Vocational Education and Training in the European Union, and the

European Alliance for Apprenticeships

presentation at the 2014 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON VET

Donostia - San Sebastián, on 29 May 2014

Joao SANTOS, Deputy Head of UnitDirectorate General for Education and Culture

Unit B2, Vocational training and adult education; Erasmus+

1.European VET policy framework

2.ERASMUS +, EU support to VET

3.European Alliance for Apprenticeships

Content of presentation

2

European VET policy framework

3

European VETpolicy framework

CEDEFOP provides evidence and expertise

Legal basisLisbon treatyArt. 165 & 166

Copenhagen processFramework for EuropeanVET policy Coordination

•Social partners•involved in the•political process

ETF supports the VET reforms in 30 partner countries

EuropeAid supports TVET and Skills, in EU Development Cooperation

4

Political process33 countries participating together with social partners and Commission to agree on common goals and objectives; inspiring national reforms – fitting within E&T 2020 and Europe 2020

Developing common toolsCommon frameworks and tools; transparency and quality of competences and qualifications, facilitating mobility(e.g. Europass, EQF, ECVET, EQAVET)

Fostering mutual learningSupports cooperation, peer learning, sharing ideas, experience and results, evidence based policy making (e.g. OMC WG on VET)

Involving stakeholders Enables their contribution to common goals

TheCopenhagen process

5

Bruges CommuniquéEU 2020 VET agenda

Vision – VET in 2020Agreeing on common goals and objectivesInspiring and mobilising for national reforms

11 Strategic objectivesAttractiveness, excellence, flexible access, internationalisation and mobility, innovation creativity and entrepreneurship (use of ICT), Inclusive I-VET and C-VET, and transversal objectives.

Short term deliverables (2011-2014) 22 Deliverables at national level supported by actions at EU level

GovernanceOwnership, methods, official bodies, role of Cedefop and ETF, international dimension, cooperation with VET provider organisations

6

Coordination/Advisory bodies•Directors General for VET•Advisory Committee on Vocational Training

Agencies supporting VET policy•Cedefop •ETF

VET Governance and Partnerships

Social partners, EEA member countries, and candidate countries closely involved in the political process

(Communiqués, monitoring, etc.)

7

September 2014 - Cedefop in cooperation with ETF present the VET monitoring report(progress on the short term deliverables 2011-2014)

Early 2015 - Review and definition of VET priorities, as well as a new set of STD for 2015-2017

Mid 2015 Communiqué (Riga) – update of Bruges Communiqué linking VET priorities with EU2020 and ET2020 strategic frameworks

Upcoming Bruges Review (2015)

Review will be based on the progress between 2011-2014, as well as recent policy initiatives:e.g. Rethinking Education, EAfA, European Area for Skills and Qualifications, ECVET and EQAVET evaluations and consistent with the European Semester (CSR)

8

Mapping study on VET internationalisation

Background to the mapping study 'Building knowledge on international cooperation in VET”:

The Lisbon Treaty Art 166.3

"The Union and the Member States shall foster cooperation with third countries and the competent international organisations in the sphere of vocational training".

Bruges communiqué:“… As players on the global education market, national VET systems need to be connected to the wider world in order to remain up-to-date and competitive…

Develop a strategic approach to the internationalisation of I-VET and C-VET and promoting international mobility…”

9

Mapping study on VET internationalisation

Objective of study (to be completed December 2014):

Provide an illustrative mapping of the state of play of existing policy measures and practices implemented by EU/EFTA countries.

Preliminary findings:

Some member states have a clear international dimension to their VET policies, which usually takes one of the following forms:

1. Policy dialogue at strategic level,

2. Bilateral cooperation between VET institutions leading to VET delivery and capacity-building.

3. Outbound and inbound student mobility programmes,

4. Establishment of VET institutions abroad

10

Mapping study on VET internationalisation

Interesting examples of actions at Member State level:

•iMove programme in Germany - supporting German VET providers for international competition in VET, mainly in Asian countries

•US-Denmark partnership on VET - provides funding for student and teacher mobility, partnerships for curriculum development, etc.

•France’s initiative on Technical teachers without borders – aimed at encouraging teacher and trainer mobility

•Austria’s MODUL Service Platform - fosters projects on VET for the tourism sector, with China and Iran; offers advice in setting educational institutes, develops curricula, enhances quality for existing institutes and draws plans of regional development;

•German-Thai dual excellence programme - involving three corporations: BMW, Bosch, B. Grimm). Offers students a two-year dual VET programme. Assures quality standards, adjusts curricula for mechatronics, trains the trainers etc.

