erasmus+ ka2 vet - eu r.app

ERASMUS+ KA2 VETProject: “R.APP - European Roadmap for Apprenticeship

Effectiveness and Quality Governance”

No. 2018-1-IT01-KA202-006806

R.APP DIDACTICAL GUIDELINESFOR TRAINING VET TUTORS

ERASMUS+ KA2 VETProject: “R.APP: European Roadmap for Apprenticeship

Effectiveness and Quality Governance”No. 2018-1-IT01-KA202-006806

R.APP DIDACTICAL GUIDELINESFOR TRAINING VET TUTORS

3

PREMISE AND METHODOLOGY

FOSTERING COMPANIES MOTIVATION Infographics, Charts and CanvasApprenticeship Stakeholders Involvement

FOSTERING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATIONVET Tutor roleStakeholders InvolvementTo Raise the standing of VET Guidance

PROFESSIONAL/TRAINING NEEDS MATCHINGStriving against skills mismatch at UE levelThe role of VET Tutor on matching training and professional needs

TRAINING PATHWAYS PERSONALIZATION

EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION OF COMPETENCESACHIEVED IN A WBL/APPRENTICESHIP PATH

5

SUMMARY

7

111112

17172123

272729

33

37

SUMMARY

PREMISEAND

METHODOLOGY


The R.APP Didactical Guidelines for Training VET Tutors represent the first

Intellectual Output of the R.APP “European Roadmap for Apprenticeship Ef-

fectiveness and Quality Governance” Project. The main aim of R.APP is to

develop an innovative and target group-oriented Model for Effectiveness and

quality Governance for Apprenticeship in Europe, by enriching the competen-

ces of VET & Enterprises staff who deal with the planning and Management of

Apprenticeship pathways.

This model has also the ambition of proposing the most promising approach

for a smooth transition from school-to-work and an entry-ticket to rewarding

careers for young VET learners.

The Guidelines are a practical tool addressed to VET trainers of how didacti-

cal and learning process should be organised and implemented when dea-

ling with apprentices, to support them during the Apprenticeship experience

even at EU level in Mobility projects or in the guidance and counselling aimed

at WBL/Apprenticeship experience.

Guidelines give practical hints on how learning processes should be organi-

sed, how the setup of the school/in class training and work-based learning

environment should be planned, how motivation factors of the target group

(apprentices) should be regarded.

Guidelines provide an innovative approach in VET which is NOT school peda-

gogy based but it is built on experience, research results and benchmarking

and will be transferable to other organisations and stakeholders all over Eu-

rope to increase the quality, potential, know-how and competences of Tutors

in the VET process connected with WBL-Apprenticeship field.

In order to produce the final version of the R.APP Didactical Guidelines for

Training VET Tutors, it has been needed the completion of the first project

phase, based on the results of the Research Study conducted by each project

partners before the submitting of the project proposal.

The study was about the current state of the art of apprenticeship in each

partner Country, focusing on:

7


1. The normative and administrative aspects of apprenticeship in each part-

ners country

2. The Background and Training Needs of VET tutors related to the organiza-

tion and implementation of the Apprenticeship Pathways, as detected by the

researchers of each project partners

3. A selection of Best Practices at national or UE level considered particularly

effective for the Apprenticeship implementation and its quality governance.

The Research focused on the Background and Training Needs of Company

Tutors and the preparatory activity for the editing of the future third Intel-

lectual Output “R.APP In-Company Tutors Vademecum”

Starting from the Research Reports key findings, VET Tutors/Teachers/Staff

competences gap has been further investigated by the realization of Focus

Groups (held in every partner country) involving more than 80 VET staff dea-

ling with the planning and managing of Apprenticeship Paths.

8


Findings from the workshops implementation draw attention to some VET

staff competences that must be gained/reinforced in order to raise the

standing of the Apprenticeship paths managing among UE.

These competences are directly connected to:

• the capacities of foster companies motivation (in particular SMEs) to take

on apprentices, providing correct and clear information on what hiring ap-

prentices implies (e.g. fiscal advantages, a professional supply more re-

sponding to the company needs, etc.)

• communicative skills in order to raise the standing of apprenticeship by

positively influencing its image among enterprises and key stakeholders

• the capacities of foster students’ motivation in takin-on an apprentice-

ship/WBL path

• the dealing with the target group before and during WBL-Apprenticeship

experience, in particular as concerns the providing of a high-quality gui-

dance, continuous support and monitoring of apprentices

• communicative skills in order to raise the standing of apprenticeship by

positively influencing its image among enterprises and key stakeholders

• enterprise professional needs analysis skills, in order to ensure a better

correlation between training programmes and companies needs

• the planning and management skill for tailor-made apprenticeship pa-

thways

• the evaluation, certification and validation of the competences achieved

by apprentices during their in-company experience, both at NA and EU

mobility level.

