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cedefopinfoInterview with Johan van Rens, Director of Cedefop

What major changes in vocational training haveyou experienced and participated in during yourdecade at Cedefop?

I think the changes in Cedefop over the years havebeen illustrative of wider changes at the Europeanlevel. Originally the question was whether the Euro-pean Union could deliver what was in the treaties- a common vocational training policy - and as a re-sult in the 1980s Cedefop focused more on princi-ples than on training content. There was no real de-bate on the content of vocational training, or whatEuropean development should be - it was much moreof an institutional debate. This ended in the early1990s. After the Maastricht treaty, the idea of a com-mon vocational training policy was abandoned. TheCommission had a supporting task, and actually Inotice that even today the Commission has morecompetence in the field of vocational education andtraining than in the field of general education. Sowith the Maastricht Treaty the institutional de-bate, which had been pushed mainly by Germany,came to an end. There was more of a focus on howto complete the internal market and prepare for theEuro.

So at that time there was a problem to establishwhat the role of Cedefop could be. I remember in myfirst Management Board meeting I used the term ‘mu-tual recognition’ and one of the members jumped upand said ‘you can’t use this term, it’s unacceptable’.Well, I had to ask myself what we could do, whatcould we contribute to help the recognition of diplo-mas, and so forth, under the circumstances...natu-rally we couldn’t do very much. And then in 1996, Ithink it was under the Italian presidency, we wereasked to organise an exhibition of diplomas. We hada big meeting room at our disposal and got from theDocumentary Network all kinds of copies of diplomasand asked the Directors General to see, as we say inRotterdam, ‘if they could make chocolate out of it’.And of course they couldn’t! So they said, we haveto do something about this. This was a good turningpoint for us. From then on we started being able tocontribute to the development of transparency, suchas the work Jens Bjørnåvold has done for us, how tomanage competences, what we are doing today withthe certificate supplements, the Europass ... TheEuropass is a good example to show that it easily takesat least 7-8 years to develop an idea into somethinguseful. And still it’s not finished - Europass has to fur-ther develop into an instrument allowing a bettermatch between supply and demand on the labourmarket. Now you can show all these skills and com-petences, language competences etc., but you shouldmake it possible for people to match electronicallytheir skills and qualifications with the demand on thelabour market.

I suppose you could say that the original top-downapproach of the 1980s was abandoned after the Maas-tricht Treaty for a more bottom-up one - that’s oneway of looking at it. But in reality, at a certain mo-ment there was no European policy. Our conclusionin our first policy report was that the European pro-grammes were the policy. There was no real policyfor future development, just very dispersed programmesand very many objectives. And I can tell you, this con-clusion was not appreciated at the time. But it wastrue - there was no general coordination, no gener-al framework for policy developments in MemberStates and sectors.

But later in the 1990s the Commission started tolook into going in the direction of the Member States,paying more attention to lifelong learning and howto create the appropriate policy framework. Thischanged a lot of things. Discussions on lifelong learn-ing culminated in the Lisbon Agenda in 2000. TheLisbon strategy was designed to move towards theknowledge society by fostering more policy compe-tition between Member States, to give them the in-centive to ‘do better than the others’. That’s still partof it, although later it was felt that we do not onlyneed policy competition, we also need more coop-eration. This led us to the Copenhagen Declarationin 2002 on enhanced cooperation on vocationaleducation and training. So now we have a policy agen-

da for a new process in VET. I wouldn’t say we’re nowtrying to harmonise training, no, but it’s a balancebetween cooperation and competition, with the Com-mission still playing a very essential coordinating rolein VET. And now with lifelong learning we can com-pare the Copenhagen and Bologna processes muchbetter and even work on common objectives in thefield of education and training for 2010.

This more integrated approach (objective 2010)is going very well. I’m very pleased about this, and

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"When you set out on your journey / pray thatthe road is long / full of adventure, full of knowl-edge."

What better way than with these evocative wordsof Cavafy to convey the spirit which reigned at the cer-emony to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of theCommunity Study Visits Programme, held at Cedefopon 25 May?

While the first half of the day addressed the theme‘From the past to the future of study visits’, withcontributions from former participants and feedbackfrom the institutional initiators of the programme, thesecond part was a more open-ended discussion on thedidactic value of travel under the theme ‘Widening ourperspectives’.

Journeys of knowledge, transgressing borders, the‘Here’ and ‘There’ were at the heart of the debate be-tween three well-known authors: Predrag Matvejevic,Nedim Gürsel and Takis Theodoropoulos.

