implementation of the 2012 council recommendation on...

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Implementationofthe2012CouncilRecommendationonValidationofNon-formalandInformalLearning

One-offreport:Portugal

ANQEP,May2018

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Authors:

AnaClaudiaValente

GonçaloXufreSilva

ManuelaFreire

MariaJoãoAlves

RitaBranco

RitaCastilho

TeresaDuarte

TeresaRibeiro

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TableofContents

AbbreviationsandAcronyms.........................................................................................................................4

Introduction...................................................................................................................................................5

ChapterI.Generalfeaturesofthevalidationarrangements.........................................................................5

ChapterII.Thedifferentstagesofinterventionandthesupporttoindividuals................12_Toc514337906

ChapterIII.Resultsandcoherenceofvalidationarrangements..................................................................19

ChapterIV.Roleofstakeholders..................................................................................................................24

ChapterV.Evaluation,monitoringandqualityassurance...........................................................................28

ChapterVI–Conclusionsandchallenges.....................................................................................................35

References...................................................................................................................................................36

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Abbreviations and Acronyms

ANEFA–NationalAgencyforEducationandTrainingofAdults(AgênciaNacionalparaaEducaçãoeFormaçãodeAdultos)

ANQ–NationalAgencyforQualification(AgênciaNacionalparaaQualificação)

ANQEP – National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training (AgênciaNacionalparaaQualificaçãoeoEnsinoProfissional)

CNO–NewOpportunitiesCentres(CentrosNovasOportunidades)

CQEP–CentresforQualificationandVocationalEducation(CentrosparaaQualificaçãoeoEnsinoProfissional)

DGFV–DirectorateGeneralforVocationalTraining(Direção-GeraldaFormaçãoProfissional)

EFACourses–AdultEducationandTrainingCourses(CursosdeEducaçãoeFormaçãodeAdultos)

EQF–EuropeanQualificationsFramework(QuadroEuropeudeQualificações)

ESF–EuropeanSocialFund(FundoSocialEuropeu)

HE–HigherEducation(EnsinoSuperior)

IEFP – Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (Instituto do Emprego e FormaçãoProfissional)

NCQ–NationalCatalogueofQualifications(CatálogoNacionaldeQualificações)

NOI–NewOpportunitiesInitiative(IniciativaNovasOportunidades)

NQF–NationalQualificationsFramework(QuadroNacionaldeQualificações)

NQS–NationalQualificationsSystem(SistemaNacionaldeQualificações)

RVCC - Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competences (Reconhecimento, Validação eCertificaçãodeCompetências)

SCQ–SectorCouncilsforQualification(ConselhosSetoriaisparaaQualificação)

SIGO-OnlineInformationandManagementSystemforEducationandTrainingProvision(SistemaIntegradodeInformaçãoeGestāodaOfertaEducativaeFormativa)

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Introduction

Thisreport intendstogiveaclearpictureofVNFIL innon-highereducation inPortugal.Since itscreation in2000, theVNFILsystemiscalledNationalSystemfor theRecognition,ValidationandCertification of Competences (RVCC). It has represented an important part of themeasures inplacetotacklethecriticaldeficitofqualificationsofthePortugueseadultpopulation.

Inspired by the structure suggested for the one-off country report on the implementation ofvalidation arrangements, this report is divided into six chapters. In this context, chapter onepresents the general features of validation arrangements, highlighting their development fromyear2000until2017.InchaptertwothedifferentstagesofinterventionofvalidationcentresandofRVCCprocessesaredescribedindetail.ChapterthreefocusesontheresultsofRVCCandonthecoherence of validation arrangements in the National Qualifications System and the Europeantransparency tools. Chapter four describes the role and relevance of stakeholders in the RVCCsystematnational, regionaland local levels.Chapter fivepresents relevant information on theevaluation andmonitoring of the system, as well as on quality assurance, though the supportprovided to the validation centres by themonitoring teams and by the training to the teams.Finally,chaptersixpresentssomeconclusionsontheroleofRVCCinupgradingthequalificationofadultsinPortugalandhighlightssomechallengesfacedintheimplementationofVNFIL.

Besides complyingwith the request for countries to report on the implementation of VNFIL by2018,thisreportaimstobeusefulasanexampleofhowVNFILarrangementswereimplementedin a Member State, taking into consideration Portugal’s specific features and line of action.Furthermore, international institutions and experts have acknowledged the high degree ofdevelopmentofourRVCCsystem1andPortugal’svastexperienceinthisfield.ThenationalsystemforRVCCisinlinewiththeCouncilRecommendationonVNFIL,of20December2012.

Chapter I. General features of the validation arrangements

It is well-known that qualifying people has an impact in economic growth, in promoting socialinclusion and sustainable employment. Portugal has long faced a structural problem of loweducational attainment (53% of the people aged 25 to 64 had not completed upper-secondaryeducationin2016,againsttheEUaverageof23%,Eurostat).Despitetheprogressmadeoverthelastdecades, the investment in thequalificationof theadultpopulationhas fluctuatedover theyearsandacrosspoliticalcyclesboth in itscentralityand intheresources(humanandfinancial)allocatedtoit.Thestrategiesadoptedarecloselylinkedtothepublicpoliciesdefinedbydifferentgovernments.ThecreationofaVNFIL system (RVCC)hasbeencrucial toeffectively recover thequalification levels of the adult population. Even though it has evolved over the years, RVCC is

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developedbyanetworkofvalidationcentres(specificallycreatedforthispurposewithinexistinginstitutions)and is targetedatadultsaged18orpluswhodonotholdeitherprimaryor lower-secondaryeducation(4th,6th,9thgrades),upper-secondaryeducation(12thgrade)oraprofessionalcertification. Those up to 23 years oldmust have at least three years of professional certifiedexperience to be eligible. Hence, this chapter provides an historical overview of validationarrangementsthroughouttimespanssince itscreationandthecorresponding legal, institutionalandfinancialbackground.

2000-2005

The RVCC system began in December 2000 with the creation of the first 6 validation centres(Centros RVCC), which operated under a pilot experience, being the result of therecommendations of a task force created by the Ministries of Education and Labour in 1997.Besides, the task force also recommended the creation of an institution to coordinate adulteducation and training. Therefore, the National Agency for Education and Training of Adults(ANEFA)2wascreatedin1999.

ANEFA functioned until 2002 and was of great importance in adult education and training forseveral reasons.Firstly,because itwasestablishedasapublic instituteunder thesupervisionofboth the Ministries of Education and Labour, thus bridging two fields of intervention thattraditionallyoperatedseparately.Secondly,itcreatedanddevelopedthreeinnovativeinstrumentsthatbecamethefoundationofadulteducationandtraining:

-Key-CompetencesStandard-BasicEducationThis instrument was conceived as "an integrativematrix between the balance of competencesacquired in life experience and the development of adult education/training projects". Thisstandardbegantobeappliedin2001,inRVCCprocessesandintheAdultEducationandTrainingCourses (EFA courses) and is structured in three interconnected levels called B1, B2 and B3,correspondingtothe4th,6thand9thyearofschooling,respectively.-EFACoursesThisdoublecertificationpathway(awardingaschoolandaprofessionalcertification)wastargetedatpeopleaged18oroverwhohadnotattainedlower-secondaryeducationandwhodidnotholdaprofessionalcertificationrequiredby the labourmarket.An innovative featureofEFACourseswasthattheystartedwiththerecognitionandvalidationofcompetencespreviouslyacquired informal, informal and non-formal contexts and the adult only needed to complete the missingtrainingmodules.Thesecoursesawardedthe4th,6thor9thyearofschoolingandtraininglevel1or2ofDecisionno85/368/EEC,oftheCouncilof16July.

2Decreto-Lein.º387/99,de28desetembro.

