approved bythe Minister of Education and Science. Pro-grammes are designed on the basis of vo-cational education and training standardsstructured towards competences; the stan-dards are originated by working groups com-prising employer, trade union and collegerepresentatives. College graduates are award-ed a higher education diploma together witha professional qualification. Discussions aretaking place on whether college graduatesshould be awarded a bachelor degree.

The experience of professional collegessuggests that around 10-15 % of graduates

will continue their studies at university. Forthose who wish to follow the same sub-ject there is the potential to complete a bach-elor degree in 1.5 - 2 years. Requirementsfor master’s degree studies are under dis-cussion, including possible professional mas-ter’s courses and more favourable conditionsfor college graduates wishing to continuetheir studies.

Further information:Antanas LevickasHead of College DivisionVocational Education and Training Department,Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania A.Volano str. 2/7, LT-2691 VilniusE-mail: Antanas.Levickas@smm.ltTel. (370) 5 2743141Website: http://www.smm.lt

Source: Ministry of Education and Science

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LITHUANIA

Colleges: a new higher education opportunity in Lithuania

8

Initial and continuing vocational education and training

The extension of the right to educationand training envisaged by reform law 53/2003has been underpinned by the adoption ofa technical document on the definition oftraining standards. The development of thesestandards dates back to the framework agree-ment between the Ministry of Education,Universities and Research, the Ministry of Em-ployment and Social Policy, the Regions, theAutonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano,the Provinces, the Municipalities and theMountainous Communities, ratified by theinterinstitutional conference of 19 June 2003.

The interinstitutional agreement envisagedthe introduction of a ‘process of institution-al partnership (...) for the definition of min-imum training standards’ for three-year train-ing routes.

Law 53/2003 introduced the right and du-ty to complete initial education and training,‘redefining and expanding compulsory edu-cation (...), as well as compulsory training in-troduced by Article 68 of law No 144 of 17May 1999’, making access to education andtraining provision for at least 12 years (or un-til the acquisition of a qualification by theage of 18) a legal duty.

The education and training system gaineda new structure: infant school; a first cyclecomprising primary school and first-level sec-ondary education; a second cycle compris-ing the system of the more academically-fo-cused licei and the vocational education andtraining system.

In the context of decentralisation mea-sures aiming to implement experimental

VET, the technical document which has nowbeen adopted defines the minimum train-ing standards in terms of the basic skills tobe complied with in the three-year exper-imental routes leading to a vocational qual-ification. In this way, it provides a nationalbenchmark ensuring equivalent standardsfor the training outcomes certified by in-termediate and final training certificates.The standards are divided into four areas:language (written and oral expression, read-ing, comprehension as well as a foreign lan-guage), science (comprehension of natu-ral processes and phenomena), technolo-gy (use of ITC with reference to the Euro-pean Computer Driving Licence - ECDL)and, finally, history/social studies/econom-ics (observation of historical events and ge-

ographical areas, functioning of the eco-nomic system).

The standards have a wider scope thanthe basic skills used in vocational training sothat all students can reach a common plat-form of basic training, which is not designedexclusively on the basis of employability.

This first three-year pilot phase will be fol-lowed by a monitoring process at regionaland national level. The aim will be to definea definitive validation process for minimumstandards for basic skills.

Further information at:http://www.education.ithttp://www.isfol.it

Source: Alessandra Pedone/ISFOL ReferNet Italy

ITALY

The right and duty to education and training: training standards

Federal government to combat training place deficitby a series of regional support programmes for specifictarget groups coupled with new legislative measures.

The 2004 Vocational Training Report(1), published by theFederal Ministry for Education, Training and Research, whichreviews the training market situation throughout 2003, notesthat the number of training places offered by industry fellfor the fourth consecutive year in 2003. According to thereport, a total of 35 015 unplaced applicants were regis-tered with the Federal Employment Agency (BA) at the endof September 2003, 11 632 more than in 2002. The min-istry attributes this to both the ongoing economic slowdown,as well as structural changes. The decline in the number oftraining places in the manufacturing industries, in particu-lar in the construction sector and crafts, failed to be offsetby the positive trends in the growth sectors.

The federal government intends to combat this trend bylaunching a renewed training offensive, backed up by the Acton Securing Vocational Training, adopted by parliament in thespring. However the legislative process has now reached astandstill and a training pact with German industry is plannedto counter the dearth of industrial training places.

The primary aim is to convince firms and enterprises ofthe advantages of the dual system of vocational training.

The federal government is making its own contribution tothis effort with a raft of support programmes - some of whichare co-funded by the European Social Fund - to assist bothstructurally weak regions and enterprises in joining forcesto create training networks. These networks will receive theassistance and support of an external training managementteam while training place developers are to track down ap-propriate opportunities for the creation of training places.

The Federal Ministry for Education, Training and Researchis making a particular effort to secure and expand trainingopportunities in the field of innovative technologies (e.g.nanotechnology, biotechnology, microsystems technologyand optical engineering) showing a high demand for non-academic training. The ministry has therefore reached agree-ments on the dovetailing of regional vocational training ac-tivities with existing regional research networks.

All target groups requiring assistance in access to voca-tional training are to start off at a basic level which will in-clude individual skills evaluation. An individual support planwill then help them to build up their skills so that they canmanage to switch to a training programme after three or atthe latest six months. Candidates requiring further sup-port can enter a second remedial level consisting of skillingmodules to enhance their starting chances.

At the same time the federal government is continuingwith its efforts to modernise and reduce the bureaucracywithin the training market by reforming the Vocational Train-ing Act. One measure of particular interest is that with aview to enhancing the labour market recognition of purelyschool-based training programmes, it will be possible to com-plete fully school-based training programmes with a recog-nised final examination before the same board as industri-ally-based training programmes in the future.

German vocational training provision is also to be givena more pronounced European and international dimen-sion in order to boost its competitiveness. Measures in thiscontext include the full recognition of a training place-ment abroad as an integral part of a training programme.

In the course of the coming years, the federal govern-ment also intends to introduce further staggered and ad-ditional new training occupations with fewer complex re-quirements. It is determined to continue in this direction un-deterred by differences among the social partners.

(1) For further information: www.bmbf.de

Source: BMBF/BIBB/sk

GERMANY

Reforms to back up new offensive

A central development document in the edu-cational sector is the ‘Development Plan forEducation within the Administrative Field ofthe Ministry of Education and University Re-search’ (‘KESU’), which the Government ap-proves every four years. The plan for 2003-2008 (1) was adopted at the end of 2003.It contains development measures for eachfield and level of education, as well as guide-lines for education and research policy andthe allocation of resources.

The basis for the development plan for ed-ucation and research is to ensure basic edu-cational security. The aim is to intervene toprevent marginalisation and consequentlyachieve fundamental educational rights forall, at all levels of the system. There is an em-phasis on improving the effectiveness of theeducational system, supporting and guidingchildren and young people, improving theeducational possibilities of adults and con-ducting research.

The Finnish education system is faced withgreat challenges. During 2006-2015 a to-tal of 660 000 people will be leaving work-ing life. In the beginning of the decade therewill not be enough young people to satisfythe demand for new and educated labour.The changes in the demographic structure,the ageing of the labour force and the si-multaneous attempt to increase the em-

ployment level, pose challenges to the edu-cational system. In addition to flexibility andthe ability to develop, the demographicchanges require educating the whole of eachage group, utilising all pools of ability andimproving the educational opportunities forthe adult labour force. Furthermore, changesin the social and cultural environment andinternationalisation call for reforms in edu-cation.

The education level and the skills of thepopulation and labour force need to be fur-ther improved. The aim is that by 2015, 90%of all 25-29 year olds have gained at leasta general upper secondary or vocational up-per secondary education. Currently the per-centage is 85. Furthermore, the percent-age of 30-34 year olds with a higher edu-cation degree should be increased from thecurrent 40 to 50%. In addition, the transi-tion from education to working life is to beaccelerated. This requires improving the stu-dent selection processes, reducing drop-outrates and avoiding overlapping qualifications.

The marginalisation of young people is tobe prevented by strengthening remedial teach-ing, special education and student welfare,by ensuring basic educational security andby developing the education of immigrants.The objective is that, in 2008, at least 96%of students completing compulsory educa-

tion continue to general upper secondaryeducation, to vocational upper secondaryeducation, or to the optional 10th year ofbasic education.

Increasing respect for vocational skills andprofessionalism and enhancing the attrac-tiveness of vocational education are the pre-conditions for guaranteeing the sufficientquality and quantity of the Finnish labourforce. A central mechanism in making edu-cation attractive is the further develop-ment of the quality of education and the fo-cus on working life in education.

During the period, the skill demonstra-tions of vocational education (see CedefopInfo 2/2002) are to be established in all fields.Simultaneously, a national evaluation systemof learning outcomes, based on skill demon-strations, is being developed. Furthermore,the apprentice training system is being streng-thened as a work-based way of ensuring ini-tial vocational education and of organisingfurther education.

Reducing the numbers of those who in-terrupt their training is a central aim in thedevelopment of vocational education, for ex-ample, through the development of guid-ance counselling. The training of guidancecounsellors and the further and in-servicetraining of teachers in guidance counsellingwill be strengthened.

Adults who have already gained degreeswill be offered educational opportunities thatare suited to their circumstances and takeinto consideration their previous studies. Theobjective is to raise the educational level ofadults and to update skills and knowledge.Education, organised as adult education andleading to a basic degree, is being structuredso that in vocational institutions, vocation-ally-oriented higher education institutionsand universities, the number of adult stu-dents will increase to 20% of the total stu-dent intake. Each adult is to be entitled toan annual training period of one to two weeksand, at intervals of 10 to 15 years, the thor-ough updating of skills, for about half a year.

(1) Available electronically at http://www.minedu.fi/opm/koulutus/asiakir-jat/kehittamissuunnitelma041203.pdf (in Finnish)http://www.minedu.fi/uvm/utbildning/pdf/utvecklingsplan041203.pdf(in Swedish)http://www.minedu.fi/julkaisut/koulutus/2004/opm08/opm08.pdf (inEnglish)Also available in hardcopy. An English version is in preparation.

For further information:Kirsi KangaspuntaPlanning Director, Ministry of EducationP.O. Box 29FIN-00023 ValtioneuvostoTel. (358-9) 160 77252E-mail: kirsi.kangaspunta@minedu.fi

Source: NBE

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FINLAND

Guidelines for education and research until 2008

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9cedefopinfo 2/2004

reaped harsh criticism on the employers’side. Michael Rogowski, President of theConfederation of German Industry (BDI)warned that with the introduction of the billthe government was jeopardising industry’swillingness to join in the training effort andtherefore calling the entire dual system ofvocational training into question. He regrettedthat the government was steering againstthe forces of the markets and against its bet-ter judgement. The German Industry andTrade Advisory Board for Vocational Educa-tion also fears ‘chaos‘ breaking out, believ-ing that the introduction of the levy woulddecouple vocational training from the em-ployment system. The Board dislikes the cen-tralistic approach envisaged by the bill which,it says, is based on careers guidance statis-tics with only partial relevance, and fails totake account of regional differences. It al-so draws attention to the fact that employ-ment-intensive companies would be pun-ished by the introduction of the levy as itwas exclusively based on the headcount cri-terion. Moreover, it was unfair that compa-nies actually wishing to offer training op-portunities, but unable to find suitable can-didates should also have to pay the levy. Inview of different employment structures andcompany sizes, the Board sees no just ba-sis for the principle of a training ratio or theenormous amount of red tape the intro-duction of the system would imply, predict-ing ‘a massive process of misguided man-agement‘ in its wake.

Pointing out that the imposition of thetraining levy is solely based on the relativenumber of trainees, whereas the actual costsof training play no role, the Federal Institute

for Vocational Training (BIBB) believes thatthe bill may have negative consequencesand trigger a shift in training capacity fromlarge companies to smaller firms. BIBB drawsattention to the fact that, as a ratio of earn-ings, training costs are frequently lower insmall-scale firms, and considerably higherin large companies. It could therefore beworthwhile for small companies to increasethe number of training places they offer,whereas for large companies the levy theywould have to pay for training places theydo not offer could ultimately be cheaperthan net training costs. The vocational train-ing experts moreover cannot rule out thepossibility of a structural shift in the rangeof training occupations offered which couldultimately lead to a rise in unemployment.

The federal government defended thetraining levy by drawing attention to thedecline in the number of training places of-fered by German industry. Minister for Edu-cation and Training Edelgard Bulmahn saidthat ‘there is nothing worse for young peo-ple than having to start off in life with notraining behind them‘. Regretting thefact that only about one half of enterpris-es with more than ten employees actuallyparticipated in the national training effort,she emphasised that Germany’s economicfuture depended on an adequate supply ofskilled workers. She was convinced thatGerman industry did not realise how dra-matic the situation really was and warnedthat without corrective measures to coun-teract the current trends, Germany wouldbe faced with a shortfall of some 3.5 mil-lion skilled workers in the 30 to 45 age-bracket by the year 2015.

Source: BMBF/BIBB/KWB/DGB/BDI/DPA/sk

A blessing or a curse?Continued from page 1

Lifelong learning bibliography: aEuropean VET perspective No 4 - July - December 2002A Cedefop Library andDocumentation BibliographyCedefop Dossier series 6010Language: enCat. No: TI-58-04-401-EN-C

Free of charge on request from Cedefop

Learning for employment Second report on vocational educationand training policy in Europe Executive summary 4027 Languages: cs, da, de, el, en, es, fi, fr, it, nl,pt, sk, sv Cat. No: TI-52-03-708-EN-C

Free of charge on request from Cedefop

The vocational education andtraining system in IrelandShort descriptionCedefop Panorama series 5145Languages: de, en, frCat. No: TI-58-04-829-EN-C

Free of charge on request from Cedefop

Vocational education and training (VET) inSlovenia have been reformed in the last fewyears in accordance with the 1995 White Paperon Education and Training and certain lawsadopted in 1996.

The 2002 evaluation performed within thePhare (Modernisation of Curricula, Certifi-cation and Assessment in Vocational Educa-tion for Youth and Adults - MOCCA) Pro-gramme revealed the need for a drastic changein the VET system in the direction of de-centra-lisation. Thereby schools would havegreater autonomy and there would be a mod-ular- and competence-based curriculum andinterdisciplinary and project-based learning.That is why the Development Programme forimplementing reforms throughout the VETsystem was launched in 2002. Its main aimsare to: ● establish a competence-based VET system;● boost co-operation between schools andbusinesses;● improve the flexibility of vocational schoolsand● reduce school dropouts through guidance.

