The Netherlands 
Gerry Spronk, February 1997
 

Introduction Some statistical data Number of pupils in senior secondary vocational education Numbers of participants in apprenticeship system Initial vocational education Preparatory vocational education Senior secondary vocational education (MBO) Regional training centres Agricultural Training Centres (AOCs) Education and Vocational Training Act (WEB) Qualifications structure in vocational education Continuing vocational education Training for employees CINOP - Gerry Spronk Introduction The CEDEFOP monograph on Dutch vocational education and training was published in a number of languages in 1994. A number of changes have since taken place in the education system. It is intended that CEDEFOP will revise this publication in the near future. In anticipation of the revision, this short memorandum has been written by the CINOP (Centre for Innovation of Education and Training) to provide an insight into a number of changes and revisions to the system and in legislation relating to education and training. The section numbers shown between brackets refer to the monograph entitled "Vocational education and training in the Netherlands". [Back to the top] Some statistical data In 1994, 5.5% of GNP in the Netherlands was spent on education. The public share of this was 4.9% (3.2.6.). Public expenditure on education accounts for 9% of total public expenditure. Number of pupils in senior secondary vocational education The number of students in senior secondary vocational education (MBO) stood at 271,500 in 1996. This figure has remained more or less constant over the last few years, with 90,000 pupils entering and 90,000 leaving annually. The picture will remain approximately unchanged for the next few years (2.2.12). Nearly half those enrolling in senior secondary vocational education hold MAVO (junior general secondary education) certificates and 20% have gained a VBO (preparatory vocational education) certificate. The majority of those leaving, approx. 65%, do not remain in education. However, this proportion is falling in favour of a rising percentage who go on to higher vocational education (HBO). The percentage of women is 49%, which is broadly in line with the proportion of women in the relevant age group. [Back to the top] Numbers of participants in apprenticeship system The number of trainees in the apprenticeship system stands at 130,900 in 1996/1997 (2.4.14). This number is declining, a trend which will probably continue over the next few years. The percentage of women is approximately 30%. [Back to the top] Initial vocational education Preparatory vocational education Preparatory vocational education (VBO) lasts four years and has replaced junior secondary vocational education. It offers general and vocational guidance and preparatory subjects. It is aimed at students with a primarily practical orientation. VBO students are expected to attain a vocational qualification in MBO (senior secondary vocational education). [Back to the top] Senior secondary vocational education (MBO) The national vocational education boards (2.4.11) fulfil an important task within MBO. The national vocational education boards are centres of expertise for MBO organised along sectoral lines. They do not provide any initial vocational training courses themselves but do fulfil an important task. Each national vocational education board (LOB) develops a coherent set of qualifications for those embarking on work in the sector which it covers. They are jointly responsible for developing a coherent structure of qualifications for the whole of MBO. The occupational profiles drawn up by the LOB in collaboration with industry are taken as a basis. LOBs also have a task in acting as an intermediary for obtaining practical placements for MBO and can provide external legitimisation for the MBO examinations. In addition, they are responsible for selecting and monitoring the quality of practical placements and practical training places and advise the Minister of Education, Culture and Science on the content of training courses and the spread of senior secondary vocational education courses. At present there are 22 national vocational education boards in the Netherlands. The regional apprenticeship boards (2.4.12) have become superfluous in this re-restructuring and have therefore been abolished. Senior secondary vocational education is classified along sector lines (2.4.1). The sectors are technology, economics, services and health care and the agricultural sector. Each sector provides training courses for several industries. These industry-specific training courses lead to previously defined national qualifications, are of various SEDOC levels and vary in duration. There are 22 different sectors. The training courses for the agricultural sector are provided by the agricultural training centres (AOCs). MBO comprises some 500 different training courses which are offered in a vocational education/vocational guidance learning path. The emphasis is on "training at school". Parliament has given senior secondary vocational education and adult education a number of administrative, social and educational tasks in the Secondary Education Act (2.4.3). The administrative changes are directed towards increasing autonomy and deregulating tasks and powers. Institutions have greater authority over the organisation of education and the use of staff. The social tasks are inherent in the fact that institutions can offer a differentiated set of educational provisions in the area of adult and vocational education. This set should meet both the demand of society (for well-qualified leavers) and the individual demand (for organisation of training courses such that a qualification can be obtained). The educational task means that the supply of education ought to be of a sufficiently high level, efficient in relation to learning paths and socially relevant. Education should train for socially recognised occupations at recognised levels of qualification. The teacher-training task is also inherent in this. [Back to the top] Regional training centres Work is in progress at present on a development which is intended to lead to there being some 45 to 50 regional training centres (ROCs) on 1 January 1998. All senior secondary vocational education and adult education institutions should come under an ROC by 1 January 2000. This enlargement of scale results in new educational institutions in which a coherent system of training courses can be offered in accordance with the intention of the Education and Vocational Training Act (WEB). In this way an educational institution will be created in every region of the Netherlands which can respond to the capabilities and wishes of a very large part of the population. According to the Education and Vocational Training Act, the principal tasks in vocational and adult education given to ROC are: to provide (adult) education: promoting personal development in the interests of the social functioning of adults. Education where possible dovetails with the starting level of vocational education. to provide vocational training: theoretical and practical preparation for practicing occupations for which a training course providing vocational qualifications is required or may be useful; vocational education also promotes the general education and personal development of participants and contributes to social functioning. The task of government under the Education and Vocational Training Act is restricted to formulating general objectives, monitoring quality and appropriately allocating resources and in general terms regulating conditions. Regulation is therefore directed chiefly towards the desired output of training. This output is given substantive form in a national structure of qualifications and a classification of the attainment targets to be achieved at four levels and in two alternative learning paths. [Back to the top] Agricultural Training Centres (AOCs) Agricultural training courses are paid for by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Fisheries (2.4.4). When the Education and Vocational Training Act came into effect, they had the choice of continuing as independent AOCs or of forming part of an ROC. The supply of training must fit within the format of the structure of qualifications as stipulated by the Education and Vocational Training Act. Innovation and practical centres (IPCs) provide services to AOCs in conducting and modernising training courses. [Back to the top] Education and Vocational Training Act (WEB) The drafting and entry into force of the new Education and Vocational Training Act (WEB) can be regarded as the most significant development for senior secondary vocational education. The Act came into effect on 1 January 1996. It is being implemented in stages. The last measures ensuing from this Act will be implemented by 1 January 2000. The Act is firstly aimed at bringing about greater cohesion in vocational training and (adult) education. This cohesion is visible in the structure of qualifications. The structure of qualifications defines all the qualifications (national attainment targets) which can be achieved via the learning paths in senior secondary vocational education (and in adult education), in one coherent structure. The Act distinguishes between what must be achieved in vocational education and the path along which this must be achieved. Establishment of the attainment targets of the MBO training courses is thus a joint responsibility of the field of education and employers and employee organisations. The attainment targets and the clustering in (part) qualifications of MBO training courses are developed and fixed nationally. The development and organisation of training courses which the participants must pursue over the fixed number of years and via one or both learning paths until these qualifications are achieved is a responsibility for the schools, the ROCs. A national structure of qualifications must also come into force for the educational training courses of a ROC to guarantee the coherence with vocational training courses. As well as greater coherence in the training system, the Education and Vocational Training Act is also aimed at achieving a better response to developments in the labour market (e.g. through the division of responsibility mentioned for the development of attainment targets, by having a greater proportion of training time in all training courses spent in occupational practice and through the administrative involvement of local employers and employees in school policy). In addition, the Act aims, by bringing together training courses in large ROCs in each region, to develop broad school communities which can offer a wide range of initial (and post-initial) training courses. These school communities have a central role to play in their own region in the labour-market-oriented training of young people, but the education and training of vulnerable young people and adults and the (local) labour-market-oriented training of employees and job-seekers also form part of this task. If the ROCs are to be able to fulfil these tasks, they must be able to make their own policy, directed towards the needs in their own region. To this end they have a large degree of autonomy, for example in offering continuing training courses, developing individual learning paths in which account is taken of what everyone can and wishes to do, or working out in more detail the national attainment targets in consultation with industry. [Back to the top] Qualifications structure in vocational education A national qualifications structure for vocational education training is central to the Education and Vocational Training Act. This includes a new educational model. Education is given its own structure of qualifications, which will tie in with that of vocational training. Five types of training are distinguished in vocational training from 1 August 1997, linking up with four levels of qualification. Level Training Duration 1. simple executive work assistant training 0.5 - 1 year 2. executive work basic vocational training 2 - 3 years 3. complete independent     execution of work vocational training 2 - 4 years 4. complete independent     execution of work with broad     usability or specialisation middle-management training specialist training 3 - 4 years 1 - 2 years Two learning paths are distinguished for training courses at these levels: Off-the-job learning path (comparable with the old apprenticeship system) Vocational-training learning path (comparable with the old senior secondary vocational education). Education also gains its own structure of qualifications. Decisions have yet to be made on precisely how this will turn out in practice. Education is directed towards a good match with vocational and further education. Learning how to function in society (ability to cope socially) is also a priority. Four types of training course are distinguished from 1 January 1997: Continuing general adult education (VAVO) Training courses aimed at broad social functioning Training courses in Dutch as a second language Training courses aimed at providing an ability to cope socially. [Back to the top] Continuing vocational education We classify as continuing vocational education all (full-time and part-time) qualifying learning activities available to persons who are leaving initial education and for whom education is no longer compulsory and who wish to improve their position in the labour market via these qualifying routes. A broad range is available for these people, although this is not accommodated in a coherent system. The approximately 500 different training courses offered within senior secondary vocational education (MBO) are also offered as a part-time variant. This part-time variant must not be confused with the off-the-job learning path, in which the emphasis is on "training in vocational practice" (the apprenticeship system). The intention with the part-time variant is that the school education is usually provided outside regular school hours, i.e. in the evening or at the weekend. It is usually people who have terminated their position in the labour market or who have prematurely terminated a training course in the initial phase who make use of this part-time variant. Part-time MBO is therefore counted as continuing vocational training, although it trains for qualifications which have been developed for initial vocational education. [Back to the top] Training for employees Training for employees (2.4.17 and following) falls under the responsibility of the social partners. Government policy is limited to improving the conditions for this training. It has a number of priorities. Increasing access to (vocationally oriented) training for vulnerable groups is one of these priorities. A good example of this is the structural financing of adult education: the supply of training for newcomers to the Netherlands, the non-indigenous population and job-seekers offered in an ROC. The establishment of the Reduction in Payment of Income Tax and National Insurance Premiums Act (WVA) is another example. This gives employers a reduction in the payment of income tax and national insurance premiums if this employer over a long period takes on unemployed people or is willing to train employees in the off-the-job training paths of MBO. Another priority is the increasing importance of the intensification of knowledge in the Dutch industrial and services sectors. Employers and employees must be given the opportunity to shape this intensification of knowledge by taking part in continuing vocational training. The government wishes by (fiscal) measures to make initial training courses more accessible to employees and encourage participation in training. These measures must in particular benefit Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, increase the numbers of highly trained people joining SMEs and increase the attention given to training for employees. Training is becoming an integral element of employment-finding tailored to the unemployed individual. CINOP - Gerry Spronk [Back to the top]