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-RVCCRVCCwastheresultofthefieldexperienceofEFACourses,whichshowedthattherewereadultswho already had the key-competences necessary to obtain school certification. This led to thecreationoftheRVCCsystemandtotheestablishmentofthefirst6RVCCCentres,promotedbydiversified entities: a business association, two professional training centres, a public school, aprofessional schoolanda localdevelopmentassociation.The supervisionandmonitoringof thesystem,carriedoutbyANEFA,allowedtotesttheadequacyoftheinstrumentsandtoextendthenetwork of RVCC Centres3. For the expansion of the network, a National System for theAccreditation of Entities Promoting RVCC Centres4 was implemented. These Centres were co-financedbytheESFandbytheStateBudget.In 2002, a new structure exclusively under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, theDirectorate General for Vocational Training (DGFV) 5, replaced ANEFA. Until 2005, DGFVproceededwiththepoliciesinplaceandtherewerenomajorchangestowhatwasontheground.

2005-2011

TheNewOpportunities Initiative (NOI)was launched in2005andwas, at that time, the largestgovernmentalprogrammededicatedtoupgradingthequalificationsofthePortuguesepopulation,havingtheupper-secondary levelofeducationasreference.NOIresumedANEFA’s initiativeandplacedadulteducationandtraininginthecentreofthegovernmentalagenda.Theinitiativeaimedto:1)give low-qualifiedadultsa formalrecognitionofskillsacquiredthrough informalandnon-formal learning;and2)buildontheirprofessionalexperienceandskillsdevelopedthroughtheirworking lives toobtainanupper-secondaryschooldiploma,byexpanding theprovisionofadulteducation and training. The NOI set ambitious targets, including qualifying one million activeworkersby2010:650000 through theRVCCprocessand350000 throughadulteducationandtraining.AnothertargetwastoenlargethenetworkofRVCCCentresto500,accordingtocertaincriteria (existing network; population density; geographical distribution; and number of activepopulationwithout upper-secondary education),while keeping the institutional diversity of theentities promoting the centres (public and private schools, professional schools, professionaltraining centres, municipalities, companies and business associations, local and regionaldevelopmentassociations,amongothers).Besidesadulteducation,NOIhadanotheraxletargetedatyoungpeople(15-18yearsold)totackleearlyschoolleavingandschoolunderachievement.TheimplementationofNOIwascarriedoutbytheNationalAgencyforQualification(ANQ)6,apublicinstituteunderthesupervisionofboththeMinistriesofEducationandLabour.

3Portarian.º1082-A/2001,de5desetembro4Portarian.º1082-A/2001,de5desetembro,andPortarianº286-A/2002,de15demarço5Decreto-Lein.º208/2002,de17deoutubro6Decreto-Lein.º276-C/2007,de31dejulho

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Asamainmilestone,in2007theNationalQualificationsSystem(NQS)7wascreatedtoreformVETwithin the education system and within the labour market by creating common objectives,structures and tools. For the first time, RVCC is established as a way to obtain a qualification,alongsidewithtrainingpaths.ThelegalframeworkoftheNQSthuscametosystematizetheentireadulteducationandtrainingsystem,whichhadbeguntobebuiltin2000.

Themain objectives of theNQSwere (and still are): - tomake upper-secondary education thereference objective for the qualification of young people and adults; - to strengthen the linkbetweengeneraleducationandprofessionaltraininginallVETpathwaysensuringforallofthemtheprincipleofdoublecertification; - toreinforceandconsolidatetheRVCCsystem; - todesignarrangementsforVETqualificationstobettermatchlabourmarketneeds.

TheNQSestablishedsomestructurestoensureitsfunctioning:-ANQ;-theNationalCouncil forVocational Training; - the Sector Councils forQualification (SCQ); - the RVCC Centres (renamedNewOpportunitiesCentres)andthetrainingprovidersnetwork (public,privateandprofessionalschools,professionaltrainingcentres,privatetrainingprovidersandentitiesnotunderthescopeof theministries responsible for education and training, such as the schools of hospitality andtourism).Italsocreatedthefollowingtools:-theNationalCatalogueofQualifications(NCQ)8;-theNationalQualificationsFramework(NQF)9;and–theIndividualSkillsHandbook10.

Amongthemainmeasures implementedbytheNQSarethestructuringandorganizationoftheNCQ,theenlargementoftheRVCCsystem,theregulationandentryintoforceoftheNQFandtheapprovalofthemodel,contentandregistrationprocessoftheIndividualSkillsHandbook,aswellas thevalorisationanddiversificationofeducationand trainingpathways for youngpeopleandadults.

The creation of the Key-Competences Standard for Adult Education and Training - Upper-SecondaryEducation11ledtotherestructuringoftheEFACourses,aswellastotheenlargementoftheRVCCprocesstoupper-secondaryeducation.

The restructuring of the EFA Courses brought out the possibility of organizing these courses inthreetypes:onlywithaschoolcomponent;-onlywithaprofessionalcomponent;and–withbothcomponents,awardingdoublecertification(schoolandprofessional).Furthermore,italsoenabledthedefinitionofcourseswithvarieddurationsaccordingtowhattheadulthadachievedbefore.With the separation of the recognition and validation of competences stage from the trainingcomponent in EFA courses, only CNO could carry out the recognition and validation ofcompetences.ThelegislationthatcreatedthenewEFACoursesalsoregulatedCertifiedModular

7Decreto-Lein.º396/2007,de31dedezembro8Despachon.º13456/2008,de14demaioandPortarian.º781/2009,de23dejulho9Portarian.º782/2009,de23dejulho10Portarian.º475/2010,de8dejulho11Availableathttp://www.catalogo.anqep.gov.pt/Content/pdfs/ReferencialRVCCNivel3.pdf

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Trainingasaformofcontinuingadulteducation,builtonthestandardsoftheNCQ,allowingthecapitalizationoflearningandtheattainmentofacertainlevelofqualification.

ThecreationandfunctioningofCNO12wasregulatedtomeetthegoalsdefinedinNOI.Therefore,CNObecomethe"doorway"totheNQS,itsmainfunctionsbeingadultcounsellingandguidancefor training or RVCC processes, with a view to raising the qualification levels of the adultpopulation.

Anewinterventionstagewasintroducedinthevalidationcentres:thediagnosisandthereferralstage,whichwasdonebynewpractitionerswhojoinedtheteam.Sincethen,validationcentrescancarryoutRVCCprocessesofbasicandupper-secondarylevels,eitherintheschooland/orinthe professional component. Key to this was the creation of the NCQ, a dynamic tool for thestrategic management of national non-higher qualifications which promotes the effective linkbetweenthecompetencesnecessarytothesocialandeconomicdevelopmentofthecountryandthequalificationsdevelopedwithintheNQS.Regardingitsorganisation,theNCQincludesforeachqualification theoccupationalprofile, the trainingstandardand theRVCCstandards (schoolandprofessional).AsfarasprofessionalRVCCstandardsareconcerned,theyhaveprogressivelybeendesignedbasedonthetrainingstandards.

Simultaneously, the Online Information and Management System for Education and TrainingProvision(SIGO)13wasdevelopedtokeeprecordofRVCCandotherpathwaysoftheNQS.Italsoallowsgatheringaccurateandupdatedstatisticaldata,enablingthemonitoringofRVCCprocessesandtheissuingofcertificatesanddiplomas.

NOIhadagreatimpactonadulteducationandtrainingbymobilizinganunprecedentednumberofadultsforlearningandsignificantfinancialresources.ThefundingallocatedtoCNOsbetween2008-2010ispresentedinTable1.

