Romania · Romania VET in Europe – Country report 2013 Page 2 of 56 . Title: Romania VET in Europe – Country Report 2013 . Authors: Catalin Ghinararu, PhD (coordinator), Davidescu

Romania

VET in Europe – Country report

2013

Romania VET in Europe – Country report 2013

Page 2 of 56

Title: Romania VET in Europe – Country Report 2013 Authors: Catalin Ghinararu, PhD (coordinator),

Davidescu Adriana, PhD, Matei Monica, PhD.

This country report is part of a series of reports on vocational education and

training produced by each EU Member State plus Norway and Iceland by

members of ReferNet, a network established by Cedefop (European Centre for

the Development of Vocational Training).

The opinions expressed in this report are not necessarily those of Cedefop.

Please note that ReferNet reports are based on a common structure and are

available at: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Information-services/vet-in-europe-

country-reports.aspx

The preparation of this report has been co-financed by the European Union.

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Information-services/vet-in-europe-country-reports.aspx

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Information-services/vet-in-europe-country-reports.aspx


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Table of contents

Table of contents .................................................................................................. 3

List of tables, figures and boxes .................................................................... 4

CHAPTER 1. External factors influencing VET ............................................... 6

1.1. Population and demographics .............................................................. 6

1.2. Labour market ...................................................................................... 9

1.3. Enrolment in education and VET ........................................................ 15

CHAPTER 2. Providing VET in a LLL perspective ........................................ 19

2.1. Diagram of the national education and training system ....................... 19

2.2. Government-regulated VET provision ................................................. 20 2.2.1. Enrolment in secondary and post-secondary VET ................... 23 2.2.2. Higher education ..................................................................... 25 2.2.3. Adult education ....................................................................... 26 2.2.4. Apprenticeship ........................................................................ 30

2.3. Other forms of training ........................................................................ 31

CHAPTER 3. Shaping VET qualifications ..................................................... 33

3.1. Occupational standards ...................................................................... 33

3.2. Anticipating skill needs ....................................................................... 33

3.3. Qualifications ...................................................................................... 34

3.4. Validation of prior learning .................................................................. 36

3.5. Quality assurance ............................................................................... 37

CHAPTER 4. Promoting participation in VET ................................................ 40

4.1. Guidance and counselling .................................................................. 40

4.2. Incentives to promote participation in VET and access to the labour market ..................................................................................... 42

List of abbreviations ........................................................................................... 46

Main legislation regulating VET provision ........................................................... 47

References ......................................................................................................... 49

Websites consulted ............................................................................................ 51

Annexes ............................................................................................................. 52


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List of tables, figures and boxes

Figures Figure 1. Total population in Romania (as of January 1st), 2000-2012 ............... 6 Figure 2. Total population in Romania (as of January 1st) by age groups,

2000-2012 .......................................................................................... 7 Figure 3. Old-age dependency ratio in Romania during the period 2000-

2012 ................................................................................................. 8 Figure 4. Inactive population by highest level of education attained in

Romania .......................................................................................... 10 Figure 5. Employment by activities of national economy during 2003-

2012 ............................................................................................... 12 Figure 6. Employed persons aged 15 years and older: structure by

occupation (main job), 2012 ............................................................. 13 Figure 7. Youth unemployment rate during the period 2000-2012 ................... 14 Figure 8. Enrolment rate in Romania during the period 2000-2011 ................. 15 Figure 9. Early leavers from education and training, by sex (%) ...................... 16 Figure 10. Education and training system ......................................................... 19 Figure 11. Share of pupils enrolled in IVET schools by training programme

(%) ............................................................................................... 24 Figure 12. Emigrants and immigrants during the period 2000-2011 .................. 52 Figure 13. Inactivity rate during the period 2000-2012 ...................................... 53 Figure 14. Inactive population as a percentage of the total population, by

age group (%) .................................................................................. 53 Figure 15. Employed persons aged 15 years and older: structure by

economic activity (main job), 2012 ................................................... 55 Figure 16. Number of graduates at ISCED level 3 of education,

programme orientation and sex in Romania for the period 2007-2011 ............................................................................................... 56

Tables Table 1. Population projection during the period 2010-2060 (million

people) ............................................................................................... 8 Table 2. Employment rates by age groups and highest level of education

attained (%), 2003, 2006 and 2012 .................................................. 11 Table 3. Unemployment rates by age groups and highest level of

education attained (%), 2003, 2006 and 2012 .................................. 15 Table 4. Graduates of VET programmes by programme orientation and

sex, 2007 and 2011 .......................................................................... 17 Table 5. Graduates at ISCED level 5 and level 6 by level of education,

programme, destination, 1st/2nd stage and sex (numbers), 2007, 2011 ....................................................................................... 17

Table 6. Total public expenditure on education as % of GDP, for all levels of education combined, 2000 - 2010 ...................................... 18


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Table 7. Pupils/students enrolled in IVET schools .......................................... 23 Table 8. Pupils enrolled in special vocational schools .................................... 24 Table 9. Pupils enrolled in post-secondary schools ........................................ 25 Table 10. Enrolment in vocational training programmes (2013) ....................... 30 Table 11. Employed persons aged 15 years and older: structure by

economic activity (main job), 2012 ................................................... 54


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CHAPTER 1. External factors influencing VET

1.1. Population and demographics As of the 1st of January 2012, according to EUROSTAT, Romania’s population was of 21 315 849 inhabitants, 58 000 less than as of the 1st of January of the previous year. From the total population, 10 394 402 were men (48.7% of total population) and 10 961 447 were women (51.3% of total population). The population has been constantly decreasing since 2000. A sharp decline was noticeable between 2003 and 2011 from 21.8 million people to an approximate 21.4 million people, caused equally by negative demographic trends and external migration processes.

Figure 1. Total population in Romania (as of January 1st), 2000-2012

Source: Eurostat (Demographic Statistics), 2011.

This negative trend is even more relevant if analyzed by different age groups. Romania’s young population (less than 15 years of age) totalling 4.2 million people in the year 2000 suffered a sharp decrease reaching 3.2 million people in 2012, with very important consequences for the education and training system. Young persons account for approximately 15.1% of the country’s total population.


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Figure 2. Total population in Romania (as of January 1st) by age groups, 2000-2012

Source: Eurostat (Demographic Statistics), 2012.

For the age group 15-64 years, the population as of January 1st remained stable with small variations at around 15 million people throughout the period 2000-2012. At the opposite end of the age pyramid, the elderly (those aged 65 years and more) recorded a slow increase throughout the same period, reaching 3.2 million people at the beginning of 2012, thus almost equalling the population aged below 15.

Another relevant indicator for the demographic and also the social and economic context of Romania is the old-age dependency ratio. According to Eurostat data, the old-age dependency ratio (the percentage ratio between population 65 and more and population aged 15-64) has risen throughout the period 2000-2012, from 19.3% at the starting end of the period to 21.5% at its end.


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Figure 3. Old-age dependency ratio in Romania during the period 2000-2012

Source: Eurostat (Demographic Statistics).

Population forecast data up to 2060 (EUROPOP 2010) shows that the ageing process will continue for the next twenty years: Romania's population is expected to lose 4.2 million people by the year 2060, falling to 17.3 million people. On a shorter time-horizon, by 2020, the total population is expected to decrease by 500 000 persons, to a total of 21 million people (1).

Table 1. Population projection during the period 2010-2060 (million people)

Year 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 2055 2060 Total

population 21.5 21.3 21.0 20.7 20.3 19.9 19.4 19.0 18.5 17.9 17.3

Source: Eurostat, EUROPOP2010 convergence scenario, national level 2012.

The ageing population will also have consequences for the education and training systems thus compounding the ones arising from the accentuated decrease in the young and very young age groups. The role of adult education and training will increase considerably. On the other hand, due to demographic decline, schools (especially primary and secondary schools) will face the problem

(1) All data are based on EUROSTAT projections. Data of the latest Population Census

performed by Romania in 2011are not taken into account so as to not to impinge on data consistency. However these data show that Romania’s stable population (as opposed to the “legal one”) was already down to around 19 million;


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of low numbers of young students. This process already started and secondary VET schools are supported by national and regional authorities and by European structural funds to develop their capacity for adult education. In the meantime, several primary and secondary schools are closed due to the significant decrease or even absence of students. In such cases a consolidation process takes place with schools in larger areas providing also for the needs of the adjacent smaller ones and transportation being made available for students residing outside the area where the remaining schools are based. Funding for transportation (subsidized transportation cost) is the responsibility of local authorities (local budgets).

1.2. Labour market High rates of inactivity recorded by working age population, the large number of people working in subsistence farming (currently estimated at around 4 million people; all of them however counted as part of total employment) and external migration of labour (currently estimated at 2 million people; most of it however taking place inside the EU and therefore currently labelled as “intra-EU mobility of workers”) are developments accounting for a relative decrease in the number of wage-earning employees. However this is not translated necessarily into a marked increase of unemployment with the sole exception of youth unemployment (high at 22.7%-2012).

The inactivity rate increased from about 36.6% to 45.1% over the period 2000-2012, according to INS data (2013). However the largest increase has been recorded during the early years of the period as economic restructuring of former State Operated Enterprises was still under way. Subsequently the rate remained practically constant with small variations at around 44-45%.The ageing of population and high inactivity rate have generated an increase in the economic old-age dependency rate. While in 2000, there were 5.2 employees for 1 pensioner in 2011 the ratio was of 4.7 employees to 1 pensioner (2).