These aims are to be achieved through thefollowing measures:● the development of internationally com-parable occupational standards; ● curriculum modularization through the in-troduction of a new modular and competence-based curriculum;● the integration of general, professional andpractical knowledge and learning; ● enhancing the autonomy of schools throughan open curriculum in which 20% of the cur-riculum is determined by schools in order tomeet local community needs; ● teacher training as a central support in-strument for implementing changes;

● modernisation of the system for financingVET;● preventing drop-outs from VET schools;● implementation of a new VET curriculumin pilot schools;● dissemination of the Development Pro-gramme’s results in Southeast Europe.

The Centre of the Republic of Sloveniafor Vocational Education and Training is incharge of carrying out and co-ordinatingthe various activities within the DevelopmentProgramme. In the first stage, several pro-ject groups were established to work on dif-ferent tasks, ranging from preparing the method-ology for introducing a modular- and com-petence-based curriculum to introducing anew concept of teacher training and imple-menting the results in vocational schools andpreventing drop outs.

The second stage of the programme isset to start on 1 September 2004. The newCar Mechatronic curriculum was selected tobecome the first curriculum to apply the con-cepts of the new methodology and will be in-troduced in four pilot schools.

Steps in its implementation include:● several working groups comprising tea-chers, enterprises, VET experts and stakeholderstaking part in developing new programmes; ● determining the knowledge and skillsrelevant to the occupation and ● designing the curriculum’s concept, basedon a variety of learning tasks in different learn-ing areas in both the school and workplace.

Further information from:Mirjana Kovac, Deputy Director, Centre of the Republic of Slovenia forVocational Education and Training, Ob zeleznici 16, 1000 Ljubljana, e-mail: mirjana.kovac@cpi.si, tel. (386-1) 58640 203

Source: Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education andTraining

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SLOVENIA

Decentralisation, a key instrument in developing the training system

Modernisation of upper secondary education in Poland wasbegun in 2002. Educational reform will continue in 2004,with vocational education included on the agenda. One ofthe three goals of reform is to create conditions for improvingthe quality of education. For vocational education, this in-cludes the introduction of external exams and improving vo-cational training facilities.

The first external exams confirming vocational qualifica-tions will take place in May/June 2004, initially covering thoseleaving vocational schools after a two-year course of in-struction. Preparatory work is under way at schools and inthe establishments endorsed by provincial examination com-missions as authorised exam centres for vocational qualifi-cations. Preparation of external examiners is also under way.

Requirements for qualifying as an exam centre includespecification of items such as examination stations (desks)and how they are equipped. To assist qualification, in March2004 the Ministry of National Education and Sports pub-lished standards on didactic aids for vocational training fa-cilities at schools, covering an initial 23 occupations. The

same standards may also be applied in other areas, for in-stance in continuing education.

In January 2004 an accreditation process for non-for-mal continuing education providers was initiated with theaim of assuring better quality vocational and continuing edu-cation. The inspection teams will probably find Ministry stan-dards very useful in evaluating the vocational training fa-cilities of centres seeking accreditation. Other elements tobe evaluated during accreditation will include curricula, staffresources, and innovation in educational activities. Prepara-tion of inspection team staff responsible for accreditationwas started in December 2003 and feedback on progress isexpected in the third quarter of 2004.

In 2003, Krajowy Os’rodek Wspierania Edukacji Zawodoweji Ustawicznej (National Support Centre for Vocational andContinuing Education), at the request of the Ministry of Na-tional Education and Sport, conducted a survey on the qual-ity of vocational training facilities at continuing and practi-cal education centres. Analysis of the findings helped in im-proving existing facilities to meet the standards required for

award of exam centre status. Existing opportunities, such asthe ESF contribution, will enable many such centres to befurnished with modern didactic aids by the third quarter2004. This process will also cover basic vocational schoolsand secondary technical schools during 2004-06.

KOWEZiU will continue to develop didactic aid stan-dards for the remaining occupations, for which qualifica-tion exams will be held in 2005 and 2006.

Further information:Graz.yna OsickaDirector of National Support Centre for Vocational and Continuing Education Tel. (48-22) 844 34 38, fax(48-22) 646 52 51E-mail: sekret@koweziu.edu.plwww.menis.gov.pl and www.koweziu.edu.pl.

Source: National Support Centre for Vocational and Continuing Education/Graz.yna Osicka

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POLAND

New challenges for vocational education

10

On 8 April 2004 Centre Inffo organised around table conference on the new rightto training in industry introduced by the Lawon Lifelong Learning (1). Representatives ofthe social partners and the General Dele-gation for Employment and Vocational train-ing (DGEFP) were invited to speak on the sub-ject of the changes in the wake of the re-form.

The speakers gave an overview of thechanges introduced by the National Inter-occupational Agreement (ANI) and the Lawon Lifelong Learning, adopted on 7 April2004 (1), with particular reference to the fall-out in the different sectors of the econo-my, the undertakings and at the level of train-ing provision.

The director of the Training and HumanResources Management department of a sec-toral employers’ organisation expected a con-siderable impact in the various occupationalsectors. Conceding that the reform offereda greater degree of liberty and flexibility tothe various occupational sectors, he point-ed out that it also implied ‘a new and com-plex analysis of the economic situation of theenterprises and definition of training policyat sectoral level to meet short-term (the so-called `professionalisation period´ and thetraining plan), medium -term (the so-called`professionalisation contract´) and long-term(apprenticeship) requirements’.

Training management in industry will haveto adapt to the new training provisions. Thesame speaker expects ‘the role of the headof company training to be profoundly trans-

formed; training policy will become inte-grated, if this is not already the case, intooverall company policy’. He went on to saythat ‘it is all about ensuring that firms remaincompetitive while maintaining the employ-ability of their workforce on the basis of sta-ble resources’. He also expects an impactat the level of management, where ‘the per-sonal career interview will mean that man-agers will have to express an interest in theskills building of their staff’. A number ofparticipants expressed their doubts about thecomplexity of the new system but, as arepresentative of a trade union confedera-tion pointed out, the complexity of the sys-tem is in fact in response to the concern ofthe social partners to develop a ‘qualitative’training policy, tailor-made for the individualemployee.

A number of speakers underlined thechanges the reforms imply for the role andthe nature of the activities of training agen-cies which will now have to buy into a num-ber of new dimensions: guidance, counselling,analysis of company and employees’ re-quirements, individualisation of training paths,traceability of training paths and certifica-tion. An employers’ representative pointedout that ‘employers and employees will alsoenter into a dialogue with training providers;negotiation will also take place at this level’.

The different levels of negotiation intro-duced by the ANI and the Law on LifelongLearning gave rise to lively debate. A DGEFPhead of unit commented that the social part-ners wished to make the ANI ‘a tremendous

machine to produce social bargaining’ in busi-nesses and the various sectors of industry.He described the individual right to train-ing (DIF) and the `professionalisation period´as priority areas of negotiation, providing ‘aniche for discussion’ at the interface betweenthe initiative of the employer (the trainingplan) and the decision of the employee (in-dividual training leave, CIF). Reacting to thisanalysis, a trade union representative point-ed out that the DIF was not the result of ajoint decision by the employer and the em-ployee, but, just as CIF, depended on the soleinitiative of the employee, even if it had adifferent correlation with occupational ac-tivity. He also believed that negotiationwas by necessity positioned at the collectivelevel: it was not a matter of a ‘mere discus-sion between the employee and his/her em-ployer’, which would not be egalitarian nor

allow ‘a correlation of individual aspira-tions and the collective needs (of the en-terprise, the geographical area or societyas a whole)’.

(1) An appeal against the law adopted on 7 April 2004 was lodged withthe Constitutional Council by over 60 members of parliament on 13April. Law No 2004-391 of 4 May 2004 on Lifelong Learning and SocialDialogue was published in the Official Journal of 5 May 2004.

Source: The above article is taken from the feature on ‘training reform -a tremendous machine producing social bargaining’ published (inFrench) in INFFO Flash, No 635, 16-30 April 2004 (P. Gautier-Moulin)

Further information: - Law No 2004-391 4 May 2004 on Lifelong Learning and SocialDialogue Official Journal of Laws and Decrees, No 105, 5 May 2004 p. 7983-7998http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnTexteDeJorf?numjo=SOCX0300159L

- The website of the French parliament provides a feature on the bill onvocational training and social dialoguehttp://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/dossiers/training_profession-nelle.asp

- An article on the same subject entitled ‘Training reform: the social partners clarify their position on variousaspects of the national inter-occupational agreement’ appeared inCedefop Info 1/2004 http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/download/Cinfo/Cinfo12004/C14H2EN.html

- National inter-occupational agreement of 20 September 2003: newmomentum for the training of employees / Centre INFFOINFFO Flash, supplement to No 624, 1-15 November 2003, ISSN 0397-3301 (in French)

- National inter-occupational agreement of 20 September 2003 [ANI] onthe access of workers to lifelong learning. - September 2003, 50 p. (inFrench)http://www.centre-inffo.fr/maq100901/pdf/accord_inter-occupational2003.pdf http://www.travail.gouv.fr/actualites/pdf/training.pdf

The ANI is published (in French) in Official Journal of CollectiveAgreements No 2003/42, 15 November 2003.

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NFRANCE

New right to training in industry

ScheduleA number of aspects relating to the timetable for the introduction of

the ANI and the Law on Lifelong Learning were specified at the

conference.

● The first DIF will be available one year following the date

of the enactment of the law, a year’s work giving rise to the

right to 20 hours of training.

● The professionalisation contracts/periods will be intro-

duced as of 1 October 2004. A secretary from a manageri-

al confederation confirmed that ‘all training contracts con-

cluded before 15 September will run their full term’.

● A DGEFP head of unit indicated that ‘the public au-

thorities have set 30 June 2004 as the target date for pub-

lication of the implementing decrees pertaining to the law’.

● A trade union confederation secretary expects ‘the sec-

ond phase of negotiation between the social partners on, in

particular, ways of implementing the personal career inter-

view and the training passport to be wrapped up by the end

of July’.

It should be drawn to parents’ attention thattechnical education offers much better jobmarket prospects for young people comingout of the education system. This is the con-clusion drawn by the Flemish minister foremployment from a survey conducted among80 000 school-leavers by the Flemish em-ployment and vocational training service,VDAB.

VDAB registers the annual inflows of school-leavers into the labour market. In 2004,the annual VDAB study expanded its sampleto cover a total of 80 250 young people, in-cluding, among others, those coming out ofvocational education. The study shows thatcertain qualifications offer better and fasterprospects of finding a job, in particular train-ing programmes in construction, tourism or

sport (second cycle), hotel management, agri-culture/gardening, mechanics, public rela-tions (third cycle), architectural assistants,geriatric assistants and carers (higher edu-cation). The results partly reflect a compari-son of the data provided by young schoolleavers with the occupations registering themain problems. Every year, 1 800 studentsdrop out after one or two years of secondary

education. 6 500 break off without com-pleting the secondary cycle whereas they stillhave the opportunity of continuing their stud-ies in technical education.

Further details at: http://www.vdab.be

Source: VDAB Media and Library Administration

BELGIUM

Technical education offers better job market prospects in Flanders

More young people in England will get theopportunity to learn skills under radicalreforms to apprenticeships announced inMay 2004 by Education and Skills SecretaryCharles Clarke and the Chancellor of theExchequer Gordon Brown. The new ‘YoungApprenticeships’ are intended to be a ma-jor boost to business and productivity. Work-ing through the Sector Skills Councils, em-ployers will also be put in the driving seatin terms of the design and development ofapprenticeships.

In February 2003, the ApprenticeshipTask Force was formed. Its terms of refer-ence included increasing the number andrange of employers offering apprenticeplaces and ensuring that apprenticeshipsreflect the changing needs of employersand young people. This independent groupconsists of senior executives from blue chipcompanies and small and medium enter-prises, representatives from the public sec-

tor, key stakeholders such as Confedera-tion of British Industry, British Chambers ofCommerce, Institute of Directors and TradeUnion Congress and agencies involved inthe delivery of apprenticeship programmes.Its 27 members had around 3000 appren-tices.

The reforms proposed by the task forcewill build on the success of Modern Ap-prenticeships which have seen numbers growfrom 75 800 trainees in 1997 to 255 500 to-day - the highest ever level. They will bebacked up by a targeted campaign encoura-ging more employers to ‘get on board’ andboost the number of apprentices even fur-ther. They will deliver a more flexible, strongerapprenticeship ‘ladder of opportunity’ be-ginning at the age of 14.

The improvements will consist of: ● brand new ‘Young Apprenticeships’ for14-16 year olds. They will motivate pupilswho could spend up to two days a week

in the workplace learning a trade. Initial op-portunities will be in engineering, auto-motive industries, business administration,logistics, and the arts and creative industries;● a ‘pre-apprenticeship’ offer. This will bebased around the very popular ‘Entry to Em-ployment’ programme for young people thathave potential, but are not yet ready or ableto enter an apprenticeship or maybe are cur-rently disengaged and disenfranchised fromlearning;● apprenticeships at ISCED level 2 (GCSEgrade A-C) (replacing the Foundation ModernApprenticeship);● ‘Advanced Apprenticeships’ (equal to 2good A Levels or level 3 qualification and re-placing the Advanced Modern Apprentice-ship) and● opening up of apprenticeship to adultsby scrapping the arbitrary 25 year old agelimit. Development work will begin immedi-ately with the Sector Skills Councils.

With demand from young people out-stripping the supply of places on offer fromemployers, the launch will be backed up bya major Learning and Skills Council adver-tising and marketing campaign targeted atincreasing the number of employers offer-ing places.

A recent survey (1) by the Learning andSkills Council showed that 44% of organi-sations, which reported skills shortages, saidthey lost business as a result. The govern-ment hopes that apprenticeships will providebusinesses with the solution they need tothrive in the 21st century and that many em-ployers respond to this ‘call to arms’ and jointhe Apprenticeships reform.

The Learning and Skills Council workingwith employer organisations will drive for-ward the new reforms and will: ● give employers via the Sector Skills Coun-cils a bigger role in the actual design, con-

UNITED KINGDOM

New apprenticeships to widen opportunity and boost business

Continued on the next page

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11cedefopinfo 2/2004

A recent series of reports on training and development inIreland commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Per-sonnel and Development (CIPD) in Ireland offers insights in-to the state of organisational and individual learning inIreland (1). It also analyses the trends in training in the twoyears since the last series. The following questions are ad-dressed in detail: has expenditure on training and develop-ment (T & D) increased or decreased during the period? Ise-Learning growing in importance? Are organisations in-corporating external certification in their training? How andwhy do people really learn at work?

In respect of 742 employees who responded in the pri-vate and public sectors, most reported high levels of satis-faction with the quality of their training. The report ‘WhoLearns at Work’ indicates there is a strong bias towards thebetter qualified when selecting people for training, a find-ing which bears out data in a recent FÁS study (see Cede-fop Info 1/2004). People working in small firms are less like-ly to receive formal training. On-the-job training is consi-dered the most popular and the most used in organisations,especially for lower skilled occupations and the less well ed-ucated. The report says for that reason it is important thatthe administration of on-the-job training is more effective-ly managed. It says it is critical that un-skilled and semi-skilledworkers are re-trained and developed and that particular fo-cus be given to the small firms sector.