Table1–FundingallocatedtoCNOs(2008-2010)

Programme Year ESF StateBudget Total/Year

POPH (OperationalProgramme forHumanDevelopment)

2008 47721604,00€ 24338018,00€ 72059622,00€

2009 119993310,75€ 60808929,00€ 180807239,94€

2010 114190318,26€ 58847436,22€ 173037754,48€

Source:ANQEP

12Portarian.º370/2008,de21demaio13Despachon.º14019/2007,de3dejulho

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CNOs located in the regionsof theNorth,CentreandAlentejowere fundedby theESFand theStateBudget,regardlessofbeingaprivateorapubliccentre.IntheregionsofLisbonandAlgarvetheprivatecentreswerealsofundedbytheESFandtheStateBudget.ThecentrespromotedbypublicentitiesinthesetworegionswereexclusivelyfinancedbyStateBudget.

2012-2016

The new political cycle, which started in Portugal in 2011, and the financial crisis causedconstraintsontheactivityofthevalidationcentres.In2011and2012,thefundingandtheactivityofCNOswereprogressivelyreduced.

In February 2012, the National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training(ANQEP)14wassetupunderthejointsupervisionofthreetheMinistries(EducationandScience,Employment,andEconomy),replacingtheformerANQbutcarryingonthesamemission.

InMarch2013,allCNOswereextinguished.Followingaprocedure tocreate thenewvalidationcentres,in2014anetworkof242CentresforQualificationandVocationalEducation(CQEP)wasestablished. The criteria for the creation of this network and the institutional diversity of thepromotersweremaintained.

There were some changes in themission of CQEP when compared to the former CNOs. CQEPprovidedinformation,guidanceandreferralforyoungpeople,aged15yearsoroverortothoseattending the 9th school year, regardless of their age, so as to identify the most appropriateeducation and training pathway to their needs, motivations, expectations and individualcapacities. As far as the RVCC process is concerned, new procedures in the validation andcertificationstageswereintroduced:

- Validationofcompetences:ascore(from0to200);- Certificationofcompetences:awritten,oralandpracticalexamination(oracombination

ofthese)assessedbyanexternaljury.Thisexaminationisalsoscoredfrom0to200.

ForCQEP to fulfil theirnewattributions, aMethodologicalGuide for LifelongGuidance15,whichincludesastandardfor lifelongguidance,wasdesignedandappliedtoyoungpeopleandadults.ThisstandardisusedinthefirststagesofCQEP’sactivities(diagnosis,informationandguidance,andreferral).

TheESFandtheStateBudgetallocatedtheamountof15M€forleveringCQEPs’activitybetween1 October 2015 and 31 December 2016 in the regions of the North, Centre and Alentejo,regardlessofbeingaprivateorapubliccentre. IntheregionsofLisbonandAlgarvethecentres

14Decreto-Lein.º36/2012,de15defevereiro15Availableatwww.anqep.gov.pt>Adultos>Reconhecimento,ValidaçãoeCertificaçãodeCompetências>Documentação

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promotedbypublicentitieswereexclusively financedby theStateBudget.Therewasnopublicfundingfortheprivatecentres.

2017-2018

InMarch2017anothergovernmentalprogrammewas launched - theQualificaprogramme-anintegratedstrategytofosterthetrainingandqualificationofadults.Theprogrammetargets lessqualified adults, unemployed people and NEET and has the following objectives: - raise thequalification level of adults and their employability; - Increase digital and functional literacy; -betteralignthetrainingprovisionwithlabourmarketneeds;-facilitatetailoredtrainingpathwaysthatleadtoraisingthequalificationlevelofadults(bettercombiningVNFILwithadulteducationandtraining).

Until2020,theQualificaprogrammeaimsatattainingthefollowinggoals:-300QualificaCentresin2017;-50%oftheactivepopulationwithupper-secondaryeducation;-15%ofadultsinLifelongLearningactivities;-contributeto40%of30-34year-oldswithhighereducation.AfterthepublicationofthelegalframeworkthatregulatesQualificaCentres16,thenewnetworkwasmadeupof the formerCQEP thatwished to continue their activity and the centreswhoseapplicationwasapproved.Currently,thenetworkcomprises303QualificaCentres,distributedbyregionasshownintable2.

Table2-NetworkofQualificaCentres

RegionNumberofQualificaCentres

North 114Centre 83Lisbon 52Alentejo 39Algarve 12AutonomousRegionofMadeira 3Total 303

Source:ANQEP

Qualifica Centres have refocused their activity on adults and exceptionally on NEET. ThemainchangesintheRVCCprocessarelinkedtotheexaminationandtotheintroductionofaminimumof50hoursoftraining.

Under theQualifica programme, theQualifica Passport17 was created, replacing the IndividualSkills Handbook. It is an online tool where the education and training pathways attained are

16Portarianº232/2016,de29deagosto17Portarian.º47/2017,de1defevereiro

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recorded; it also provides guidance to pathways in order to complete or to obtain a newqualification, taking into consideration the trainingalreadyattainedand the skills acquired. ThePassportcanbemodified,updatedandprintedatanytime, thusbeinga tool thataccompaniestheadultthroughouthisactivelife.ItisanimportantlifelongguidancetoolusedbytheQualificacentres.

Qualificacentres are co-financedby theESF and the StateBudget. In the regionsof theNorth,Centre and Alentejo they are co-financed by the Operational Programme for Human Capital(POCH),whiletheregionsofLisbonandtheAlgarveareco-financedbytheRegionalOperationalProgrammes(ROP).

Table3-BudgetallocatedtoQualificacentresbetween1January2017and30September2018

BudgetallocatedPOCH(North,Centreand

Alentejo)ROPLisbon ROPAlgarve

50M€ 16.586M€ 3.625M€Source:POCH,ROPLisbon,ROPAlgarve

TheRVCCsystemhasbeenco-fundedbytheEuropeanSocialFund(ESF)andtheStateBudget.ItisafreeofchargeprocessforindividualsandisdirectedatalladultslivinginPortugal,regardlessoftheirmigrant background. In addition, concerning disadvantaged groups there is a specific Key-CompetencesStandard–BasicEducation forpeoplewithdisabilities; forunemployedpeopleorpeople at risk of unemployment, the IEFP (Institute for Employment and Vocational Training),whichisthePublicEmploymentService,hasvalidationcentresorworksincoordinationwithothervalidationcentresthroughoutthecountrysoastofindsolutionsforthesegroups.

The standards aswell as pedagogicalmaterials used for RVCC are available online and offeredfreely.Moreover, learningacquired throughopeneducational resources canbematched to theexistingstandardsandbevalidatedthroughRVCC.TheuseofICTplatforms(i.e.Skype,Moodle)inRVCC facilitates theaccess tovalidationprocedures,althoughRVCCmainly involves face-to-facesessions.

AlthoughVNFILisalsopossibleinhighereducation(HE),thepriorityofthisreportisVNFILinnon-highereducation.Portugueselegislationenablestheaccessofadultsaged23oroverwhodonothold an upper- secondary diploma (standard admission requirement) to HE through theassessmentofprior learning.HEinstitutionshaveautonomytodeveloptheirownprocedurestovalidateNFIL(calledaccreditationprocess)whichmustbepublishedintheofficial journalofthePortugueseRepublicandtheinstitution’swebsite.VNFILinHEleadstocreditawarding:thisisonlypossibleafteradmissioninacourseandincaseofpursuitofstudiestoobtainanacademicdegree.Thecurrentcrediting frameworkhasbeen in forcesince2006.Severalamendmentsweremadeafterwards, for instance through Decreto-Lei n.º 115/2013, of 7 August, which states that: -accreditationprocessesandresultsmustbeapprovedbythescientificboardoftheHEinstitution;

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-onlyuptoonethirdofthetotalnumberofECTSofthedegreecanbeobtainedthroughVNFILandusedforexemptionfrompartofthecourse(partialcertification).CreditsareportableacrossHE institutions which use their own financial budget to develop accreditation processes anddetermine specific fees, which vary largely across institutions. There are institutions wherecandidatespayonabasisofnumberofcreditsawardedandotherswherecandidatespayfortheprocessasawhole,regardlessofthenumberofcreditsclaimed.