Analyzing the evolution of the inactive population during the period 2000-2012 by the highest level of education attained, one may notice that until 2006, the size of inactive population for ISCED 0-2 (pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education) is higher than for the ISCED 3-4 (upper secondary and

(2) However, it has to be noted that the Romanian pension system is entirely based on

contributions. There are practically no non-contributory benefits, so the notion of “support” is relative, rather one can talk of inter-generational solidarity.


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post-secondary non-tertiary education). Since 2007, the trend reversed, so that the inactive population for ISCED 3-4 is higher than for ISCED 0-2.

Figure 4. Inactive population by highest level of education attained in Romania

Source: Eurostat, Labour statistics.

Evolution of inactivity rate by age groups between 2000 and 2012 portrays individuals 65 years of age and over with the highest rate of inactivity, with a rise between 2000 and 2012 of 26.4% (an average rate of 2.2 p.p. per annum). At the opposite end, the prime working age groups of the population, i.e. the 25-49, witnessed an increase of about 5.1% between 2000 and 2012 (an average of 0.42 p.p. per annum).

Employment rates for the 15-24 years old displays a slow decline from 27.3% in 2003 to 23.9% in 2012. For the age-group 50-64, employment rates have slowly increased from 49.9% in 2003 to 50.6% in 2012. Regardless of educational attainment, the highest employment rate is displayed by the 25-49 age groups.


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Table 2. Employment rates by age groups and highest level of education attained (%), 2003, 2006 and 2012

Year 2003 2006 2012 Age 15-24 25-49 50-64 15-24 25-49 50-64 15-24 25-49 50-64

ISCED 0-2 19.8 64.6 51.2 15.9 60.3 46.7 16.9 59.9 44.6 ISCED 3-4 36.6 76.8 46.1 32.7 77.8 51.1 29.4 77.2 50.8 ISCED 5-6 71.3 91 59.3 57.6 92.2 74.2 39.4 88.8 69.0

Total 27.3 75.8 49.9 24.0 76.4 51.5 23.9 75.9 50.6 Source: Eurostat (Labour Force Survey), 2012.

In Romania, employment structure by sectors still differs considerable from mature market economies of the ‘old’ EU-15. A significant sector of subsistence farming still accounts for almost a third of total employment, although on a steady decline since the last decade. Industry contracted in terms of its share of total employment before stabilizing by the end of the last decade. By and large employment in Romania’s agriculture remains a form of actual under-employment; a sort of subsistence alternative for individuals outside the mainstream labour market. EU accession and the increased flow of funding under specific structural and cohesion instruments is however starting to change the things for the better. This means that while numbers might not necessarily decrease very fast, quality of this particular type of employment started to improve, albeit only to a certain limited extent. It should turn gradually from a “liability” of sorts of the Romanian labour market into of its “main assets”. The construction sector follows the trend of the national economy with a growing share during periods of growth and a declining share during times of recession. After 2000 it experienced a real boom which lasted for almost eight years in a row, going afterwards into a tailspin as the global crisis hit the Romanian economy hard at the beginning of 2009.


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Figure 5. Employment by activities of national economy during 2003-2012

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database.

In 2012, more than two-thirds of all employed persons in Romania worked in the service sector: 23 % were involved in market-oriented services such as trade, transportation, accommodation and food services, information and financial activities and real estate. 19.4 % were employed in public administration, education, human health, arts, entertainment and recreation and other services. 28.6 % of employed persons worked in industry and construction, while agriculture accounted for 29%.

Skilled non-manual workers (i.e. legislators, senior officials, managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals) made up the largest occupational group in Romania in 2012, accounting for 39.4 % of all employed persons. In 2012, Romania (49.5 %) recorded the highest proportion of skilled manual workers.


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Figure 6. Employed persons aged 15 years and older: structure by occupation (main job), 2012

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database, 2012.

Unemployment in Romania has been in a steady decline during the past years of economic boom and been much lower than in other Eastern European countries. This is mainly due to three factors:

• (under)employment in the agricultural sector, i.e. subsistence farming; • a sharp decline in the activity rate at the beginning of the 1990s from

about 85% to some 65% after 2000 due to increased enrolment of these age groups into various forms of education including higher (tertiary) education, and;

• migration for employment abroad coupled with activities in the shadow economy.

Yet, the labour market after 2004/2005 was characterized by shortages of skills in some sectors and regions, double digit-salary growth and an accelerating pace of job churning (i.e. quite a high number of job vacancies indicating that individuals were changing jobs fast as new opportunities were arising on the market). With the advent of the global crisis in early 2009 a nearly complete freeze of job openings occurred, followed by successive, though not necessarily massive, waves of collective dismissals and restructuring affecting both the private and public sector. Recently, in a prolonged recessionary climate (return of growth at rates below 4% cannot be considered as conducive for employment


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generation for developing economies like Romania) the unemployment rate started to increase (harmonized unemployment rate as calculated by the National Institute of Statistics went to 7.5% in August 2013 thus registering an almost 1pp. increase since the beginning of this year).

Youth employment rates in Romania – people aged 15 to 24 – was 20.8% in 2009, going up to nearly 22.7 % at the end of 2012. Long-term unemployment (12 months and more) as a percentage of the total unemployment among young people was 43.3 percent in 2012, higher for males (44.8%) compared with females (41.2%).

Figure 7. Youth unemployment rate during the period 2000-2012

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database, 2012 .

The employment rate among older people – 55-64 years olds – was 42.6 percent in 2009, 3.4 percent lower than the EU average, having declined to 41.4 percent in 2012. In 2012, the employment rate of people aged 20 to 64 was 63.8 percent. The number of employees increased from 6.21 million in 2009 to 6.22 million in 2012.

The highest level of unemployment is recorded for the age groups 15-24 and 50-64 for the level of education ISCED 3-4, while for ISCED 0-2 the age group 25-49 has the highest rate of unemployment (table 3).


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Table 3. Unemployment rates by age groups and highest level of education attained (%), 2003, 2006 and 2012

Year 2003 2006 2012 Age 15-24 25-49 50-64 15-24 25-49 50-64 15-24 25-49 50-64

ISCED 0-2 15.3 8.1 2.0 19.7 9.7 3.2 16.3 8.7 3.3 ISCED 3-4 22.8 6.7 5.1 22.0 6.8 4.9 25.1 6.4 4.6 ISCED 5-6 15.8 2.9 2.5 27.7 3.2 : 29.1 4.9 2.5

Total 19.5 6.5 3.2 21.4 6.7 3.9 22.7 6.5 4.0 Source: Eurostat (Labour Force Survey), 2012.

1.3. Enrolment in education and VET According to the latest data provided by the National Institute of Statistics of Romania, the enrolment rate for the country’s school age population stood at 76% for the school-year 2011, with the highest value being recorded for the compulsory primary education (population aged between 7 and 10) where enrolment rates have reached the threshold of 95%. Certain differences do remain between the rural and urban areas, pointing thus once again to the pressing need of allocating more resources for the rural communities as well as for its agricultural pillar. While in the urban areas graduation rates for primary and lower secondary cycles (grades from 1 to 8, children aged between 7 and 14) were at 97.2% for the same school year cited above, for the rural areas they were 2 percentage points lower standing squarely at 95.8%. The rural lower secondary cycle displayed still at the end the school year 2011 the lowest graduation rate, at 70%.

Figure 8. Enrolment rate in Romania during the period 2000-2011

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database.


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Early school leaving is a phenomenon negatively affecting the quality and competitiveness of human capital. The early school leaving rate decreased from 23.0% in 2000 to 17.4% in 2012 (figure 9).

Figure 9. Early leavers from education and training, by sex (%)

Source: Eurostat (Labour Force Survey), 2012.

There is a gender gap among early school leavers: the early school leaving rate is higher in the male population, since many of them are leaving school to enter the labour market to ensure financial support for their families. Poverty, low educational attainment of parents and the risk of social exclusion are the most important factors leading to early school leaving (European Commission, 2004). Also, the surveys (Institute for Educational Science, 2004) available identify the low attractiveness of education among the motivations for early school leaving (only 33% of the pupils surveyed consider the education provided in schools as useful for their social and professional life).

Analysing the number of graduates at ISCED level 3 of education by sex and programme orientation we can observe that the difference is quite large: for the general programme female graduates are in excess of male graduates whereas in vocational programmes (VOC3) male graduates are the majority. For this level of education, Romania recorded a descending trend between 2007 and 2011, both overall as well as when analysed by sex of the graduates.


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Table 4. Graduates of VET programmes by programme orientation and sex, 2007 and 2011

Source: Eurostat (UOE Data collection).

Table 5. Graduates at ISCED level 5 and level 6 by level of education, programme, destination, 1st/2nd stage and sex (numbers), 2007, 2011


For the level of education ISCED 4 and the vocational programme the number of female graduates was higher than the number of male graduates. One interesting observation is that, the average number of graduates for males, females as well as overall for the ISCED 4 level is increasing in 2011 compared to 2007.

For ISCED 5-6, the number of graduates in Romania is higher for women and is increasing for the period 2007-2011. Recently, the number of graduates has been on the rise for both sexes.

Analysing the evolution of the number of Romanian graduates for the period 2007-2011 for the three levels of education ISCED 3, 4 and 5-6 we can observe that the number of male graduates is higher than the number of female graduates for ISCED 3. This ratio is inverted for the higher levels of education (ISCED 4 and ISCED 5-6). It may be therefore concluded that Romania produces more female than male university and college graduates.