Take-up of e-learning by companies is still quite mod-est. 44% of responding organisations use e-learning in someshape or form but there is significant variation by organisa-tion size, sector and nationality of ownership. The Cedefopsurvey on e-learning in training (2002) showed an overallrate of 30% across Europe with wide variations from 50%in Nordic countries to 10% in others. Traditional methodssuch as face-to-face and on-the-job coaching and mentor-ing and formal education remain dominant in Irish organi-sations. They are also ranked much higher in terms of ef-fectiveness. E-learning is viewed as expensive and techni-cally complex and considered by many as being of low qual-ity in content and of limited application. Its usage and scopeall increase with organisational size and US subsidiaries andlarge organisations in the state sector are the leading users.As expected, e-learning is used most for IT and technicalskills training and much less so for ‘soft’ skills training. Thereport concludes that e-learning is at an early stage of de-velopment and should not be considered as a stand-alonephenomenon. It can provide for effective learning in com-bination with traditional training methods. This is termed‘blended-learning’.

The benchmarking survey of training managers soughtto establish a comprehensive picture of trends in T & D prac-tices, learning strategies, practices and investment in Irishfirms. It shows that a growing number of companies recog-

nise expenditure on learning as an essential corporate in-vestment. Another trend is the importance attached to ex-ternal certification by both companies and employees. Thereis evidence of a significant increase in usage of competen-cy-based training at senior management, professional andtechnical levels and an increase in stakeholder involve-ment - training manager, line manager, employee - in thedetermination and provision of T & D. This reflects a trendtowards non-formal training and the report shows the vari-ety of ways in which employees learn. It notes that train-ers are now very well qualified, with over 70% having third-level qualifications, many at post-graduate level.

(1) Garavan, Thomas: Who learns at work, a study of learners in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin,CIPD in Ireland, 2003. http://branchwebs.cipd.co.uk/Ireland/events/learns.pdfO’Donnell, David: eLearning in Irish organisations. Dublin: CIPD in Ireland, 2003.http://branchwebs.cipd.co.uk/Ireland/events/eLearning.pdf

Garavan, Thomas: Training and development in Ireland, results of the 2003 National Survey ofBenchmarks. Dublin: CIPD in Ireland, 2003. http://branchwebs.cipd.co.uk/Ireland/events/benchmarking.pdf

Source: FÁS

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Who is trained at work, and how?

tent and entry requirements of apprentice-ship;● develop greater ‘portability’ arrangementsso that apprentices can take a part completedapprenticeship with them if they move em-ployer;● create a ‘clearing house’ for school leavers

to match prospective trainees to employ-ers;● work towards awarding ‘accredited’ sta-tus for those who successfully complete anapprenticeship. At present an apprenticeshipis not a recognised qualification in its ownright; ● explore the development of credit-based

qualifications in apprenticeships to bettermeet the needs of employers;● review financial incentives for apprentices;● consider financial incentives to encour-age more small and medium sized employ-ers to get on board;● introduce an eight-week probationary pe-riod for the trainee and employer.

(1) National Employers Skills Survey 2003: Key finding, LSC, January2004, available electronically http://www.lsc.gov.uk/National/Documents/SubjectListing/Research/LSCcommissionedresearch/NESS2003Findings.htm

More information at www.apprenticeships.org.uk Tel. (44) 870 000 2288E-mail: info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

Source: QCA

Continued from page 10

On 25 February 2004, Renaud Dutreil, statesecretary with responsibility for small andmedium-sized enterprises (SME), commerce,crafts, liberal professions and consumer af-fairs, presented his plan for the reform andmodernisation of apprenticeship training tothe cabinet. The reform process initiated inJune 2003 culminated in the presentation ofa white paper in October 2003 which pro-vides the basis for the governmental plan(see box).

The challenges posed by the reform of theapprenticeship system are ‘on a par with gov-ernmental objectives in the field of growthand employment’ announced Renaud Dutreilat a press conference, at which he unveiledthe slogan ‘No young people without an oc-cupation and no occupations without youngpeople’. The revamping of the apprentice-ship system also meets the ‘essential needto train the upcoming generation of entre-preneurs who will create or take over thefirms of tomorrow and keep the traditionsof our local economic fabric alive’.

The first pillar of the modernisation planis designed to upgrade the image of ap-prenticeship and ‘brand’ this route amongyoung people. Coordinated inter-ministerialactions are designed to promote relevant oc-cupational pathways and improve the pro-vision of information and guidance. A high-profile figure will be appointed to coordinatethese activities together with all stake-holders. In parallel, specific measures areto provide young people with a greater op-

portunity to come into contact with indus-try; these include the introduction of a ‘com-pany discovery passport’ for pupils as well asthe development of work experience op-portunities during the school holidays.

The second pillar of the modernisationplan involves adapting apprenticeship train-ing to the aspirations and profiles of theyoung people. The aim is to make appren-ticeship more attractive to groups whichdo not traditionally opt for this form of train-ing. This involves upgrading the status of theapprentice, especially by introducing an ‘ini-tial equipment allowance’ and an ‘appren-tice’s card’, modelled on the student’s card.The plan also aims to ensure that appren-ticeship schemes can offer young people in-dividualised pathways, structured in com-plete streams and offering effective bridgesleading to other training routes.

The third pillar of the reform seeks to sim-plify the support structures offered by theenterprises to apprentices while at the sametime raising quality standards. Promotioncampaigns are to target industry, in particu-lar larger-scale firms, still underrepresentedin the overall apprenticeship training ef-fort.

Renaud Dutreil’s plan also sets up an ‘ef-fective’ mechanism to manage and monitorthe implementation of the plan in the con-text of improved coordination and consul-tation between the various stakeholders.Measures are also envisaged to simplify andimprove the transparency of the collection

of the apprenticeship tax. Finally, the threebodies which currently provide the fundingfor apprenticeship, (industry, regions and cen-tral government), are to make a ‘balanced’contribution to the efforts to relaunch ap-prenticeship as an attractive training route.The reform is to be introduced ‘in closecollaboration with apprenticeship players,social partners, consular networks, trainingcentres and, of course, the regions whichhave a wide scope in the field of appren-ticeship and guidance for young people’, asthe state secretary pointed out.

Given the dearth of skilled workers in cer-tain industries, coupled with demographictrends, industry will face increasing difficul-ty in recruiting skilled manpower, on top ofwhich there is the problem of the increasingranks of youngsters with no skilling at all.With this reform, Renaud Dutreil wishes toensure that apprenticeship, just as any oth-er vocational training stream, is regarded as

‘an adequate response to both the enter-prises’ demand for skilled manpower and theneed to offer all young people a chance ofgaining a qualification, having access to em-ployment and, in the long run, assuming en-trepreneurial responsibility’.

Source: The text is taken from the article (in French) on the reformsentitled ‘Apprenticeship reform - government plan presented to thecabinet’, published in INFFO Flash, No 632, 1-15 March 2004 (S.Zadunayski)

Further information: - See the feature on the reform on the website of the state secretarywith responsibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME),commerce, crafts, liberal professions and consumer affairs http://www.pme.gouv.fr/user/framegnale.php?var=11&rep=une&file=17

- See also the article ‘Planned reform of apprenticeship training’ inCedefop Info 3/2003http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/download/Cinfo/Cinfo32003/C33G2EN.html

- Renaud Dutreil’s white paper with 50 proposals on improving trainingand modernising apprenticeship training:Renaud DutreilParis: Prime Minister, October 2003, 103 p.http://www.pme.gouv.fr/grands-dossiers/livreblanc.pdfhttp://lesrapports.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/BRP/034000618/0000.pdf

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Governmental plan to modernise apprenticeship training

Almost ten months of consultationsOn 17 June 2003 the prime minister entrusted Renaud Dutreil with the task of examining the issue of improving training provisionfor young people in the framework of apprenticeship schemes. By means of a user-centred approach, the issue was examined inconjunction with the institutional players involved in apprenticeship, as well as the stakeholders in the field (trainers, staff from theCFA apprenticeship training centres, heads of enterprise, apprenticeship masters and young people themselves). A task force, com-prising institutional representatives, consular chambers, representatives of the regions and administrations, was established to drawup a status report on the operation of the system in the short term. Two groups comprising representatives of professional or-ganisations were also consulted. This provided a full overview of the system and enabled an evaluation of the principal proposalsof the task force. A working party of 67 members of parliament used a questionnaire to survey the firms in their constituencies/departments. Anopinion poll also identified the image of apprenticeship among young people and their families and defined communication strate-gies to be developed to enhance this image.The inter-ministerial consultations and activities (involving the ministries of social affairs, education and finance) finally led to theformal adoption of the apprenticeship plan.

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Employment policy

An information portal provides accessto the best practices, guidance and ex-perience related to strategic human re-source management and development(HRD) in regions

In late March 2004 a best practicesdatabase for the support of strategicmanagement of HRD in the regionswas officially launched at http://www.topregion.cz. The idea for the databaseoriginated in 2002/03, as part of pro-jects implemented by the National Train-ing Fund and supported by the Ministryof Labour and Social Affairs. The data-base has been developed as a follow-up to the strategy for human resourcesdevelopment, adopted by the govern-ment in its Resolution No 210 of 3 March2003. The main aim of the database isto enhance the standards of strategicmanagement of HRD at regional level,to provide comprehensive informationand guidance support to regions in thisarea and to assist in the developmentof regional activities related to the pro-vision of training, guidance and infor-mation.

The database takes the form of aninformation portal providing access toup-to-date texts, documents, links andother information relevant to HRD man-agement at regional level. The databaseis administered and continuously up-dated by the National Training Fundin co-operation with other organisa-tions. The users are mainly specialistsconcerned with HRD management inregions - i.e. managing and adminis-trative staff, project managers, mem-bers of regional HRD councils. Of course,the database may also be used by anyother civil servants, training providers,entrepreneurs and citizens. All infor-mation is provided free of charge.

The database is divided into a num-ber of segments. The core consists of

five subject sections, the content andfocus of which is designed to satisfy prac-tical needs related to the developmentand implementation of HRD projects.They are analyses and prognosis, visionsand strategies, partnerships, projectmanagement and funding.

Each subject section is further divid-ed into specific topics. The core of eachsection provides an overview of the mostimportant findings, guidance, proce-dures and methods concerning the re-spective topic. Specific examples of suc-cessful HRD projects are under the head-ing Best Practices. These are comple-mented by Links with Comments point-ing to documents, texts, materials andother information concerned with HRDthat are accessible on the Internet. Othersections in the portal include News, Cal-endar of Events and Our Guidance. ADiscussion Forum is under development.

The ‘Best Practices Database’ aimsnot only to provide high quality, verifiedand up-to-date information necessaryfor HRD management in regions, but,most importantly, to develop a platformfor effective sharing of the relevant know-ledge and experience related to HRDproject implementation. As the CzechRepublic lacks a comparable source ofinformation, the database has great po-tential for becoming a unique instru-ment that will be developing in line withnew findings about the current state ofHRD management at regional, natio-nal and European levels. An English ver-sion of the database is planned.

For further information contact: Petra Jedlicková,National Training FundTel. (420) 224 500 573E-mail: info@topregion.czURL: http://www.topregion.cz

Source: National Training Fund - Human ResourcesDevelopment

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Information support for humanresources management

An evaluation of the Irish National DevelopmentPlan and the Community Support Framework(CSF) calls for a change of emphasis in human re-source measures. These measures, which wereoutlined in the Employment and Human ResourcesDevelopment Operational Programme, 2000-2006, were devised at a time of strong econom-ic growth. The current slowdown in the econo-my necessitates a re-allocation of resources totackle current needs.

The report (1) examines the returns to the stateon human investment in Ireland. Considerable re-sources were allocated to investment in educationand training under previous CSFs. These result-ed in a major upgrading in the educational at-tainment of the labour force. The proportion ofthe labour force with at least a Leaving Certificate(final upper secondary examination) has increasedfrom over 50% in 1973 to just under 70% todayand is expected to reach 77% of the labour forceby 2013. The report finds a sharp fall in returnson educational qualifications, except third-levelsub-degree qualifications, between 1987, 1994and 2000. The authors say the fall may be due tothe increased supply of persons with higher qual-ifications over the period (including immigrants),the introduction of the National Minimum Wageand the relative increase in the pay of low-skill jobsduring the peak of the Celtic Tiger years.

The most obvious benefit of education/train-ing is an increase in the productivity of employ-ees and hence value-added and competitiveness.However, the evaluation report cites two otherimportant effects. Firstly, the initial impact of in-creased education/training of the population wasto reduce the supply of persons with low educa-tional levels. This led to an increase in wage ratesfor low-skilled jobs and this, in turn, provided anincentive for the unemployed and inactive to seekand obtain employment. Thus, total labour sup-ply was increased. The second factor relates tohigher-skill jobs. The increased supply of educat-ed labour reduced wage pressures in these jobs,and this, in turn, improved competitiveness.

The report also shows that the ratio of skilledto unskilled average wage rates reduced as a

result of the investment in human capital, thushaving a ‘positive impact in reducing social ex-clusion’. It also notes that the impact on parti-cipation rates was much greater for females, there-by having a positive impact on the Lisbon Agen-da objective of increased female participation.

Overall the evaluation concludes that the in-vestment under the first three years of the Oper-ational Programme will lead to a 1.5% increasein Irish GDP during the medium-term, which, inturn, will lead to over 50 000 extra jobs.

Following a detailed analysis of current in-vestment measures in education and training with-in the Operational Programme, the report callsfor a re-balancing of expenditure. The main pro-posals are:● a greater focus on short-term unemploymentin the light of growing job losses, and in order toensure preventative action so that long-term un-employed numbers do not rise; ● more focused and progression-led interven-tions for the long-term unemployed and social-ly excluded; ● greater focus on interventions having stronglabour market linkages, which have a significantimpact on participants’ future employment prospects; ● a re-focusing on continuing education forolder age groups to replace the falling numbersin initial education; ● a need for greater focus on training those atwork; ● a need for increased emphasis on lifelonglearning opportunities for everyone in Irish soci-ety at all levels - in work, out of work, and in-novative responses; ● a need for a greater awareness of and focuson costs and cost effectiveness in HRD provision.

(1) Fitz Gerald, John et al: The mid-term evaluation of the National DevelopmentPlan and Community Support Framework for Ireland 2000-2006. Dublin: ESRI,2003. ISBN 0-7070-0221-4.Available: Economic & Social Research Institute, 4 Burlington Road, IRL-Dublin4. Tel. (353-3) 667 1525. Fax 353-1 668 6231. Price EUR 50. The findings of the report are discussed in a recent paper byFox, Roger: Investing in human resources. Presentation to Mutual InformationPolicies on Employment Policies in Europe (MISEP) Network, 23 April 2004.Contact: roger.fox@fas.ie.

