Many of the themes at present being considered as priority action areas in implementing the "Bruges" process can be found in the contributions coming to Cedefop from its new Refer network. The European (or indeed international) VET dimension, which was noted in the last of these reports, is again emphasised in many of the reports, for example in the area of mobility (see para 37-40 below). If, during the period concerned, there have not been very many major legislative initiatives, there have been a number of reports, many of which are statistically-based and provide detailed information on exactly what is happening in the VET field.
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Major broad-based legislation
Following an extensive process of debate and consultation, the Spanish Parliament approved in June a major piece of legislation, which provides for the creation of an integrated VET system through bringing together the three existing sub-systems and .the establishment of a national system and a national catalogue of vocational qualifications. It takes account of the role and competences of the state, the autonomous regions and the social partners, all of which participate, in the General Council for Vocational training. It also provides for vocational information and guidance and for an on-going evaluation of the system to ensure its quality.
In March, the Danish Minister of Education presented a bill aimed at creating a unified structure of institutions providing vocational education and training. The bill constitutes the second phase of a governmental policy to strengthen continuing education and vocational training. The third phase, which will come into force later this year or at the beginning of 2003, will focus on how transparency and coherence between initial, continuing and further vocational education and training in regard to content and management can be strengthened.
The Portuguese government has announced, within the framework of its 2002 national employment plan, its intention of formulating a new basic law on vocational education and training in order to raise the average level of qualification. The law will involve the co-operation of the Ministries for Education and Employment with a view to creating vocational training courses for young people, who find themselves unemployed on completion of compulsory education. To ensure that training better matches market needs, centres jointly managed by the social partners will be restructured.
The new Dutch government has indicated its intention of legislating in order to implement arrangements to enhance a balance between work and leisure time (which can be used for study, sabbatical leave or caring activities) and to increase labour-market participation by older people.
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Lifelong Learning
In the Netherlands in April, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in co-operation with the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Social Affairs and Employment, Integration, Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, and Health, Welfare and Sports published "Policy Agenda Lifelong Learning". On the basis of an analysis of current initiatives and relevant developments and trends, the document argues that in future the learner should be the central point of all reflections and should be able to influence his/her possibilities of when and where to learn. This in turn requires total transparency in the education and training market. The Social Economic Council in May produced an advisory document (The New Learning), which argues that a lot of policy efforts remain at the level of good intentions and have too little effect, because policy measures are aimed at employers, city councils and providers, and not directly at the learners. The concept of individual learning accounts should be developed.
The establishment in March of the National Adult Learning Council represents a further strategic landmark in the evolution of a lifelong learning framework in Ireland, as proposed by the 2000 "Learning for Life" white paper. The Council represents education and training providers, social partners, community and voluntary interests and learners. Its functions will include advising on quality standards, facilitating the dissemination of good practice, engaging in research and evaluation and promoting international co-operation in the field of adult education. It will oversee the establishment of Local Adult Learning Boards, which had also been a key element of the white paper.
In September the week for Lifelong Learning in Iceland, this year with the theme "Training for Employment", saw the announcement of the third set of awards to those active in the VET field. These awards are intended to promote innovation and development in VET and are offered in three categories, viz. companies and associations, schools and providers, and individuals (researchers, teachers, etc.).
A new agency for flexible learning is being established in Sweden. Its role is to support communities, folk-high schools, local education providers and centres for adult education in their development of new education forms and methods. It is also responsible for the allocation of funds to general and adult education that aim at distance education and flexible learning.
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Initial vocational education and training
On 1 August, the French parliament approved a law to promote the employment of establishing a "young people in companies." contract (contrat jeune en entreprise). This law introduces a contrat jeune en entreprise and followsed a commitment by the Prime Minister in July to create an "assurance of employment" based on the idea of individual learning accounts and the validation of non-formal and/or informal learning. It enables companies to recruit unqualified young people, aged 16 to 22, on unlimited contracts and to be exonerated totally from social charges for a period of two years and from 50% of these charges during the third year. Between now and 2005, it is expected that 250 000 young people will benefit from this provision, which is available to all companies, except for public enterprises and household employees"one person" companies. Trade unions are critical that the law does not impose any obligation on companies to train, although it does state the principle of access to validation of experience. The arrangements for training are to be decided on through sectoral agreements by the social partners. The employers who welcomed the initiative have indicated that "they will totally play the game in order to ensure complementary training".