Based on what emerged from the workshops, the R.APP Didactical Guide-

lines for Training VET Tutors aim at responding at this competences gap by

giving hints and tips both on the organisation of a learning process and the

setup of a learning environment, raising apprentices’ motivation, promoting

the image of apprenticeship by enterprises and key stakeholders.

For each competence detected as lacking or to be reinforced, Guidelines

provide some suggestions in order to fulfil the VET Tutor training need.

Guidelines serve, furthermore, as basis for its further development the Intel-

lectual Output R.APP Training Guidelines For Training Vet Tutors.

9


FOSTERINGCOMPANIES

MOTIVATION

FOSTERING COMPANIES MOTIVATION

Infographics, Charts and Canvas

VET tutors must have communicative skills that become the fundamental

prerogative for the creation of a good interaction with the employer and the

enterprise. On the other side they also need to be supported by the stakehol-

ders, like Chambers, Trade Unions and sectorial organizations in order to or-

ganize awareness raising campaigns aimed at companies, especially at SMEs,

to inform them about the benefits and advantages of apprenticeship.

Among the specific skills considered as necessary by the participants of the

Focus Group of Romania, there is the use of Infographics as a simple and

immediate communication tool, through which the characteristics of the ap-

prenticeship contract can be summarized.

At the same time Infographics can be useful in guidance activities addressed

to students and families, in order to promote the employment opportunities

of the professional training paths and the apprenticeship contract.

One of the main problems, highlighted by VET Staff during the Focus Groups,

is that companies are still too little informed about the economical facilita-

tions that, in many EU countries, Legislation foresees for those committed in

hosting or hiring apprentices.

Funding, including employer subsidies and other incentives, are more and

more envisaged to motivate the participation of micro/small/medium enter-

prises in the apprenticeship system until convincing the, about the economic

benefits of apprenticeship contract and the advantages of hiring a young ap-

prentice.

It has to be considered fundamental, therefore, that VET Staff dealing with the

placement of VET students, must be able to communicate clearly the econo-

mical advantages of takin-on an apprentice.

In order to do that, providing companies with some simple charts can have a

huge impact on raising their awareness on how apprenticeship can be pro-

fitable from many points of view.

As revealed in some of the held Focus Groups, the utilization of some

11


user-friendly software or freeware permits to draft Canvas or Charts with ca-

tchy graphics and clear information on the facilities provided by National legi-

slation in order to support a wider spreading for apprenticeship.

Some infographics user friendly software and freeware…

PowToon

Piktochart

Visme

Lucid Chart

There is no need to provide too detailed information (as the VET tutor is nei-

ther an accountant nor a financial consultant), some catchy images and figu-

res that, at a glance, can provide the main legislative and financial aspects of

the national provision on apprenticeship can be even more effective.

Apprenticeship Stakeholders Involvement

Another key factor that can contribute at making apprenticeship work for en-

terprises is a constant flow of information among the various subjects involved

(e.g.: Chambers, Trade Unions, Employer Associations, manpower providers),

each of which is not only limited to the realization of actions of its competen-

ce, but must also be concerned with the connection of the activities carried

out by other subjects.

Below a summary of measures and hints that would be desirable to be adop-

ted by the Public and Private Stakeholders:

• To foster interactions between employers and workers’ associations with

vocational schools and VET providers, in order to allow a common action

plan on promoting apprenticeship among companies

• To contribute reducing bureaucratic burden, especially at local level, by

supporting companies in complying with the bureaucratic provisions that

apprenticeship implies.

12


www.powtoon.com

www.piktochart.com

www.visme.co

www.lucidchart.com

• To allow an open debate about the teaching contents of VET Schools, in or-

der to tune the didactical offer basing on the companies professional needs

• To create a special brand for companies committed in apprenticeship,

raising their visibility and their image as bodies committed in promoting

youth employment

As detected during the focus groups, a stronger commitment of Trade Cham-

bers and employers’ associations would be desirable: they should coordinate

with institutional actors and vocational schools, or even directly in secondary

schools to illustrate professional opportunities.

It would be strongly desirable that Trade Chambers and Employer Associa-

tions could set-up a dedicated information desk for enterprises interested

in hiring or hosting apprentices, in order to concretely contribute at suppor-

ting apprenticeship.

An interesting example on how relevant bodies can contribute to a wider

companies commitment on apprenticeship has been mentioned by the P6

- APOPSI (EL) Focus Group participants: the OAED Apprenticeship Liaison Of-

fices. OAED is the Hellenic Manpower Employment Organization, and its Ap-

prenticeship Liaison Offices created tools for matching apprenticeship spe-

cializations with local labor market needs.

The liaison career offices of OAED have created specialized tools such as

questionnaires to identify local labor market needs in order to match the

labor market needs with the reengineering of the apprenticeship specialties

and programs. The liaison office’s success in terms of their activities, ‘Career

Days’, ‘Open Days at Schools’ and organized ‘Company Visits’ will be mea-

sured by quantified indicators per academic year. The dual apprenticeship

program of OAED is “on-the-job training”; VET learners identify the problems

on site and upon their return in the VET school they find answers to their que-

stions with their professors and then they return back to the workplace.