Social policies implemented in recent years have also been directed so as to ease unnecessary burden on students, give more time for practical application and competence-oriented outputs while in the meantime creating room for disadvantaged minorities such as the Roma minority to promote via public education their own values and culture helping to break the cycle of discrimination - lack of education - poverty. Nevertheless, the education reform also entailed an adaptation to smaller cohorts for the primary education as a result of smaller generations born in the nineties. This has especially affected

Sex/Year/Programme Programme orientation

2007 2011 3 GEN 3 VOC 4 VOC 3 GEN 3 VOC 4 VOC

Total 90 435 230 970 12 660 67977 76380 20739 Males 36 454 133 787 4 338 25763 42833 6720

Females 53 981 97 183 8 322 42214 33547 14019

Year 2007 2011 Sex/

Programme 5 A1 5 A2 5 B1 6 5 - 6 5 A1 5 A2 5 B1 6 5 - 6

Total 115491 77488 10008 2983 205970 17175 82698 146 5615 259634

Males 46903 30371 4137 1495 82906 67297 29596 23 2806 99722 Females 68588 47117 5871 1488 123064 103878 53102 123 2809 159912


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rural schools and kindergarten, part of which had to be closed (e.g. in 2008 only 12.2% of kindergartens were functioning in rural areas). The fact that rural areas still lag behind in amenities of modern life makes it difficult to assure proper education infrastructure and to attract qualified teaching personnel. Despite efforts made to stimulate teachers to move to the rural areas, including special financial incentives in addition to the basic salary, results remain dismal. Graduation rate for lower secondary education remain lower than in urban areas. Increase in drop-out rates has continued in rural areas in the school year 2007-08, although a reversal of their rising trend was marked in urban areas. This points to serious problems especially as school age population will continue on a descending trend in the years to come. Compounded with limitations in funding this might lead to further school closures. Children in small, isolated communities will remain thus a group at risk.

Total public expenditure on education as % of GDP, for all levels of education combined has increased from 2.88% of GDP in 2000 to 4.24% of GDP in 2009. In 2010, the percentage of public expenditure on education decreased with about 1%.

Table 6. Total public expenditure on education as % of GDP, for all levels of education combined, 2000 - 2010

Year Public expenditure on education (% of GDP)

2000 2.88 2001 3.25 2002 3.51 2003 3.45 2004 3.28 2005 3.48 2006 : 2007 4.25 2008 : 2009 4.24 2010 3.53

NB: (:) data not available. Source: Eurostat (UOE).


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CHAPTER 2. Providing VET in a LLL perspective

2.1. Diagram of the national education and training system

Figure 10. Education and training system

Source: UNICEF Romania, 2013.


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2.2. Government-regulated VET provision (3) The national education system comprises the following education levels (pre-university): (a) pre-school education (0-5 years); (b) primary education, including compulsory pre-primary class (preparatory

group, 5-6-year-olds) and grades I-IV ; (c) compulsory lower secondary education (gimnaziu, grades V-VIII) (d) upper secondary education (school grades IX-XII/XIII, of which years IX and

X part of compulsory education) that leads to upper secondary leaving diploma (qualification of level 3 in National Qualifications Framework - NQF) and higher education through baccalaureate exams. Upper secondary education includes the following paths: (i) a theoretical path with two programmes (profiles): Science

(mathematics and computer programming or natural sciences) or Humanities (social studies or languages);

(ii) technological path with the following programmes: technical (engineering, electrotechnics, construction), services (trade, public catering), natural resources and environmental protection. It leads to a qualification at level 3 of NQF. Pupils/students graduating from the 10th grade of the technological path who have also completed practical training (internship) may enrol for a certification exam leading to a vocational qualification at level 3 of the NQF. Internships (practical training) may be performed in education units or, alternatively in public institutions or enterprises that have signed contracts for this purpose with entities form the education system (IVET);

(iii) a vocational pathway (învățământ vocational), with the following programmes: military, theological, sports, artistic and educational.

(e) ‘professional education’ (învățământ profesional) in Romania stands for education (initial VET) that is provided in professional schools (arts and trades schools). It is available to lower secondary education (gimnaziu) graduates who are not enrolling in upper secondary school education and offers a qualification included in the National Qualification Framework (free of charge if it is completed until the age of 18 years).It leads to either professional qualification (NQF level 1 after two years of studies or EQF

(3) This chapter is meant to encompass all the learning opportunities leading directly to

government-recognised qualifications irrespective of the age of the learners or their previous learning experience(s). As a consequence, there is no formal division between IVET and CVET imposed.


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level 2 after a third ‘completion’ year) or to two more years of studies in the technological part of upper secondary education. It comprises: arts and trades schools, technological path of the upper secondary school and post high school.

(f) post-secondary non-university education. After completing lower secondary education pupils can continue their studies

in upper secondary schools or professional schools. Admission is based on each pupil’s portfolio including the graduating diploma and transcript (foaie matricola) and on the grades received at national evaluation exams taken at the end of VIII grade. National evaluation consists of written examinations in Romanian language and literature, mother language (if different from Romanian), mathematics and sciences, and foreign language. Computer skills are assessed during the year of study.

Upper secondary school graduates having acquired (formally, non-formally or informally) professional competences can take a certification exam and if they pass this exam they attain a qualification certificate and a descriptive supplement (Europass).

Upper secondary education graduates may also receive a school leaving certificate (baccalaureate). The baccalaureate requires a given combination of subjects, including centralised examinations. For students at technological upper secondary schools this combination reflects their vocational specialisation to an extent, but also includes relevant scientific subjects and Romanian (for all students) and a foreign language. Candidates who pass the baccalaureate, regardless of whether they come from a theoretical or vocational path or if and whether they have a vocational qualification, can go on to university.

Vocational and technological upper secondary education can be organized for the qualifications included in the national register of qualifications which is periodically updated according to the labour market needs identified through strategic documents planning training supply at regional level. These routes of upper secondary education can be organized according to the requests of the employers or from the National Agency of Employment (Agenția Națională de Ocupare a Forței de Muncă - ANOFM).

The National Centre for the Development of Vocational and Technical Education (CNDIPT) in partnership with the General Union of Industrialists in Romania, is implementing a strategic project named ’School-company active partnership to improve initial professional training – IVET Steps’ (2010-2013), co-financed by European Social Fund through SOP HRD 2007 – 2013. Within this project, the ‘Choose your path’ programme was initiated in the school year 2012-2013, as a programme for the development of professional and technical education supported by the Ministry of Education.


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"Choose your path!" is a two years programme, starting after the ninth grade as part of the technological route of secondary education. In the first year, theoretical training accounts for 40% of all the training, while practical training accounts for 60%. In the second year of professional education, the importance of theoretical training will decrease to a quarter of the total hours, while the focus will be more on practical training, with a share of 75%. The programme is open to all students in the ninth grade enrolled in high school who want to benefit from the opportunities offered by a specialized programme. Students enrolled in this professional education programme will receive a monthly scholarship of 200 RON. After two years a qualification certification exam will be organized by the school chosen by the student. This exam will allow them to acquire a professional qualification. After completing the programme, students will also acquire a compulsory education certificate, which will allow them to continue their studies in high school (grade XI) in order to obtain the baccalaureate diploma.

In 2013, the "Choose your path!" programme offers 20 717 places (1 013 more than in 2012) in 481 schools, 74 qualifications and 1 878 partnerships with employers.

Post-secondary education is included in the professional and technical education and is partially financed by the state. Romania has several post-secondary education institutions: post-high schools and foremen schools (şcoli postliceale şi scoli de maiştri) which can charge fees to students or employers where students are employed. Post-secondary education provides an opportunity for advanced vocational training for graduates of secondary schools (with or without baccalaureate diploma, coming from whether a theoretical or technological pathway). They offer a range of qualifications (NQF level 3), mostly of two years’ duration (up to three years maximum). Programmes may be standardised or specially arranged to meet the needs of specific employers. Training may be (usually) formal or informal.

Post-secondary education further develops, by in-depth study and specialization, the training fields of the technological upper secondary school (technical, services, natural resources and environment), or other specific fields of post-secondary specialization in non-technological fields (e.g. laboratory technicians, assistants in different sectors of administration, banks, media and advertising).

Foremen schools (scoala de maistri) are included in the post-secondary category. They are organized in respect of the legal provisions in force that specifically regulates the conditions of participation to this type of school together with diploma recognition. Studies may have alternative financial sources, through social partners and enterprises or by request of individual financing.


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Post-secondary education leads to a vocational qualification at level three of the NQF after studies of maximum of 3 years. Education and training credits acquired in post-secondary education can be recognized by universities (depending on the decision of the university senate) provided that graduates also hold a baccalaureate.

2.2.1. Enrolment in secondary and post-secondary VET In 2011, the number of pupils/students graduating from vocational education represented 7% of the total number of graduates enrolled in education programmes. In the school year 2011/2012 the number of students enrolled in vocational schools dropped by 80% compared to the previous year, and the share of VET in the school population represents only 1%. Overall, in recent years there was a decrease in the share of students enrolled in vocational education of the total school population.

Table 7. Pupils/students enrolled in IVET schools

School year Pupils enrolled 2000/2001 164973 2001/2002 180476 2002/2003 206109 2003/2004 246977 2004/2005 277838 2005/2006 274041 2006/2007 240924 2007/2008 211345 2008/2009 181048 2009/2010 109847 2010/2011 51029 2011/2012 10288

Source: Statistical Yearbook of Romania 2012.