Chapter II. The different stages of intervention and the support to individuals

Thischapterdescribesthestagesthatacandidategoesthroughinthevalidationcentre(currentlytheQualifica centres) and the team members of a centre. Figure 1 shows the attributions ofQualificacentreswhichincludetheenrolmentofcandidates,theirinformationandguidanceandthereferraltoaRVCCprocessortoaneducationandtrainingoffer,externaltothecentre.Whencandidatesare referred toRVCC, thecentreprovidesall theprocessofvalidationuntil the finalcertificationofthecandidate,whichcanbeafullorapartialcertification.

Figure1-InterventionstagesinaQualificaCentre

Source:ANQEP

Enrolment

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In the enrolment stage, the candidate is informed about the mission and the activities of thevalidationcentre.ThecandidateisenrolledinSIGOandtheproceduresassociatedtoeachstagewillberecordedthere.

Thediagnosisstageconsistsofreviewingthecandidate’sprofile,namelythroughtheanalysisofhis/her curriculum and life experience, taking into account his/her motivations, needs andexpectations. This initial information will be included in the Vocational Development Portfolio.Thisportfolioconsistsofthecompilationofdocumentsandresultsofguidanceactivities,namelythe interview. Itbelongstothecandidateand it ispreparedbyhim/herwiththesupportoftheguidance, recognition and validation of competences practitioners throughout the guidanceprocess.

The information and guidance stage aims at providing the candidate (adult and/or NEET) withsupportintheidentificationofacareerproject,helpinginthedecision-makingprocessthatbestsuits his/her profile and that enables the pursuit of further studies and/or entering the labourmarket.Thisstagepromotescandidate’sself-knowledgeandawareness.Thecandidatecontinuesto build the Vocational Development Portfolio and prepares the Individual Career Project thatcontains the definition of a career project, the rationale, the implementation strategy, thechallengesandthetimetableassociatedtothefulfilmentoftheIndividualCareerProject.

The Methodological Guide for Lifelong Guidance is used both in the diagnosis and in theinformation and guidance intervention stages. This tool helps identify the knowledge, skills andcompetencesadultsneedtoacquireanddeveloptobeabletoeffectivelymanagetheircareerandmake informedchoices throughout their lives. It alsohelps them tomake successful transitionsbetweentrainingandwork.

Based on the diagnosis and on the information and guidance stages, the referral stage aims toguide the candidate to an education and training pathway or to an RVCC process. Taking intoaccount theVocationalDevelopmentPortfolio, theeducationandtrainingpathwaysavailable intheNQSaswellastheIndividualCareerProject,thereferralisformalizedthroughtheIndividualReferralPlan.Wheneverthecandidate isreferredtoaneducationandtrainingpathway,he/sheleaves thevalidationcentre inorder toattend thepathway.Only thecandidates referred toanRVCCprocess (schooland/orprofessional) remain in thevalidationcentre inorder tobegin thestagesassociatedtotheRVCCprocess.

Whencandidatesare referred toanRVCCprocess, theirPortfolioofVocationalDevelopment isconsideredintheelaborationoftheportfoliodevelopedintheprocess.

Table 4 presents the number and type of sessions recommended for the intervention stagesreferredabove,andtheteammembersresponsible.

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Table4–InitialinterventionstagesinQualificaCentresandrecommendsessions

Enrolment Diagnosis Informationandguidance Referral

Numberofsessions 1 Upto6 Upto6 1

Typeofsessions Grouporindividual

Grouporindividual

Mainlyindividual Individual

Teammemberresponsible

Guidance,recognitionandvalidationofcompetencespractitionerortheCoordinator

Guidance,recognitionandvalidationofcompetencespractitioner

Guidance,recognitionandvalidationofcompetences

practitionerandtrainers

(wheneverapplicable)

Guidance,recognitionandvalidationofcompetences

practitionerandtrainers

(wheneverapplicable)

Source:ANQEP

Inthescopeoftheinterventionstagesinavalidationcentre,onlycandidatesaged18oroverwhohaveacquired competences throughout life in formal, non-formal and informal contexts canbereferredtoanRVCCprocess.Thoseagedbetween18and23yearsmusthave3yearsof legallycertifiedworking experience to develop RVCC processes, which include the intervention stagesdescribedbelow.

For the development of their attributions, the validation centres have a team composed of acoordinator, guidance, recognition and validation of competences practitioners and trainers orteachers.Thecoordinatorisresponsibleforensuringtheregularfunctioningofthecentreintermsofpedagogical,organizationaland financialmanagement.Ahighereducationdegree is requiredforthecoordinator.

Guidance, recognition and validation of competences practitioners carry out the enrolment,diagnosis,informationandguidance,andreferralstages.TheyalsotakepartinthedevelopmentofRVCCprocesses.Thesepractitionersmusthaveahighereducationdegreeandshouldalsohaveexperienceinmethodologiesdirectedtoyoungpeopleandadultsindifferenttrainingpathways.Mostofthemhaveadegreeinpsychology.

Ahighereducationdegreeinthekey-competencesarea18theyworkistheminimumcompetencerequirement for trainers and teachers involved in school RVCC. Basedon theKey-CompetencesStandard,theyareresponsibleforidentifyingthecompetencesheldbythecandidate,supportingthepreparationofthePortfolio,organizinganddevelopingcomplementarytrainingactions.

18Despachon.º11203/2007,de8dejunho

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For professional RVCC trainers the minimum requirement is a certificate in pedagogicalcompetencestobeatrainer19andprofessionalexperience(minimum5years)inthequalificationunder assessment. Based on the different professional RVCC standards, these trainers areresponsibleforidentifyingthecompetencesheldbythecandidate,supportingthepreparationofthePortfolio, applying theassessment tools, organizinganddeveloping complementary trainingactions.

Recognitionandvalidationofcompetences

RVCCprocessesarebasedonkey-competencesstandards(basicandupper-secondaryeducation)– school RVCC - and professional RVCC standards, included in the NCQ, available atwww.catalogo.anqep.gov.pt.

The key-competences standard – basic education – comprises 4 key-competences areas: (i)LanguageandCommunication,(ii)MathematicsforLife,(iii)CitizenshipandEmployability,and(iv)InformationandCommunicationTechnologies.Eachofthesekeycompetencesareasiscomposedof fourCompetenceUnits that integratea variable setof EvidenceCriteria, defined in termsofexamples of actions/ achievements, through which the candidate can demonstrate thecompetenceheld.

Thestandardisorganizedinthreelevels,correspondingto4,6and9yearsofschooling.Eachlevelincludes16compulsoryCompetenceUnits(Table5).

Table5-OrganizationoftheKey-CompetencesStandard–BasicEducation Keycompetenceareas

Language andCommunication(LC)

Mathematics forLife(ML)

Citizenship andEmployability(CE)

Information andCommunicationTechnologies(ICT)

Level CompetenceUnits(UC)

B1-4yearsofschooling

UC1 UC1 UC1 UC1UC2 UC2 UC2 UC2UC3 UC3 UC3 UC3UC4 UC4 UC4 UC4





Source:ANQEP

19Portarian.º214/2011,de30demaio

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The key-competences standard – upper-secondary education – comprises 3 key-competencesareas: (i) Culture, Language and Communication, (ii) Society, Technology and Science, and (iii)CitizenshipandProfessionality(Table6).

These key-competences areas are composedof 22CompetenceUnits and the candidatehas todemonstrate a set of competences in different reference domains (private, professional,institutionalandmacrostructural).