‘When one embarks on a journey, one takes thosethings which are indispensable - and a book. To be arefugee without a book is to deprive oneself of anypossibility of creating culture’, remarked Predrag Matve-jevic, an author of Balkan origin and a member of thehigh-level advisory group on intercultural dialogue inthe Mediterranean area set up by Romano Prodi. Whiledeclaring himself an adversary of globalisation, he nev-ertheless conceded that promoting and supporting acommon vision for the Mediterranean with the Euro-pean Union was an absolute necessity - although heis convinced that this vision must be the fruit of the ef-forts of all European citizens.

The Turkish writer Nedim Gürsel, a recipient ofthe Ipekçi prize for his contribution to the rap-prochement between the Greek and Turkish nations,went on to say that Europeans had to have faithin a vision of Europe on the road towards union.Predrag Matvejevic pointed out that, very often,frontiers themselves have been drawn (or not) atplaces where crimes against human dignity havebeen committed.

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actually a little bit astonished - in a goodsense! There is a good atmosphere incooperation. We’re working on severalfronts, like credit transfer, a Europeanqualifications framework, quality, guid-ance... As for Cedefop’s role in this, well,‘if something is successful it has manyfathers’, because it is necessarily a com-mon enterprise. But we’ve been con-tributors to the process, and I can’t saythat this was the case when I startedworking here.

In some way developments in the lastten years in Cedefop parallel those inBIBB, CEREQ and ISFOL. They also start-ed as research institutes and moved in-to policy support, just like Cedefop did.In putting more emphasis on coopera-tion with the research community wewere, however, able to deepen contenton several issues: guidance, in cooper-ation with OECD and ETF, transparen-cy, the validation of non-formal learn-ing, funding and investment in hu-man resources. These are all issues wewere working on before they becamepolitical issues. Our research work al-lowed the debate to become deeper bycollecting the evidence that supportedpolicy. So you could say that Cedefophelped create the necessary conditionsfor the policy. Today the idea of moreinvestment in human resources and es-pecially in continuing VET is acceptedby the Council, though it met with someresistance when we first proposed it.Well, the reality is that we can bring theCouncil to new policy ideas, but we can’tmake them drink!

What helped Cedefop make a con-tribution was the fact that we estab-lished our own medium-term priorities.This allowed us to pay consistent at-tention to certain developments in amore structured way. In the beginningthe Commission used to call us and ask‘can you do this, or that’ - usually thingsthey were supposed to do and hadn’t,so they asked us to do them at the lastminute! This was no way to be efficient.The MTPs helped us focus on our owngoals.

When I first arrived, some people inBrussels had quite a low opinion of Cede-fop but we’ve overcome that and man-aged to win respect. Nowadays we don’thave to ask any more how we can beuseful. Demand for our services is grow-ing and I have a feeling that we’ve foundour place as the reference centre for vo-cational education and training in Europe.

The current medium-term prioritiesrun until 2008. The role of Cedefop forevidence-based policy, related to Lisbon-Copenhagen, is clear for that period;the Finnish presidency of 2006 is alreadyincorporating our work into their plan-ning. So I expect Cedefop will contin-

ue to play its well-defined role in theforeseeable future. In general I think Ihand over the agency in much bettershape than I found it -also internally, byreorganising and creating the areas, etc.Although of course it could always func-tion, say, 10-20% better.

Do you think the Lisbon goals arewithin our grasp?

(Thinks for a moment) Yes, well....It’sgoing to be difficult, I must say. If weare to reach the objective, we will needdramatic changes, dramatic progress.The level now varies very much betweencountries. For instance in Portugal 80%of the workforce is low-skilled, so Por-tugal has more distance to cover thanother Member States. But even if wetake the EU generally, there are 80 mil-lion low-skilled people. Of course weneed low-skilled people in the futuretoo, but still the demand for this groupis dramatically in decline. First of all weneed to analyse the low-skilled muchbetter, because there are many kinds,and this process is very slow. Secondlywe need to double the high-skilled workforce - people with tertiary education -if we are to catch up with our main com-petitors. And of course you can’t bringthe low-skilled up to tertiary level im-mediately. The middle part is strong inthe EU, because VET in Europe is, well,not too bad! At any rate we have a se-rious gap in tertiary education whichcan be addressed in two ways - you caneither import people or educate yourown workforce. But a gap of, say, 40million people can’t be covered by mod-erated immigration, you must find themain body within your own workforce.

The Management Board - now theGoverning Board - of Cedefop in-volves governments, social partnersand the Commission. How much ofa balancing act does this involve forthe Director?