Figure 11 shows the vocational training programmes covering more than 90% of the pupils enrolled in IVET. Areas of vocational specialization recording the highest share of student enrolment are, in decreasing order: transport (22.7%), engineering (19.7%), and assembly-construction (8.73%). Other areas recording significant enrolment shares are: catering (6.5%), electro-technical and electronics (4.75%), agriculture (7.54%), and light industry (6.86%), trade (4.3%), wood exploitation and processing (4.6%).


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Figure 11. Share of pupils enrolled in IVET schools by training programme (%)


Special education is organized for the purpose of training, educating and socially integrating children with disabilities, using curricula, syllabi, textbooks, and educational technologies and techniques designed in accordance with the type and degree of diagnosed disability. The special education network includes kindergartens, primary and lower secondary schools, vocational schools, upper secondary schools, and post-secondary schools.

Table 8. Pupils enrolled in special vocational schools

School year Pupils enrolled 2000/ 2001 12468 2001/ 2002 11562 2002/ 2003 11328 2003/ 2004 11682 2004/ 2005 11269 2005/ 2006 10371 2006/ 2007 9459 2007/ 2008 8990 2008/ 2009 8206 2009/ 2010 5598 2010/2011 3509 2011/2012 2094



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For the school year 2010/2011 students of special vocational schools display significant enrolment rates in light industry (24%), assembly and construction (20%), engineering (14%), catering (13%), and wood exploitation and processing (11.5%).

Table 9. Pupils enrolled in post-secondary schools

School year Pupils enrolled

Post high schools

Special post high schools

Foreman schools

2000/ 2001 72942 187 8988 2001/ 2002 64968 225 7492 2002/ 2003 54834 274 6747 2003/ 2004 49516 211 5005 2004/ 2005 44641 227 3825 2005/ 2006 40578 218 2821 2006/ 2007 34772 232 2693 2007/ 2008 40759 235 4534 2008/ 2009 48546 224 6319 2009/ 2010 56063 197 6315 2010/2011 63676 183 6108 2011/2012 72692 210 6564


Post-secondary schools and foreman education graduates represent approximately 2.7% of the total number of graduates in the Romanian education system (including tertiary education). According to the National Institute of Statistics the number of students enrolled in post-secondary education increased in 2011 by 14% compared with 2010. For the school year 2010/2011 81% of the students enrolled in post-secondary education are in health-related programmes.

2.2.2. Higher education The higher education system in Romania has a three-cycle structure, complying with the Bologna system: Bachelor, Master and Doctorate. The three study cycles of higher education are also referenced to levels 6, 7 and 8 of the European Qualifications Framework. Besides the three study cycles, the National Education Law (Law no 1/2011) provides for the post-university continuing training and personal development studies leading to the certification of specific processional competencies acquired by learners during the respective study programme (National Qualifications Authority, 2011). Competences acquired through post-university continuing training and personal development programmes are attested by certificates and other documents. Both higher education and post-higher education diplomas, certificates and documents may


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be issued only by accredited higher education institutions and only for accredited study programmes and modules (programs of study may have a modular organization allowing thus for the choice of the students); they are similar for the same study programme, irrespective of the modules of study.

Moreover, all these diplomas and certificates are issued upon graduation of a study cycle, which means that the learning outcomes they attest correspond to the level of qualification indicated by the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (Self certification report, Verification of compatibility of the Romanian National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education with the Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area, 2011).

The state provides core funding for accredited professional and high school education (public and private) and also for state post-secondary education. The funding process is based on the standard cost per student according to the Ministry of Education methodology (Education Law). The standard cost per student is an indicator of substantiating the need for funds to cover the financing base.

2.2.3. Adult education In Romania, adult vocational training is regulated by Government Ordinance no 129/2000, approved by the Law no 375/2002. According to the Government Ordinance 129/2000, adult vocational training includes initial vocational education and training (IVET) and continuing vocational education and training (CVET) organized through pathways different from those specific to the national education system. According to the Ordinance 129/2000, professional competences can be acquired through formal, non-formal and informal learning as follows:

• formal education is provided within a programme organized by an accredited vocational training provider;

• non-formal education refers to a process of acquiring competences either via the regular performance of specific activities at the work place or through self-training;

• informal education refers to the process of acquiring competencies through training methods that are unstructured, unintended and non-institutionalized (non-systematic contacts within the family, society and professional environment leading however to learning outcomes and the acquisition of competencies).

Adult vocational training is organized through training programmes aiming at initiation, qualification, re-qualification, improvement and specialisation.


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• initiation refers to acquiring one or more competencies specific for a qualification in accordance with the occupational standard or the training standard;

• qualification and re-qualification is the vocational training that leads to the acquisition of a set of professional competences that will allow a person to carry out activities specific for one or more occupations;

• improvement and specialisation represent vocational training processes that lead to the development or completion of knowledge, skills or professional competences of a person who already has a qualification. It includes the development of competences in the same qualification, the acquisition of new competences in the same occupational area, and the acquisition of fundamental/key competences or new technical competencies specific to a new occupation.

According to the Ordinance 76/2004 on the modification and completion of the Government Ordinance 129/2000, vocational training programmes enable participants to acquire professional competences in accordance with occupational standards or training standards recognized at national level. The occupational standard or the training standard is the document defining the professional competences necessary to practice an occupation, or to exercise a specific qualification. Within the vocational training framework the so-called “credit transfer system” and the accumulation of transferrable training credits certify the acquiring of new competences.

Adult vocational training activities may be performed or undertaken via a number of alternative routes as listed below:

- courses organized by training providers, - courses organized by employers inside their institutions, - internships and specialization, - other forms of training provided by law. Adult vocational training is provided by legal persons/entities (private or

public) as well as, in certain cases, by individuals acting as vocational training providers. Apprenticeship makes for a special form of vocational education and training) provided by companies/employers complying with certain conditions (under the Law no 279/2005 with subsequent changes; last amendments as of May 2013). Traineeship for higher education graduates, with the exception of professions for which special legislation provides differently (e.g. doctors and other medical personnel, lawyers, notaries) is mandated by the Labour Code (i.e. Law no 52/2003 with subsequent changes) for the first six months after graduation. However conditions for its exercise are not yet regulated, with a draft law being currently under the scrutiny of Parliamentary commissions. Training providers can also be represented by vocational training centres.


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In order to be authorized as a training provider entities must demonstrate that their vocational training programmes meet certain conditions such as: health and safety; specialized training equipment, tools, machines and installations (or an agreement for the use of a third party’s practical training facilities); certified trainers and training personnel (in apprenticeships the certification of foremen is no longer necessary as it has been judged as burdensome by employers’ associations); suitable premises; and adequate curricula, in accordance with existing occupational standards if these are in place. The authorization process is coordinated by the National Authority for Qualifications (Autoritatea Nationala pentru Calificari - ANC) through the authorization commissions that bring together representatives of directorates for social solidarity with school inspectorates, employment agencies and employers organisations.

VET programmes are organized for occupations included in the Romanian Classification of Occupations (Clasificarea ocupaítiilor din Romania - COR) and also for professional competences which are common for a set of occupations. VET providers that request to organise vocational training programmes for occupations for which there are no occupational or training standards may elaborate draft occupational or training standards that are submitted for approval to the ANC.

Individuals providing teaching and training activities within the system of continuing education and training for adults are classified within the Romanian System of Occupational Classification (Clasificarea Ocupatiilor din Romania) as “adult trainers” (formatori de adulti) as a specific specialization with its own procedure for certification. In most cases training courses for adult trainers are organized by private training providers which are certified for organizing such courses. Certificates (also known in Romanian as “diplomas”, although this is a colloquial denomination) are provided by the National Authority for Qualifications (Autoritatea Nationala pentru Calificari, former National Adult Training Board - NATB/CNFPA). The Ministry of Education regularly organizes andragogy courses for its teachers so as to provide them with adult trainer specialization.

Government Ordinance 129/2000 stipulates that training and training results/outcome assessment may be financed from:

- employers/enterprise own funds, - unemployment insurance fund, and - sponsorship, donations, and external sources; Recently the unemployment insurance act (law no76/2002 as modified via

law no250/2013) as well as the apprenticeship act (as amended in 2013) provide for the possibility of co-financing from the EU’s structural and cohesion instruments.


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The ESF activity in Romania on training and training-related activities with an emphasis on VET is basically channelled via the Sector Operational Programme – Human Resources Development (SOP HRD). Starting with 2008 and up until 2012 more than 2 000 projects have been co-financed through the SOP HRD, the majority of them dedicated to vocational training of various target groups or to activities supporting VET, both initial and continuing.

The National Plan for Vocational training is based on: - the analysis of vacancies and the identification of the jobs in high

demand, - investigation of the county employment agency data base regarding the

persons waiting for a job. According to the National Plan for Vocational training, in 2013, 2 093

programmes of initiation, (re)qualification and specialization have been organized on a free-of-charge basis for their beneficiaries (i.e. subsidized from various sources).

These programmes are organized by the centres subordinated to the National Agency for Employment (county centres of adult vocational training), by the 23 centres for vocational training of the county employment agencies (judet), and also by authorized providers (from the public or private sector). About 73% of those programmes are organized through the county agencies own network of centres. For 2013, the National Agency for Employment planned to include in the training programme 43880 persons as follows:

- 41 096 unemployed registered with the county employment offices (judet);

- 1 149 individuals entitled to free of charge training outside the mainstream category of registered unemployed, i.e. 772 prisoners, 377 from other categories (individuals returning to work after childcare/parental leave, individuals from the rural areas below a certain income threshold, individuals returning to work following the discontinuation of disability retirement).