In June, the Institute of Directors, a United Kingdom organisation with 55 000 members in June published a report which argued that the "ludicrous 50% target" of school leavers entering Higher Education would aggravate the existing skill shortage in areas such as craftsperson, intermediate engineering and ICT. The report argues that in the UK "vocational training has failed and (is) inferior to the continental equivalents". Itand suggests that there should be a selective bipartite system of vocational education from the age of 14.
Statistics published by the Norwegian Board of Education in June show that as of March 2002 there had been an increase in the numbers in secondary vocational education, while the numbers in general education have declined. Advanced courses in media and communication were popular, but there was a continued decline in health care. In the latter only 1% of students are male, while in construction only 2% are female.
Austria also reports an increase in the numbers in full-time upper secondary vocational schools and colleagescolleges, even though the general demographic trend projects falling numbers at Austrian schools. Participation rates in apprenticeship and upper secondary general education are falling. The percentage of young people in upper secondary general and vocational education, who acquire university entrance qualifications (Reifepruüfuing), is, however, rising. Four new apprenticeship programmes have been introduced and additional funds have been made available with a view to creating 2000 additional apprenticeship places.
In Germany, the process of reforming the (dual) training system continues. Since August, eight new, and twelve reformed, occupational programmes are available, bringing the total over the last four years to 18 and 56 respectively. 20 further occupations are at present being worked on.
In Belgium (Wallonia), efforts are continuing to update the provision of alternance training for the 16 to 18 age group and make it more efficient. Vocational profiles and qualifications resulting in 80 certificates in nine sectors, drawn up, following consultation with companies and educators, by the Community Commission on Occupations and Qualifications and then approved by parliament, will be applied from September 2003.
Also in Belgium (Wallonia), an experiment at the local level involved the creation of a commission in which stagiaires and job seekers have an opportunity to express their opinions, to make suggestions and then to discuss them with training organisations. A stagiaire and job seeker's charter has been drafted and a mediation service to deal with difficulties incurred during the integration into working life process process has been proposed.
In Denmark, after extensive consultations between the government and the social partners, all of the programmes in the commercial area are being reformed. The principle of alternance and the structure of basic and main courses within each training programme have been maintained. However, there is increased flexibility and some streamlining in the programmes., which This should benefit both trainees and companies. The vocational content and quality in the programmes will be strengthened and there will be improved and continuing guidance. A greater focus on lifelong learning and real competencies will open up the possibilities of a return to the education and training system at a later stage. The reform will come into force in 2003 or early 2004.
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Post-secondary vocational training
In order to meet skill needs, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research is proposing to integrate a variety of existing courses into the higher education system. These courses will last for between six months and two years. and They will be offered in technical subjects, health, ICT, marketing, administration and tourism in both public and private vocational training institutions. The aim is to improve the quality of courses and to increase the number of places available. A new national institute for quality in education is being set up as a part of the quality reform of higher education and will be responsible for evaluating these courses. It will be operative in January 2003.
In Austria, the specialised institutes of higher education (Fachhochschulen) continue to prove attractive with an increase of 23% in the number of entrants and an expansion in the number of programmes in the year 2001/2 over the previous one. This autumn, 33 new courses mainly in areas such as humanities, computer and media technologies will be launched. This will bring the total to 126 and an extra 1 300 places will then be on offer.
