European policy context Apprenticeships, work based learning and the recognition of skills and qualifications Presentation by Sigve Soldal Bjorstad, European Commission, DG EAC, B2 21/05/2014 Liaison Agency Flanders, Brussels 1 DG EAC
Youth (15-24) unemployment 23% 5.3 million unemployed 1 in 3 long term unemployed 7.5 million young NEETs (neither in employment nor in education or training) >50% Greece, Spain <10% Germany, Austria 2 DG EAC Christophe Vander Eecken / EEA Grants
Key problems and possible remedies Young people dropping out of education or work; low skilled youth most at risk of unemployment and exclusion in the longer term Youth Guarantee schemes Difficult school-to-work transitions: Increase the supply of high-quality traineeships and apprenticeships Growing skills and geographical mismatches 2 million vacancies in EU Improve mobility in education, training and labour DG EAC
WBL and youth unemployment Level of youth unemployment (4 th quarter 2011) in relation to the share of students participating in work based learning at ISCED 3 level programmes Education and Culture
Squeezed offer Economic down-turn Reduced number of apprenticeships and in/-company training modules on offer EU-27 (2009) Approximately 3.7 million apprentices (33% of VET students) + 5.7 million students attending other apprenticeship-type schemes EC 2012: Apprenticeship supply in the Member States of the European Union DG EAC
European Semester (2013) 16 VET related CSRs calling for reform of VET systems to increase its labour market relevance, including through apprenticeships and enhanced opportunities for work based learning and partnerships with employers. Programme Countries 4 countries undertaking reforms, by introducing for the first time apprenticeships in their VET system or expanding them to new economic sectors. DG EAC
Rethinking Education 20.11.2012 Fighting youth unemployment through: World-class VET Work based learning Public-private cooperation Mobility DG EAC 7 Photo: European Commission
Youth Employment Package 05.12.2012 Youth Guarantee Quality framework for traineeships European Alliance for Apprenticeships DG EAC 8 Photo: European Commission
European Alliance for Apprenticeships
European Alliance for Apprenticeships Multi-stakeholder initiative European Commission, EU presidency, Social Partners, VET providers, Chambers, Companies, Youth Organisations Photo: European Commission
Apprenticeships ease the transition from education to work for young people Better skills matching Higher wages Shorter unemployment time after completion Longer duration 1 st job 11 Photo: World Skills Leipzig 2013 DG EAC Christophe Vander Eecken / EEA Grants
What is an apprenticeship? - Part of Initial Vocational Education and Training (IVET) - Formal combination and alternation between company based training and school-based education - Leads to nationally recognised IVET certification degrees. Most often there is a contractual relationship between the employer and the apprentice
EAfA's Objectives Strengthen the Quality Supply Image of apprenticeships Photo: World Skills Leipzig 2013
Aims Reform of national VET systems (apprenticeship schemes) Increased number, quality and attractiveness of apprenticeships Easier transition from education to work Strong partnerships at all governance levels Leverage of public and private funding Improved image of apprenticeships
Council Declaration on the Alliance 15 October 2013 Comprehensive approach combining education, training and employment measures Common guiding principles MSs commitments Education and Culture
Member States' commitments (1) 21 MSs have submitted concrete commitments 3 clusters of responses: Introducing dual principles in formal VET, enhancing the WBL dimension in VET Expanding existing apprenticeships Fine-tuning in well-established apprenticeship schemes Education and Culture
Apprenticeships and Youth Guarantee One out of four YG options (employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or traineeship) Regions in 20 MS eligible for funding under the Youth Employment Initiative Education and Culture
Alliance roadmap 2014 highlights ET2020 working group on VET EU funding opportunities Erasmus+, ESF, YEI, EIB Apprenticeship call http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/funding_en Partnership conference (Cedefop) Cedefop monitoring Apprenticeship-related CSRs, YGIP European Business Forum on Vocational Training Education and Culture
Pledges Business Ambassadors Stories from apprentices and companies Education and Culture Photo: European Commis
Pledges (examples)
Quality Framework for Traineeships EASQ
Traineeships a first step towards employment Traineeships can increase the employability of young people and be stepping stones towards regular employment if they are of good quality in terms of 1. - learning content and 2. - adequate working conditions. Problems confirmed by Traineeship study (2012), Eurobarometer Survey (2013), SME test (2013)
Background for a Quality Framework for Traineeships (1) A Eurobarometer Survey showed that almost half of all young people polled had done a traineeship However, 1/3 of traineeships is substandard with regard to working conditions or learning content Too often, traineeships replace jobs (source of cheap, or free labour) and fail to provide adequate working or learning conditions DG EAC