Everyone concurred that the Apprenticeship Liaison Offices of OAED are best

equipped to take on this task because they are closer to the labor market

than any other public body/ institution. The first link with the labor market

is the ‘Practical Training Specs’, which connects the everyday work of the

company with the school curriculum. The second link is the VET school tea-

13


chers and their regular meetings with the companies’ trainers. The third link is

the active participation by companies in designing and developing the practi-

cal training specifications and in adapting the apprenticeship curricula.

In addition, the VET staff attending the Focus Group organized by P2 Reattiva

(IT) agreed that “Cooperation and communication between VET schools and

host enterprises must cover all stages of apprenticeship process and many

issues to ensure the quality of apprenticeship. For involved parties, it is ne-

cessary to establish procedures for cooperation, and to train both sides (VET

tutors and mentors from enterprises) for their roles.

Best practices of cooperation between VET and enterprises, especially, en-

terprises offering high quality apprenticeships, should be actively promoted

and the best companies should be awarded”.

This remarked that the idea of creating a brand for companies committed on

hosting apprentices can be a viable and effective measure to make apprenti-

ceship more attractive for companies.

Furthermore, as highlighted by P3 – IHK (DE), promoting the option of taking

part (as hosting or sending institutions) in a VET mobility in Europe helps

in making WBL apprenticeship schemes more attractive and motivating to

companies (especially SMEs). Generally, further training prospects support

the companies in finding good candidates for their apprenticeship. Chambers

support is necessary as it is also shown by the online company/student ma-

tching platform “Lehrstellenbörse” already initiated by IHK.

Company motivation can be risen by describing the valuable job of students:

their work is not only less paid than normal salaries but can be also including

innovative aspects and therefore giving an added value to the prospects of

the company (new target group) etc. In order to justify the employment of a

young person, trainers need to be aware of the flexibility and motivation as

well as economic figures that such an employment brings to the company. It

is a way to find a successor for the company who can be trained according to

the own needs.

14


FOSTERINGSTUDENTS’

MOTIVATION

FOSTERING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION

VET Tutor role

The detected key factor to raise up student motivation to take up an appren-

ticeship path can be reassumed by:

High-quality guidance, support and monitoring

The role of the different VET tutor involved in work-based learning experien-

ces is crucial indeed. Nevertheless, they are often only “informally” charged

with tasks aimed at supporting learners in WBL contexts, without a clear fra-

mework of roles and responsibilities.

For instance, in most VET schools, teachers and trainers are assigned with

guidance duties even if not appropriately trained to provide an effective care-

er guidance to students. They have to “compensate”, as best as they can, the

related lacks by themselves.

In this perspective, professionals should receive a standardized training to

ensure a shared a common competences background. It would be neces-

sary, therefore, to identify common training standards (not sector-specific) to

be potentially applicable to every context and sector.

The Focus Group held in Romania highlighted the schools’ lack of training and

professional orientation. VET learning paths are not so attractive to youngsters

and their families: they’re considered both a sort of shelter for low performing

students, and a disadvantageous choice in terms of employability, especially

for good earning jobs.

This lack of attractiveness of the vocational training path is mainly caused by

the shortage of professional orientation and counselling that is achieved wi-

thin the eighth year of school, when a student has to choose his/her field of

study.

This indicates the need for the school to use internal (and if necessary exter-

nal) figures capable of promoting professional training paths that guarantee

a good level of employability needed to guide the learner. Similar situations

17


are experience in the other partner countries with the exception of Germany.

The general low level of competences of teachers and trainers, regarding the

assigned tasks to support WBL learners both within schools and training pro-

viders and enterprises, was highlighted as a crucial gap to tackle: the job pro-

file of tutors, in-company tutors, mentors and coaches should be revitalized

and innovated through strengthened links between school-based learning

and the labour market.

A better definition of roles and responsibilities would allow the achievement

of a higher level of skills among the people involved, so that they could provi-

de a higher quality guidance, support and monitoring of apprentices.

VET Tutor needs to have the following Qualities to motivate the learner/ap-

prentice and achieve a good result:

COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS

Present information clearly and consistently

Demonstrate good listening skills

Provide timely and effective feedback

PATIENCE

Tolerate mistakes

Repeat information as needed

SENSE OF HUMOR

Laugh off some of the things that will go wrong

Say that it’s OK when someone makes a mistake

Remember that mistakes in training are not the end of the world

DESIRE TO BE A TUTOR/MENTOR

Enjoy helping people learn

Sincere

Honest

GOOD WORK HABITS

Role model for expected behaviors

Praise for a successful performance

Provide assistance

Rescue trainees before they fail on their own

18


TRUSTWORTHY AND RESPECTFUL

Your trainee must trust and respect his Tutor so that the training process is

successful.