Table6-OrganizationoftheKey-CompetencesStandard–Upper-secondaryEducation Keycompetenceareas

CitizenshipandProfessionality(CP)

Society,TechnologyandScience(STC)

LanguageandCommunication(CLC)

Themes 8 7 7

CompetenceUnits

8 7 7

ReferenceDomains

Private Private PrivateProfessional Professional ProfessionalInstitutional Institutional Institutional

Macrostructural Macrostructural MacrostructuralSource:ANQEP

Professional RVCC standards are based on the training standards used for the technologicalcomponent of formal education (NQF levels 2 and 4) and comprise a set of competence unitsbroken down into tasks, through which the candidate can demonstrate the competences heldwithinthequalificationhe/shewishestocomplete.ForeachprofessionalRVCCstandardthereare4specificassessmenttools:(i)formforportfolioanalysis,(ii)scriptfortechnicalinterview,(iii)gridforassessmentofperformanceintheworkplaceand(iv)gridforassessmentofpracticalexercisesinsimulatedpractice.

In the recognitionand validationof competences stage, the candidate collectsbiographical andcurriculardocumentsinaportfolio,whereevidenceofthecompetencesispresented,inordertobe validated by comparison with the standard. This portfolio illustrates the candidate’s lifeexperienceand, for this reason, is apersonal anduniquedocument, inwhichhe/sheexpresses(throughwritten self-reports) and evidences (through different sorts of certificates, documentsand other proofs) the competences defined for the level of qualification under assessment. Inprofessional RVCC, besides the portfolio, the other assessment tools abovementioned are alsoused.

Thisstage includesaminimumof50hoursof trainingprovidedbythevalidationcentreorbyatraining provider. This training is intended to overcome the needs identified by theteachers/trainers.

18

Figure 2 shows the work done in the recognition and validation stage, as well as the teammembers involved in the identification, documentation and assessmentof competences,withintheprocess.

Figure2–Recognitionandvalidationstage

RECOGNITION and

VALIDATION Recognition

Source:ANQEP

Certificationofcompetences

Thecertificationofthecompetencespreviouslyvalidatedrequiresthepresenceofthecandidatebeforeacertificationjury.Itconsistsofthefollowingelements:

School certification - A trainer or teacher from each of the key-competences areas and theguidance, recognition and validation of competences practitioner who accompanied thecandidate’sprocess.Trainersorteachersinvolvedinhis/herRVCCprocessareexcludedfromthejury.

Professionalcertification-Twotrainerswithadequatetechnicalqualificationintheeducationandtrainingareaofthestandardunderassessment(withatleastfiveyearsofworkexperience);thetrainerwhoaccompaniedthecandidate'sprocess;arepresentativeofthebusinessassociationsoremployers;andarepresentativeoftradeunionassociationsintheactivitysector.

Recognition of Competences

- AnalysisofRVCCstandardsforthequalificationtobeobtained- Systematizationofpersonal/professionalexperience- Portfolioelaboration- Competences balance (Analysis and assessment of the adult’s interests and

competences,aimingatlinkingthemtothecompetencespresentedinthestandard)- Applicationofassessmenttools(professionalRVCC)

Teammembers involved: guidance, recognition and validation of competences practitioner +teachers/trainers

Typeofsessions:grouporindividual

Validation of Competences

- Presentation of self-evaluation and evaluationby the team of theportfolio, with aview to assessing the competences acquired and their correspondence to thecompetencestandards

- Identificationofcompetencesthatthecandidateactuallyholdsandthosethatcanbecertified

Teammembers involved: guidance, recognition and validation of competences practitioner +teachers/trainers

Typeofsessions:grouporindividual

RECOGNITION

and Validation

19

Thejury'sdecisiononthecertificationofcompetencesisbasedonthecandidate'sperformanceinacertificationexamination,combinedwiththeportfolioanalysisandtheassessmenttoolsappliedduringtherecognitionandvalidationofcompetencesstage.

In the certification of school competences, the certification examination consists in an oralpresentationofaworkonathemethatdemonstratesknowledgeandcompetencesonthekey-competencesareasoftherespectivestandard.

In the certification of professional competences, the certification examination is a practicaldemonstrationofthecompetencesheldwithintheprofessionalcompetencesstandard.

The result of this stageenables the candidate toobtain a full certification (when the candidatecertifiesallthecompetenceunitsofthestandard)orapartialcertification.InschoolRVCC,afullcertification enables the candidate to obtain a certificate of basic education (4, 6 or 9 years ofschooling) or upper-secondary education (12 years of schooling). In professional RVCC, a fullcertificationtestifiesthatthecandidateholdsthecompetencesoftheprofessionalRVCCstandardinquestion.

In the caseof apartial certification, the candidate is informedabout the remaining training forhim/her toobtainaqualification,which is registered in thePersonalQualificationPlan.Besides,thevalidationcentreinformsthecandidatewheretheneededtrainingisavailable.

Chapter III. Results and coherence of validation arrangements

ChapterIII focusesontheresultsofvalidationfortheindividualandthecoherenceofvalidationarrangementsinplaceintermsoftheNQSandtheEuropeantransparencytools.

TheNQF,inforcesince2010andreferencedtotheEQF,isauniquereferencetooltoclassifyallqualifications produced in the national education and training system, regardless of the accesspathways (general education, VET, RVCC, higher education). The NQF improves the legibility,transparencyandcomparabilityofqualifications intheeducationandtrainingsystemandinthelabourmarket,easing themobilityofcitizensand facilitatingLifelongLearning.RegardingRVCC,NQFlevels1to4areonlygrantedinthecaseofafullcertification.

20

Figure3-IntegrationofRVCCintheNQF

Source:ANQEP

RVCC is based on competence standards included in the NCQ. It facilitates the access toqualification, by promoting the flexibility in attaining qualifications (paths organized in trainingmodules, certifiedautonomouslyandcapitalized toobtainaqualification).TheNCQaimsat theprogressive integration of qualifications based on learning outcomes, identifying for eachqualificationacompetencestandardandatrainingstandardinitstechnologicalcomponent.

21

Figure4–StandardsforaqualificationintheNCQ

Source:ANQEP

TheCataloguestandardsareusedinIVET,CVETandRVCC.ThestandardsusedinRVCC(TheKeyCompetence Standard for basic education; the Key Competence Standard for upper-secondaryeducation;156standardsforprofessionalRVCC-76NQFlevel2,outofatotalof113,and80NQFlevel4,outofa totalof151)areequivalent to thetrainingstandardsused in formaleducation.TheintegrationofqualificationsbasedonlearningoutcomesintheCNQisashift inparadigmintheNQSforthefollowingreasons:

- Quality is improved as there are performance criteria in the Competence Units of thecompetence standard, aswell as assessment criteria in the Short-TermTrainingUnits oftherespectivetrainingstandard;

- Thereadabilityofqualificationsforthelabourmarketisincreased,sincelearningoutcomesconfer increased precision to what the holder of a qualification can do, knows andunderstands,byusingaclearerandmoreexplicitlanguage,thusgettingtheeducationandtrainingsystemclosertothecompanies;

- It increases readability for the learner because the use of learning outcomes expresseswhat needs to be demonstrated when a trainee is evaluated (the result of his/herlearning);

- Itallowsandfacilitatestheconstructionofacoherentcreditsystem,whichisfundamentalforthetransferbetweenlearningcontextsandfortheaccumulationandcapitalisationoflearningoutcomes.

Table7showsthenumberofcertifications(totalandpartial)obtainedin2017,accordingtothetypeandlevelofcertification.