- 1 635 individuals paying a fee for their training; A brief assessment of participation to vocational training programmes

(commonly also known as “courses”/“cursuri”) shows that the courses most in demand for 2013 have been those oriented towards:


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Table 10. Enrolment in vocational training programmes (2013)

Courses Specialisation No of students Electrotechnics, electronics, automation

and information technologies Data processing and validation operator 2 561

Computer and network operator 770

Trade Trade worker 3 286 Food retailer seller 496

Tourism, hotels and restaurants Cook 2 358 Waiter 2 044 Baker 537

Construction Building finishers 471 Plumbers for gas installations 1 372

Agriculture, fishing, hunting Bricklayer mason plasterer 911 Drywall walls and ceilings roofer 170

Service workers Worker crop 926 Animal producers 521

Business professionals Accountant 1 372 Administrative professionals Human resources inspector 2 340

Health and work security inspector 286 Source: Cedefop, based on ReferNet data.

2.2.4. Apprenticeship A special law on apprenticeship has been mandated by the Labour Code since 2003. The current act adopted in 2005 (Law no279/2005; see also references in previous paragraphs) has seen a rather slow application. One reason for this at the very beginning was the legal requirement for enterprises willing to apply for apprenticeship schemes and engage into apprenticeship contracts (4) (defined as

(4) According to the special law that regulates the institution of apprenticeship in Romania,

namely the Apprenticeship Act of 2005 (Law no 279/2005), apprenticeship is to regarded as a special and distinct form of vocational training combining employment, in the form of a closed-end, determined duration contract, with vocational training, to be provided by the employer, both practical and theoretical. According to the law and to its application norms, entitled to apprenticeship are individuals aged between 16-and 25 years of age, provided that they had no prior qualification in the trade for which they demand entering into an apprenticeship contract. The contract as such, cannot be longer than three years but, also not shorter than six months, in accordance with the qualification to be provided. Actually, the norms for the application of the law clearly state that the contract cannot actually exceed 24 months so as to be in full compliance with the provisions of the Labour Code for determined duration contracts. All enterprises can engage into apprenticeship contracts provided that they do have the necessary facilities and they do provide the local Labour Directorates of the Ministry of Labour with proof that apart from these, they do have a specifically designed training program for the occupation for which they do wish to organize apprenticeship. It is important hereby to mention that while the apprentice is considered a full time employee of the firm or of an individual authorized person or family association as these entities are also entitled to organize apprenticeships, he or she is entitled to all associated rights, with minimum


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a special type of labour contracts involving both work and vocational training at workplace). Enterprises had to provide a number of specially trained apprenticeship foremen, not only being equipped with sufficient professional experience and expertise but also possessing certified formal knowledge and skills related to the training/apprenticeship. Although this requirement is no longer in place, the advent of the crisis has drastically reduced incentives for apprenticeship training as employers have found themselves struggling, sometimes, drastically cutting either wages or working hours of their regular staff (Ghinararu, 2008).

Only around 100 apprenticeship contracts have been concluded in Romania in 2012. The Ministry of Labour has decided to bring some new changes to the apprenticeship act so as to encourage employers to engage in this combination of employment and vocational training benefiting youngsters. The new changes which have been adopted as of May 2013 (Act 179/2013) aim at: (a) ensuring that additional funding is available for employers engaging in apprenticeship as subsidy foreseen in the law may use not only funds available from the unemployment insurance fund, but also ESF funds; (b) ensuring that at least the theoretical part of training for the apprentices is provided by certified training providers; (c) ensuring thus that all apprentices receive nationally recognized qualification certificates.

2.3. Other forms of training Non-formal training in CVET means directly engaging in specific activities at work or self-training. Non-formal learning is a learning process integrated into different planned activities with learning objectives, which not explicitly follow a curriculum and can vary in duration. This type of learning depends on the intention of the learner and not automatically leads to certification of knowledge and skills.

The ‘Second Chance’ programme aims at fighting the marginalization and social and professional exclusion of young people who dropped out from compulsory education without acquiring the minimal competence needed for obtaining a job (Ministry of Education Order 3062/2000). This programme is addressed to young people aged between 14 and 24 who have not completed

salary as well as with working time regulations being applied. The apprentice also has to benefit from theoretical training which is to be provided inside the working hours. Also, employers have to provide housing and accommodation for apprentices if they are unable to shuttle between home and work. However it has to be noted that provisions on housing and accommodation have been subsequently abrogated as they were judged as burdensome by the business community.


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their lower secondary education studies and it has two major objectives: completion of compulsory studies and acquisition of certain qualifications. The programme is based on a partnership among several institutions: educational units, public administration, social partners and non-governmental organizations.

The main aim of the employment program for socially marginalized people (developed in 2011 by the National Employment Agency) is the social inclusion of young people facing the risk of professional exclusion. The objectives of this programme are:

- increasing the employment rate of disadvantaged people; - promoting social inclusion and social security and protection of young

people facing the risk of professional exclusion; - preparing young people at risk of social exclusion for an active life in the

community in the formal and non-formal education system; - providing access to training, tailored to the labour market, according to

personal choices of young people. The main tool which provides personalized assistance for young people in

difficulty and facing the risk of professional exclusion, is the so-called “solidarity contract”, a scheme specially designed for youngsters between the ages of 16 and 25. It is operated by the National Agency for Employment through its nationwide network of county (“judet”) and local employment offices (Agentie Judeteana/,Locala de Ocupare a Fortei de Munca). In the frame of this specific arrangement, the National Agency for Employment provides personalized job counselling, access to training as well as job placement. Jobs are provided by selected employers (designated as “social insertion employers”) in the frame of “solidarity contracts” concluded between them and the agency. In the frame of these contracts they accept youngsters between the ages of 16 and 25, placed into their job openings by the employment services. For each such person employed, enterprises are reimbursed the full monthly salary of the individual employed provided that the salary does not exceed 75% of the national average. Contracts concluded as such have to be of determined duration (closed-ended). Following the termination of such a contract, enterprises engaged in the procedure are mandated to conclude a second, this time non-determined duration (open-ended) contract. For a period of maximum two years afterwards, (or until the employed youngster reaches the age of 25), enterprises are eligible for reimbursement equal to 50% of the amount of the unemployment benefit.


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CHAPTER 3. Shaping VET qualifications

3.1. Occupational standards Occupational standards are developed by entities concerned in a specific area of interest and are subsequently submitted for approval to the sector committees. Sector committees have a pivotal role in the development of occupational standards and have been greatly encouraging the development of validation centres which at their turn have been an incentive to further develop standards for more occupations. Currently 61 validation centres are registered with the National Register of Validation/Assessment Centres maintained by the ANC. Validation/assessment of non-formally and informally acquired skills and competences is possible currently for 116 occupations according to ANC statistics.

3.2. Anticipating skill needs Among the most important measures taken in order to anticipate skill needs are the following:

• the National Labour Research Institute, jointly with school inspectorates is investigating the labour market trajectory of high school graduates using survey-based methods, currently in the frame of three regional ESF funded projects. The goal is to enable school inspectorates to adjust their education and training supply, including initial VET, in accordance with labour market needs.

• also in the frame of an ESF funded project, the National Labour Research Institute, jointly with its partners including a transnational partner (the Italian Fondazzione Giacomo Brodolini) is developing its own system of anticipating labour market trends at national level using econometric tools and thus making further use of the experience acquired in the SkillsNet Pan-European exercise. The Romanian Project ended in 2012 (May);

• the ACS project (Anticipating changes on the labour market) is implemented by ANOFM between 2011- 2013 and it is financed by the European Social Fund via the Sector Operational Program Human


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Resource Development SOP HRD (Priority Axis 4). The aim of the project is to increase the capacity of anticipating short and medium term developments on the labour market at local, regional and national level. The outcome of the project is to identify the adequate employment measures and to improve/develop new ones for a labour market participation of a large number of jobseekers through 16 forecasts on regional labour market and 2 at national level;

• the National Scientific Research Institute also participates, since its inception in 2005, in the SkillsNet network of Cedefop, being also an active partner in the Cedefop financed pan-European initiative on the anticipation of the supply and demand for skills. In the frame of this initiative the Institute has been responsible for the validation of projections for eight countries, most of them in Central and Eastern Europe, plus Greece and the FYR of Macedonia.

3.3. Qualifications The National Qualifications System consists of several organized entities at national, regional, county and local levels. Regarding the application of the methodology for certification of qualifications and skills, these entities have to comply with a number of additional criteria in relation to the following “institutional” structures: (a) national infrastructure (b) development of the assessment requirements; (c) training and evaluation of the evaluators; (d) provision of assessment, certification and quality assurance services ; (e) data collection, data analysis and improving their quality.

National infrastructure is defined in terms of the institutions that develop and/or implement policies related to the provision of training and qualifications assessment in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These institutions are:

• the Ministry of Education- national authority for formal education at all levels, in terms of pre-university education (including IVET) and higher education and also CVET policies in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and sectoral committees;

• the sectoral committees - bodies responsible (in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour) for the definition and validation of the standards and qualifications, and for policies regarding CVET;


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• the Ministry of labour, family and social protection - national authority for CVET policies;

• ACPART - national authority for qualifications in higher education; • ARACIS - Romanian agency for quality assurance in higher Education; • CNCEIP - national center for curriculum and assessment in pre-university

Education; • CNDIPT - National Centre for the Development of Vocational and

Technical Education at undergraduate level; • ARACIP - Romanian agency for quality assurance in pre-university

education; • the School Inspectorate - local authority with responsibilities in quality

assurance in initial training; • the ANC - national authority for qualifications; • Intermediary bodies for certification - bodies responsible for quality

assurance regarding competences certification in CVET. The National Authority for Qualifications (Autoritatea Nationala pentru

Calificari - ANC) is organized and operates as a public body with legal personality coordinated by the Ministry of Education.