The mentor needs to trust and respect the trainee

Apprenticeship mentoring must be considered as an ongoing guidance desi-

gned to help trainees gain skills required to perform their job/reach learning

objectives, so as to provide mentoring means to cover a wide range of roles

as those listed below:

Teacher: The teaching role requires Tutors/mentors to step back and under-

stand that the trainee is just beginning the learning process. Tutors/Mentors

need to be able to remember how difficult it was to learn new skills;

Guide: As a guide, the mentor helps the trainee to navigate through the job

and the inner workings of the organization;

Counselor: The role of counselor requires the tutor/mentor to have a trusting

and open relationship with the trainee. The mentor needs to stress confidentiality

and show respect for the trainee. Keep in mind LISTENING is also very important;

Advisor: This role requires the tutor/mentor to help the trainee develop pro-

fessional interests and set realistic career goals. As an advisor, the mentor

talks to the trainee about what he or she wants to learn and plan a strategy to

reach his objectives.

Motivator: Motivating the trainee is the essential tutors/mentors role. Motiva-

tion can be learned but is typically a natural inner drive that compels a person

to be positive and succeed.

Mentors can motivate trainees to succeed through encouragement, support,

and incentives. They can also motivate trainees by showing them support.

Coach: the purpose of coaches is to redirect behavior, not to point out mista-

kes, blame or criticize and to focus on effort and improvement. Positive rein-

forcement of good practices is more effective than criticism.

Successful tutoring/mentoring produces many benefits which includes sa-

fety at work, stronger team-work, improved quality and quantity of work, lower

turnover and other more efficient work habits.

19


On the other side also the learner/trainee plays an important role. First of all,

the process towards his autonomy, is an important step is to gain awareness

of his weaknesses and strengths and to be aware of which strategies to adopt

to better respond to his/her cognitive style.

At the same time it also shows which aspects of his learning need to be im-

proved or paid particular attention to.

Furthermore, the knowledge of his personality and attitudes has positive im-

pact on a better handling of his emotional side, needed for effective learning.

To give a practical example, the apprentices, once they know what is the best

way to work for themselves, and what are the aspects to which they must pay

attention, they will be able to get less discouraged in case of failure/mista-

ke, interpreting it not as something that denotes the impossibility of learning

despite the efforts made, but relativizing it in the light of a raised awareness

about his personality.

As a consequence the learner/trainee will be able to learn with lower anxiety

and greater motivation.

Tutors and apprentices can develop their teaching and learning together. This

happens when both are committed to work with their differences to reach

their goals.

The mentor is a bridge to help value differences. At core, the respect we all

want for ourselves as individuals is the value mentors need to represent.

The planning of the whole pathway, both classroom activities and periods in

the host company, must be shared and approved not only by the teachers of

the school and by the managers of the host company itself, but also by the

trainees, who gain full awareness and a direct responsibility towards their own

learning.

Starting from the tutor’s/mentors’ qualities and roles, after a detailed analysis

we can synthesize the involvement of all the actors, but above all the learner’s

role is crucial.

20


Stakeholders Involvement

A continuous and effective network building activity is crucial to contribute to

reach a High-quality guidance, support and monitoring.

VET centers must have the internal competences to foster the activation of

relationships among local relevant actors.

A VET center must consider itself a reference point for many stakeholders,

with the responsibility to harmonize their different aims and interests.

In one hand we have the category represented by the VET “direct target”,

composed by VET students, families, VET teachers, school teachers, in the

other hand we have the category represented by enterprises, Job centers,

manpower providers, Trade Chambers, Trade Unions etc.

From this point of view, a VET provider can play the role of focus point among

a wide network of subjects that contribute at stimulating the general deve-

lopment of the referring territory, also by supporting the VET and educational

system.

VET providers and staff can benefit remarkable advantages in the continuous

interaction with the other stakeholders with reference to foster students’ mo-

tivation in takin on an WBL path, so as:

• To increase the impact of its communication activity aimed at promoting

apprenticeship to young learners. A VET center, indeed, can take advanta-

ge of participating as a relevant actor in the context of activities carried out

by other subjects, by reaching a wider audience of students and families.

• To foster students’ placement rate as one of the main motivating factors

for students and families to choose a learning path rather than another.

To be part of the territorial network can give the VET center the possibility

to better coordinate its training offer with the needs of the entrepreneurial

system training professional figures useful for companies.

Moreover, it can carry out actions aimed at making its students known,

thus facilitating their insertion more directly and quickly both as workers or

student of a WBL path.

• To increase the VET staff competences on promoting, planning and mo-

nitoring apprenticeship paths. The building up of a territorial network, can

21


give the chance to VET staff to work with people with different skills and

roles, enriching their range of competences as, for instance: communica-

tion competences, professional needs analysis competences, relational

competences.

In order to maximize the benefits of being part of a territorial network, it is

appropriate to set up agreement with every subject involved, in which to

report roles and commitments.