When I started, relationships werenot very good with anybody! As theCommission is the main motor of poli-cy development, I did everything to im-prove our relationship with the Com-mission. Within the Commission therewere some people who were very com-mitted to helping Cedefop with themove and with getting off the groundat its new seat. We also established clos-er and better links with the Directors-General of Vocational Training in theMember States (DGVT). Actually, in thevarious groups and committees relatedto the Commission often there were thesame people. I also established fruitfulrelationships with the group represent-ing the governments. It turned out thatthe relationship with the social partnerscould have been better, despite the factthat I had been involved from the be-

ginning with this process of integratingthe social partners - imagine, I had beenat the first Val Duchesse meeting withJacques Delors ... I have always beenconvinced of the importance of the roleof the social partners in VET, but I haveto say that their involvement in our workand their profit from our services havenot always corresponded to their inter-est in them. I think this is partly dueto a lack of infrastructure: they oftendo not have the human resources with-in their organisations to be part of theprocess, the way the Commission or theMember States can.

The sectoral approach to vocationaltraining is also very important. For in-stance, to fix a BMW in a garage any-where in Europe you must have the sameknowledge and qualifications. So I feelthis approach should be emphasised.

But this sector approach is not alwaysappreciated by the employers’ organi-sations, maybe because they are a con-federation of national organisations incontradistinction to the ETUC... I see somany dispersed developments - even inLeonardo projects. Similar developmentsin a sector are not being integratedinto a common policy framework. Buthaving a framework is important to avoidrepetition of effort - to avoid re-inventingthe wheel. Policy development has tobecome more efficient and effective.

Which aspect of your time at Cede-fop are you most satisfied with?

Mostly I’m happy with my time inCedefop, though I must say it’s been atough job. There were several develop-ments which were carried out success-fully - the transfer from Berlin to Thes-saloniki was the first. I have to tell you,when I arrived in Berlin to oversee the

transfer I said to the staff, well, we’removing somewhere with 320 days ofsunshine a year. Unfortunately our firstwinter was very rainy, and I found my-self being blamed even for the weath-er! But anyway, the transfer was suc-cessful and so was the move to the newbuilding, as well as organisational de-velopment. Cedefop has doubled itsstaff and is attracting more people. WhatI think should change is that we needto devote more human resources to de-veloping content. What happened orig-inally at Cedefop is similar to what hap-pens also at the Commission: policyanalysis is sent it out to external experts.But you should really be analysing con-tent yourself, and establishing betterlinks with the research world, whichin turn should have a VET research agen-da for the future.

The other development is that we’vechanged the way we communicate withour clients, by developing electronicmeans and networks. This allows usto serve all our dispersed clients direct-ly. I think there will be even more em-phasis on thematic networking in thefuture and on finalising our knowledgemanagement system.

So, yes, I am happy with many things.The single most important one? I wouldsay: Cedefop has found its place in theVET landscape. It is recognised and re-warded for this, thanks to our commonefforts in Thessaloniki. And as my son,who is a businessman, always remindsme, it’s essential to leave a well-runningorganisation to your successor. Lookingat the cooperative spirit here at Cede-fop, I feel I have achieved that.

In the coming years I think we needto develop further our thematic net-works. They provide the basis for ourpolicy support and reference activities.Also, we should further improve thelinks between research and policy mak-ing. This does not only concern Cede-fop itself, but also the Commission. Ithink my successor will have to fur-ther improve our relations with researchand to attach more experts to Cedefop.We should have at least two high-levelexperts for each major theme.

In view of your frequent trips to Brus-sels in order to fulfil your tasks, canwe still make a case for decentralisedorganisations?

Well, you’re not in the heat of thepolicy development and that’s an ad-vantage - you can see things differ-ently from a distance... Also, you rep-resent the EU in the country you arebased in, which is important. I thinkCedefop’s presence was very importantin creating awareness and interest indeveloping VET in Greece. Greek au-thorities and institutions have used ourservices from the beginning, though ofcourse it could be even better. Another

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advantage is that, via our electronic net-works, we communicate directly withour partners and clients anyway. Here,our decentralised position is rather help-ful and helps avoid unnecessary back-and-forth between the citizen, ourselves,and the Commission. A negative aspectof decentralisation is the time consumedin travel - not just for me, for all of us.Another problem is the fact that the 23decentralised agencies have to applythe same rules as the big Institutions,which does not always favour effi-ciency - it makes everything very ‘heavy’....so many administrative rules!

What is the single most importantthing to know when leading a mul-ticultural organisation?

I’m always discussing such matterswith my family, e.g. my daughter whois Deputy Head of Human Relations inIBM The Netherlands - I was surprisedthat American informality has extend-ed there to the use of the familiar formeven in interviews for prospective staff,which I found very different. But I havefound that making a new synthesis inmanagement style is difficult, and I don’tthink it’s just me being Dutch and manymembers of staff being Greek....

It’s true that sometimes it’s lonelywhen you are the one making the de-cisions and being responsible for financesetc. I feel that I could perhaps haveinvested more in personal relations, butit’s difficult when you also have to some-how keep a distance from everyone...Well,there’s football! We play as a team twicea week, and it’s been a good way to getto know people better. But I have to ad-mit, I still wonder, after 10 years, whatthe right attitude would have been...Despite all these questions, I have to saythat you really learn a lot in a multicul-tural environment. It’s very pleasant,and I feel it has been a privilege to workin this kind of ‘mosaic’.