Source: FÁS

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Changes proposed in focus of human resource investment

First Job is one of the Polish support pro-grammes targeted at unemployed schoolleavers and graduates from various types ofschools. It is part of the National Strategyfor Employment and Human Resources Devel-opment in 2000-06, modelled on the Euro-pean Employment Strategy. The programmeaims to create new jobs and improve thevocational qualifications of unemployedschool leavers, so enhancing their em-ployability.

At the end of 2003, school leavers andgraduates accounted for 4.97% of the un-employed in Poland. Unemployed youth(18-24) totalled 26% of general unem-ployment. The second round of First Job,from June 2003 till May 2004, was also tar-geted at young people in the 18-24 rangewho had never worked before.

The programme is financed from the LabourFund, to which all institutions, businessesand enterprises contribute by paying a 2%tax for active measures to fight unemploy-ment. In 2003, Labour Fund expenditure to-talled MPLN 1 588.5, including MPLN 230.9in reimbursement of wages to businesses hir-ing unemployed school leavers.

The Ministry of Economy, Labour and So-cial Policy is in charge of programme im-

plementation. It works in partnership withthe Ministry of National Education and Sport,Voluntary Labour Corps, other governmentdepartments, labour offices, enterprises, busi-nesses, local governments at all levels (mu-nicipal, county and regional), and NGOs andother institutions implementing local and re-gional programmes.

The Programme includes three types ofmeasures which, to date, have assisted833 717 people.

First are measures aimed at increasingschool leavers’ participation in the labourmarket (206 217 people). These include:● work placements of up to a year (120 138);● reimbursement of costs incurred by em-ployers hiring school leavers (27 166);● training programmes (29 964);● loans for training purposes, start-up loansand loans for creation of new jobs (1 266);● intervention works, public works, com-munity works (20 039);● reimbursement of commuting costs (4 641);● special programmes (1 098);● Programme for the Development of Rur-al Areas and Phare (6 698)● other instruments

A second strand is exemption from pay-ment of social security contributions for those

who start up business activity. This was ap-plied to 2 300 school leavers.

Finally there are supplementary activitiesin career information, vocational counsellingand labour exchange, as well as projects im-plemented with other partners. These cov-ered 624 800 people, including 451 000 schoolleavers and graduates, offering education andinformation activities aimed at preparing youngpeople for work, labour fairs and exchanges,other programmes and projects:● My Municipality in the EU, employing4 997 school leavers in Municipal Euro-pean Information Centres;● Voluntary Labour Corps (OHP) activities:498 labour fairs and exchanges, employing10 000 people, setting up 158 school careercentres, organising 427 Municipal Informa-tion Centres, setting up 74 new AcademicCareer Bureaux in higher education institu-tions;● Work for School Leavers: micro-loans forstart-ups in the BGK Bank for 347 schoolleavers;● Junior: 282 work placements for the hand-icapped, international contracts for 1 134work placements abroad, launching 400 mul-timedia facilities in labour and VolunteerLabour Corps offices, collecting information

about occupations, and training and em-ployment opportunities.

The results of First Job in 2003 are sig-nificant: 89 900 people, including 80 900school leavers and graduates, found em-ployment within three months of the end ofthe specific measure they undertook. Com-pared with December 2002, the number ofunemployed aged 18-24 fell by 70 300and the number of unemployed school leaversand graduates by 8 900.

The First Job programme will continue,and will receive additional support from thesectoral operational programme Human Re-sources Development, specifically the mea-sure on prospects for youth. It will have anallocation of approximately EUR 270 millionin the years 2004-06, over EUR 64 million ofwhich will be available in 2004.

Further information: Krystyna Lelin’ skaInstitute of Labour and Social AffairsTel. (48-22) 636 13 25, ext.137 E-mail: klasyfikacja@ipiss.com.plWebsite: www.ipiss.com.pl

Source: Ministry of Economy, Labour and Social Policy/Krystyna Lelin’ ska

POLAND

First Job: implementation and results

13cedefopinfo 2/2004

New organisations and programmes

On 1 January 2004 the Ministry of Educa-tion, Youth and Sports of the Czech Repub-lic set up a Centre for Evaluation of Educa-tional Results (CERMAT) as a section of theInstitute for Information on Education. Thereason for establishing the centre was theneed to ensure comparability of the qualityof outcomes in an education system whichunderwent decentralisation in 2001. Liber-alisation and decentralisation in educationhas provided schools with a large degreeof independence and responsibility for thequality of the education process and its out-comes. However, this requires a commonframework to ensure consistency in educa-tion, while at the same time assessment cri-teria must be set. Unlike in the former cen-tralised system, which focused on supervi-sion of the educational process, decentralisedgovernance places a far greater emphasis onoutcomes. This makes comparability of cer-tificates and the criteria for their award allthe more important.

The Centre was not built from scratch -it represents a transformation of the Centrefor the ‘Maturita’ (1) Examination, buildingon its expertise, but substantially expandingits range of activities. The Centre for Evalu-

ation of Educational Results is concernedwith external evaluation of educational re-sults and pedagogical processes. It contributesto the development of an evaluation policyand carries out the relevant methodologicalresearch and development. It also supportsthe process of introducing a new evaluationculture in general and provides assistance tovarious bodies concerned with education (re-gional authorities, schools, pedagogical cen-tres), including training of teachers and train-ers. The Centre’s mission is to develop in-struments for external evaluation of the out-comes of education and for their interpre-tation. Special attention is devoted to stu-dents with special learning needs.

CERMAT continues working on the reformof the maturita examination. As part of ascheme called ‘Step by Step to a New ma-turita’ it organises preparatory programmesfor secondary schools. Specific goals neces-sary in pursuing maturita reform are set foreach calendar year. The programmes are de-signed to attract an increasing number ofsecondary schools and to promote self-eval-uation. The number of participating schoolsincreases every year and this year (the 4th ofthe scheme’s operation), 64% of all secondary

schools providing maturita took part in a pro-ject entitled ‘Draft maturita 2004’. A ‘ma-turita without a handicap’ programme de-signed for special needs students is an in-tegral part of the scheme. The implementa-tion of the scheme will continue until 2007.

CERMAT is also developing a similar eval-uation scheme - ‘Evaluation of EducationalResults of 9th Year Pupils’ - for basic schools(2). This is the first attempt to introduce tobasic schools an instrument for external eval-uation that will provide information for in-ternal school evaluation and pupils’ self-eval-uation. It will also be relevant for other schoolpartners (e.g. governing authorities, such asregional governments, churches, private in-stitutions etc.) and secondary schools, wherebasic school leavers continue studying. InMarch 2004, pupils in 9th year of basic schoolin the Karlovarsky’ region were evaluated ona pilot basis.

Apart from ensuring comparability of learn-ing outcomes among regions and type ofschools, CERMAT also facilitates internationalcomparisons. It provides expertise in relationto the PISA and PIRLS surveys (an interna-tional scheme for evaluation of pupils’ read-ing, scientific and mathematical literacy and

an international survey of reading literacy re-spectively).

External evaluation carried out by CERMATis an important source of information andbenchmarks for schools. This stimulates fur-ther development and quality enhancementof the education process. Moreover, the in-formation is relevant for students as well, asit facilitates their self-evaluation of their re-al chances to succeed in the chosen educa-tional pathway. External evaluation is alsoexpected to contribute to rendering admis-sion proceedings to advanced levels of edu-cation more simple and transparent.

(1) Examination at the end of upper secondary school, ISCED level 3A (2) Basic school includes both primary and lower secondary levels. The9th grade is at ISCED level 2

For further information contact:Jitka Pilbauerová, public relations, Centre for Evaluation of Educational Results, Institute for Information on EducationSenovázné nám. 26, P.O.Box c. 1, 110 06 Praha 1, Czech RepublicTel. (420) 224 398 259E-mail: pilbauer@uiv.czWebsite: www.cermat.cz

Source: National Observatory of Employment and Training - NationalTraining Fund

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Launch of the centre for evaluation of educational results

Slovakia is the only acceding country where the In-ternet is accessed more often from an Internet caféthan from a place of education, a clear indicator ofeducation’s limited contribution to creating the in-formation society. According to local and interna-tional experts, and surveys such as the 2003 eEurope+progress report, Slovakia’s preparation for the in-formation society is inadequate.

Lack of funding is responsible for the poor ICT in-frastructure in Slovak education. For many years theINFOVEK project, with its well considered four-pillarpolicy, suffered from insufficient support from thestate budget. Despite the rhetoric in policy paperssupporting education, the information society anda knowledge-based society, despite even the sign-ing of the eEurope+ initiative and the subsequentpublic-private partnership initiative eSlovakia, therewas no decisive action. Now, strident public criticismseems to be bringing about change.

The PCs for Schools project, which is part of theeSlovakia initiative, was officially launched on 15January 2004 at the rural basic school in Ivanka priDunaji, when the door was opened on the first ICTclassroom connected to the Internet using ADSLtechnology. Nationwide implementation began on13 April 2004 and, by the end of the year, more than22 000 IBM computers will have been donated byDeutsche Telekom AG for new ICT classrooms in over3 500 basic and secondary schools in Slovakia. Allschools will have the necessary technology infra-structure and a service ‘package’ of five student PCs,one teacher PC, printer, scanner and tablet. AllPCs will be provided with Microsoft Windows XPProfessional SK and Microsoft Office 2003 SK. A freeguarantee service will be in place for four years. Inaddition, all basic and secondary schools will be con-nected to the Internet by ISDN or ADSL technologyby the end of 2004.

Alternative Internet providers and small hard-ware/software firms - traditionally anti-Telecom and/oranti-Gates - are critical. They question whether the

Slovak authorities have always believed in the exis-tence of free lunches or think they were inventedonly in Slovakia in 2004. For the hungry educationsector this is irrelevant and the schools see theproject in a very positive light. Independent analysts,however, have three pointed questions: ● Why did Slovakia not invite the private sectorinto the INFOVEK project sooner to speed up the in-troduction of information technology?● Would it not have been better to follow a solidincremental policy, providing gradual improvementof ICT in schools, instead of launching a rescue op-eration at the last minute?● Are complementary activities being prepared tomake as much additional use of the infrastructureas possible?

There is always a danger that the most visible ef-fect of such a project is an increasing number of chil-dren playing games on PCs, instead of in playgrounds,and a flurry of pictures in the local press and schoolyearbooks showing smiling people at schools withnew computers. Those behind the INFOVEK and PCsfor Schools projects are fully aware of this dangerand are determined that this initiative will learn frommistakes of others.

For more information on INFOVEK seehttp://www.infovek.sk with very brief info in English athttp://www.infovek.sk/english/index.html For information on eSlovakia initiative inclusive PCs for Schools project seehttp://www.slovaktelecom.sk/En/Default.aspx?CatID=31

Source: Slovak National Observatory of VET

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SLOVAKIA

PCs for schools: from rhetoric to realityTo improve the artistic and creativeskills of its young people, Latvia en-courages VET students and futurecraftsmen and technicians to spendleisure time in folk dance groups,choirs and school theatre groups.

Most VET students in Latvia areaged between 15 and 21. Some comefrom socially disadvantaged familiesand have no experience of spendingleisure time in a meaningful way. Pro-moting cultural education throughhobby groups, choirs, dance groups,etc., and involvement in state cul-tural education projects, are seen asimportant elements of their training.

The Ministry of Education andScience, in cooperation with the StateYouth Initiative Centre (establishedin 1996 and responsible for imple-menting youth policy under the su-pervision of the Ministry) is, for thethird year running, organising a ‘Crafts-man Festival’ involving young peo-ple from VET schools who can sing,dance, act or have some other tal-ent. The festival’s aims are to devel-op students’ artistic and creative skills,promote productive leisure activitiesand strengthen festival traditions.The festival is held in three stages,first at the school level, then region-ally and nationally in Riga, the capi-tal. Of the 10 000 students involvedin the early stages, approximately1 000 take part in the final event.

The Ministry of Education andScience’s policy is that each schoolmust provide facilities for organisingleisure time activities. In Ministry su-pervised VET schools there are 37

choirs, 44 folk dance groups, 13school theatre groups and a numberof modern dance groups. Someschools may only have one activitywhile others have several.

This year the Craftsman Festivalwas held on 30 April, a day of cer-emony and celebration of Latvia’s ac-cession to the European Union. Therewere many competitions and showsleading to the nomination of the bestteams and individuals: ‘singing crafts-man’, ‘dancing craftsman’, ‘crafts-man - theatre performer’, ‘best oc-cupation show’.

Although the Craftsman Festivalis still new, it has already become apermanent festival tradition for VETschool students. Next year the festi-val will coincide with the 9th SchoolYouth Song and Dance Festival andwill be staged in the heart of oldRiga, in the Doma Square.

Further information:Baiba Raminabaiba@aic.lvwww.aic.lv

Quelle: Latvian National Observatory/ Baiba Ramina

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LATVIA

Latvian cultural craftsmen

14

Quality of VET - certification systems

Six months after its inception, the au-thorization of adult training providersoffers its first results.

The policy on the authorisation of train-ing providers in Romania has generated agreat deal of controversy. It has raised sev-eral issues, such as whether in a countrywhere adult participation in continuing train-ing is quite modest, it is appropriate to regu-late the training provision market.

The National Adult Training Board (NATB) (1)plays the central role in the process of ac-creditation. Law no. 375/2002 concerningthe endorsement of Government Ordinanceno. 129/2000 on adult vocational trainingregulated the process. One year later, in Oc-tober 2003, the methodology for the au-thorization of adult training providers wasadopted through Emergency Ordinance no.522/2003.

During late 2003, the organisational processstarted with the setting up, nation-wide, ofthe authorisation county committees, in theframework of the Directorates for Dialogue,Social Solidarity and Family (DDSSF) of theMinistry of Labour, Social Solidarity, and Fam-

ily (MLSSF). Each of these consists of fivemembers: the DDSFF executive director, whoalso acts as the president and four othermembers representing the County School In-spectorate, the County Employment Agency,the local labour union and the local employers’organisation, respectively.

In January 2004, supported by a techni-cal secretariat, the authorization commis-sions became operational and the first au-thorizations were released. By May 2004,more than 200 training providers receivedan authorization to organise training cours-es for specific occupations and to issue qual-ification and graduation certificates. A na-tional database, the National Register of AdultTraining Providers, was created to record allauthorised training providers. The certificatesare recognized at national level and displaythe seals of the two issuing authorities, i.e.the Ministries of Labour and Social Affairsand of Education and Research.