22

Table7-Numberofcertifications(totalandpartial)obtainedin2017

TotalCertificationinRVCC PartialCertificationinRVCC

Basiceducation

Upper-secondaryeducation

Professional

Total Basiceducation

Upper-secondaryeducation

Professional

TotalLevel2NQF

Level4NQF

Level2NQF

Level4NQF

Certification 2717 3385 1920 1268 9290 16 9 520 322 867

Source:ANQEP

Candidates who obtain a partial certification in RVCC may complete the qualification throughtraining(EFACoursesandCertifiedModularTraining).Thepermeabilitybetweencoursesandthecapitalization of certified competences is ensured because the standards used have the samecontents, allowing the construction of pathways adjusted to the needs, starting from what isalreadyknown(RVCC)towhatisstillneededtolearn.

CertificatesanddiplomasobtainedthroughRVCChavethesamelegalvalueasanyotherwayofobtainingaqualification.

ConcerningprofessionalRVCC,thecertificationsobtainedhavethefollowingdistribution:

Figure5–MostrepresentativecertificationsobtainedviaprofessionalRVCC(level2)

Source:SIGO

51%

12%

11%

7%

19%

Cercficacons(RVCC-NQFLevel2)

GeriatricsAgent

Electrician

Cook

TexuleIndustrySewer

Others

23

Figure6–MostrepresentativecertificationsobtainedviaprofessionalRVCC(level4)

Source:SIGO

Regarding RVCC certifications NQF level 4, the category “others” includes 43 certifications, forexample, Technician in Sales (3,2%) and Technician in Automotive Mechatronics (3,2%). TheTechnicianintheEducationalAreaisthedomainwithagreaternumberofcertifications.

As far as the length of the RVCC process is concerned, usually upper-secondary educationprocessesarelonger.However,thereisnotamaximumtimelimittofinishanRVCCprocess.

Figure7–AveragenumberofmonthsbetweenentryintoRVCCProcessandCertification

Source:SIGO,May2011

26%

11%11%7%

45%

Cercficacons(RVCC-NQFLevel4)

TechnicianintheEducauonalArea

TechnicianinConstrucuon

TechnicianinFamilyandCommunitySupport

TechnicianintheAdministrauveArea

Others

6.007.00 7.10 7.40 7.80

5.10

8.00

9.80

12.00

13.60

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

basiclevel

uppersecondarylevel

24

Figure7onlypresentstheaveragelengthofRVCCprocessesuntil2011,sinceitcorrespondstoaperiod when the network had stable conditions to operate (number of centres, human andfinancialresources)andthegreatestnumberofcertificateswasawarded.

To foster permeability among VET pathways and higher education as well as mobility withinEurope,in2017,theNationalCreditSystemforVocationalEducationandTrainingwascreated20.This system is alignedwith some ECVET principles. This system enables the allocation of creditpoints to level 2, 4 and 5 qualifications of the NQF included in the National Catalogue ofQualificationsandtocertifiedtrainingwhichisrecordedintheonlineinformationsystemforthemanagementoftrainingprovision(SIGO)andcomplieswithqualityassurancecriteriainplace.ThedevelopmentoftheCreditSystemisbasedonthreecomplementarydimensions:a)theattributionofcreditpointstoformallycertified learningwithinthescopeoftheNQS,namelytheunitsthatintegrate the qualifications of the NQC; b) the accumulation of credit points related to thatlearning;andc)thetransferofcreditpointsobtainedthroughtrainingcourses.RegardingRVCC,whenever access to the qualification is done through professional RVCC, the total or partialcertificationassumesthecreditpointscorrespondingtothewholeortoapartoftheshort-termtrainingunitsthatintegratethetechnologicalcomponentofthestandardofthequalification.

Chapter IV. Role of stakeholders

This chapter isdedicated to the stakeholders involved inRVCC, thecoordinationbetween themand their specific roles. Strongcoordination isacondition foraneffectiveRVCCsystemand itsoperationalization in the validation centres. In Portugal stakeholders are involved in the RVCCsystemfromthedesignphaseofthestandardsuptothecertificationofthecandidates,coveringcentralandregionalgovernancelevels.

The involvement of stakeholders appears at the macro level, with the central role played byANQEPincoordinatingtheRVCCsystem.ANQEPisapublicbodyunderthejointsupervisionoftheMinistryof Education and theMinistryof Labour, Solidarity, and Social Security in coordinationwith the Ministry of Economy, whose mission is to coordinate the implementation of VET foryoungpeopleandadults,aswellastoensurethedevelopmentandmanagementoftheNationalSystemforRVCC.ANQEP’sGeneralBoard(GB)involvesdifferenttypesofstakeholdersintheareaofqualification,namelyservicesandpublicbodies,socialpartners,otherentitieswithattributionsinVETaddressedatyoungpeopleandadultsandindependentexperts,arerepresented.TheGBisa statutory body of consultation, support and participation in the definition of this Agency’sgenerallinesofaction.Inordertoexploittheheterogeneityandrichnessofthevisionsofrelevantstakeholders,theGB-encompassestheSpecializedBoardofSocialPartners,theSpecializedBoardof Technicians, the Specialized Regulatory Bodies and the Specialized Board of Public Bodies

20Portarian.º47/2017,de1defevereiro

25

(organized by areas and specific topics). Through this operating method, better conditions togather opinions and to get more detailed and deeper information about the stakeholders’positionsareensured.

At regional level, Intermunicipal Communities (CIM) also play an important role, not only inanticipatingqualificationneeds,butalsothroughtheinvolvementoftheQualificaCentresinthedevelopmentofactionsinthescopeofthecoordination,dynamizationandregulationoftrainingprovision. For example, the Intermunicipal Community of Ave (CIM Ave) - an association of 8municipalitiesintheNorthofPortugal,withacombinedpopulationof425411people-created,in2013, a council composed of political representatives from its several municipalities, with themissionofdevelopingastrategyforVETintheregion, inarticulationwitheachmunicipalityandthecentralGovernment.Thecouncilhasdevelopedseveralnetworks,amongwhichanetworkforcoordinatingthesupplyofeducationandtraining,withalllocaleducationandtrainingproviders,and a network of Qualifica Centres, to promote partnerships, develop common practices, trainQualificaCentreprofessionals,andsupportthecentres’interactionwithANQEPandothercentralbodies.

Still at regional level, theQualificaCentres,whicharepromotedbydiverse typesof institutions(seefigure8),establishprotocolswithcompaniesandotherinstitutionstomotivateandmobilizeadultstoincreasetheirqualificationsaswellastodevelopRVCCprocessesintheworkcontext.

26

Figure8–Centresbytypeofpromoter

Source:SIGO

An example of coordination between different stakeholders is the project for validation ofcompetences in enterprises, developed by ANQEP in partnership with SONAE (a multinationalcompanythatmanagesagroupofcompaniesintheretail,financialservices,technology,shoppingcentres and telecommunications sectors and that has over 36,000 workers) and the validationcentre promoted by CEFOSAP (confederation of unions – UGT). Concluded inMarch 2016, thisproject aimed at developing professional RVCC in theworkplace and fostering firms’ and socialpartners’participationinRVCCprocesses.Withintheproject,prioritywasgiventoemployeeswithlowerandupper-secondaryeducationwhowishedtoobtainaprofessionalcertificationinordertobeawardeddouble certification. In addition, theworkmethodology adoptedwasbasedon theexisting professional RVCC assessment tools, applying preferably the form for portfolio analysisand the grid for assessment of performance in the workplace. Finally, and according to theproceduresfollowedinthecertificationofcompetencesstage,therewasanexaminationbeforeajuryofcertificationwhichinvolvedrepresentativesfrombusinessandtradeunions,amongothers.

