ROC Midden-Brabant

Regional Centre for Vocational Education and Training

The Dutch educational system

Adult and vocational education act

• 1996• Quality improvement of secondary education• Integration of vocational and adult education• Coherent qualification structure• Strengthening ties with the labor market• Improvement of retention rates• Implementation of new didactic methods• Flexible training possibilities for individuals

VET field: vocational education

• Two learning routes:

1. Full-time college-based route (BOL)– Includes at least 20% placements

2. Part-time work-based route (BBL)– At least 60% apprenticeship in a company

VET field: vocational education

• Four qualification levels

1. Assistant’s level

– simple practical tasks

2. Basic vocational level– practical tasks

3. Vocational level– carrying out tasks independently

4. Middle management and specialist level– tasks of a broad or specialist nature

Regional Training Centres (ROCs)

• 46 ROCs spread over the Netherlands• 650.000 students • Offering education and training courses in all sectors

of vocational and adult education• Key role in education and work in their regions

• (Private teaching institutes)• (Agricultural Colleges)

Ways of financing

• State: Ministry of Education• Local authorities: municipalities• Employers: companies and institutions• Participants

ROC Midden-Brabant

• 16.000 students• 250 different courses• 120 nationalities• 2500 companies which offer work placements• 4 departments (colleges)

– Business Studies– Social Services and Health Care– Engineering and Technology– Basic and Adult Education

Business Studies

• Business management + marketing• Business administration• Trade + logistics• Banking, insurance + law• Information and Communication Technology• Security services• Flight attendant

Social Services and Health Care

• Health and Care e.g. nursery• Social welfare e.g. social work

e.g. child care

• Services e.g. doctor’s assistant

e.g. hairdressing

• Sports e.g. fitness centres

Engineering and Technology

• Electrical and mechanical engineering• Building and fitting techniques• Motor mechanics• Aircraft techniques• Transport and logistics• Processing industry and laboratory techniques• Bakery• Woodwork and furniture

Basic and Adult Education

• Key qualifications for further education• Dutch as a second language• Integration of minorities• Basic social skills• Job orientation• Re-integration• General secondary education

International objectives

• Adult and vocational education act– International activities as part of the curriculum– International activities as quality instrument

• Strategic policy of ROC Midden-Brabant– International society international education

• Strategic plans of the four colleges– Concrete activities

International activities ROC MB

• Preparation of participants for the international society and working life– Work placements abroad– Student exchange programs– Other international activities for participants

• Innovation of curricula and teaching programmes– Pilot projects with foreign partners– Study visits of staff in other countries– Staff development programme– Other international activities for staff members

Examples of international activities• Work placements for students in Sw, UK, B, D, Fr, Fi, It

and Gr.• Student exchange program with Germany and Italy• Teachers visiting students at work placements• Teacher training program in Denmark and UK• Study visit for staff in UK, Sp, At, Mar and Tk• Pilot projects ‘Welcome’, ‘Education House’,

‘Educators as trainers, trainers as educators’, ‘Family learning’

• Programs for foreign partners

Financing international activities

• Own funds of ROC Midden-Brabant• National fundings from Ministry of Education• Funding through EU-projects• Bilateral programs

International network

• Partners in mobility projectsUk, Sw, It, B, Sp, Fr, Fi, Gr, D and Ca

• Partners in pilot projectsUk, Ireland, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway

• The Dutch Alliance8 ROCs in the Netherlands

• EnetracPortugal, Czechia, Italy, Germany, UK, France, Russia, Poland Slovakia