In response to the criticism that restric-tions are being imposed on the market oftraining providers, it is argued that providerregistration is optional and does not aim at

eliminating any training provider from themarket. All providers may continue to oper-ate and issue certificates under their ownseal. The recognition of acquired certificatesremains a decision of the employer.

According to the Committees’ represen-tatives, the authorisation system assures trans-parent criteria and evaluation procedures andcreates improved monitoring mechanismsfor all occupations. The significance of theauthorization process resides in its attemptto assign nation-wide recognition and addi-tional quality assurance to a given programme.Expanded responsibilities for NATB and itsproposed acquisition of the status of NationalQualifications Authority - still under debate- will foster the development of the systemof qualifications and will have a positive im-pact on the monitoring process of trainingprogrammes in terms of human resources,equipment, curriculum etc.

In the near future, the accreditation andcertification methodologies applied to con-tinuing vocational training are expected toimprove the quality of the learning processand its contents. This initiative, alongside the

implementation of initial and continuing vo-cational training standards, the developmentof transferable core skills and the introduc-tion of the national system of vocational quali-fications will entail in-depth changes relat-ing to quality assurance in the provision ofcontinuing vocational training in Romania.

(1) NATB (http://www.cnfpa.ro) is the main institution accountable foradult training policies implementation in Romania.

Further information from:Ms. Mihaela Jigau, Deputy Manager, Romanian National Observatory37, S, tirbei Voda St.RO-010102 Bucharest, RomaniaTel./Fax (40-21)-315-8705E-mail: mihaela.j@ise.ro

Source: Romanian National Observatory

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ROMANIA

New quality assurance mechanisms in continuing vocational training

Training of trainers

The Ministry of Education adopted a royal decree on 4 Febru-ary regulating the ‘certificate of specialisation in teaching’(1). The certificate is to be a requirement for all those wish-ing to teach at upper secondary general and higher-level vo-cational education.

The new certificate of specialisation in teaching for initialteacher training is structured according to processes de-signed to be complementary: the scientific fundamentals ofteaching (academic dimension) and the corresponding di-dactic (vocational) dimension.

At the same time, the initial training structure envis-aged by the royal decree now means that future teacherswill be awarded not only the basic or core certificate spe-

cific to the studies of their choice, but also the ‘diploma sup-plement’, defining a specific specialisation, in this case teach-ing, within the scope of the European Union. Those decid-ing to opt for teaching in the course of higher educationmay also take the certificate as a postgraduate programme.Finally, to complete the required training for the certifi-cate, academic training is to be followed up by a period ofteaching practice.

The training process leading to the certificate of spe-cialisation in teaching (didactics) is therefore divided intotwo stages: an academic phase, which may be directly in-corporated into studies of higher education, and a voca-tional phase of teaching practice to back up the acquired

academic knowledge and assist in the evaluation of all tea-chers starting off in teaching, both in the public or the pri-vate sector.

(1) Royal Decree 118/2004, 23 January (Official State Journal, 4 February 2004); The Spanish textis available at:http://www.uv.es/oce/web%20castellano/RD%20tit%20esp%20didactica.pdf

Source: INEM, public state employment service

SPAIN

Teacher training

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The Pass’ compétences scheme, piloted by the temporaryemployment service, Adecco, and the National Associationfor the Vocational Training of Adults (AFPA), allows tem-porary workers to acquire a recognised qualification througha linked work and training programme.

Pass’ compétences interim is a new system of trainingroute management developed by Adecco and AFPA. It of-fers ‘temporary workers access to sustainable employmentand provides firms the opportunity to bridge their skillsgaps’. AFPA has been piloting this scheme since Septem-ber 2002 in the regions of Franche-Comté and Alsace, inpartnership with Adecco/eastern France. The scheme, anextension of the Paquitte initiative for the training of tem-porary workers within the context of the European projectEqual, is co-funded to the tune of 50% by the EuropeanSocial Fund (ESF) with an initial budget of EUR 1.3 millionin Franche-Comté and approx. EUR 1.6 million in Alsace forthe period 2002 to 2005. The rest of the funding is pro-vided by Adecco (30%) and AFPA (20%).

The objective of the Pass’ compétences intérim schemeis to provide a flexible and practical response to the skillsneeds of enterprises, and to provide motivation for tem-porary workers wishing to acquire a recognised qualifica-tion in the following sectors: construction (bricklayer, build-ing maintenance operative, plumber/heating engineer, pat-

tern maker, painter, etc.), industry (plastics processing oc-cupations, lathe operator, trimming operator, electrician,etc.), and the tertiary sector (catering, etc.).

To be eligible for the scheme, temporary workers mustbe nominated by either an enterprise or an Adecco agency;alternatively they may apply for entry on their own initiative.Adecco stipulates that ‘the selection of the temporary work-ers takes place on the basis of the candidates’ know-how,social skills, involvement and ability to follow the trainingprogramme’. Candidates are initially interviewed by theirAdecco agency and their motivation and career plans eval-uated. A meeting with an AFPA trainer is subsequently or-ganised to ‘evaluate and ascertain candidates’ abilities andpotential’. The training pathway for the temporary workeris then organised, alternating periods in industry with train-ing.

Each occupation is divided into modules of 35 or even 70hours of training, representing a specific field of job skilling.As emphasised by Adecco, the accumulation of these mod-ules means that skills management can be organised tomatch company requirements, while at the same time de-veloping the employability of the temporary workers, evi-denced by the acquisition of vocational certificates award-ed by AFPA. Once participants embark on the scheme, theobjectives targeted by the training pathway are jointly iden-

tified by the enterprise, the temporary worker, Adeccoand AFPA. As training progresses and the participants gainincreasing in-company experience, AFPA certificates areawarded for the completed training modules. The validat-ed skills are recorded in an individual booklet. The final stageis the award of the vocational certificate in the target oc-cupation or a recognised qualification, depending on theobjectives defined at the outset of the programme.

Since the beginning of the pilot phase, almost 70 tem-porary workers have come out of the scheme with a voca-tional certificate, the majority having been taken on by firmson the basis of open-ended contracts of employment.

Contacts:Adecco Est Marc Poncin Tel. (33) 3 89 32 95 60; AFPA Catherine Vinson Tel. (33) 3 81 65 06 29

Source: INFFO Flash, No 631, 15 to 29 February 2004 (Ph. Grandin)

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FRANCE

Pass’ compétences promotes access to sustainable employment

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15cedefopinfo 2/2004

Eurydice has just published the final report in a set of fourdevoted to the teaching profession in Europe (1). This lat-est publication examines how the profession is perceived byteachers and society in various surveys of opinion. It sug-gests that the following five areas need further considera-tion if the attractiveness of the profession is to be enhanced:diversification of paths through training; greater overall con-sistency in initial and in-service training; the part played byfinancial incentives in salary policies; the promotion ofmobility as a means of securing a balanced supply of tea-chers on the employment market; and factors likely tomotivate teachers nearing retirement to remain in the pro-fession.

Some of the report’s findings:● The teachers surveyed in national or international surveyssay that in general they are fairly satisfied with their pro-fession. Above all, they appreciate reasonable freedom towork as they wish and good relations with pupils and col-leagues. However, the major difficulties affecting them ap-pear to be linked to their working conditions, including thecomplexity and proliferation of tasks required and an in-creased workload. Teachers also often cite the lack of prac-tical training, in particular for managing groups of difficultadolescents. Indeed, a significant proportion of them state

they are ready to leave the profession. They also underes-timate the extent to which their work is appreciated bysociety.● Some countries have begun to explore alternative ap-proaches to training, including part-time programmes, dis-tance provision or intensive programmes for those who haveacquired professional experience in another sector. One ofthe major innovations in this area is the introduction of ‘on-the-job’ forms of training, mainly in the Netherlands andEngland (2). This development requires a move from a teach-ing qualifications system based on a thorough knowledgeof what has been covered in the training curriculum to onedependent on the evaluation of skills acquired in accordancewith a centrally defined standard. Bearing in mind thesubstantial autonomy enjoyed by training institutions inEurope, the concern is to testify more objectively to the le-vel of ability acquired by candidates, irrespective of their cho-sen path through training and training institution.● Given that many European countries have to contendwith an ageing teaching profession, ensuring that experi-enced teachers remain motivated for as long as possible hasbecome a major concern. This is particularly significant inthat teachers in many countries are able to retire before theyreach official retirement age, and generally take advantageof the opportunity to do so. Reforms to limit the scope for

early retirement have been undertaken in several countries.Consideration is being given to possible ways of compen-sating for this longer period in service by partially modify-ing the employment conditions of teachers when they ap-proach retirement. Several countries provide for a reducedteaching load with no loss of earnings. The supervision ofinexperienced colleagues is a constructive way of turningthe experience of teachers to good account while at thesame time offering them an alternative activity.

(1) The teaching profession in Europe: profile, trends and concerns, Report IV: Keeping teachingattractive for the 21st century, 2004, Eurydice.Available in English and French (and from September 2004 in German) in hard copy form and onthe Eurydice website: http://www.eurydice.org/Documents/KeyTopics3/en/FrameSet4.htm

The first three reports may also be accessed on the Eurydice website:Report I: Initial training and transition to working life (http://www.eurydice.org/Documents/KeyTopics3/en/FrameSet1.htm)Report II: Supply and demand(http://www.eurydice.org/Documents/KeyTopics3/en/FrameSet2.htm)Report III: Working conditions and pay(http://www.eurydice.org/Documents/KeyTopics3/en/FrameSet3.htm)See also Cedefop Info 3/2003

(2) See article from the Netherlands below

Source: Eurydice

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Keeping teaching attractive for the 21st century

The competences asked from teachers arechanging rapidly in educational practice.Teaching methods are changing and teamsof educational staff are responsible for thelearning process instead of just one teacher.Society and industry look for different com-petences from learners and workers whenthey enter the labour market. The trainingof educational staff should be adapted tomeet the changing demands. The answer isa new structure for the educational profes-sions, which can also help to reduce the short-age of teaching personnel, in both the shortand long term.

The Minister of Education, Culture andScience has proposed a new comprehensivestructure for the educational professions (1).The core of the proposal is the formula-

tion of basic quality conditions for the var-ious occupations (teachers, teaching assis-tant, teacher support, etc.). Furthermorestaff training inside the school will becomea more central element of teacher (re) train-ing and of a modern staff policy. Schoolscan, under certain conditions, be reimbursedfor the extra costs, when this training in theworkplace is a substantial part of (future)teacher training.

National platformAn important part of the basic quality

conditions for the various functions and pro-fessions will be formulated by a national plat-form of experts drawn from both the de-mand and the supply side of the education-al sector . The civil effect thus created will be

nationally recognised. The Minister definesthese quality standards in an Order in Coun-cil, which can be adapted more flexibly thanthe (proposed) Act on Professions in Edu-cation. The quality conditions and respon-sibilities of the various professions will bestreamlined in order to stimulate mobilitywithin the sector and create better careeropportunities.

Dual learningIn addition to full or part time training

courses for those working in education, duallearning is becoming more and more impor-tant. Some schools have ambitions to traintheir own staff or upgrade their competences(HRM policy). Learning at the workplace thusreplaces parts of training courses.

Furthermore, in some cases a more struc-tured application of dual learning is neces-sary:● dual learning routes will be the main train-ing pathway for persons, who are alreadyworking in the educational sector and wantto upgrade to a higher position;● dual learning is the most suitable way totrain persons coming from outside the ed-ucational sector in the various educationalfunctions;● the combination of learning and workingis very attractive for a lot of students.

(1) Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Een samenhangendstelsel voor onderwijsberoepen. (A comprehensive scheme foreducational professions). In Dutch only. The Hague. October 2003.

Further information: www.minocw.nl, www.leraar.nlSource: Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / CINOP

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THE NETHERLANDS

Making the teaching profession more attractive - more on-the-job training

Financing of training

In April, the government stepped up its at-tack on the UK’s appalling drop out rate. Edu-cation and Skills Secretary Charles Clarkecalled on eligible year 11 students across Eng-land to pick up the new Education Mainte-nance Allowance (EMA) form and apply fortheir weekly payment of up to £30 (EUR 42).The ‘earn as you learn’ allowances are seenas a financial incentive which will help re-place the ‘culture of dropping out’ at 16 witha ‘culture of getting on’.

Following a successful pilot project cov-ering a third of the country, pupils across Eng-land can from September 2004 pick up ap-plication forms from schools, sixth form col-leges or Connexions’ branches (see CedefopInfo 3/2000). All young people from house-holds with annual incomes of £ 30 000 (EUR52 000) or less will be eligible for means-test-ed EMA payments of between £10 (EUR 14)and £30 (EUR 42) a week paid directly intotheir bank accounts in return for strong at-

tendance and commitment. Young peoplecould also receive bonuses of £100 (EUR 140)if they remain on the course and make goodprogress with their learning. The governmentexpects just over half (around 353 000 of thetotal 666 000) the 16 year old age popula-tion to be eligible for EMA in 2004/5.

EMAs have been successfully piloted since1999 in 56 Local Education Authorities (LEAs).Eight different (EMA) variants have been test-ed mostly in areas of high levels of economicdeprivation, low participation in post-16 edu-cation and low attainment at 16.

The pilots were independently evaluated(1) by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) andthe University of Loughborough. They foundthat: ● 16 year old participation (year 12) infull-time education in the pilot areas increasedby 5.9% of the eligible cohort; ● there was an even bigger impact on 16year old boys, with a 6.9% rise in partici-

pation, which may help address the gendergap in further education and● EMA increased the staying on rate of 16year olds from the lowest socio-economicgroup by around 10%.

Speaking at the EMA national launch, theSecretary of State for Education said: ‘TheUK has one of the highest post-16 drop outrates in the western world. [...] The new EMAis a revolutionary public sector reform ap-proach to cutting the UK’s appalling post 16drop out rate. [...]. It is revolutionary becausethe payments will not be made to providers(LEAs or colleges) but will be made direct tothe customer (16 year old students). [...] EMAswill produce the biggest increase in 16-18participation in a decade. Based upon the IFSevidence, we project that by 2006/7 EMAwill be causing an additional 72 000 youngpeople to be participating in further edu-cation every year than would have donebefore EMA was introduced. That is over

70 000 young people in education, the vastmajority of whom would otherwise have beenin dead-end jobs with no training or self de-velopment at best and unemployed at worst.’

(1) The Evaluation of Education Maintenance Allowance Pilots: ThreeYears Evidence - A Quantitative Evaluation was published on theDepartment for Education and Skills website in January 2004 atwww.dfes.gov.uk/research (Number 449). Available from DfES Publications, PO Box 5050, Sherwood Park,Annesley, Nottingham NG15 0DJ (tel. (44)845 6022260; fax 44.8456033360; e-mail: dfes@prolog.uk.com; price UKL 4.95 (EUR 7).

