Developments in the vocational education and training
(VET) systems of member states
Spring to Autumn 1997
Elections and changes of government in a number of member states have been accompanied by a number of reports, white papers and new policy initiatives. These have taken place against a background of trends in the employment market which are apparently contradictory between Member States.
Schools
A new White paper on "Excellence in Schools" has been published by the new United Kingdom government and amongst other initiatives proposes better use of information technology with a national grid for learning using the Internet and major new requirements for both pre-service and in-service training of teachers. A reform of the school system has also been approved in Belgium (French-speaking community) provides for greater autonomy for the schools and use of the Internet by teachers to exchange information on their teaching methods and tools.
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Initial training
The shortfall in training places in Germany on the basis of early September statistics has been very high (152000 young people seeking a training place, 58000 places still available), in spite of many initiatives particularly in the new Länder, where the position is particularly dramatic, by both the federal and Länder governments and the social partners. The federal government has now decided that when public contracts are awarded, companies, which can show that they have a good track record in training, should be favoured - this is expected to have particular effect in the building industry. At the same time the process of up-dating and reforming the content of training programmes has continued, as is shown by the introduction of four new training regulations (Ausbildungsordnungen) for occupations in information and communication technology.
In Austria where the number of places in the dual system is also continuing to fall, attempts to modernise the system and make it more flexible have resulted in making it possible for those who complete their training to proceed (in certain circumstances) directly to university and other higher education institutions. This implies (in Austria for virtually the first time) recognition by education institutions of knowledge and competencies gained outside schools, i.e. in companies. In Denmark a report by the Vocational Education and Training Council (EUR) has emphasised the need to further develop the links and interplay between training institutions and companies, at national, sectoral and local level, so as to ensure the quality of alternance training.
Although France is not a country in which traditionally apprenticeship has been seen as a major training pathway it has recently being announced that the number of new contracts signed in 1996 was over 200000, an increase of 57% over 4 years, spread between traditional and new sectors. In addition the new government has proposed a large new programme, replacing existing ones, aimed at eventually providing 350000 places (50000 by the end of the year) in the public and associated sectors to assist young people, primarily those in the 18 to 25 age range, enter working life. This programme has many similarities to the "welfare to work" programme in the United Kingdom, which is also geared to facilitate the entry of young people to the labour market providing a number of different ways to combine training and work experience, from which young unemployed people must chose, or lose unemployment benefit.
In Finland where the development plan for educational research for 1996-2000 foresees an increase in the share of apprenticeship training to 20 % of all secondary level VET by 2000, a figure of 16-17 % had already been achieved in 1996. While an extension of apprenticeship to new sectors is noted as a positive feature, there still needs to be an improvement in the training of trainers and an increase in the number of training places.
In Spain new legislation which capitalises on far-reaching agreements achieved by the social partners in relation to training and employment contracts, replaces apprenticeship contracts with training contracts which will stipulate very clearly the amount of training and the remuneration and welfare benefits to which trainees are entitled. In Belgium (Wallonia) following agreement with the social partners, measures to develop alternance training have been introduced including additional funding for both companies and training organisations.
In Sweden, the advanced vocational training programme at post-secondary level, introduced initially on a pilot project basis, is aimed at developing high quality work-based elements so as to make training more responsive to labour market needs. It now has 3500 places. In Belgium (Flanders) the training fund for the construction industry has developed a programme aimed at upgrading the perception of employment in the construction sector through providing work experience on construction sites. 98 schools at secondary level receive financial support to participate in it.
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Continuing training
A white paper on human resource development in Ireland published just before the June election made major proposals for changes in the structure for providing continuing training and in particular strengthening the role played by employers in both providing and funding training.
Recent surveys in Austria have shown greater interest and participation in continuing training by both individuals and companies, but have also confirmed that the investment by companies in training reduces with the size of the company
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Training for the unemployed
The United Kingdom "welfare to work" programme includes provision to allow those who have been unemployed for more than two years to participate in employment-related qualification courses without losing their rights to unemployment and other social welfare benefits, while employers will receive financial incentives to recruit from the 350 000 long-term unemployed. CEVORA, the Belgian inter-sectoral training organisation for office workers, reporting recently on the results of training programmes for the long-term unemployed and poorly skilled workers, found that 70% of those who followed a course were employed and that the drop-out rate was only 6%.
