04/19/23

In the finishing straightFrom Copenhagen to Bordeaux

Cedefop’s progress analysis: main findings

Aviana Bulgarelli, Director

22

Continuation Maastricht – Helsinki – Bordeaux

In line with Lisbon Strategy

• Education and training work programme 2010, updated strategic framework • New Social agenda

More than 50% upper secondary graduates come from VET in half of the EU

But: participation and retention in VET varies

National priorities and progress areas match European priorities

33

Graduates from upper secondary pre-vocational and vocational streams, as percentage of the total number of graduates in upper secondary education (ISCED 3), 2006

Source: Eurostat, Extraction date May 2008

From 80% to less than 15% IVET graduates at upper secondary level

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

CZ SK AT RO SI IT NL FI LU DE BE SE FR DK IE ES BG PL GR MT PT LV EE HU LT CY UK HR M TR IS LI NO JP

% G

radu

ates

2000 2006

44

Demographic change means fewer VET graduates

Source: Cedefop 2008, based on Eurostat dataNote: Baseline variant/constant graduation rates 2006 (000s)

Projected number of VET graduates aged 15-24, by ISCED level, EU, 2005 - 2030

55

But forecasts expect high need for medium level/vocational qualifications

Source: Cedefop, 2008

Employment trends by level of qualification (in millions, %), 1996-2020, EU-25

66

Red thread:

• National qualifications frameworks• More systemic VET reforms − learning outcome orientation• Improving quality of VET-result management• Different policy mixes including European tools, principles and

mechanisms, mainly

Guidance and counselling

Validation of non formal and informal learning

What distance have we come since Helsinki?

77

Implementing the EQF − key challenges Referring qualifications levels to the EQF in a way which can be

judged and trusted by others − mutual trust is key to successful implementation of the EQF

Underpinning EQF/NQF developments by quality assurance at all levels and stages

Seeking to overcome barriers between education and training sectors and to improve access to and progress in learning

Applying the learning outcomes approach in a transparent and coherent way

88

Learning Outcomes

Qualifications NQFStandards

Assessment

Teaching methods

Curricula

LearningCredits

Validation

From mobility to crucial reforms (impact of learning outcomes based approach)

99

Increasing attention to equity Access for all = guiding principle (strategies, laws) and retention

Targeted support for vulnerable groups

Early school leavers, students with special needs, disabled, learners from disadvantaged background, migrants and ethnic minorities, older workers Examples

From tailor-made training to inclusive education

Some countries extend compulsory education or training – right/duty

Several countries are re/introducing apprenticeship or alternance training

Combined policy measures: in particular guidance and counselling – even if need for improvement expressed in several reports

European tools are part of these policies

What distance have we come since Helsinki?

1010

But some countries manage better than others

Participation of older workers and low skilled in lifelong learning, 2007

Source: Eurostat, LFS 2007

1111

What distance have we come since Helsinki?

Lifelong learning through VET – high on countries’ agenda

Variety of more flexible pathways

• Linking initial VET, continuing VET and higher education: structures more open

• Expansion of post secondary and tertiary VET• IVET - CVT coherence• Modularisation and double qualifications – generic skills• Broadening access to and strengthening the quality of guidance • NQF perceived as opportunity to improve flexibility• Facilitating recognition of prior learning

1212

Improving quality – a key for mutual trust and attractiveness of VET

• Quality assurance mechanisms:

in line with CQAF - EQARF; national reference points, peer reviews, Leonardo da Vinci projects

self-assessment plus external assessment-output control, efficiency monitoring, inspections, accreditation

• Focus on overall quality in VET:emphasis on redesign of programmes, curricula, creating educational/occupational standards; involving stakeholdersChallenges:

• organisational/governance (limited funding and HR, missing competent bodies and evaluation standards, too many actors; understanding of all actors)

• different approaches, e.g. IVET, CVT; VET-HE

• QA as a tool not as an end in itself-risk to focus only on procedures

1313

Understanding VET teachers and trainersas a key to quality, change and mobility

• Towards a strategic vision on their roles and professional development needs − more consistent pre-and in-service training

• Common concerns:– making teachers fit for new roles and teaching methods to meet

more diverse specific learner needs and intercultural competences– keeping their competences up to date with technological change and

working practices– raising attractiveness of the profession– language skills for mobility (their own and those of learners)

Despite progress in some countries, trainers still “neglected”

1414

VET and the labour market: strengthening links

• Labour market actors, particularly with sectors and social partners, more involved in VET decision-making, governance, management and provision, e.g.