In Sweden, after a lengthy pilot project period involving thousands of students in several hundred courses, advanced vocational education has been placed on a permanent basis., which This is a form of post-secondary education in which one third of the time of study is spent in advanced application of theoretical knowledge at a work place, has been placed on a permanent basis. The programme is based on a close co-operation between enterprises and various course providers and is intended to meet real needs in the labour market. An agency to promote it has been established.
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Continuing training
In June, in Belgium, the Flemish government and the social partners signed a new training agreement under which 225 000 employees could benefit. It involves a closer co-operation of the Flemish office for placement and vocational training (VDAB), the education services and the iInstitute for continuing training for small and medium-sized enterprises (VIZO). An emphasis will be placed on the training needs of young people, of older workers, of those with no or only low level educational qualifications, of women, of migrants and of the long-term unemployed. Those covered by the agreement, in sectors such as the motor industry, construction, wholesaling, the computer industry and tourism, in effect, will benefit from a right to training
Also in Belgium (Flanders), there has been a re-organisation of the centres of the institute providing training for SMEs (VIZO). 22 existing centres, managed by 15 non-profit-making organisations and financially supported by the Flemish government, will be concentrated into five regional centres. Existing centres will be obliged to co-operate with each other in order to achieve the stipulated minimum critical mass required for receiving public financial support.
The German Federal Institute for Vocational Training (BIBB), in April, published the results of a survey of 320 companies on their use of eLearning in the workplace. Although the survey found that eLearning offers a broad range of direct and "just in time" learning possibilities, in the actual work placeprocess computer or distance supported learning was seldom used, simply because most work places were not suitable. Usually the necessary space or learning environment, but above all access to Intranets or the Internet were lacking. eLearning solutions were much more used in larger than in small companies. Costs are also a major factor.
A recently published study of training in SMEs in Ireland found that 20% now have a formal training budget and that just under half of all employees in the average company received training in the course of a year. 36% of companies used external trainers in-house. Training programmes mostly related to basic computer skills, health and safety and use of the Internet/e-mail. Almost half of SMEs indicated that skill shortages were forcing them to conduct more training.
An Austrian study shows that six in every ten people in employment take part in continuing training and in the process spend more than EURuros 500 million. The most popular areas are computer training, languages and personal development. eLearning methods are increasingly used.
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Access to continuing training
A major study carried out in 2000 on continuing education and training for the French Ministry of Social Affairs, Employment and Solidarity has now resulted in the publication of a number of analyses. One of these looked at the frequency and methods of access to training of employees, according to their age and the length of time since they left the education system. It found that companies organised alternance- type continuing training primarily for young people, leaving adults to access training through individual training plans and educational leave. In addition, the more highly qualified an employee is, the greater are the chances of access to further training - one in two for graduates of higher education against one in ten for those without qualifications.
An other analysis of the data in this survey looked at questions of access to training and links with mobility and skill area. It, too, found that the better qualified had better access to further training. Medical doctors for example on average participated in 3.5 training activities a year and were followed by those in banks and insurance, trainers and those engaged in recruitment activities. However training programmes for information technologists, the police, and social work and communication professionals lasted longest. Where training was taken as part of a company- training plan, it did not seem to encourage mobility to other companies, but other training, which widened the individual's skills, did result in such mobility. Training was found to have brought about increased in-company mobility.
In Luxembourg, within the framework of the social dialogue, negotiations are taking place to prepare a framework law on individual access to continuing training, based on the recently published report by the Economic and Social Council.
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Sectoral arrangements
In the United Kingdom, the first five Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) were launched in March. These are employer-lead sectoral bodies whose role is to provide leadership for targeted action to meet their sector's skill needs. The SSCs replace the previous network of (72) National Training Organisations. There will be fewer SSCs and they will operate within a more streamlined structure across wider sectoral areas. In addition the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) has been established to fund, support and champion the work of the SSCs. It will for example monitor the performance of SSCs and try to ensure quality and consistent standards across the network. It will also ensure that skills provision is designed to meet sector needs and that generic skills are effectively covered by the SSCCs.