11

ERASMUS +, EU support to VET

12

• Adoption of Erasmus+ on 19 November 2013

• First call for proposals on 12 December 2013

13

ERASMUS+

Organisations from non-programme countries can participate (not apply) if participation clearly brings added-value to the proposal (e.g. Ukraine firms highly-specialised in rocket technology)

Overall budget €14.7 billion

Overall mobility opportunities More than 4 million people

Higher education Around 2 million students

Vocational education and training students

Around 650,000 students

Staff mobility Around 800,000 lecturers, teachers, trainers, education staff and youth workers

Volunteer and youth exchange schemes

More than 500,000 young people

Master's degree loan guarantee scheme

Around 200,000 students

Joint Master Degrees More than 25,000 students

Targets 2014-2020

14

Targets 2014-2020

Strategic Partnerships Around 25,000 linking together

125 000 schools, vocational education and training institutions, higher and adult education institutions, youth organisations and enterprises

Knowledge Alliances More than 150 set up by 1500 higher education institutions and enterprises

Sector Skills Alliances More than 150 set up by 2000 vocational education and training providers and enterprises

Schools More than 200,000 teachers collaborating on line involving more than 100,000 schools through e-twinning

15

Breakdown of Education and Training budget by sectors

ERASMUS+Financial distribution

16

European Alliance for Apprenticeships

17

The crisis has brought increased attention to VET:

•Work based learning - Dual systems, and others

•Labour market relevance of skills – addressing skill mismatches

•Youth Guarantee schemes – opportunity within 4 months

•Mobility - 6% benchmark

VET supporting economic recovery

European Alliance for Apprenticeships

18

Students enrolled in vocational upper secondary education, 2010, as a % of all students enrolled in upper secondary education (ISCED level 3)

Participation ratesin VET

19

Proportion of VET students enrolled in combined work- and school-based VET, as a % of all students in upper secondary VET (2010)

Work-Based Learning is still an exception

20

Share of students in ISCED 3 level

programmes including at least

25 % of work-based learning

Youth unemployment rate

Below 15 % 15-25 % Above 25 %

More than 30 % participation

DK, DE, AT CZ  

Between 6 and 30 %

NL FI, LU, FR, UK SK, HU

Less than 6 %   BE, SI, SEEL, PL, IE, PT,

ES, IT, EE

WBL and youth unemployment

21

VET with strong work-based learning leads to:

Smooth transition from education to work

Less youth unemployment

Better skill matching

Higher competitiveness

Why apprenticeships?

22

•Launch and Joint Declaration, 2 July 2013First ever Joint Declaration by European level Social Partners, European Commission and EU Presidency of the Council (Lithuania)

•Council Declaration, 15 October 2013 Ensuring recognition and/or integration of apprenticeship in formal system (reference to validation of outcomes from non-formal and informal learning)

•21 Member States Pledges, early 2014Commission invited all MS to submit 'pledges' on planned reforms and initiatives to increase the quality, supply and attractiveness of apprenticeships

•Pledges and AmbassadorsSome 30 pledges from VET providers, chambers, businesses, social partners, youth organisations and others + a network of business Ambassadors to support SMEs

European Alliance for Apprenticeships

ERASMUS+ Call for proposal, ‘National Authorities for Apprenticeships’ - EACEA/13/14 published on 26 March 2014, deadline 26 June 2014

23

Aims to:•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

Aims of the EAfA

24

National authorities responsible for apprenticeships

in partnership (applicant or partner)

Objective: Support for the EAfA

Project duration: 2 years

Maximum grant: € 300.000

75 % co-funding of total eligible costs

Total budget: € 4 million

Deadline for applications: 26 June 2014

ERASMUS+ Call for proposals (1)

25

Partnerships with experts from other MS:

•In-depth partnerships for policy reform•Feasibility studies•Strategies for joint training centres for SMEs•National policy dialogue •Attractiveness campaigns•National business forums •Testing pilot apprenticeship schemes•Evaluating previous pilot apprenticeship schemes with a view to up-scaling•Integration non-formal apprenticeships in formal VET

ERASMUS+ Call for proposals (2)

26

More information at:http://ec.europa.eu/education

Joao SANTOS, Deputy Head of UnitDirectorate General for Education and Culture

Unit B2, Vocational training and adult education; Erasmus+

E-mail: joao.santos@ec.Europa.eu