11%

15%

34%

17%

23%

Typologyofenccespromocngcentres

ProfessionalTrainingCentre–IEFP,DirectManagement

ProfessionalTrainingCentre–IEFP,JointManagement

Publicschools

Privateschools

Otherenuues(i.e.municipaliues,companiesandbusinessassociauons,localandregionalassociauons)

27

Nowadays,ANQEPisworkingtowardsextendingtherecognitionandvalidationofthesetofskillsacquiredbyworkersintheworkplace,sothattheyaretakenintoaccountbyfirmswhenprovidingfurthertraining.Thisisastrategicaspectforfirms’competitivenessandproductivity.

ANQEP has continuously boosted the intervention of various stakeholders in the design ofqualificationswithin the SCQ,whichwork as a platform for updating/revising the qualificationsincluded in the Catalogue. The 16 SCQ comprise several stakeholders (social partners,representativesappointedby theMinistry inchargeof theactivitysector, referencecompanies,VETproviders, independentexperts…)bringingtogethertheworldofeducationandtrainingandtheworldofwork.Theyseektoensureasectoralrepresentationofthenationaleconomicactivityandtheyareanexampleofabottom-upapproachinthedesignofqualifications.Noqualificationis integrated intheNCQ(competencesstandardandtrainingstandard)withoutbeingsubmittedto the respective Sector Council for analysis and approval by consensus. This process ofintegration/updatingqualificationsincludedintheNCQtakesbetween4and6months(average).

Figure9–The16SectorCouncilsforQualification

§ Personalservices§ Tourismandleisureactivities§ Craftandjewellery§ Wood,furnitureandcork§ Healthcareandservicestothe

community§ Fashion§ Transportsanddistribution§ Computers,electronicsand

telecommunications§ Metallurgyandmetalworking§ Chemicalindustries,pottery,glassand

others

§ Agricultureandnourishment

§ Buildingconstructionandurbanservices

§ Servicestoenterprises(financeactivities,consultingactivities,secretariatservices)

§ Energyandenvironment§ Culture, heritage and

productionofcontents§ Tradeandmarketing

BesidestheSCQ,mentionshouldbemadetotheopenmodelofconsultation,whichallowsanyentitytomakeaproposaltointegratenewstandardsorupdatetheexistingonesintheNCQ.AlltheproposalsarediscussedbytheSCQand,ifapproved,includedintheNCQ.

At the level of validation centres, employers and trade unions participate in the juries ofcertificationofprofessionalRVCC,asmentionedinchapterII.

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Chapter V. Evaluation, monitoring and quality assurance

Thecurrentchapterpresentsevaluation,monitoringandqualityassurancearrangementsinplace,aswellastrainingprovidedtothestaffofthevalidationcentres.

Robust evaluation and monitoring arrangements are an important basis as they can generateinformationonthereturnsofadultlearningandtheeffectivenessoftheRVCCsystem.TheRVCCsystemhasbeentheobjectofseveralexternalevaluations.

ThestudycarriedoutbytheInterdisciplinaryCentreforEconomicStudies(CentroInterdisciplinarde Estudos Económicos - CIDEC) between 2003-2004 analysed the socio-professionaldevelopment of adults certified up to 31 December 2002 and assessed the pertinence,implementationandachievementsoftheRVCCsystem.ThemainresultsofthestudyshowedthepositiveeffectsoftheRVCCprocessintermsofpersonaldimensions(betterself-knowledge,self-esteem and self-worth), of greater employability and betterwork conditions andmotivation topursuestudies.Thesecondstudy,conductedinthelastquarterof2004,updatesandconfirmsthepreviousresultsbasedonaquestionnaireansweredbypeoplecertifiedin2003.

The NOI, specifically the axle dedicated to the qualification of adults, was the subject of twoexternal evaluations. The first evaluation (Carneiro et al., 2010) focused mainly on theimplementationof the initiativeandparticipants’experiences.Asurveycarriedoutamong1300participants showed a large increase in self-esteem and self-confidence, use of ICT/internet,motivationforfurthereducation/trainingandadesiretoimproveworkprospects.Figures10and11 show, in a ten points scale, that the average level obtained for each of the eight key-competencesconsideredforlowerandupper-secondaryeducationimprovedafterparticipatingintheNOI,notexclusivelyintheRVCCprocess.

29

Figure10–Key-competencesprogressafterNOIandkey-competencesuseintheworkcontext(lower-secondaryeducationallevel)

Source:NOIexternalevaluation

Figure11–Key-competencesprogressafterNOIandkey-competencesuseintheworkcontext(upper-secondaryeducationallevel)


23456789Literacy

e.skills

BasicSkillsinScienceandTechnology

ForeignLanguage

Communicauon,expressionand

culturalawarness

Personalandsocialskills

Civicskills

"LearningtoLearn"Skills

Skilluse

Beforeceruficauon

A{erceruficauon

23456789Literacy

e.skills

BasicSkillsinScienceandTechnology

ForeignLanguage

Communicauon,expressionand

culturalawarness

Personalandsocialskills

Civicskills

"LearningtoLearn"Skills

Skilluse

Beforeceruficauon

A{erceruficauon

30

Althoughthelower-secondarylevelofeducationreportedgreaterprogressinalmostallthekey-competencesassessed,itisinupper-secondaryeducationthatadultsgenerallystartandachievehigherlevelsofkey-competences.Asfarascompetenceuseinjobtasksisconcerned,hardskillsaremuchlessusedthansoftandmeta-skills.

Figure12–Feelingatthelevelofprofessionaltraining


Figure12highlightstheneedandwillingnesstolearnmoreafterparticipatinginNOI,whichisarelevantfactortothepromotionoflifelonglearning.

Figure13-Benefitsatwork


0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Other

Needtolearnmore

Preparedtolearnmorebyhimself/herselfWillingnesstohave

morevocauonaltraining

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Parucipauonindecision-makingprocesses

Moretakenintoaccount

Increaseinsalary

Cangetanewjobincaseofneed

Closertopromouon

Be|erbenefitspackageatwork

Acknowledgedbyimmediatesuperior

Acknowledgedbycolleagues

Easierhandlingwithworksituauons

Morejobassignments

31

Figure 13 shows that acknowledgment among superiors and peers, aswell as performing tasksmoreeasilyandmorejobassignmentsarethemostrelevantbenefitsatwork.

The second evaluation (Lima, 2012) focused on labour market outcomes and comprised twostudies:oneontheRVCCprocessandtheotheronadulteducationandtrainingcoursesandtheCertifiedModular Training (FMC). The results from the first study indicate that RVCCprocessesonly improve employability in the case of participants enrolled in professional RVCC, or whenschoolRVCC(basiclevelofeducation)wassupplementedwithFMC,andshowedlittleornoeffectonwages.TheresultsofthesecondstudyshowedthatEFAcourses increasedtheprobabilityofmoving from unemployment to employment, while the FMC had a positive effect on thistransition,althoughnotsosignificant.Figure14illustratestheresultsofbothstudies.

Figure14-Benefitsintermsoftransitionfromunemploymenttowork

ProfessionalRVCC-increasesby4,6%theprobabilityoffindingajobforunemployedmen;RVCC(NQFlevel2)combinedwithmodulartraining-increasesby3,3%theprobabilityoffindingajobforunemployedmenwhencomparedwithjustRVCC;RVCC(NQFlevels3and4)combinedwithmodulartraining-increasesby6,3%theprobabilityoffindingajobforunemployedwomenwhencomparedwithjustRVCC;RVCC(NQFlevel3)-increasesby1,1%theremunerationformen;RVCC (NQF level 3) - increases by 4,8% the remuneration forwomen in the transition betweenjobs.

InthescopeofANQEP’sattributions,specificallythemonitoring,assessmentandregulationoftheRVCCsystem,SIGO(therestrictedaccessplatformwherevalidationcentresregistertheprogressmadebytheadult)isofutmostimportance.Furthermore,5regionalmonitoringteams,gatheringmembersfromANQEPandtheregionalservicesofIEFPandtheDirectorate-GeneralforSchools,support the activity of validation centres and reinforce the involvement of stakeholders in theRVCCprocess.