In Luxembourg, a construction industry training institution has been established. It is financed by a 0.65% levy on the salarial mass of companies in the sector and the aim is to contribute to both growth and productivity in the sector and, by raising the qualification level of those working in it, to reduce social exclusion.
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Quality assurance
The Portuguese institute for training innovation (INOFOR) manages an accreditation system for training institutions. This is a necessary instrument for quality control particularly with relation to in-service training and development of human resources. A reform of the accreditation system entered into force on 1 July July2002. This aims at making the system more transparent and to providinge the institutions with the means of making a continuous self-evaluation.
Also in Portugal, a regulation has recently been approved with a view to creating the necessary technical and pedagogical resources in order to ensure the quality and efficiency of training and employment services.
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Placement and transition from VET to the labour market
In Belgium, the Flemish office for placement and vocational training (VDAB) has been developing a public private partnership to provide a high quality on-line labour market service to both individuals looking for work and employers looking for skilled manpower. This initiative taken at the request of the Flemish Minister of Employment and Tourism is part of a process of Belgian government services making more use of electronic media.
A study by the Dutch Education and Labour Market Research Institute has found that due to the fast growing economy, secondary vocational education school-leavers have over the last five years had an unemployment rate of less than 2%, while their wages have increased by 30%. The number of flexible labour contracts, as distinct from fixed ones, has been reduced from 23% to 11%. Those who have followed a dual pathway course have initially had a competitive advantage over those who have followed a fully school-based training.
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Special groups
A study published in July by the German Federal Institute for Vocational Training (BIBB) shows that, in 2001, 18% of young migrants who looked for an apprentice training place were unsuccessful, even though companies were simultaneously expressing concerns about a lack of skilled manpower. New measures are therefore necessary to facilitate the integration through qualification of this group, for example through developing vocational preparation measures, which would facilitate entry into apprenticeships. Accordingly, the Federal Ministry for Education and Research has presented a programme on vocational qualifications for those with special needs. It has a special emphasis on migrants. In the Netherlands, additional resources for the integration of migrants, and in particular for teaching Dutch as a second language, have been announced.
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Labour and skill needs
A barometer of industries' qualification needs carried out for the fourth time by the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers has indicated that in spite of the weak economic situation, enterprises expected to recruit 70 000 new employees during the year. Of these 42% will be recruited from upper secondary vocational institutions and 47% from higher education ones, while the remaining 11% will either qualify in apprentice training or be trained within the companies. The sectors recruiting largely from upper secondary vocational institutions include metal, forestry and construction.
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Mobility
The annual (BISON) monitor on educational mobility published by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science shows no major change in the numbers involved in 2001. In secondary and higher VET, over 10 900 students went abroad. This means that 2.5% of secondary and 5.3% of higher VET students were involved. 700 students received Europasses compared with 275 the previous year.
Surveys published in July by the German Federal Institute for Vocational Training (BIBB) have found a very positive attitude to mobility by both young people and employers. 59% of trainees and young skilled workers are either strongly or very strongly interested in a period abroad and 20% have already had such experience. Companies support this interest and are in turn prepared to receive people from abroad. 46% of companies already have regular or occasional experience with exchanges of personnel and almost one fifth of companies simultaneously received and sent trainees or young employees. 92% of companies involved in exchanges reported positively on their experience.
A joint Dutch/German initiative in the field of mobility obtained the support of Belgium (Flanders), Austria and Denmark at a conference held in June in Aachen. Ten recommendations concerned with transparency and recognition of vocational qualifications, the quality of mobility, the promotion of individual mobility and the development of the necessary institutional co-operation to support mobility were approved. A steering group to provide for follow up to these recommendations was created. Other countries may join the initiative at a later stage.
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Internationalisation
Iceland reports on LearnCom, a Leonardo da Vinci project, involving eight partners in five countries and operating in small communities, which have suffered from decline in traditional employment sectors (such as farming and fisheries). It is concerned with restoring self-esteem,. uses information technology to promote lifelong learning and has a final goal of creating a learning community.
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