Further information on Education Maintenance Allowance is publishedat www.ema.dfes.gov.ukMore information can be found at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/financial-help/ema/.Tel. (44) 870 000 2288E-mail: info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

Source: QCA

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UNITED KINGDOM

Earn as you learn

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Results of a BIBB surveyFor some time now, there have been calls

for a greater degree of individual responsi-bility (frequently also implying a greaterdegree of financial participation) in virtuallyall walks of life. The continuing training fieldis no exception. It is therefore interestingto examine the extent to which private indi-viduals currently engage in CVT, the pro-portion of the costs they are prepared to as-sume and the benefits they draw from par-ticipation in a CVT course.

These questions were addressed by theresearch project on the ‘costs and benefitsof continuing vocational training for indi-viduals’, conducted by the Federal Institutefor Vocational Training (BIBB) in close con-junction with the expert commission ‘Fund-ing of lifelong learning’. The results of thestudy were as follows:

Extent of CVT participationA representative sample of 5 058 indi-

viduals (employed, idle, job-seekers and per-sons intending to take up employment in thenear future) was surveyed on their CVT par-ticipation. In 2002, 68% of persons aged 19to 64 participated in some form of CVT. 39%

engaged in training courses, in particular intheir own firms or in continuing training agen-cies, 26% attended congresses, conferencesor trade fairs, 23% engaged in self-directedlearning, using specialised literature, learn-ing software or the Internet, and 17% en-gaged in learning in the workplace. Many ofthe surveyed persons participated in sever-al continuing training courses. The averageparticipation rate was 1.4 continuing train-ing courses per person.

Individual costs of CVTA representative sample of 2 000 CVT

participants aged 19 to 64 was surveyed onthe costs of CVT.Total costs per person: ● The average individual outlay on CVTamounts to EUR 502 per participant per year.This sum includes both direct costs (enrol-ment fees, learning resources and workingmaterials, travel costs, external board andlodging, examination fees) of EUR 375 andindirect costs (educational leave or reducedemployment) amounting to an average ofEUR 127 per participant.Estimated overall CVT costs: ● On the basis of the mean values indicat-

ed by the sample, 27.78 million private in-dividuals are estimated to have participat-ed in CVT in Germany in 2002, incurring atotal outlay of EUR 13.9 billion.

The individual benefit of CVTIn principle, the surveyed persons rate their

participation in CVT positively. The most fre-quently mentioned benefit, indicated by 69% of participants, is personal further de-velopment. A positive impact on job perfor-mance (67%) and adaptability to new de-mands in the workplace (62%) were also fre-quently mentioned. In contrast, enhancedpromotion opportunities (31%) and a bet-ter salary (28%) were the least frequentlymentioned benefits.

These results demonstrate that private in-dividuals already assume a high degree of re-sponsibility for their own CVT, some invest-ing a considerable amount of time and mon-ey in the courses. However, alongside con-siderable disparities in CVT participation ac-cording to gender, educational and voca-tional qualifications and employment andoccupational status, substantial variationscan also be observed at the level of individ-ual CVT costs. The willingness to invest in

CVT clearly rises with the level of qualifica-tion. This is presumably due to the factthat the motivation for continuing learningand related expectations tend to differ. Butthe amount individuals can afford to spendon CVT presumably also plays a decisive role.This implies that targeted and effective sup-port measures are indispensable in the fu-ture if participation in CVT is to be guaran-teed across the board, without specific groupsor individuals being excluded.

Publications from the BIBB project:

Ursula Beicht, Elisabeth M. Krekel, Günter Walden: BeruflicheWeiterbildung - welche Kosten tragen die Teilnehmer? In: BWP -Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis, vol. 2/2004, p. 39-43 (EUR7.90)Ursula Beicht, Stefan Schiel, Dieter Timmermann: BeruflicheWeiterbildung - wie unterscheiden sich Teilnehmer und Nicht-Teilnehmer? In: BWP - Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis, vol.1/2004, p. 5-10, price: EUR 7.90, (An abstract of this article ‘Continuingvocational training: how do participants and non-participants differ?’can be found at the address indicated below)http://www.bibb.de/de/text/10080.htmThese publications may be ordered from: W. Bertelsmann Verlag,Postfach 100633, D-33506 Bielefeld, Tel. (49-521) 91101-11, Fax (49-521) 91101-19, E-Mail: service@wbv.de

Contacts Dr. Elisabeth M. Krekel - krekel@bibb.de, Ursula Beicht -beicht@bibb.de, Dr. Günter Walden - walden@bibb.de

Source: BIBB

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The price to pay for continuing vocational training

Special target groups

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No matter what direction is takenby educational/training policy, therewill always be individuals who forone reason or another fail to keeppace with social or economic de-velopments. A disadvantage in ini-tial and continuing training is inturn followed by intractable labourmarket exclusion; this in turn can-not be adequately combated onaccount of the existing educationaldisadvantage. Lifelong learning,building on broadly-based and on-going access to education andtraining, is therefore critical for theeducationally disadvantaged.

The groups typically at risk ofdisadvantage in continuing train-ing are those traditionally target-ed by specific schemes, e.g. per-sons living with disabilities, youngpeople and women. On the oth-er hand, little is known on whethertechnological progress, new formsof working, e-learning - in a word,social change - has transformedthe disadvantage pattern and trig-gered the emergence of new dis-advantaged social groups. Thisquestion was examined by a one-year project conducted by theVienna Institute for IndustrialSciences (IWI), concluded in March2004. The educational researchersunearthed a number of surprises:

The results of the IWI study pointto ‘new disadvantages’ in the fieldof continuing training, essential-ly in the form of ‘frictional loss-es’ which have developed in thewake of social change over thepast 20 years. The occurrence andextent of these ‘new disadvan-

tages’ typically depend on the so-cial and political circumstancesin which continuing training is or-ganised, the interests of individu-als and enterprises in exploitingqualifications, individuals’ bio-graphical skill spectrums, the so-cial status of these skills and therelevant societal discourses on edu-cation/training and learning. More-over these new disadvantages notonly influence ‘traditional’ disad-vantaged groups, but also thosein atypical employment relation-ships or in jobs with a low level ofintegration into company life, typ-ically resulting from the interac-tion of a number of factors (e.g.gender, employment relationshipand social status).

The following groups appear tobe hardest hit by the ‘new disad-vantages’: those in atypical em-ployment relationships, personsnot integrated into company lifeor the labour market, the lowlyskilled and educationally deprived,women, foreigners, senior work-ers and low earners.

Further information from:Barbara Birke (Barbara.Birke@tgm.ac.at) and HelmutHafner Helmut.Hafner@tgm.ac.at)Training and Labour Market research, Laboratory forPlastics Engineering, LKT, Wexstrasse 19-23, ViennaTel. (43) 699 120 120 19

Source: Helmut Hafner/Cedefop/cf

AUSTRIA

The long shadow of the know-ledge society

One of the Czech Republic’s contributions to imple-mentation of the European Employment Strategy is aprogramme entitled ‘První prílezitost’ (First Chance). Ithas been implemented by all labour offices since thebeginning of 2004, and it is designed for young peo-ple up to 25 who are seeking their first job. The mainaim is to provide specific assistance to them soon af-ter their registration at the labour office (within sixmonths at the latest), thus decreasing the likelihoodof their becoming part of the long-term unemployed.This programme is of particular importance as it fo-cuses on the age group with the highest unemploy-ment rate - 22.9% in 2003. The group is largely formedby school leavers who are among the most disadvan-taged groups in the labour market, particularly due totheir lack of work and social experience in the reallife/work process.

Before its nationwide launch the programme wastested at selected labour offices. The results proved itseffectiveness. The programme has contributed con-siderably to increased awareness on the part of un-employed young people of employers’ requirements,of employment opportunities, and counselling, job bro-kering and other services provided by labour offices.This has resulted in a more active approach by partic-ipants and one third of them got a new job within threemonths. The remaining group of participants couldthen enjoy more intensive services provided by thelabour offices in the area of motivation and counselling,including the use of psychological and diagnostic me-thods. As there was more time available for individualconsultations, the clients were more open and will-ing to co-operate.

One important instrument used as part of the pro-gramme is Individual Action Plans (IAP). These are agreedwith motivated unemployed individuals, normally af-ter 3-4 months of unemployment. The IAPs have re-sulted for most clients (approx. 70%) in increased lev-els of activity and acceptance of responsibility for theirsituation. In individual action plans, great emphasis isplaced on training programmes. These are designednot only to motivate the unemployed (establishing theirvocational orientation and providing personal deve-

lopment) and to provide them with ICT skills and miss-ing key competencies, but also to retrain them for aspecific job (e.g. in services, construction, accountan-cy and tax planning, marketing, entrepreneurship etc.).

When the ‘First Chance’ programme was tested, anumber of problems arose, particularly among youngunemployed individuals with the lowest qualifications.They were passive and indifferent in their approach tomost activities offered in order to increase their em-ployability or secure them a job. Indeed IAPs had noeffect on approx. 30% of the participants. Converse-ly, those with secondary education co-operated gen-erally well and sought to adapt to labour market re-quirements. Job seekers with a university education(the smallest proportion of the unemployed registeredat labour offices) have a chance of succeeding in theirsearch for employment even without such specific as-sistance.

Nationwide implementation of the programme comesat a time when the government is seeking to tough-en the conditions for the payment of unemploymentbenefits. This should motivate young people to searchfor jobs in time. Those who do not succeed get an op-portunity within the ‘First Chance’ programme to im-prove their position in the labour market or to returnto the education system, if they need to acquire avocational qualification. In this way the economic pres-sure on unemployed school leavers is offset by indi-vidual counselling and targeted support, which hasproved itself able to produce positive results.

For further information contact: Vera Havlícková, National Observatory of Employment and Training-National TrainingFundTel. (420) 224 500 542, fax (420) 224 500 502E-mail: havlickova@nvf.czwww.nvf.cz/observatoryorHana Blazková, Labour Office MostTel. (420) 476 440 664E-mail: Hana.Blazkova@up.mpsv.cz

Source: National Observatory of Employment and Training - National Training Fund

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CZECH REPUBLIC

Intensive individual work with unemployed young people pays off

A pilot version of the Open Information,Counselling and Guidance System (AIKOS)has been produced in Lithuania. It has beencreated on the daily updated Internet web-site of the Lithuanian Ministry of Educationand Science (www.mokykla.smm.lt) and isavailable in English as well as Lithuanian .

Official, integrated information from edu-cation-related registers about universities,colleges and vocational schools, about thecourses they provide and the diplomas theyaward, as well as other information for learn-ers, teachers, employers, employees and pol-icy makers will be published on the activewebsite. When completed the AIKOS web-site will provide education, labour marketand statistical information concerning thenumber of students at higher education in-stitutions and vocational schools, the an-nual numbers of enrolments, the unemployedand job vacancies.

This is the first attempt in Lithuania tocollate in one database information on thenumbers of students, enrolments and labourmarket needs. Education policy-makers willnow be able to justify statistically whetherthere is a need for certain area specialists.

The system will allow individuals to chooseprofessions and occupations taking labourmarket needs into account. The main aimof the AIKOS is to provide information forthe purpose of vocational guidance to awide circle of users. Information on theInternet will be used by students, teachers,employers, employees and their organisa-tions, the unemployed and those in searchof a job, labour exchanges, state and localauthorities and policy-makers. It will be avail-able to those in Lithuania and abroad.The system is open, user friendly and freeof charge.

In 2003 the first 20 vocational informa-tion points (VIPs) were established in educa-tion institutions. Each pilot VIP has 3 com-puterised workstations, Internet connection,scanner, printer, local network, directorieson learning opportunities and other printedinformation relating to admission to highereducation institutions and vocational schools.VIP staff are trained to work with AIKOS.There are also employment specialists pro-viding initial vocational counselling.

In 2004 the software and facilities will beupdated on the basis of test results; AIKOS

will be integrated into the European Infor-mation System PLOTEUS.

In 2005 the software will be finalised onthe basis of expert evaluations and user feed-back and an English version of the AIKOSwebsite will be made available.

The utilisation of AIKOS largely dependson the introduction of internet in schools. Itis envisaged that by the end of 2007, VIPswill have been established in all primary andsecondary schools. There will also be VIPs invocational schools, libraries, non-formal ed-ucation bodies for children and adults as wellas in other public places. Information madeavailable through AIKOS will increase annu-ally. It is intended to screen films about oc-cupations and the world of work in Lithua-nia and Europe. The English version of AIKOSwill enable the automatic provision of se-lected information for PLOTEUS.

The creation of a vocational guidance sys-tem corresponds to the strategic goals of theMinistry of Education and Science. The Lithuan-ian Strategy for Vocational Guidance was ap-proved in November 2003. The Ministry ofEducation and Science and the Ministry ofSocial Security and Labour are responsible

for implementing the strategy. Statistics Lithua-nia participated actively in the developmentof AIKOS and employers’ organisations aregradually joining the process. Participationof a wider circle of social partners is plannedby the end of 2004 with funding from theEuropean Union structural funds. The com-puterisation of residents’ information andcounselling is considered to be the prioritygoal. The strategy for vocational guidance isin line with the provisions of the Commis-sion Memorandum on Lifelong Learning(2000).

Further information:Vytautas BurokasHead of Registers Division,Vocational Education and Training Department,Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania A.Volano str. 2/7, 01516 VilniusE-mail: Vytautas.Burokas@smm.ltTel. (370-5) 2743168Website: http://www.smm.lt

Source: Ministry of Education and Science/

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Computerised vocational information system

17cedefopinfo 2/2004

Although the unemployment rate in theNetherlands is relatively low, it is increasingfaster than the European Union average, es-pecially amongst youngsters. However, inview of the ageing population, this groupwill play an essential role in the (future) labourmarket. All actors involved agree that allschool leavers (with or without basic quali-fications) should in the coming years keep inshape for the labour market. The Secretariesof State of Education and Social Affairs joinedhands, formulated an action plan (1) andinstalled a Youth Unemployment Taskforcein November 2003.

The aims of the Action Plan are to ensurethat● the youth unemployment rate is not morethan twice the national average, and● in order to prevent long term unemploy-ment, every unemployed youngster ob-

tains a job or re-enters education or trainingwithin 6 months.

Various initiatives have already been tak-en by employer and employee organisations,Centres for Work and Income (CWI), mu-nicipalities and others, to prevent a furtherincrease of youth unemployment. There is astrong commitment to help youngsters backto school if needed, and to a job if possible.Another example is the call from the LabourFoundation (social partners) (2) to branches,companies and employees organisations toagree in collective labour agreements (CAO)to stimulate youth employment, maintainand create practical training places (even inthese tough times) and to create more start-ing jobs or functions for school leavers.