In 2011, ANC finalized the National Qualification Framework for Romanian higher education (QF-EHEA). Thus Romania is among the first 10 countries accomplishing this in accordance with the requirements of the Bologna process and the commitments made by ministers of education in Bergen (2005) and Leuven (2009).

This was achieved through the development and completion of the strategic project ‘Development of an operational system of higher education qualifications in Romania – DOCIS’ (2011). The impact of the project consists in ensuring consistency, compatibility and international comparability of qualifications and titles acquired in higher education in Romania.

ANC established a working group to carry out a self-certification report regarding the compatibility between the National Qualification Framework and the European Qualification Framework for higher education (December 2010). In 2011 ANC constituted a committee consisting of Romanian and foreign experts whose tasks are related to the analysis, revision and validation of the self-certification report.

According to the national education law (Law no 1/2011) the National Qualification Framework (NQF) acts as the main facilitator in the implementation of a quality management and control system for vocational education and training. NQF currently serves as a tool for the classification of qualifications according to a set of criteria for specific attained levels of education. It thus aims to integrate and coordinate national qualification subsystems and improve


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transparency, access, progression and quality of qualifications in relation to the labour market and civil society. The implementation of the National Qualification Framework supports the national system of qualifications obtained in general secondary education, the continuing vocational training and apprenticeships systems and higher education, all of which are viewed from a lifelong perspective.

The National Qualification Framework was approved by the Romanian government in autumn 2013. All relevant stakeholders were consulted when NQF was drafted, including trade unions and employers who were represented in sectoral committees. Referencing NQF to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) has been planned for 2014.

3.4. Validation of prior learning Romania has developed during the last decade a system for the validation of non-formally or informally acquired skills and competences. According to norms adopted by the National Authority for Qualifications (Autoritatea Nationala pentru Calificari - ANC), procedural arrangements have been put into place so as to create a network of specialized providers known as validation/assessment centres (5) for one or more competences or skills. These units are simply divisions of existing training providers which, according to specified procedures, have certified themselves for the validation/assessment of non-formally or informally acquired skills or competences associated with a certain occupation. In most of the cases training providers already accredited to provide training for a certain occupation have also opened validation centres for the same occupation or group of occupations (e.g. a training provider having accreditation for carpenters also opened a validation/assessment centre for the same occupation). This scheme greatly increased flexibility on the labour market, is highly welcomed

(5) Starting from the beginning of 2014 and in accordance with the modified provisions of the

Unemployment Insurance act (Law no 250/2013) services of the assessment centres will be made available on a free-of charge basis (subsidy from the Unemployment insurance fund) also to the long-term unemployed, i.e. those in unemployment for 12 months and more or for graduates of initial education, including VET, those in unemployment for 6 months and more which means that unemployed individuals no longer eligible for unemployment benefit but still registering in search of a job with the public employment services will be thus offered a chance to validate their non-formally or informally acquired skills without having to pay a fee. It is judged that this will improve their chances on the labour market especially as most of them come from categories or communities at a high or multiple disadvantage on the labour market (i.e. members of the Roma community are also included here as in most cases their skills are informally acquired)


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by both labour unions and employers alike and reduces the costs associated with formal training in times of crisis. Validation of non-formally and informally acquired skills and competences greatly benefits from the existence and enforcement of occupational standards.

The ANC coordinates the activity of evaluation and certification in the realm of professional competences acquired through pathways other than the formal ones. The professional competences evaluator must be a specialist with work experience and/or coordination in the occupations/qualifications he or she is evaluating and also he or she must be certified by ANC according to the occupational standards for professional competencies evaluator.

Persons wishing to be evaluated for the recognition of professional skills acquired in other learning contexts than the formal must address an accredited assessment centre for the specific occupation or qualification. Depending on the assessment conducted, these centres can give the following types of certificates of national recognition: (a) certificate of qualification - if the candidate has been declared competent in

all competences related to a qualification or an occupation, according to the occupational standards;

(b) certificate of competence - if the candidate has been declared competent for one or more skills associated with a qualification or an occupation, according to the occupational standards. The certificates are issued by the Labour Ministry and are made available to

training providers for a fee.

3.5. Quality assurance A methodology of qualification and competences certification (6) is designed for vocational education and training and it is based on the initial and continuing training principles applying for the distinct pathways of formal, informal and non-formal training. This methodology has been developed and structured following the available model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The principles of the methodology should apply to all forms of assessment of skills and competences in education and training (VET). Evaluation results are based on successful completion of the evaluation process whose aim is to assess the knowledge, skills and competences acquired by an individual and leading to the certification normally required by the labour market

(6) The methodology is available at http://www.anc.gov.ro/uploads/so/m4.pdf

http://www.anc.gov.ro/uploads/so/m4.pdf


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and/or provide him/her with the possibility of access to a higher educational level. Vocational education and training is based on standards (occupational standards and their corresponding qualifications or training standards, as the case may be). Evaluation associated to these standards is done according to evaluation/assessment criteria. The acquisitions in terms of knowledge skills and competencies specific to a certain qualification of the assessed individual(s) are assessed in terms of his or her abilities to use them in a certain practical situation of context specific to the qualification for which the assessment is made. Both the theoretical as well as the practical abilities are assessed to this avail.

Article 355 of law no 1/2011 stipulates that the national quality assurance system of lifelong learning education includes quality assurance system in pre-university education, in higher education as well as in initial vocational training (IVET) and continuing vocational training (CVET).

The National Group for Quality Assurance (GNAC - Grupul Național pentru Asigurarea Calității) is an informal structure acting as the national reference point of the European Network for Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET), whose main function is the coordination and harmonization of quality assurance systems in VET.

GNAC accessed European funds mainly through the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education (Agenţia Română de Asigurare a Calităţii în Învăţământul Preuniversitar). The project title is ‘Capacity Building for the Romanian NRP: Promoting Quality - QUALVET@RO’ and its aim is to elaborate a communication strategy for the GNAC in order to implement the EQARF Recommendation, the policies and the instruments elaborated within EQAVET.

Another national project related to quality assurance is CALISIS (Quality assurance in the continuing vocational education and training system in Romania) (SOP HRD 2007-2013). Its main aim is to develop and implement a national system for quality assurance and management in CVET by undertaking relevant scientific studies, following an approach compatible with EQAVET/EQARF.

The national strategy for quality assurance in education implemented by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-university education (ARACIP - Agentia Romana pentru Asigurarea Calitatii in Invatamantul Preuniversitar) is another example of institutional development in the field. This agency is responsible for:

− external evaluation of the quality of education offered by pre-university schools;

− licensing, accreditation and evaluation of pre-university schools. The purpose of the external evaluation is mainly:


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− certifying the ability of schools to meet quality standards; − assisting the development of a ‘quality culture’ in the pre-university

education institutions A similar agency, the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher

Education (ARACIS- Agentia Romana pentru Asigurarea Calitatii in Invatamantul Superior) was established in 2006. The key indicators for quality assurance are: (a) share of VET providers who applies quality assurance systems; (b) investments in teachers’ and trainers’ training; (c) participation rate to VET programs; (d) graduation rate of VET programs; (e) placement rate after the completion of training programs; (f) usage of skills acquired by training programs; (g) unemployment rate; (h) prevalence of vulnerable groups; (i) need training identification mechanism; (j) schemes to promote access to VET;


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CHAPTER 4. Promoting participation in VET

4.1. Guidance and counselling Two main strands of guidance and counselling are recognized and can be identified as such: one based in the education system (university and pre-university levels) and another one embedded into the administrative structures of the labour market (basically the public employment services but also services offered by other providers including continuing vocational training providers). The national education law stipulates for:

• counselling in primary education provided by teachers in cooperation with parents and school psychologists,

• guidance and counselling in lower and upper secondary education provided mainly by pedagogical assistance offices, organized in schools with more than 800 pupils, subordinated to the county pedagogical assistance offices (schools with fewer than 800 pupils may receive counselling from the pedagogical assistance offices of larger schools).

In the higher education system, guidance and counselling is provided by career guidance and counselling centres of the universities with the main aim to facilitate the socio-professional transition of graduates from education to the labour market. Guidance and counselling have also been included amongst the activities of the teaching staff with assessment criteria attached.

Regarding the labour market network for lifelong guidance, the county (judet) agencies for employment are responsible for guidance/counselling, especially for disadvantaged groups (several of these groups are defined by the unemployment insurance act as such: older workers, young graduates, former convicts, individuals belonging to certain ethnical minorities e.g. Roma, long-term unemployed). They offer information about training opportunities and also job opportunities, ensuring the necessary consistency between training supply and labour demand. Lifelong career guidance and counselling includes all services and activities assisting individuals irrespective of their age and at any time to make choices in education, training or work and to manage their careers (article no 350 of Law no 1/2011). Counselling and career guidance is carried out by units and educational institutions, universities, training institutions, employment services, and labour and youth services.


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According to the legal definition, counselling and guidance include the following activities: (a) information about careers, which refers to all information necessary to plan,

obtain and keep a job; (b) education regarding the career, which is done in educational institutions by

the curricular area ‚counselling and guidance‘"; (c) career counselling that helps people clarify their goals and aspirations,

understand their own educational profile, make informed decisions, be responsible for their actions, and to manage their career transition process at different times;

(d) employment counselling, which helps people to clarify their immediate goals in hiring, and learn about the skills necessary to seek and obtain a job. The Romanian system of information, guidance and counselling services

currently consists of several networks, centres or services, under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour. All funding is provided by the state budget.