The main agreement objectives for a VET center should be:

• To better understand the training needs, also with reference to the last

innovations occurred within the local economic/productive system

• To get in touch with a greater number of companies

• To share training objectives, on the basis of a detailed analysis of the pro-

fessional needs of the territory

In order to reach these objectives, it is recommendable that the agreement

includes the following responsibilities:

• Enterprises databases sharing

• Students curricula vitae sharing

• Periodic implementation of Focus Groups/Round Tables among part-

ners, in order to better detect the territorial training/professional needs

• To implement seminars aimed at promoting the adoption of WBL paths

and apprenticeship

• To periodically implement technical meetings, involving a large number

of stakeholders, on Dual System, WBL and Apprenticeship

• Data and analysis sharing on the economical context (updated at least

every 6 months)

• To make companies available for periodical planned visits by VET staff, as

a direct way for VET staff to be always updated on productive processes

or technological innovation occurred

The above suggested provisions should be reported in an agreement among

the territorial network subjects, in order to set-up a network with a real impact

22


in terms of a wider adoption of apprenticeship at local level.

These commitments foreseen by an agreement, are, in most of cases, reali-

stic and affordable in terms of time and costs, allowing on the one hand the

meeting between the active members of the network, on the other a joint

communication directed towards companies and students.

To Raise the standing of VET Guidance

As detected during the Focus Group held by project partners, a high quality

guidance can contribute to make apprenticeship more attractive to young

students and their families.

In this section we’ll focus on how to set-up a guidance service, internal to

VET centers, to realize guidance actions that can effectively increase studen-

ts’ motivation on choosing apprenticeship as their learning path.

The guidance service internal to the VET bodies is configured as an all-round

service, open to the territory in its interrelations, not only addressed to po-

tential users of services, but also to other actors in the local system (schools,

universities , other educational institutions, employers’ associations and busi-

nesses, employment centers and other institutional services, etc.), which can

be both partners and users.

Attention will be paid to the guidance services that can be offered to users in-

terested in VET. In fact, these services can play a fundamental role in structu-

ring the multiple relationships between the VET system and the actors invol-

ved in the local economic-productive sector, but also towards the families of

young people leaving school programs: first and second cycle students, stu-

dents at school drop-out risk, students that have already dropped out school.

VET guidance provided by VET centers has to be considered, anyway, so-

mething that integrates and supports the actual activities of the educational

institutions for the purposes of a full realization of a dual system that cannot

be separated from a continuous and structured relationship system between

the actors involved.

23


Here below the proposed structure of a VET guidance service is simplified in

three main levels, in order to allow an easy adaptation to the National/Regio-

nal VET Legislative Framework of different countries.

The three activities are:

1. Communication, information and promotion on the territory

2. Hospitality and preliminary guidance

3. First level guidance

24


25


PROFESSIONAL/TRAINING

NEEDS MATCHING

PROFESSIONAL/TRAINING NEEDS MATCHING

Striving against skills mismatch at UE level

EU is facing a chronical issue of professional skills mismatch that particularly

affects youth unemployment rate.

The mismatch is confirmed by the simultaneous presence of both the pheno-

menon of “over-qualification” of the workforce, and its “under-qualification”

which strongly highlights the gap between professional supply and demand.

On the one hand the lack of graduates makes the job offer unqualified, but on

the other the high percentage of over-qualified is not in line with SMEs needs

(with the exception of those with a high added value production).

Companies, furthermore, complain about the difficulties of adapting to the

business environment, the lack of autonomy, inability of problem-solving

and working in team.

Within this framework, the risks of exclusion of those who are not competent

enough to respond to the context requests are evident.

In this sense we need to adopt a perspective of lifelong training, learning

and guidance. Guidance is not just an activity aimed at supporting the action

of choice, but rather aimed at the motivational support of the person, at the

experiences of growth and adaptation of the young people.

This means that skills training and guidance (also by self-guidance) must ac-

company every phase of the learning path and work life of individuals and

be part of organic projects of integration and dialogue between education,

vocational training and business.

For teachers and VET tutors it is very important to know what the labour mar-

ket requires and the way companies recruit, select trainees, apprentices, wor-

kers and provide for planning development actions and/or career paths.

Initiatives such as, training internships, WBL, offer the opportunity to be awa-

re of the labour market in its complexity and at the same time to undertake

an experience characterized by WBL methodologies and therefore full of si-

27


gnificant moments of learning. It is important to support and develop these

initiatives both from a professional point of view, managing the organizational

and methodological phase, and at the institutional level (e.g. training credits

for internship experiences).

Finally, the question of the ability to develop the trainees’ general skills, which

can be used in variable and unpredictable professional situations, remains

unsolved by VET schools, despite an insistent research by the companies.

This general framework should help VET tutors to reinforce their skills in order

to investigate the enterprise context and professional needs before the WBL

/apprenticeship assures a strong correlation between training programmes

and professional needs.