The Youth Unemployment Taskforce sup-ports the realisation of the following goals,by the end of 2004:

● 40 000 extra youth jobs, e.g. learning onthe job, work-based apprenticeship, job with(temporary) contract, etc, should be guar-anteed and be realised by the end of 2007;● an extra 10 000 youth jobs should berecorded at the Centres for Work and In-come;● 7 500 youngsters should have actuallystarted in a youth job.

Furthermore, the activities of the Taskforceare to:● support municipalities in ensuring localcooperation between education, (youth) careand labour market services;● inform youngsters and their parents of theimportance of jobs and education by way ofnational and regional information campaigns; ● exchange good and innovative practices;● stimulate further development of the avail-ability of short term tailor-made courses forschool leavers by regional training centres;

● exchange experiences with fiscal mea-sures and● initiate a Knowledge Passport (a uni-form youth passport linked to the Europeandevelopments towards a Europass (3) singletransparency framework), to make the com-petences of youngsters transparent on thelabour market.

(1) Taskforce Jeugdwerkloosheid (Taskforce Youth Unemployment).Werkplan Samen aan het Werk (Action plan Together at work) in Dutch.The Hague. June 2003. See also www.jeugdwerkloosheid.nl

(2) The Foundation of Labour. Aanbeveling ter bestrijding vanwerkloosheid onder jeugdigen, (Recommendation to combat youthunemployment) in Dutch. The Hague. January 2004.

(3) see article on page 20 of this Cedefop Info

More information: www.jeugdwerkloosheid.nl, www.minocw.nl, www.szw.nl, and, for themost recent unemployment rates, www.cbs.nl

Source: Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / TaskforceJeugdwerkloosheid / CINOP

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THE NETHERLANDS

The threat of a lost generation - strong commitment to fight growing youth unemployment

Vocational guidance

● strengthening structures for policy andsystems development through greater in-volvement of all stakeholders.

However, to go beyond rhetoric and achievereal change on the ground, the prioritiesidentified by the ministers have to be turnedinto concrete action. The Resolution there-fore invites the Member States to take thefollowing specific actions:● review existing guidance provision;● promote co-operation among providersin order to widen access and ensure coher-ence of provision;● encourage education and training providersto promote reflective learning techniquesand autonomous learning.

The Member States and the Commissionare invited to:

● build on and adapt existing guidance re-lated European structures and activities;● identify areas for further co-operation inguidance;● ensure maximum impact on policies, sys-tems and practices at Community and na-tional levels from EU funded collaborativeguidance activities; ● integrate a gender perspective in all poli-cies and practice relating to guidance provi-sion;● review existing training of guidance prac-titioners in the light of best practice;● improve the collection of evidence onguidance to support the base for policy-making.

The question of how services can be trans-formed so that they respond to the diverseneeds of citizens throughout their lives with-out significantly increasing public fundingcosts is crucial. Although the Resolution does

not directly address this issue, the emphasisgiven to refocusing services, to diverse de-livery methods and to better co-ordinationsuggest that the solution is mainly to be foundin getting a better return on investment byincreasing the efficiency and effectiveness ofservices.

The Resolution foresees that progresson the implementation of lifelong guidancepolicies will be included in future reports onthe follow-up of the Education and Training2010 programme. This will help to keep thespotlight on guidance and to ensure that themomentum built up by the Resolution con-tinues to be developed.

The Resolution and its follow-up are in-tended to stimulate the establishment of aworld class guidance model in Europe. How-ever, the Resolution is not an isolated ini-tiative. It is in fact part of the process ofthe adaptation of education, training and

employment policies and systems in Europein light of the Lisbon (2000) goals. In the nextissue of Cedefop Info there will be a follow-up article highlighting Community level ac-tivity in this field.

Further information:Jennifer Wannan, Cedefop,Tel. (30) 2310 490 097E-mail: jwa@cedefop.eu.int

Source: Cedefop/jwa

Historic step for guidance

Continued from page 1

18

Since April 2004 a number of social part-ners have been offering a series of orientationmodules to familiarise job-seekers with thevarious aspects of the construction sector.Should these unemployed persons show in-terest, they can then start actual training. Thisshould enable some sixty people a year to en-ter the construction sector. If this project issuccessful, similar initiatives may be launchedin other sectors.

The orientation module for the construc-tion sector is a project of co-operation be-tween the Fonds voor Vakopleiding Bouw, em-ployers (Confederatie Bouw en Bouwunie),trade unions (Christian and socialist) and theVDAB. The project originated from the ob-servation that the long-term unemployedoften have no idea of what certain jobs en-tail. The organisers held info sessions in Aprilto explain the project to interested parties.

Whoever wants to go further can then con-tinue with an orientation module of a maxi-mum of two weeks. Unemployed persons whowant to become skilled in one of these fieldscan then follow vocational training at theVDAB. With this project the social partnershope to be able to bring some fifty to sixtyjob-seekers into the construction sector eachyear. The social partners may subsequentlylaunch similar initiatives for other sectors.

More info: http://www.vdab.be

Source: VDAB VDAB Media en Bibliotheekbeheer

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BELGIUM

Social partner project tempts job-seekers tothe construction sector

At their informal meeting in Dublin, EUeducation ministers noted the increasingcomplexity of education and training pro-vision and ways of learning for the indi-vidual educational/training consumer andcalled for nations to strive to create greatertransparency in this field.

In Austria, vocational guidance beginsat school. Austrian schools are currentlysupported by some 2 500 educational coun-sellors and 150 school psychologists. YoungAustrians coming out of the education sys-tem are supported by a whole raft of con-tinuing training providers, the job marketservice, interest groups and lobby associa-tions, delivering ongoing and blanket pro-vision of expert guidance and counselling.Moreover, virtual information platforms andportals - e.g. www.bildung.at - are be-coming increasingly important. These In-

ternet offerings offer would-be learnersand educational/training providers swiftand efficient access to information, and theopportunity to establish mutual contact.Given the relatively high Internet density inAustria - almost 20% of households arenow online - the acceptance of these plat-forms is correspondingly high.

Experience in Austria, confirmed by theOECD, shows that the dovetailing of guid-ance provision and smooth cooperation be-tween the various educational and train-ing policy players is essential: they are twopreconditions for the emergence of a wide-ly accepted guidance culture.

Further information from:Helmut HafnerLaboratory for Plastics Engineering, LKT, ViennaHelmut.Hafner@tgm.ac.at

Source: Helmut Hafner/Cedefop/cf

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AUSTRIA

The secret of success? - Vocationalguidance, Austrian style

The career counselling services carried outby the Turkish Employment OrganisationI.S,KUR focus on comparing personal cha-racteristics with the requirements and qual-ifications of specific occupations. This al-lows individuals to select the most suitablecareers for their personal situations andwishes, to benefit from related training,and to call on assistance to solve any prob-lems that arise in adapting to a selectedjob or placement. The particular targetsfor this activity are young people at thethreshold of choosing a career, adults want-ing to start, change or develop their ca-reers, and those going through adaptationproblems. I

.S,KUR Career Counselling Cen-

tres offer information about careers, vo-cational training places and working life.This information is also available atwww.iskur.gov.tr

Delivering career guidance and counsellingservices in line with changing technology andlabour markets, lifelong learning principlesand the needs of the country, in an efficientand effective manner, demands the formu-lation of national policy and action plans, fol-lowed by appropriate implementation. It isessential that the Ministry of Education, the

Council of Higher Education and I.S,KUR work

jointly on this.I.S,KUR sees wider cooperation as an im-

portant part of its contribution to the fightagainst unemployment. Among the decisionstaken by its Second General Council on 12-13November 2003 were ambitions concerning;‘... lifelong learning, the necessity of lifelongcareer counselling and adaptation training, de-velopment of policies incorporating effectiveinvolvement of all parties including the publicorganisations related to I

.S,KUR, private persons

and institutions, social partners, non profit or-ganisations and education institutions’.

Working groups have been formed in thecontext of the Cooperation in the CareerCounselling Services Protocol signed betweenthe Ministry of Labour and Social Securityand the Ministry of Education. In these groupsI.S,KUR’s job and career counselling person-nel meet with the relevant staff from MoEprovincial directorates, special education guid-ance and advisory services and guidance re-search centre directorates.

Other cooperating partners include theYÖK (Council of Higher Education), DIE (StateStatistics Institute), TÜRK-I

.S, (Turkish Work-

ers Union Confederation), TOBB (Turkish As-

sociation of Chambers and Bars), TESK (Turk-ish Tradesmen and Craftsmen Confedera-tion), and TI

.SK (Turkish Confederation of Em-

ployer Associations). I.S,KUR work with these

partners includes preparation and develop-ment of vocational training places and sourcesof information about working life.

Specific actions feed this broader coop-eration. The Turkey country report preparedby Professor Dr. Füsun Akkök and ProfessorDr. A. G. Watts, with the collaboration of theWorld Bank and the OECD, has the aim ofanalysing studies carried out in Turkey on ca-reer guidance and orientation and so pro-viding a basis for the formulation of policies.

A workshop organised on 21-22 April2004, aimed to assess views and recom-mendations on the efficiency of vocationalguidance and career counselling services,their strengths and weaknesses and thecooperation required of organisations andinstitutions to create a vocational guidancenational plan. Participants included relevantorganisations and institutions, social part-ners and academics. Topics covered in theworkshop included strategies and policies todevelop/improve career counselling and guid-ance, developing vocational information

sources, access to the services and means ofevaluation.

The working group report emphasised theneed to implement career guidance and coun-selling in a context of broad cooperation.There was agreement on monitoring andevaluating the outcomes of guidance andcounselling services, and identifying how theresults of such activities can be used: to im-prove policy development and implemen-tation; to help in modernising and diversify-ing services by drawing on successful exam-ples; and defining obstacles to developmentand seeking ways of avoiding them. Therewas also consideration of potential research-based evaluation methods and the financialsources for these actions.

In line with the recommendations of theworkshop, there will be a further a meetingin September 2004, followed by a nationalforum in November 2004.

Further information:Deniz KartalCareer Counsellor and PsychologistI.S,KUR, Türkiye I

.s, Kurumu Genel Müdürlügü

Atatürk BulvarıNO:133 Kızılay / Ankara Tel.(90-312) 425 06 86 Fax (90-312) 435 29 27

Source: I.S,KUR/Deniz Kartal

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TURKEY

I.S,KUR career guidance and counselling 2004

In Estonia, the co-ordination of career guid-ance and counselling is a task shared be-tween two ministries. The Ministry of Edu-cation and Research is responsible for theprovision of services to young people, where-as the main target group of the Ministry ofSocial Affairs are the unemployed.

The Ministry of Education and Researchworks in close co-operation with two or-ganisations, namely the Estonian Youth WorkCentre and the Foundation for Lifelong Learn-ing Development (Elukestva Õppe ArendamiseSihtasustus - Innove). Agreements are signedannually by the Ministry of Education andResearch with the county governors, whoseresponsibility it is to provide a range of guid-ance and counselling-related services. Eachcounty has one or more Youth Informationand Counselling Centres (YICC). There arecurrently 21 centres in operation across Es-

tonia, some of which are managed in coop-eration with local governments in the coun-try’s largest cities.

Young people also have access to ca-reer-related information in schools, with across-curricular theme ‘Professional CareerDevelopment’. School psychologists, who,in many cases, provide career-counselling ser-vices, also provide students with support tolearn about their attitudes, personal charac-teristics and vocational orientations. Thesecounsellors are usually attached to a centralunit, but have no formal teaching duties.

Vocational education establishments didnot offer career guidance services to theirstudents. Recently, however, the VET schoolsector has seen some major reforms. A pro-ject, financed by the EU Phare programme,started in 2001. Its objectives were to sup-port human resources development and solve

labour market problems, through provisionof vocational education and training and bet-ter co-operation between social partners inthe regions. Eight Regional Training Centreswere developed as a result of the above pro-ject. Their main objectives include: the pro-motion of life-long learning and programmesfor adult training; developing career coun-selling services and the training of careercounsellors in the regions; creation of ac-credited institutions for awarding compe-tence based qualification and developmentof a work-linked training scheme.

At tertiary level, there is no central regu-lation of career guidance services, and cen-tres are established on the initiative of eachuniversity.

Active steps are being taken to promotecareers guidance and counselling in differ-ent media. Leaflets, brochures etc are pro-

duced and career fairs organised, while in-formation is delivered through the Inter-net. The main homepage on career infor-mation is the homepage Pathfinder (www.ra-jaleidja.ee) administered by the Foundationfor Lifelong Learning Development (Innove).This site contains information on both study-ing opportunities and the labour market si-tuation, while texts on career planning canalso be found there. Almost every YICChas its own homepage.

Further information:Katre SaviEstonian National ObservatoryFoundation for Lifelong Learning Development (Innove)Liivalaia 2, 10118, Tallinn, EstoniaTel. (372) 6998062Fax (372) 6998081E-mail: katre.savi@innove.eeWebsite www.innove.ee

Source: Innove

ESTONIA

Coordination of career guidance and counselling C

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The Study Visits corner

The Community Study Visits Programme offers European policymakers an opportunity toview the vocational education and training realities of another country on the spot.A study visit is a unique opportunity for a host country to gain inspiration from an out-sider’s view.What strikes a German trade unionist visiting the United Kingdom?What may be of interest to Polish employers visiting Spain?How do training administration managers from Italy see their counterparts’ organisationin Denmark?

How can a Maltese researcher finds his bearings in Iceland?From now on, this section will offer Cedefop Info readers examples of the ‘cross-pollina-tion’ made possible by the Study Visits Programme.In this issue, Germans speak to their counterparts in the UK. The Study Visits are part ofthe Leonardo da Vinci Mobility Programme, administered by Cedefop on behalf of theCommission.

Further details on the study visits website: www.studyvisits.cedefop.eu.int

In the context of a trilateral exchange of ex-perience and projects within the CedefopStudy Visits Programme, a training schemerun by the trade unions in Greater Birming-ham was presented to a German-Polish del-egation. Two of the participants, Sonja Deff-ner from the German Trades Unions Congress(DGB) and Uwe Elsholz from KomNetz, de-scribe the project and their personal im-pressions below:

‘The trade unions in the United Kingdomhave considerably stepped up their involve-ment in skilling and guidance in recent years.The Union Learning Rep (ULR) Scheme (1),which offers continuing training for workersfor the provision of guidance and adviceon workforce development, is a particularlysuccessful example of initiatives in this di-rection.’

Union Learning Reps - the silentrevolution

The Union Learning Fund was set up bythe Trades Union Congress (TUC) in 1998.By analogy to existing trade union repre-sentation structures in industry, its role, amongothers, is to train trade unionists in what canbe approximately described as canvassing forlifelong learning: ULRs above all seek to en-courage workers who have missed out onlearning and skilling opportunities to get in-volved in learning. These workers are gen-erally those who unreached by further train-ing and development programmes, essen-tially the unskilled and semi-skilled. The pro-grammes promoted in this context are aboveall targeted towards basic skills (reading, writ-ing, numeracy, English, basic computer li-teracy).