The majority of the staff employed by the specialized institutions of the Ministry of Education (MoE) network providing information, guidance and counselling services in the education field are psychologists, pedagogues, sociologists and social workers. They are employed in positions such as teacher, psychologist, pedagogue or sociologist. Their basic training is provided in university courses offered by the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences and the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work. Many graduates followed post-graduate training modules (advanced studies or Master degrees) specializing in counselling and guidance, psychotherapy, management and school administration. Attending post-graduate courses in guidance and counselling is not a pre-requisite for obtaining a counsellor position in pre-university education.

The Institute of Educational Sciences through its Educational and Vocational Guidance Department was given the role of methodological authority for guidance and counselling (Ministry of Education Order no 3370/1998) and was mandated to represent Romania in the Euroguidance network. It undertakes research in the field, designs working tools that meet counsellors’ professional needs, and organizes short-term information/training programs for counsellors working in the information, guidance and counselling network. The Educational and Vocational Guidance Department within the Institute of Educational Sciences developed the following projects:

− Euroguidance (1999-present): aims to promote the European dimension in guidance and counselling and provide information on mobility;


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− Education for social-professional insertion of pupils. Compendium of methods and techniques used in career counselling: aims to identify the relevant methods for career guidance;

− GIRC-Guidance Innovation Relay Centres (2005-2007); − counsellor training program in pre-university education (2006); − analysis of lifelong counselling needs (2006): study on initial training

programs counsellors (university, master, postgraduate) in Romania and EU;

− monitoring system of graduates in the perspective of lifelong counselling (2007): aims to identify the influence of counselling on career decision-making and on perceptions of graduates in relation to lifelong learning and also to shape a monitoring system of graduates from the perspective of lifelong counselling and guidance;

− GIANT-Guidance Innovative Actions and New Tools (2008-2010); − NCP-VET-CO (2009-2011): aims to develop an effective network

between the National Coordination Points in the participating countries and compiling a methodological guide for linking VET qualifications with the European Qualification Framework;

− Virtual Guidance (2009-2011): aims to increase ICT usage among counsellors providing guidance, and the training and skill development necessary for the provision of such services.

4.2. Incentives to promote participation in VET and access to the labour market

The 2011-13 National Reform Programme (NRP) includes a comprehensive array of measures designed to promote and support participation in VET and better labour market access: (a) transition from unemployment or inactivity to employment measures:

throughout the 2011-2013 period, the measures under this heading focused on improving individual employability (personalised career information and counselling programmes, vocational training programmes and individual entrepreneurship stimulation) as well as stimulating mobility by offering mobility incentive packages. Mobility incentives are tied to the value of the social reference indicator;

(b) reform of the legal framework on employment stimulation: the modification and completion to the Law no 76/2002 on the unemployment insurance system and employment stimulation addresses the development of the new employment stimulation measures, and the adaptation of their


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implementation to the current needs of the labour market. The draft law stipulates the introduction of the following elements: providing free services to assess the skills acquired in the informal and non-formal system; granting financial support to unpaid unemployed persons during the participation in continuing vocational training (CVT) programmes; applying more flexible conditions for subsidizing CVT programmes that have been organized by employers; improving access to mobility bonuses for unpaid unemployed persons; and reducing the conditionality for companies that hire unemployed persons and persons belonging to vulnerable groups;

(c) active employment measures: during the period 2011-2013, through the European Social Fund (SOP HRD, Priority Axis 5) there is an initiative aiming at facilitating the transition of unemployed people to the labour market, especially those with a precarious situation (long-term unemployed). By the end of 2013, it is estimated that a total of 59000 long term-unemployed will participate in this initiative. The integrated employment programmes include a comprehensive set of measures aimed at developing individual capacity for searching for a job and becoming employable (vocational counselling and guidance, personal motivation, vocational and entrepreneurial skills development), and facilitating the transfer to the labour market (labour mediation, setting up a business, etc.). Between 2011 and 2013, the National Agency for Employment (ANOFM) has been implementing projects co-funded from the European Social Fund through SOP HRD (Priority Axis 4); projects under this priority axis have been dedicated to the improvement of the Agency’s capacities to deliver specialized services to its customers: • call centre of the Public Employment Service (PES) - increasing the

quality and efficiency of services offered by PES call centres. The project aims to increase the opportunities for vocational guidance, training, development of jobseekers and their socio-professional integration in the labour market by developing an innovative system for providing the information. The value of the entire project is RON 11.2 million;

• Proself - PROmoting SELF-service services – the project aims to render more modern and flexible the system of providing public employment services. A study on the needs of the agency customers will be prepared, and 47 self-service centres will be set up. The project budget is RON 18.5 million;

• MedForm – the project aims to adapt the ANOFM employees to new forms of organization and management, due to legislative changes, by offering vocational training for staff to meet the new requirements. The


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project aims to train 210 persons as facilitators, and 10 persons as facilitators’ trainers. The project budget is RON 11 million;

• RATIO L3 - the project aims to create the general framework for increasing the professional skills level of PES staff based on an innovative continuing training approach. The project budget is RON 18.3 million;

• COMPROF - Increasing the level of professional skills for ANOFM staff in order to provide personalized services to unemployed, vulnerable groups and jobseekers. The project aims to develop and test a model for providing training programmes for agency staff, to improve staff skills to provide customized employment services. The project budget is RON 18.5 million;

• CAMPION - Autonomous and modern training centres by implementing a new organization. The project aims to modernize and improve the institutional capacity of the eight regional vocational training structures of ANOFM (regional vocational training centres for adults) to become more competitive in providing quality services tailored to the labour market demands. At the same time, there will be agreed protocols and co-operation agreements with companies, other national and international training centres, and the collaborative networks will be set up. The project budget is RON 20.8 million;

• ECOP - Performance-oriented continuing training dedicated to the professionals involved in the unemployed training. It aims at increasing the level of professional, social, civic and communicational skills of the personnel involved in training unemployed people. The project budget is RON 20.9 million.

In order to ensure the long term sustainability of the rural areas during the period 2011-2013, the financial interventions supported under the ESF (HRD SOP) take into consideration guidance, counselling and vocational training of persons living in the rural area in entrepreneurship and non-agricultural fields, as well as integrating inactive persons on the labour market, including those who earned their living from subsistence farming. Until 2013, it is estimated that 135 500 persons from rural areas have participated in the integrated programmes dedicated to developing human resources and promoting employability of rural area residents.

In order to assure the active participation of people at risk of poverty, and of disadvantaged communities as an appropriate means to combating poverty, Romania plans to set up an appropriate framework to facilitate access and participation of persons belonging to vulnerable groups on the labour market. In this way it is aimed at developing specific programmes for (re)integration on the


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labour market of persons belonging to vulnerable groups and training programmes dedicated to acquire basic skills and qualifications. The programmes address the following categories of persons: the Roma people, disabled persons, young people aged under 18 leaving the institutional child care system, persons benefiting from the minimum guaranteed income, the homeless, and people living in remote communities. During the period 2011-2013, 500 structures of social economy are estimated to be set up, 10 000 jobs to be created within these structures of social economy, and 150 000 people to participate in training/retraining programmes for vulnerable groups.

In accordance with the Europe 2020 flagship ‘An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs’, the government will undertake the necessary steps for the implementation, at national level, of the flexicurity concept and of measures leading to the increase of chances of integrating persons of disadvantaged groups, women and young people on the labour market. Moreover, the National Qualifications Framework will be completed, the Classification of Occupations in Romania will be revised and the development of partnerships between the education system and the labour market will be supported, especially by involving social partners in the planning of education and training offers. The measures of facilitating young people’s entry in the labour market (guidance, counselling, apprenticeship, company set-up) will also contribute to the implementation of the Youth on the move flagship initiative.


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List of abbreviations

AJOFM County Agencies for Employment (Agenții județene de ocupare a forței de muncă)

ANC National Qualifications Authority (Autoritatea Naționala a Calificărilor)

ANOFM National Agency of Employment (Agentia Nationala de Ocupare a Fortei de Munca)

ARACIP Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Secondary Education

CNDIPT National Centre for Development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CentrulNaţional de Dezvoltare a ÎnvăţământuluiProfesionalşiTehnic)

COSA Occupational Standards and Accreditation Council (Direcţia pentru standarde ocupaţionale, calificări şi atestare)

NCTPE National centre for staff training in pre-university education (Centrul National de formare a Personalului didactic din invatamantul preuniversitar)

NRP National Reform Programme

NQF National Qualifications Framework

PES Public Employment Service

SFPC Short and medium term strategy for continuing vocational training

SOPDHR Sectoral Operational Program for the Development of Human Resources

TTC Teacher Training Centre (Casa Corpului Didactic)


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Main legislation regulating VET provision

Government decision no 875/2005 on the approval of the short and medium term strategy for continuous vocational training, 2005-2010

Government ordinance no 129/2000 of adult vocational training, modified by law no 375/2002, and government ordinance no 76/2004

Government ordinance no 129/2000 on adult vocational training

Government ordinance no 76/2004 for amending and supplementing Government ordinance no 129/2000 on adult training

HG no 1829/2004 on amendment and completion of Methodological Norms for applying the provisions of GO no. 129/2000 on adult vocational training, approved by GD no. 522/2003;

HG no 522/2003 on approval of Methodological Norms for applying the provisions of GO no 129/2000 on adult vocational training;