A good hint to help VET Tutors in planning a WBL path aligned to market ne-

eds, is provided by VET staff participating at IHK Focus Group:

VET tutors need to bear in mind on the one hand the framework given by le-

gislation of what needs to be taught and on the other hand with possibilities

are there for extra content to achieve the perfect skills match.

In Germany, they have a wide range of “extra qualification” that can be an ad-

ded value when the official curriculum does not include skills of an extreme

importance for a company’s needs. This “extra qualification” might then be

taken into consideration, implemented in the student work plan and added to

the official contract at the chamber or relevant institution as well.

It would be, therefore, crucial:

• to update some curricula and train VET staff (teachers and tutors) on new

trends, developments and technologies;

• to close align with labour market needs to establish relevance of training

wich leads to successful outcomes in WBL / Apprenticeship

• to harmonize educational content of classroom/ lab training with the trai-

ning modules in the work-placement (coherent curriculum).

It is shown that VET tutors coming from the industry have good links with

28


employers and are more supportive towards trainees/apprentices, therefo-

re their involvement in apprenticeship should be given priority. Having more

contacts with employers, they benefit from the industry creating more rela-

tions with stakeholders which leads to bigger interest and active participation

from stakeholders in the curriculum. It also brings them to meet with VET pro-

viders to discuss job opportunities and new innovative methods in the labour

market, reducing the gap between the demand and supply.

VET tutors should carry out monitoring meetings and visits to companies at

least twice per month. In this way they could assure a strong relation with the

mentors, have a reliable feedback, and report any issue, between trainee/

apprentice and sponsor to the VET provider in order to solve it quickly.

Furthermore VET tutors have to maintain constant dialogue with stakeholders

not only to promote the apprenticeship system, but also to be updated on the

real needs of the labour market. In this way they can introduce revisions on

the curriculum to assure that learners will be able to perform the tasks assi-

gned during work based learning/Apprenticeship.

It is evident that only a greater involvement of VET tutors and teachers within

the company ensures a stronger correlation between training programmes

and professional/skill needs.

The role of VET Tutor on matching training and professional needs

The VET Tutor must know the training needs of the individual student in order

to find the most suitable company in which the student can gain and develop

their skills.

In order to reach this aim it is necessary a close collaboration between the

VET tutor and the student, then it must be built up an effective procedure that

helps the shared planning of a WBL/Apprenticeship path.

VET Tutor must take in account, of course, the company professional demand,

size and internal labour process. If a correct and effective networking activity

has been carried out, the VET tutor may be involved in the selection process

and play the role of sponsorship for the student that will be selected.

29


VET Tutor may take in account that a wrong placement may cause difficulties

both to the student and to the company, damaging the relationship of trust

established with both.

Then, what is it the “Good Matching” recipe? Here below we try to suggest

some steps to be followed in order to make more likely a good matching

between student and company:

1. To carry out a preliminary student selection using written tests and group

interviews, aimed at detecting professional and soft competences as: rela-

tional, team-working, problem solving.

Tests must be different on the basis of the type of work that the candidate

will be asked to carry out: for a handcraft work, space visualization skill

should be tested; for an office job, writing competences, etc.

There is a great availability of tests, and a huge literature on how to use

them appropriately. A VET Tutor must be aware anyway, that a test, in order

to be considered relevant must have the following requirements:

a) VALIDITY: the test must verify the required characteristics

b)RELIABILITY: the test must verify exactly a given characteristic. If re-

peated by the same candidate the test should give similar results.

c) OBJECTIVITY: test results, if reported on different evaluation scales,

must maintain the same comparability among them

1. To carry out an interview simulation with the candidate.

To simulate the interview that will be held by the company, must help in

many way, such as:

a) Reducing the candidate’s interview stress, making him feel more con-

fident

a) Enabling the candidate at giving value to his real skills (professional

and soft skills) and to better describe his working expectations.

a) Enhancing apprentice awareness on his real competences and skills,

and focusing on his attitudes and expectations.

1. To share with the company a draft of the candidate Learning Agreement,

where to report the tasks that will be carried out by the apprentice and the

learning objectives the apprentice have to reach.

30


TRAININGPATHWAYS

PERSONALIZATION


Custom-tailoring of the apprenticeship paths focuses the training offer and

relational modalities on the learners/apprentices‘ educational needs, consi-

dering the individual differences between the personal characteristics and

the socio-cultural background.

The School/Vet Centre draws up Individual Training Project in order to per-

sonalize the learning/apprenticeship and appoints a VET tutor to support le-

arners’/apprenticeship in the implementation and development of the Indivi-

dual Training Project. The VET tutor also fosters the continuous circulation of

information within School/Vet centre in order to allow progressive monitoring

and possible adaptation of the training path.