ULRs operate at various levels of the work-place, right down to the level of menial pro-duction tasks, and are therefore in direct con-tact with the majority of the frequently un-derskilled workforce. Their role is to open uplearning conditions and opportunities at theworkplace to plug basic skill gaps. Trainingas a ULR initially comprises two five-day coretraining courses, as well as a number ofadditional modules (e.g. supplementary train-ing for the guidance and support of the lowskilled or educationally deprived). Moreoverthe TUC also organises regional gatherings

several times a year to support URLs and pro-mote exchange and networking.

State support for the Learning RepsScheme

The ULR scheme is directly funded by theUK Department for Education and Skills inthe form of direct transfers to the TUC UnionLearning Funds. In April 2001, a total of GBP3 million was allocated to the TUC for aperiod of three years for the expansion ofthe ULR scheme and the training of ULRs.The deployment and distribution of the fund-ing throughout the various UK regions is or-ganised and managed by the TUC. Along-side these financial resources, the Employ-ment Act of 2002 created a legal basis forthe ULR scheme, providing inter alia forthe statutory right to time off for ULRs andspecifying their tasks (2). This strengthenedthe position of the ULRs at the workplace.There are currently some 4 000 ULRs oper-ating in British industry and their number isto be boosted to 10 000 by 2010.

Workplace ‘alliances for training’The main initiatives designed to enhance

the value of learning in the workplace in-volve the social partners and tend to be verypragmatic approaches. This ‘bottom up’ ap-proach seems to succeed in developing alearning culture in industry. In cooperationwith management and local colleges, learn-ing centres are set up, generally estab-lished at a workplace. These learning cen-tres offer free courses in basic skills and ba-sic computing with the support of a tutor. Inmost companies, the learning centres are al-so open to the employees’ family members,again free of charge. These courses are sup-plemented by a government e-learning scheme,‘learndirect’) (3). All the courses are also opento non-union members.

It may appear surprising at first sight thatdemand for these courses within the work-force is so high. The success of the initia-tive probably lies in the fact that as well asproviding training opportunities, the schemehas also set up an information, advice andguidance structure in the form of ULRs. Animportant part of this seems to be that theadvice and guidance is not offered by exter-

nal experts or human resources managers.If people have to admit their basic skills gapsto their managers or an expert they will al-ways have the fear of negative consequences,up to and including redundancy; but theywill be much less reluctant to admit skillsdeficits to their peers, i.e. ULRs who are theirfellow workers and more or less on the samelevel of company hierarchy.

It is surprising to observe how naturallythe term ‘lifelong learning’ is used not onlyby full-time educators and trainers, but alsoby trade unionists and shop floor workersand how highly valued workplace trainingopportunities seem to be. It is impressiveto witness the personal dedication and en-thusiasm of the many players involved in de-veloping learning culture at the workplaceand in society as a whole.

It must however be pointed out that apartfrom the premises for the learning centres,most firms provide no or only very few re-sources for the schemes. Without govern-mental support and co-funding from variousregional funds, it is questionable whetherthe programme could survive under theseconditions.

With reference to the implementationof the initiatives at the workplace, a decisiveelement of the success of the programme sofar has been not only the personal dedica-tion of the players, but also the willingnessof management, HR, ULRs and trade union-ists to cooperate constructively to set uplearning centres over and above questionsof funding. To cooperate so closely, settingaside otherwise diverging interests and dis-agreements, calls for high powers of discre-tion from all concerned. And it is not alwaysan easy task for the various players to copewith the demands of these different roles;this is particularly true of ULRs as trade unionrepresentatives.

Concerns that human resources managersmight feel that the ULR scheme was ‘step-ping on their toes’ have only been partly jus-tified. Many HR players see the ULR schemenot as competition, but as a partner in an al-liance to reach workers with basic skills gaps.This is presumably because the scheme fo-cuses on basic general skills as opposed tocontinuing vocational training, and also

because it is externally funded: there is nobudgetary competition in the workplace.

Motivation and scopeFor the British trade unions, the following

reasons provide the essential motivation fortheir involvement in this scheme: If the tradeunions do not take steps to improve the ba-sic skills of the workers, nobody will. More-over, it is in the unions’ own interests to havewell trained members who can maintain andenhance their employability.

For the British trade unions, these guid-ance and training courses are part of a newand very successful strategy to attract newmembers. Many workers have been en-couraged to join a union through the scheme.This is partly because the courses are as arule open to non-union members: non-unionised workers participating in unioncourses in the learning centres often end upbecoming card-carrying members. Deliveryof these new learning services therefore re-ally does pay off in the truest sense of theword.

However it should also be pointed out thatthere is little involvement of smaller firmsin this programme. This is partly due to a lackof union representation at this level. In ad-dition, employers in smaller firms tend to lacka long-term vision of training policy strate-gies. At the end of the day, given the limit-ed funding for the scheme, it only suc-ceeds in reaching a minority of the Britishworkforce with basic skilling needs.’

The full version of this article is published (in German) in:Gewerkschaftliche Bildungspolitik, No 9/10 - 2003

(1) Further details at: http://www.learningservices.org.uk/unionlearningreps/. The background to the programme was providedinter alia by a 1999 survey which pointed to basic skills gaps (reading,writing, numeracy, English) among a significant proportion of the Britishworkforce (some 7 million adults). This situation is regarded not only asa problem for society as a whole, but also as a competitive disadvantagefor UK industry and has to be corrected. See also Cedefop Info 3/2003)(2) http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/print/2002/10/feature/UK0210103F.html(3) More information at: http://www.learndirect.co.uk/

Source: Sonja Deffner/Uwe Elsholz/Cedefop/cf

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The British trade unions’ silent revolution

Editors’ comment: Over 4 500 trained ULRs were in operation in 2003.According to government estimates, their number will rise to 23 000by 2010. The trend already points to an increasing number of tradeunion representatives undergoing ULR training, which is in turn re-flected by an increase in the membership numbers of the UK tradeunions.

The new national resource centre for guid-ance, sponsored by the European Commis-sion, the Ministry of Employment and theMinistry of Education, Universities and Re-search, recently opened its doors at the newISFOL branch in Benevento, in the context ofits activities as the Leonardo National Agency.The Centre supports mobility for the pur-poses of study and employment within theEuropean Union, combining the services sofar delivered by two separate agencies un-

der one roof. The aim is to better integrateeducational, training and employment-re-lated activities.

The tasks of the new centre include thefollowing: developing information resourceson study, training and employment oppor-tunities at national and transnational level,disseminating information on guidance ser-vices within the Member States of the Euro-pean Union, including the new MemberStates, training guidance providers and com-

paring and piloting innovative models andexperience in the field of educational andvocational guidance.

The new centre was launched in an Ob-jective 1 Structural Fund region, a disadvan-taged area where it is necessary to better tar-get policies promoting employment, em-ployability and social integration.

While the new resource centre is a mem-ber of the European network Euroguid-ance at transnational level, nationally it op-

erates within the national dissemination net-work of structures and bodies working in thefield of guidance. It is in particular addressedto service providers in the fields of guidance,training and employment, as well as tea-chers and trainers.

Further information at: www.centrorisorse.org

Source: Alessandra Pedone - ISFOL ReferNet Italy

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Mobility

The Europass initiative offers a single framework forthe transparency of qualifications and competences

Although the free movement of individuals is clearly en-shrined in European law, transnational mobility within theEuropean Union is still relatively limited: a survey conduct-ed in March 2003 by Ipsos (1) for Observatoire Thalys Inter-national shows that only 14% of the European working po-pulation spent a period abroad for occupational reasons in2002. In contrast, 42% of respondents say that they wouldbe prepared to pursue their studies or work in another coun-try. This disparity between declared intentions of mobilityand the reality of migratory flows can be explained by a num-ber of factors. While legal and administrative barriers or thelack of labour-market transparency should not be underes-timated, respondents however indicate other factors:command of a foreign language, the recognition of qualifi-cations and diplomas and the possibility of assistance froma European employment agency.

A series of documents, programmes and networks havebeen set up over the years with a view to increasingtransparency of qualifications and the mobility of individu-als. The following (non-exhaustive) review shows that theuse of these tools by European citizens is still insufficient.On 27 May 2004 the Council reached political agreementon a draft decision establishing Europass which seeks to in-tegrate the existing instruments into a single frameworkto create greater visibility and promote their utilisation byEuropean citizens.

Mobility tools: a status reviewThe European CV

Introduced in March 2002, the European CV has sincebeen downloaded by over 600 000 net surfers.

Available in eleven (soon 25) languages, it offers a stan-dardised electronic format to describe an individual’s workexperience, education and training background, languagecompetences and additional skills and competences acquiredoutside formal training schemes.

The Europass Training (VET)The Europass Training document (2) validates any work

experience in another Member State in the framework of atraining action complying with certain quality criteria. Estab-lished by the body responsible for organising the training,this document records vocational training engaged in as wellas details of training periods abroad (host partner, mentor,experience acquired, etc.).

In the course of the first three years of the implementa-tion of this initiative, some 50 000 Europass Training docu-ments have been issued to citizens from 18 countries.

The certificate supplement (VET)The certificate supplement is a document attached to the

VET certificate or diploma with a detailed description of theskills and competences acquired by its holder, the range ofoccupations accessible, the awarding and accreditation bod-ies and the level of certificate or diploma.

Although the use of this document varies across Mem-ber States, Denmark, where the supplement has been de-signed in four languages (3) for all VET certificates, is an in-teresting example.

The diploma supplement (higher education)The diploma supplement (DS) is a document attached to

a higher education diploma with a standardised descriptionof the nature, level, context, content and status of the stud-ies pursued and successfully completed by the graduate inquestion.

Although the DS is currently issued by a only limited num-ber of universities, the ministers responsible for higher edu-cation set the objective of the automatic and free issue ofthe DS for all graduates of higher education by 2005 at theirmeeting in Berlin on 19 September 2003.

The European Credit Transfer and AccumulationSystem (higher education)

The ECTS attaches credits to all the components of an ed-ucational programme on the basis of the following parame-ters: student workload, learning outcomes and contact hours.ECTS is designed to facilitate academic recognition of studyperiods abroad, and to develop student mobility in Europe.

This system is not systematically applied throughout allMember States, which serves as an obstacle to transparen-cy and student mobility; students sometimes encounter dif-ficulties with the validation of credits obtained abroad.

The European Language Portfolio The European Language Portfolio is a document in which

all those who are learning or have already learned a lan-guage can record their language proficiency.

It includes a scale defining language proficiency accord-ing to criteria recognised throughout Europe as a supple-ment to traditional school certificates.

700 000 portfolios have been established so far.

The Erasmus programme (higher education)Launched in 1987 to stimulate student and teacher mo-

bility by awarding grants, Erasmus has been a brilliant suc-cess: whereas 3 200 students participated in the Erasmusprogramme in 1987, their numbers had swollen to 115 000in 2001/2002, over and above which some 15 000 teach-ers went abroad as Erasmus participants.

All in all, over one million students and teachers have re-ceived an Erasmus grant since the programme’s inception.It is interesting to note that the highest level of student mo-bility is to be found in certain streams: commerce/social sci-ences, the arts/human sciences/languages and engineer-ing/architecture, while the majority of the other disciplinesare still lagging behind.

The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)Set up by a consortium of various partners, the ECDL (cf.

www.ecdl.com) is a modular and progressive validation sys-tem for basic computer skills examined at accredited testcentres. It consists of a series of test modules leading to cer-tification in the basic skills required in an IT workplace en-vironment.

ECDL is a validation tool recognised beyond Europe. Sofar over 3 500 000 candidates have applied for the tests andmore than 13 million certificates have been awarded.

The networksA number of European networks have been set up to pro-

mote mobility:Eures: The European Employment Services (EURES) aim

to facilitate the free movement of workers within the 17countries of the European Economic Area (EEA). Objectives:informing, counselling and providing advice to potentiallymobile workers on job opportunities in the EEA, as well asassisting employers.europa.eu.int/eures/home.jsp?lang=en

Euroguidance is the network of the National ResourceCentres for Vocational Guidance (NRCVG). It aims at pro-moting mobility in Europe by providing quality informa-tion on education, training and job opportunities for bothguidance practitioners and citizens at large throughoutEurope, and supporting the exchange of information onsystems.www.euroguidance.org.uk /french/main.htm

National Reference Points (NRP) are currently being es-tablished to increase the transparency of national trainingsystems. Main functions: initial point of contact for all ques-tions relating to qualification systems; national partner ofa European Network of National Reference Points.www.cedefop.eu.int/transparency/refpoint.asp

Naric is the network of National Centres to help in reg-ulating title recognition and facilitating the integration ofnational education systems. It aims at improving academicrecognition of diplomas and periods of study in the Mem-ber States of the EU, the EEA countries and the associatedcountries in Central and Eastern Europe.europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/agenar_en.html

IRIS provides a service to both students and universitiesengaged in Erasmus exchange programmes. iris.siu.no/

Ploteus is the portal on learning opportunities through-out the European area.europa.eu.int/ploteus/portal/home.jsp

The Europass proposal: a single Europeanframework for mobility tools

The Council has just reached political agreement on a pro-posal for a decision on the creation of a single Europeanframework for the transparency of qualifications and com-petences (Europass). This proposal aims:

● to bring the various transparency documents (EuropeanCV, diploma supplement, certificate supplement, the EuropassTraining a simplified version of the European Language Port-folio, developed by the Council of Europe) into a single frame-work;● to enable European citizens to gradually compile an in-dividual portfolio of competences and qualifications, whichcan be expanded on a lifelong basis; and finally● to provide a point of access to the various networks re-ferenced above.

Europass is expected to be adopted in June 2004 and willbe operational as of early 2005; it could then be expandedto include other tools (sectoral training initiatives, validationof non-formal learning, etc.).

A Europass national agency is to be set up in eachcountry, in particular:● to promote and coordinate Europass-related activities incooperation with the competent national bodies;● to provide information on learning opportunities in Europe,the structure of education and training systems and othermobility-related issues.

This effort is moreover to go hand in hand with the ra-tionalisation of national agencies and networks, e.g. by in-tegrating the existing structures (e.g., NRP, Euroguidance)to prevent a duplication of competence at national level.

(1) La mobilité en Europe: un enjeu politique, économique mais aussi démographique (Article in French on mobility in Europe as a political, economic and demographic challenge)http://www.ipsos.fr/CanalIpsos/articles/1209.asp?rubId=21(2) The Europass Training:http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/europass/index_in.html(3) http://www.ciriusonline.dk/eng/certsupp/

Source: Cedefop/pht

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