HG no 887/2004 on amendment of Methodological Norms for applying the provisions of GO no 129/2000 on adult vocational training, approved by GD no 522/2003;

Law no 1/2011 on national education

Law no 107/2004 on the unemployment insurance system and employment stimulation

Law no 132/1999 regarding the establishment, structure and operation of the National Council for Adult Training

Law no 279/2005 on apprenticeships at the workplace

Law no 375/2002 on adult education

Law no 40/2011 amending the labour code

Law no 53/2003 labour code

Law no 580/2004 on health insurance

Law no 76/2002 regarding the insurance system for unemployment and the stimulation of capacity for work, with the subsequent modifications and completions

Law no 84/1995 organic law of education

Law no 87/2006 on quality assurance in education

Order no 701/2003 on the designation of the institution responsible for the automate recognition of the documents that prove the qualification acquired abroad


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Order no 353/5.202/2003 of the Minister of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family and Ministry of Education, Research and Youth on methodology for the authorisation of adult training providers

Order no 80/3.328/2005 of the Minister of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family and Ministry of Education, Research and Youth on amendment and completion of the authorization methodology of adult vocational training providers

Order of the Minister of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family and Ministry of Education, Research and Youth (no 501/5.253/2003) on methodology for the certification of adult training


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References

ANPCDEFP (2013). Implementarea programului de învățare pe tot parcursul

vieții în anul 2010 [Implementation of lifelong learning in 2010]. http://www.anpcdefp.ro/userfiles/Raport_2013_ver_2.pdf

CNCFPA (2008). Asigurarea calitatii in formarea profesionala continua. [Quality assurance in continuing vocational training.]

EQAVET (2012). EQAVET evaluation: country report Romania. http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/what-we-do/implementing-the-framework/romania.aspx European Commission (2004). Study on access to education and training, basic

skills and early school leavers (Ref. DG EAC 38/04): final report. http://www.equal-youth.ie/pdfs/6_Euro%20ESL.pdf

European Commission (2011). Structurile sistemelor de educatie si formare din Europa: Romania, editia 2009/10. [Structures of education and training systems in Europe: Romania, 2009/10 edition].

Eurydice (2010). National system overviews on education systems in Europe and ongoing reforms. http://www.fszk.hu/opi/szakmai_anyagok/PT_education_System_overview_Eurydice.pdf

Eurostat (2012). Labour force survey LFS. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lfs/ Ghinararu, C. (2011). Assessment of the National Reform Programme Romania.

Pre Assessment of the 2011 NRP-spring 2011. Ghinararu, C. (2011). Promoting youth employment in Romania: a new deal for a

dynamic generation. Peer Review on Measures to boost self-employment initiatives for the young people, Madrid, Nov. 14-15, 2011.

Government of Romania (2005). Strategia pe termen scurt si mediu pentru formarea profesionala continua 2005-2010 [Short and medium term strategy for continuous training]. http://www.tvet.ro/Anexe/3.Anexe/Strategia%202005-2010.pdf

Iacob, M. (2011). Guidance and counselling in Romania. Institute of Educational Sciences, NCP-VET-CO. http://kutsekoda.ee/fwk/contenthelper/10216399/10388316

Institute for Educational Sciences (2004). Motivation for learning and school performance.

ISE (2010). Participarea tinerilor la educaţia nonformală: oportunităţi şi obstacole. Coordonatori: I. Neacşu-Dalu, C.C. Neacşu-Dalu. [Youth participation in non-formal education: opportunities and obstacles throughout life in 2010].

http://www.anpcdefp.ro/userfiles/Raport_2013_ver_2.pdf

http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/what-we-do/implementing-the-framework/romania.aspx

http://www.equal-youth.ie/pdfs/6_Euro%20ESL.pdf

http://www.fszk.hu/opi/szakmai_anyagok/PT_education_System_overview_Eurydice.pdf

http://www.fszk.hu/opi/szakmai_anyagok/PT_education_System_overview_Eurydice.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lfs/

http://www.tvet.ro/Anexe/3.Anexe/Strategia%202005-2010.pdf

http://kutsekoda.ee/fwk/contenthelper/10216399/10388316


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http://www.updalles.ro/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ISE-CERCETARE-ENF-2010-RAPORT-FINAL-DE-CERCETARE.pdf

Ministry of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family. Proiectul Strategiei Integrate pentru dezvoltarea resurselor umane din perspectiva învățării pe parcursul întregii vieți, 2009-2020. [Draft integrated strategy for human resource development from the perspective of lifelong learning, 2009-2020.] http://www.fonduri-ue.ro/posdru/images/downdocs/proiect_sidru_final_ro.pdf

Ministry of European Affairs (2011-2013). National Reform Programme 2011-2013. http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-your-country/romania/national-reform-programme/index_en.htm

National Institute of Statistics (2013a). Baza de date tempo. [Statistical database Tempo] http://statistici.insse.ro/

National Institute of Statistics (2013b). Statistical Yearbook of Romania 2012. http://www.insse.ro/cms/en/content/statistical-yearbook-2012

National Qualifications Authority (2011). Self certification report: verification of compatibility of the Romanian National Qualifications Framework for higher education with the framework for qualifications of the European higher education area. http://www.ehea.info/Uploads/Irina/Self_certification_Report_RO_2011.pdf

UNICEF Romania (2013). Analysing the situation of out of school children in Romania: Romania country report. http://www.unicef.org/romania/romania-oosci-report-2012-en.pdf



http://www.fonduri-ue.ro/posdru/images/downdocs/proiect_sidru_final_ro.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-your-country/romania/national-reform-programme/index_en.htm

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http://statistici.insse.ro/

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Websites consulted

Agentia Nationala de Ocupare a Fortei de Munca [National Agency of Employment] http://www.anofm.ro

Agentia Naţională Pentru Calificările din Invăţământul Superior şi Parteneriat cu Mediul Economic şi Social [National Agency for Qualifications in Higher Education and Partnership with Economic and Social] http://www.acpart.ro

Agenţia Naţională pentru Programe Comunitare în Domeniul Educaţiei şi Formării Profesionale [National Agency for Community Programmes in the Field of Education and Vocational Training] http://www.anpcdefp.ro

Agenţia Română de Asigurare a Calităţii în Învăţământul Preuniversitar ARACIP [Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in School Education] http://aracip.edu.ro/

Agenţia Română de Asigurare a Calităţii în Învăţământul Superior ARACIS [Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education] http://www.aracis.ro

Centrul Naţional de Dezvoltare a Învăţământului Profesional şi Tehnic [National Centre for Vocational Education and Training Development] http://www.tvet.ro

Centrul Naţional de Evaluare şi Evaluare [National Centre for Evaluation and Assessment] http://www.edu.ro/index.php/articles/c862/

Centrul Naţional de Formare a Personalului din Învăţămăntul Preuniversitar [National Centre for School Teacher Training] http://www.cnfp.ro

Consiliul Naţional de Formare Profesională a Adulţilor [National Adult Training Board]): http:www.cnfpa.ro

Consiliul Naţional Pentru Finanţarea Învăţământului Superior [National Council for Higher Education Financing] http://www.cnfis.ro/index.html

Institutul de Ştiinţe ale Educaţiei [Institute for Educational Sciences] http//www.ise.ro

Institutul Naţional de Statistică [National Institute of Statistics] http://www.insse.ro Ministerul Educaţiei, Cercetării, Tineretului şi Sportului [Ministry of Education,

Research, Youth and Sports] http://www.edu.ro

http://www.anofm.ro/

http://www.acpart.ro/

http://www.anpcdefp.ro/

http://aracip.edu.ro/

http://www.aracis.ro/

http://www.tvet.ro/

http://www.edu.ro/index.php/articles/c862/

http://www.cnfp.ro/

http://www.cnfpa.ro/

http://www.cnfis.ro/index.html

http://www.ise.ro/

http://www.insse.ro/

http://www.edu.ro/


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Annexes

Figure 12. Emigrants and immigrants during the period 2000-2011

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database 2012.


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Figure 13. Inactivity rate during the period 2000-2012

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database 2012

Figure 14. Inactive population as a percentage of the total population, by age group (%)



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Table 11. Employed persons aged 15 years and older: structure by economic activity (main job), 2012

Sectors of national economy Number of persons %

Agriculture, forestry, fish farming 2682341 29.0

Mining and quarrying 81746 0.9

Manufacturing 1683037 18.2

Production and distribution of electric and thermal energy, gas and warm water and conditioning air

110035 1.2

Water distribution; salubrity, managing of waste, decontaminate activities

82206 0.9

Constructions 695381 7.5

Trade 1205143 13.0

Transports and storage 433299 4.7

Hotels and restaurants 185930 2.0

Information and communications 154180 1.7

Financial intermediations and assurance 140079 1.5

Real estate transaction 15794 0.2

Professional, scientific and technical activities 168307 1.8

Activities of administrative and support services 159065 1.7

Public administration and defence 466280 5.0

Education 376224 4.1

Health and social work 385921 4.2

Cultural and recreative entertainment activities 59385 0.6

Other service activities, staff and social 178455 1.9

Total 9262807 Source: National Institute of Statistics, Tempo database 2012.


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Figure 15. Employed persons aged 15 years and older: structure by economic activity (main job), 2012



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Figure 16. Number of graduates at ISCED level 3 of education, programme orientation and sex in Romania for the period 2007-2011


Documents

Romania · Romania VET in Europe – Country report 2013 Page 2 of 56 . Title: Romania VET in Europe – Country Report 2013 . Authors: Catalin Ghinararu, PhD (coordinator), Davidescu