Background for a Quality Framework for Traineeships (2) Diverse traineeships regulations across Member States are also an obstacle to trainee mobility Several concerns raised in past few years especially about the quality of traineeships in the open market Several calls for action of the European Parliament and the European Council DG EAC
Content of Quality Framework for Traineeships (1) Scope: 'Open-market' Traineeships 2 Key points: Ensuring a good learning content Under safe working conditions DG EAC
Content of Quality Framework for Traineeships (2) A written agreement that indicates Learning objectives Working conditions Rights and obligations Reasonable duration DG EAC
Content of Quality Framework for Traineeships (3) Further guidelines on Limitation of duration in principle <6 months, and clarifying practices for extension and termination Proper recognition and validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired More transparency on working conditions in vacancy notices and advertisements Active involvement of social partners, employment services, education and training providers DG EAC
Content of Quality Framework for Traineeships (4) Facilitation of cross-border traineeships Use of European Structural and Investment Funds Implementation of QFT by end 2015 DG EAC
Towards a European Area of Skills and Qualifications
Recognising skills and qualifications of learners and workers, at home and abroad, to raise skills levels, improve mobility, combat unemployment, and complete the single market
Building on a decade of good work Various European transparency policies and tools in ET2020 and the Bologna processes aim to support the lifelong learning and mobility of learners and workers through better transparency and easier recognition of what they know, understand and are able to do.
Continuing challenges Lack of recognition of skills and qualifications persist Mobility is hampered (geographical, sectoral and between the different sectors of education and training) High unemployment rate (10.9%), especially among young people (23%), coexists with 2 million vacancies
European Area of Skills and Qualifications ESG Europass (CV, language passport, mobility, diploma supplement, certificate) EQF European Qualifications Framework ECVET European Credit System for VET EQAVET European quality assurance in vocational education and training QF EHEQ Qualifications frameworks in the European Higher Education Area ECTS European credit transfer and accumulation system Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area A more comprehensive approach to transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications
Public consultation (closed) How to place a stronger focus on higher and more relevant skills Strengthening links between education/training, mobility and the labour market Adapting to internationalisation trends Ensuring overall coherence of tools and policies and further implementing the learning outcomes approach Ensuring clarity of rules and procedures for the recognition of skills and qualifications for further learning Increasing the focus on quality assurance Providing learners and workers with a single access point to obtain information and services supporting a European area of skills and qualifications.
or in 3 words Coordinate Simplify Improve
Still in an early phase - Next steps: Mid 2014: Results from Eurobarometer survey Launch of a study (empirical evidence on remaining obstacles) High-level closing conference of the public consultation First half 2015: possible political initiative by the Commission 2016: possible initiatives to revise policies and tools
EQAVET evaluation
EQAVET report from the Commission to the Council (2014) One significant challenge for quality assurance is the work based learning dimension. The training of trainers is often not guaranteed and there is often poor overview of such arrangements. EQAVET has contributed to advancing a quality culture in VET, as well as to its practical implementation, However, focus has been mostly on school-based provision, with less visible impact on work-based learning and nonformal provision
The Commission plans to Develop and test guidelines for policy makers and providers, along with supporting checklists, descriptors and indicators geared to the diverse reality of continuing VET and to the specific features of work-based learning.
European Alliance for Apprenticeships http://ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance Advice on apprenticeship and traineeship schemes (ESF) http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catid=1045&langid=en Youth Employment http://ec.europa.eu/social/youthemployment Youth Guarantee http://ec.europa.eu/social/youthguarantee Quality Framework for Traineeships http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langid=en&catid=89&newsid=2048&furthernews=yes EASQ Public Consultation http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/more_info/consultations/skills_en.htm EQAVET report http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/doc/eqavet_en.pdf 40 DG EAC