Strengths and Weaknesses of Dual Training Systems in the Netherlands

Prof. dr. Martin Mulder

Wageningen University - Education and Competence Studies

ECER Roundtable, Dublin, August 24, 2016

Population NL

17 million

Total surface: 41,526 sq km; Irrigated land: 5,650 sq km

Lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m

Highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

2016 Position on global happiness scale: 7

2015 GDP $ 832.6 billion

2015 GDP per capita $49,200

2015 Labour force 7.9 million

● Agriculture: 2%; Industry: 17%; Services: 81%

July 2016 Unemployment rate (UR) 6% 2015 Youth 15-25 UR: 11%; August 2016 +55 UR 7.4%

Age structure of the population

0-14 years: 17 % 15-24 years: 12 % 25-54 years: 40 % 55-64 years: 13 % 65 years and over: 18%

The Dutch educational system

Laws on Vocational Education

Law on Secondary education (WVO) (01-08-2016 )

● Regulates Preparatory Vocational Education - VMBO

Law on education and vocational education (Wet educatie en beroepsonderwijs) (MBO) (31-10-1995)

Many modification laws

● e.g. recognition of diplomas of not-publicly financed education (06-10-1999); quality exams (11-03-2004 ); vocation-oriented qualification structure (01-01-2012 ); move of legal tasks of knowledge centers vocational education to the Cooperation Organisation Vocational Education Labour (01-08-2015 )

Law on higher education and scientific research (WHW) (HBO and WO) (8-10-1992)

Law on professions in education (Wet BIO) (30-06-2004)

● Specifies competence domains of teachers

Most important actors

Pupils – parents Students Participants Schools – Universities – Private training providers Teachers – professors – professional associations Teacher education institutes Labour market – social partners Government Coorperating Organis Vocat Ed and Labour Market (SBB) Inspectorate Exam organisations – Assessment bodies

Participation in Education 2015

General Secondary (incl VMBO) 960.000 Senior Secondary VET (MBO) 475.000 Higher VET (HBO) 445.000 Academic (WO) 259.400

Reputation vocational track

● The higher the better – but sector-specific ● Lycea and Associate Degrees to support upward

mobility and reduce dropout

Recent developments in VET

Measures for youth unemployment

Measures to reduce drop-out

More attention for teachers, teacher education, professional development and register

Stimulating mature HRM within schools

Emphasis on team work and learning

Quality improvement of competence-based assessment

Number of approved qualifications reduced

SBB has the legal task to accredits internship companies

More emphasis on entrepreneurship

Hybrid learning in higher education

Planetary sustainability urgency mainstreaming

Dual education

Dual system of higher education: WO - HBO Combining learning and work (=main definition); but

there is difference between: ● Paid job ● Unpaid job (internship)

Various levels: senior secondary VET (MBO) higher vocational education (HBO) university studies (WO) working population Dual education ≠ Part-time education

Differences between dual and part-time education (Both can be in the same education groups together)

Part-time Student has regular job

with labour agreement Student has full salary for

the job Student does not get

assignments to do in job Student does not get

coaching of educ institute Work supervisor does not

assess learning

Dual Student has a learning-

working agreement Student gets limited

compensation for work Student gets assignments

to do during work Student gets coaching on

workfloor by educ inst Work supervisor co-

assesses learning

Learning Pathways (LP) in Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (VMBO)

Basic vocation-oriented LP (BB) – practical learning ‘Kader’ vocational-oriented LP (KB) – acquisition of

theoretical knowledge by practical work Mixed LP (GL) students have little difficulty with learning,

want to prepare for certain jobs Theoretical LP (TL) Not aimed at a certain choice of

vocation

Pupils in secondary education (vo 1 and 2= first 2 yrs;

vmbo=prep sec voc educ; havo=general secund ed; vwo=prep acad educ)

https://www.onderwijsincijfers.nl/kengetallen/voortgezet-onderwijs/deelnemersvo/leerlingen-aantallen