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Organisation of Training/Training organisations
In Spain the Consejo General de Formación Profesional (General Council for Vocational Training) has been restructured. The Council is now quadripartite instead of tripartite, as it includes representatives of the regions and autonomous communities alongside those from the central government and the social partners. It is now drawing up the second Programa de Formación Profesional (VET programme), which will be in force until 2000 and will have six principal objectives including the establishment of effective links between the existing training sub-systems, improving and guaranteeing the quality of training and adapting training to meet the needs of disadvantaged groups
A publicly funded survey on private training organisations in France provides detailed information on the sector, identifies six major challenges they are facing and outlines four scenarios for their development. In the United Kingdom, the first 18 National Training Organisations (NTOs) have received official recognition from the Department of Education and Employment. Their task is to raise skills and standards in their sectors and promote the take up of training and qualifications. When complete the network of NTOs will cover the whole of the country and all economic sectors.
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Qualifications/Standards
In Denmark, an on-going debate, based on an October 1996 Ministry of Education discussion paper concerning a new system for conferring adult qualifications is expected to result in a further document during the autumn to be subject of dialogue with the social partners and other organisations. In the United Kingdom, the government has announced the establishment of the Training Standards Council, which will establish standards of training in the private sector for programmes which are publicly funded. This includes the inspection and quality control of establishments which receive public funds for providing National Vocational Qualification courses, which remain a central pillar of the new government's strategy.
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Innovation/Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)/ Teacher training
The need to reform VET systems and to encourage innovation, particularly innovation involving co-operation between education and training providers (including universities and other higher education institutions) and companies and other employers, in order to enhance competitivity and respond to the internationalization of the economy, is reflected not only in policy statements but also in a wide range of measures introduced by governments and social partners in many member states. In Germany an invitation to bid for funding in respect to using world-wide available knowledge for initial and continuing training and for innovation, was launched by the Minister for Education, Science, Research and Technology and resulted in over 250 proposals from which 15 were selected and given financial support. In the Netherlands, in the draft budget for 1998 large sums have been allocated to convert the country into a brainport. At the end of a four-phase programme all schools and training centres should have sophisticated computers (one for every 10 pupils), software and electronic networks. Emphasis is in particular being placed on teacher training and it is planned that in teacher training centres there should be one computer for every three trainees.
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Mobility/Multi-national projects
The Irish authorities have published the proceedings of a conference held in connection with the ESF during their presidency on "Mobility in the EU" to identify proposals which could promote geographical mobility. Danish trainees are empowered by legislation and other support services to undertake part of their training in selected companies abroad. Results of a recent survey find that from the point of view of both the trainees and the host companies, this has been a very positive experience.
A Portuguese-German project involving Portuguese migrants living (mostly) in Hamburg and participating in the dual system in areas such as commercial, financial and administrative services, electricity, electronics and telecommunications, and metalworking and mechanics, complements their training through short "stages" in companies in the Lisbon area and courses in technical Portuguese. A German/Austrian/French project within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci programme is concerned with establishing a network of new training fields for women in both initial and continuing VET. A French/Scottish/Irish project funded though the Leonardo da Vinci programme is concerned with the training of prisoners as cook
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Use and evaluation of EU funds
Recent legislation in Portugal has aimed at improving the use of EU structural funds and a seminar in June on the promotion of the Essen strategy and its implementation is Portugal made a positive evaluation, while a major report on the use in Ireland of the structural funds in the area of human resource development has been published. Although generally positive, it suggested that there is a need for greater focusing of measures, particularly in relation to the long-term unemployed.
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Encouraging access to training through provision of child care facilities
The UK's welfare to work scheme (see above) provides for a proactive programme to help lone parents with a package of job search help and advice on access to training, while 50000 traineeships for child care workers are also planned. The Irish white paper on human resource development emphasised the need to provide facilities for child care in order to promote access to training by women.
J. Michael Adams
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The above note has been prepared by CEDEFOP for the meeting of Directors General for Vocational Training in Luxembourg in October 1997, on the basis of contributions received from the members of CEDEFOP's documentary information network in B, DK, D, E, F, IRL, NL, AT, P, S and UK. These will, for the most part, be published (in November/December) in full in the Commission's Le Magazine or CEDEFOP Info 3/97. They will also be available earlier on CEDEFOP's Internet site. Comments on the usefulness of this note and proposals on how it might be better structured would be welcomed.
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