– designing VET policies, programmes, qualifications and standards, assessing skills and competences, validation of qualifications, quality assurance

– regional, sectoral councils;

– anticipating labour market needs

– financing VET, managing funds and providing CVT

• More emphasis on apprenticeship, workplace learning/ placements for students and teachers

Concerns

• Lack of training places, employers not always ready to participate in programme design and delivery (apprenticeship and alternance), invest (more) in CVT

• Foreign language skills to increase competitiveness and mobility

1515

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

DE UK AT DK NL IT FR EU LU LT FI ES MT BE PL SI SE HU LV PT BG CZ GR CY RO EE SK NO

% o

f en

terp

rises

30% of enterprises provide training to young people

Source: Eurostat, Extraction date May 2008

0

20

40

60

.10-49 50-249 250<

Percentage of enterprises providing IVT by size of enterprise, EU 2005

%

Number of employees

Percentage of enterprises providing IVT

1616

Continuing vocational training

UK

SE

FI

SI

RO

PT

PL

AT NL

HU

LU

LT

LV

IT

FR

ES

GR

EE

DE

CZ

BG

BE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70Participants in CVT courses as a % of employees, 1999

Pa

rtic

ipa

nts

in C

VT

co

urs

es

as

a %

of

em

plo

ye

es

, 20

05

Growing participation

Decreasing participation

Some countries are catching up, while participation

is going down in previously high performing countries

1717

Enterprises invest less in CVT

Source: CVTS, Eurostat.Note: 1999 = EU-25

2.3

1.5

2.42.5

1.6

1.1

1.4

1.9

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

total 10_49 50_249 ge_250

Expenditure as % of labour costs

1999 (CVTS2) 2005 (CVTS3)

1818

VET and the labour market Activities to anticipate skill needs

• Efforts in most countries • Lack of coordination need for more systemic

approach

• Challenge: transfer and implementation to policy and

practice • National approaches differ

European approach and coordination

New Skills for New Jobs

1919

Governance and fundingfor better quality and efficiency

• Continued trend: widening inter-institutional cooperation, multistakeholder partnerships and strengthening local decision making and provision

• Institutional autonomy for VET providers, restructuring for wider offer, synergy, e.g. IVET and CVET

• Growing need for accountability − funding more and more linked to achieving specific objectives, targets

• Reducing regulation to management by results

Challenges:

• Balancing national frameworks and decentralised provision, central control and local autonomy − recentralisation patterns

• Coordinating policies and practices developed by different bodies or actors, often at different levels

• Sufficient financial/expertise to implement VET policies (EU-12)

2020

Evident responses to access and financing

• National policies calling for shared responsibility between State, employers/enterprises and individuals

• Policy instruments: tax incentives, vouchers, learning accounts, saving accounts, often combined and sectoral

training funds

2121

Growing awareness for need of better evidence

• Modern flexible VET – a challenge for statistical infrastructures

• Better data for VET – trend towards register-based statistics at national level

• National statistics do not always consider EU dimension

• Initiative to develop indicators on VET outcomes

• 10 Member States see need for revision of current EU targets and benchmarks

• 11 Member States, Norway, Iceland and Turkey favour extending

and adding new benchmark for VET

2222

VET beyond 2010 – continuity

• ….and consolidation - more time to implement policies and common tools through reinforced policy learning (e.g. peer learning);

• More cooperation across educational levels – blurring boundaries – linking Copenhagen and Bologna (EQF/NQF, ECTS, ECVET)

• Quality assurance - balance between trust and control; = a tool but not an end in itself;

• Competence measurement/assessment

• VET policy making based on more solid ground – better and more systematic data on VET and more cooperation in research

2323

VET beyond 2010 – arising questions

• From hierarchical education and training systems to more flat hierarchy – how will new lifelong learning system unfold?

• Clarify the role of VET in society: can it attract and cater for high achievers and be “all-inclusive” at the same time?

• Focus on teachers and trainers – can they bejack-in-all- trades?

• Look more into the content and methodology of VET

Keep pan-European focus and “soft open method of coordination approach” for VET as pull effect for development in countries

2424

Cedefop’s flyer for Bordeaux

Introduction1. Progress in development of European tools

►EQF, Europass, Validation, ECVET, Quality assurance

2. National priorities and challenges ►Supply of VET graduates now and in the future ► Future skill needs ► CVT – participation and investment ► Equity – VET for all

► Monitoring progress, benchmarks3. VET beyond 2010

2525

From Copenhagen to Bordeaux

Agora conference to discuss the findings of Cedefop’s report and

the Bordeaux priorities

Cedefop, Thessaloniki 16 – 17 March 2009

Thank you very much for your attention !

Cedefop’s policy analysis team:

Manfred Tessaring Maria HrabinskaGyuri Ispanky Patrycja LipinskaIrene Psifidou Eleonora Schmid