Five levels in mbo

1. Entry training – no entry requirements; preparation for labour market or mbo level 2

2. Basic Vocation training – entry requirement: bbl; prepares for jobs like hairdresser of car repair technician

3. Trade training – entry requirement: mixed, theoretical and middle management orientee learning pathways in vmbo or havo

4. Middle management training – Entry requirement: mixed, theoretical and middle management oriented learning pathways in vmbo or havo. Prepares for jobs like branch manager or actvity coach; Entry to hbo

5. Specialist training – Entry requirement: trade training.

Vocational coaching LP (BBL)

Beroepsbegeleidende leerweg (bbl) mbo - working learning Formerly know as apprenticeship system Provided by a regional training center (regionaal

opleidingencentrum (ROC), an agrarian training center (AOC), a trade school or an accredited private training company (which do not get public funding) Student is employee of a company and studies next to

the job Student has a learning-working agreement with

employer and training center Practical part of the program is ≥60% of total study time

Vocational Training LP (BOL)

Beroepsopleidende leerweg (bol) A practical part of ≥ 20% and ≤ 60% of the study time This trajectory is more school-based Student is intern in a company (unpaid) and has

internship agreement Also know as mbo day-education five levels:

2. Vakopleiding (Trade) 3. Middenkaderopleiding (Middle management) 4. Specialistenopleiding – (Specialist) access to hbo

Participation in MBO (vt=full time; dt=dual or part time)

Source: https://www.onderwijsincijfers.nl/kengetallen/mbo/deelnemers-mbo/aantal-deelnemers-mbo

Participation in HBO (vt=full time; dt=dual or part time)

Source: https://www.onderwijsincijfers.nl/kengetallen/hoger-beroepsonderwijs/deelnemers-hbo/ingeschreven-hoger-beroepsonderwijs

Participation in WO (voltijd, deeltijd, duaal)

https://www.onderwijsincijfers.nl/kengetallen/wetenschappelijk-onderwijs/deelnemerswo/ingeschrevenen-in-het-wetenschappelijk-onderwijs

In the Netherlands: Focus on internships (stages)

Tensions (OC&W, 2014) Ruim baan voor vakmanschap

Number and quality of internship places Foundation of Cooperation Vocational Education

Corporate World (Samenwerking Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven (SBB)) Mbo providers are responsible for finding internship

place and good coaching Companies, schools and student are co-responsible Students get complaint-right for if they think the school

does not deliver an internship place If jobs do not exist for a longer time, the school should

offer another training program

Experiment

As of school year 2015-2016 an mbo institute can offer a combined learning pathway The student follows lessons at school during the first

years, and then starts within a company

Life Long Learning – Plan of Ministry OCW

Partitioning qualifications in units Credits for units Portability of credits (ECVET) Use choice parts for LLL Adult learners can get exemptions for these units They can follow shorted tracks to get a diploma Exploration of flexibilisation of requirements regarding

language, arithmetic, career skills and citizenship for adult learners

Unemployment trend (Source: CBS)

https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/nieuws/2016/07/werkloosheid-verder-gedaald

Unemployment (Left: all; Right: 15-24)

Non-Western Autochthonous Difference Unemployment Non-Western-Autochthonous

https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/upload/dba8067e-97ae-484f-8c50-eeeb47d6c57b_Jeugdwerkloosheid%20ReflecT%20maart%202014.pdf

Skills mismatches Shortage and surplus jobs

Shortage jobs Senior Secondary VET (MBO)

https://www.werk.nl/xpsimage/wdo_014199

Shortage jobs Higher VET (HBO)

Shortage jobs Academic HE (WO)

Surplus jobs all levels

Conclusions

Dual studying in NL: very low participation

Dominant: full-time VMBO-MBO-HBO-WO

Private training sector is exception

Emphasis in MBO is on internships (‘stages’) and in HBO-WO on external thesis projects

Youth unemployment is considerable

Differences between subpopulations

Experiments with flexibilisation

Significant skills mismatches

Thanks – Questions?

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