The Individual Training Project involves:

- the personal analysis of the knowledge and skills acquired by the learner

/ apprentice both in school /Vet centres and in informal contexts;

- the detection of the abilities and gaps

- the description of the learners’/apprentice’s expectations and objectives;

- the identification of actions aimed at the filling the gaps, the abilities de-

velopment and the realization of those activities that can best strengthen

the learner’s competences at best within the school curriculum, mainly

the individual training and the area of specific professional job in which the

learner would like to place himself/ herself.

In line with the development of the training plan the VET tutor/trainer has a

very important function in facing with the learner/trainee and, when neces-

sary, with his family.

The Project must be delivered to the student and his family and it is recom-

mended that he should be kept as a document of his training path.

The development of the training plan requires collaborative work of profes-

sional field experts from the business, social partners and VET providers. The

training plan identifies the competences necessary to carry out the main job

functions for each professional qualification and the learning environment

(school/company) for each year.

33


Planning apprenticeship pathways is a crucial step for each trainer.

The following suggestion from P3 IHK has to be taken into great considera-

tion:

“when putting together a work plan for the student: he/she is defining what

exactly the tasks will be and how the working plan will look like. Even if the

general legal framework might be clear, the personal working plan needs to

be drawn in the beginning, which is especially difficult for new staff. The VET

tutors needs to take into consideration special aspects of the production pro-

cess, needs of other staff and most importantly the learning outcomes to be

achieved in the end for the exam. In Germany, VET tutors are responsible for

teaching everything that is necessary to pass the final examination. In case

she/he realizes that not all aspects can be trained in the own company, he

might ask partner companies or training providers to help out for certain trai-

ning modules. It would be recommendable to check first the demands of the

teaching plan, look at the own possibilities at work and check which gaps

might be closed elsewhere”

It can be summarized that, in order to carry out the Training plan, is needed:

- to take into account the characteristics of young people (age, likely scho-

ol failure and uncertainty of the “professional project”)

- maximizing learning by Learners/apprentices, facilitating their presence

in the classroom and motivation and, at the same time, minimizing the in-

convenience for the placement company.

Our recommendation is to aim at tailored and flexible approaches to the ne-

eds of vulnerable young people, according to the age of the learners/ ap-

prentices. When we are addressing lower-secondary school level students

some of their courses must include some core learning modules of general

education and horizontal skills, including communication skills, working with

others, etc. There was a general agreement that VET schools need to update

some curricula and train their educators on new trends, developments and

technologies.

34


EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION

OF COMPETENCES ACHIEVED IN A

WBL/APPRENTI-CESHIP PATH

EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION OF COMPETENCES ACHIEVED IN A WBL/APPRENTICESHIP PATH

As quoted on “High-performance apprenticeships & work-based learning: 20

guiding principles” (European Commission – 2016) “general principles of as-

sessment, such as a clear purpose, validity and reliability, must be applied

to classroom learning as well as to work-based learning”.

On WBL/Apprenticeship paths, validation and recognition of competences

achieved implies an “extra-element” than for those achieved on a classroom,

and that is “mutual trust”. Mutual trust is intended as a mutual recognition of

the reliability of every subject on which every student is assessed to evaluate

his level of competences acquired as a direct consequence of his WBL/Ap-

prenticeship path.

So, whilst the assessment of learning in the classroom is carried out by a single

subject, (the school or VET provider), when dealing with apprenticeship (and

more generally with WBL pathways) the evaluation involves companies too.

R.APP Project aim is also to reinforce competences of VET staff and IN-COM-

PANY Tutor to properly assess apprentices’ learning outcomes, in order to

enhance “mutual trust” at EU level and to lay the basis for widening an EU

VET Mobility area for Apprenticeship with transparent qualifications systems

which enable the transfer and accumulation of LOs and competences and

allow young apprentices to further develop their skills and enhance their em-

ployability perspectives.

Furthermore, as stated by the European Alliance for Apprenticeships Coun-

cil Declaration (Luxembourg, 15 October 2013) learning outcomes in WBL or

Apprenticeship paths must be in line with the EQAVET Recommendations:

“d) Ensuring that the qualifications and competences gained and the learning

process of apprenticeships are of high quality with defined standards for le-

arning outcomes and quality assurance, in line with the Recommendation on

the establishment of a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for

VET, and that the apprenticeship model is recognised as a valuable learning

tool, transferable across borders, opening up the route to progress within na-

tional qualifications frameworks and aspiration to high-skilled jobs”.

37


As highlighted by the held Focus Groups the current procedures for assessing

the achievement of learning objectives are still too general and not yet consi-

dered reliable to allow mutual recognition among Vet bodies and companies.

The VET staff attending the Malta Focus Group agreed that “The logbook is

not enough to evaluate the competences achieved by learners during their

apprenticeships. VET tutors must stimulate a constant contact and monito-

ring meetings with the company mentors; they need to explain to the mentors

how the logbook works; they need to assure the tasks done by students are

related to the learning outcomes”.