BasedonthedatafromSIGO,ontheinputsfromtheregionalmonitoringteamsandthecentresthemselves,ANQEPproducesquantitativeandqualitativereportsonaregularbasis:

- amonthly report (quantitative)with information on the performance of the network ofvalidation centres in terms of enrolments, referrals and certifications in RVCC (total andpartial). This report is sent to the Secretaries of State of Education and Employment.Further,eachcentreisinformedaboutitsperformanceaswellasabouttheperformanceofallthecentresbelongingtothesameNUTSIIandIII;

32

- aquarterlyreport(qualitative)givingaccountofthemonitoringactionscarriedoutbythemonitoring teams in each region, identifying challenges and making suggestions forimprovement;

- an annual report (quantitative and qualitative) which assesses the functioning of thenetwork of validation centres and presents the results of the self-evaluation of theactivitiesofeachcentre.

The above-mentioned procedures are directed to improve the system and the activity of thevalidationcentres,as theyprovide informationto thedecision-makingprocess fromthe levelofthevalidationcentrestotheministeriallevel.

Themonitoringofthesystemmakesclearthatthenetworkofvalidationcentres,enrolmentsandcertificationsvaryovertheyearsaccordingtotheinvestmentinadulteducationandtraining,asshowninfigures15,16and17.

Figure15–NetworkofValidationCentresperyear(2000-2017)

Source:ANQEP

In figure 15 it is possible to verify that the expansion of the network is associated to the NOI(2005-2012)andtotheQualificaprogramme,launchedin2016.

628

4256

7398

270 269

459 455 454 452424

203

242 242261

303

0

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100

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200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017

RVCCCentresNewOpportuniuesCentresCentresforQualificauonandVocauonalEducauonQualificaCentres

33

Figure16–Enrolmentsinvalidationcentresperyear(2006-2017)

Source:SIGO

Thenumberofenrolmentsbetween2007and2011,presented in figure16, isconnectedtotheenlargementofboththenetworkofvalidationcentresandtheRVCCprocesstoupper-secondaryeducation.Thesharpdecreaseinenrolmentsin2012and2013istheresultofthereductionofthefundingallocatedtovalidationcentresandtherestructuringofthenetwork.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017Enrolments 77246 281981283399277619243971257951 87147 776 40483 58747 88321 125893

0

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100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

34

Figure17-CertificationsobtainedviaRVCCperyear(2006-2017)

Source:SIGO

Thepeakofcertificationsbetween2009and2011,asshowninfigure17,correspondstoaperiodof increased financial and human resources in the validation centres and is also linked to theenlargementoftheRVCCsystemtoupper-secondaryeducation.Thisenlargementalsoledtotheincreaseofpartialcertifications.

As far as quality assurance is concerned, it is alsoworthmentioning the existenceof nationalstandardsforRVCC,theaccuracyandreliabilityofthedataprovidedbySIGO,thekeyperformanceindicatorsestablishedinthequalitychartforthevalidationcentresandthetrainingprovidedtothestaffofthevalidationcentres.Thistraining,providedbyANQEPannually,addressessubjectsessential for thecentres’activity,namely themobilizationofadults, lifelongguidance, referrals,RVCC processes (school and professional), certification, SIGO, theQualifica Portal, the NationalCredit System for VET and theQualifica Passport. More than 1100members of the validationcentresparticipatedinthetrainingsessionsorganizedin2017.

Finally,adultswhohaveparticipatedintheRVCCprocesshaveassesseditverypositively(seebox1).

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

2001/05

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

ParualCeruficauoninRVCC 0 895 2934 4930 6821 9166 4821 463 9 419 938 867

TotalCeruficauoninRVCC 44192 25079 55130 74549 112598 99232 93766 70429 2937 28 2239 7212 9290

35

Box1–TestimoniesontheRVCCprocess

Chapter VI – Conclusions and challenges

Awell-developedandflexibleRVCCsystemhelpsovercomingthechallengesfacedbylow-educatedadults,namelythebarrierstoaccessingtheformaleducationsystem.RVCCisavitalmechanismtopromotethereturn of adults to the education and training system, insofar as it values the competences acquiredthroughout life innon-formal, informalandformalcontextsandcontributestomaking lifelong learningareality.Acomprehensivenetworkofvalidationcentres,coveringPortugal’swholeterritory,hascontributedboth to giving RVCC the relevance it can have in acquiring a non-higher qualification and to providinglifelong guidance. RVCC has played an important role in motivating adults to up-skill, in fighting socialexclusionandinsupportingpoliciestoincreasethequalificationlevelofthepopulation(since2000upto2017, 600 272 adults obtained a certification through RVCC, being most of them in lower-secondary

IdalinaLopeshad to leave school early to support her family.Working in textile factories, sheknew shehadcapability formore.She returned toschoolasanadult,blazingherowntrail touniversityand,ultimately,herownlegalpractice:https://vimeo.com/172745354

Catarina Gaspar, a production manager in the film industry, completed upper-secondaryeducation via RVCC. The certification was made possible by a mix of portfolio evaluation,presentationofself-evaluation,oralandwrittenexaminations,andhasopenedupthepossibilityoffurtherstudyattheAmericanFilmInstitute intheUS. InaninterviewforSkillsetandMatch(Issue 9, January 2017), Catarina said shewould "highly recommend this process to everyonewho intends to improve their careers” and that she sees it as “an opportunity to grow as aperson…thewholeprocessimpliesajourneyofself-awareness.”

JoséAzevedo,42yearsold,concludedin2010upper-secondaryeducationviaRVCC:“Iconfessthat the period between the firstwork session at the centre and the dayof the jury session,aboutayear,wasaperiodofmanyandvariedemotions: interest,motivation, lackof interest,lackofmotivation,effort, fatigue,commitmentand, finally,prideinhavingachieved thegoal Ihadset-obtainingtheupper-secondarycertificate.Ienteredtheprocessfeelinginterestedandmotivated because it was an opportunity to complete upper-secondary education (I had onlyfinished the 11th year of schooling). However, as time went by, that same motivation andinterest lowered in such a way that I thought of giving up several times. ... to obtain thecertification, I realized I had to get down to work, which required a lot of work, availability,dedication, which is not easy for thosewho have a family andwork at the pace that today'sworldrequires.ThiseffortandcommitmentinvolvedinanRVCCprocessmayberesponsibleforsomedropouts,butformeitismuchmoreimportantandrewardingthefactthatitenablestherecognitionofourcompetences. Inmycase,besides increasingself-esteemand increasing thelevel of schooling, the added value of the RVCC was the motivation to go back to school.Afterwards,IenrolledinHEintheBusinessManagementcourseatISVOUGA.”

36

education).TheflexibilityoftheRVCCsystemcontributestotheeffectivenessandefficiencyinobtainingaqualification, enabling the certification in less time and with lower costs than in formal education. Theoutcomes of this system have been determined by political cycles and their respective interest andinvestmentinadulteducation.

Nevertheless,somechallengesremainandovercomingthemwillrequirecomplementaryefforts,namely:(i)reducingtherelianceonEUfundstosupporttheRVCCsystem,whichcanbeachallengeforthe long-term sustainability of the system; (ii) achieving wide consensus regarding policy priorities for adulteducation; (iii) improving the social value/recognitionofdiplomasobtainedviaRVCC; (iv) increasing theengagementofstakeholders,especiallyemployers,inordertomobilizelow-skilledemployeesandfacilitatetheiraccesstoRVCC;(v)raisingtheawarenessofthebenefitsoflearningsoastogobeyondmotivationalbarriers.

References

ANQEP(2015),MethodologicalGuidebook-Designofqualificationsbasedonlearningoutcomes,ANQEP.

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