VET staff in Romania report a situation in which the assessment of skills is

still lagging behind as “there is no compulsory reporting documentation but

the attendance register. Training institutions usually use additional reporting

to the register and their own methodology of monitoring and evaluation, but

they are methods and tools that they have elaborated themselves. This does

not allow a standardization in the recognition of shared reliable skills”.

Italian VET Tutors can rely on more standardized assessment procedure and

tools, as those indicated by the Ministry of Education, University and Research

in the Official Document with the “ATTIVITÁ DI ALTERNANZA SCUOLA LAVO-

RO - GUIDA OPERATIVA PER LA SCUOLA” (WBL curricular activity – Operati-

ve Guide for Schools), in line with the ECVET provisions.

Among the recommendation gathered during the Focus Groups, VET staff

that attended the one implemented by P2 Reattiva (IT) provided a particularly

relevant indication attaining to assessment, stating that “A good way to ensure

impartial assessment would be an examination board consisting of teachers,

trainers and representatives of companies not involved in the training of the

apprentice. Though the final examination in apprenticeship often deserves the

most attention, other forms of assessment should not be neglected. Constant

monitoring and feedback of apprentices’ performance and communication

jointly carried out by teachers and in company mentors is equally important to

provide timely interventions when problems crop up before the certification

process. Thus, a balanced combination of summative, formative and interim

assessment as well as external and self-assessment is recommended by

participating teachers. The combination of different assessment methods

38


and procedures are of particular importance for ensuring quality and rele-

vance of certification processes”.

Assessment at work place implies a close cooperation between VET and

IN-COMPANY Tutors.

The VET Tutors has the responsibility of indicating to the IN-COMPANY Tutor

the methodologies and assessment tools required for the validation and re-

cognition of the skills acquired by the apprentice.

In this sense, the VET Tutor has the role of supervising the whole process of

recognition and validation of skills, monitoring the work of the company and

of the colleague.

It is recommended the that the VET tutor and his colleagues should draw the

necessary documentation to apprentice evaluation, such as the Memoran-

dum of Understanding, the Learning Agreement and the evaluation forms.

The two Tutors must define the tasks that each of them will have to carry out

in the assessment process aimed at detecting the behavioural and relational

attitudes of the student / apprentice through daily observation, evaluation

of the learning achievements, and the use of tools for verifying the training

objectives reached, such as expert tests / project work.

The assessment phase must be done by focusing on the processes and on

the learning results.

An assessment on processes can be carried out observing the student / trai-

nee in carrying out the activities foreseen by the individual project / training

plan. A process evaluation can be useful to Vet school in defining the learning

outcomes with the support of an observation grid. In particular, by way of

example, among the useful elements that the company tutor could detect,

we identify:

• Punctuality

• Interest in the activities carried out;

• Commitment;

• Sociability/cordiality towards the various company operators encountered;

• Availability to listening and learning, to change their ideas, to work in groups;

• Ability to analyse and critical spirit, synthesis, decision and spirit of initiati-

39


ve, fairness and autonomy in the performance of assigned tasks;

• Sense of responsibility in the management of company equipment and

machines.

In order for the evaluation to be objective and relevant, it is important that this

is perceived by the apprentice as the natural moment of his training. At the

same time the two tutors (VET and In-Company) must agree on a common

line of behavior during the evaluation process, which puts the apprentice at

ease, allowing a correct evaluation and at the same time a serene self-eva-

luation.

Evaluation must be mainly a moment of reflection on what has been done

and how can be improved in the future.

It would be good to always offer encouragement and praise when the trainee

does the job well. Everyone likes to hear, “Nice job,” “Good work,” or “Well

done.”

If you summarize the practice session, start with what went right before saying

what went wrong.

Start with a compliment, then criticize, then close with another comment on

the trainee’s

good work. This is a way to say that they have to improve some of their work,

more focused and so on. This takes the sting out of the criticism and commu-

nicates that the trainee is making a good work, but that he has more to learn.

Always provide coaching.

Being helpful during the practice session lends support to the trainee to help

them succeed. It shows that the Tutors and the trainee are a team that is

working together. Ask questions to see where you can be helpful and to start

the review step.

Evaluation must be shared with the apprentice, and must lead to a path plan-

ning review, if needed.

40


42

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, CONSULTING & TRAINING SERVICES

PROJECT PARTNER

E.N.F.A.P. Marche (Ancona, IT)www.enfapmarche.it

IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH (Frankfurt Oder, DE)www.ihk-projekt.de

Hermes Corporation, (Gzira, MT)www.hermesjobs.com

SVAP - Federation Of Attica And Piraeus Industries, (Piraeus, EL) www.svap.gr

REATTIVA – Regione Europa Attiva (Campobasso, IT)www.reattiva.eu

Asociatia European Academy (Bucharest, RO)www.europeanacademy.ro

Apopsi S.A., (Piraeus, EL)www.apopsi.gr

erasmus+ ka2 vet - eu r.app

Documents