There’s an increased emphasis in re-cent years on mobility, on ‘learningby leaving’. Personally, what haveyou learned by coming to Greece?

For me, coming here has been veryinstructive. I must say we were well-re-

ceived by the Greek authorities. We havevery good working conditions here,we’ve had a lot of support. So hospi-tality is quite good. Integration is an-other matter. I have the feeling thatmost of our staff here are more con-nected to each other than integrated inthe wider society, but I suppose this isthe typical ‘expat’ experience. I haveread a lot on Greek history, I’m very in-terested in the region and I think any-one coming to live here should be in-terested - if you’re not interested in theregion and the country, you don’t func-tion well. But still, as anywhere it takeseffort to meet people outside your workenvironment. Admittedly, I didn’t havetime to learn Greek when I first arrived,so I don’t speak it. My wife, on the oth-er hand, who speaks and writes quitewell, feels much more integrated. I haveto say that Greece is a wonderful coun-try to live in, and we will take fond mem-ories of our years here.

Once, I was introduced at a meetingof the Social Affairs Committee by theDutch Chairman, Mr Bouwman, and hesaid jokingly that I must be half-Greekby now. I replied then that I felt that byliving in Greece and being in CedefopI had become a more complete Euro-pean. And I still would say that.

Interview conducted by Corinna Frey and Ioanna Nezi

Dear ReadersThis is a year of landmarks for Cede-

fop - and for both the Centre and me per-sonally, a year of transition. Our 30th an-niversary, and the 10th anniversary ofour move to Greece, coincide with my lastmonths at the Centre. So it is not with-out emotion that I address this last Letterfrom the Director to you, the readers ofCedefop Info. It has been an exciting andrewarding ten years. I hope that in the in-terview conducted by Corinna Frey andIoanna Nezi, the new co-editors of Cede-fop Info, I have succeeded in giving youan impression, however limited, of thesweeping developments of the past decade.

The year’s festivities started with theanniversary of the Community Study VisitsProgramme, which celebrated 20 suc-cessful years of helping vocational train-ing professionals travel to see how thingsare developing in other countries. A prac-tical manifestation of Cedefop’s work onmobility, Study Visits today boasts morethan 700 participants per year, 31 partic-ipating countries, and an exploration ofall the themes on the European agenda,from questions of lifelong learning throughthe expansion of ICT to participation of

social partners in learning. You can readmore on the Study Visits anniversary events- which focused on travel, learning abroadand the mutual enrichment of Euro-pean countries - on pages 15 and 16.

As for Cedefop’s birthday party, I ex-pect it shall be the last such event I willparticipate in as Director. Scheduled for 8September, the anniversary conferencewill bring together the Commissioner forEducation, Ján FigelI, and prominent mem-bers of the European education and train-ing community in a celebration and af-firmation of Cedefop’s subtle but im-portant contribution to the developmentof vocational training and Europe-wideworker and student mobility over threedecades, and highlight the work we haveaccomplished here in Greece. There willbe a session on the history of vocationaltraining and lifelong learning, and anotheron the value of learning for society andthe economy. Cedefop Info will report onthis event in its last issue of the year.

Beyond anniversaries and landmarkslife goes on; planning for Cedefop’s fu-ture continues in the shape of our medi-um-term priorities. Establishing suchpriorities has been an important way of

keeping the work of the Centre focusedthroughout a multiplicity of tasks and re-sponding to several partners. For the nextthree years, our efforts will mostly be di-rected towards the implementation of theLisbon goals. This will require a seriouscommon European effort at all levels butespecially in the Member States whichhave to speed up innovation drastically toreach the commonly agreed objectives.

It has been a pleasure to inform youfrom this space about our activities andabout the work of others, within and be-yond the EU. In the hope that I have thusmade a small contribution to building thehouse of Europe, and in the knowledgethat this work will be taken up by thosewho succeed me, I now take my leaveand wish you all the very best.

Johan van RensMay 2005

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Contents Austria 15 ñ Belgium 7, 8, 11, 15 ñ Cyprus 10 ñ Czech Republic 7 ñ Denmark 12 ñ Estonia 11 ñFinland 6 ñ France 13, 14 ñ Germany 9, 12 ñ Hungary 10 ñ Italy 9 ñ Lithuania 8, 11, 14 ñ Poland14 ñ Portugal 10 ñ Spain 10 ñ United Kingdom 8, 13

Cedefop/Europe 1-7‘ ... it takes 7 - 8 years to develop an idea into something useful’ ñ A moving experience for Euro-peans ñ Letter from the Director ñ Supporting mobility: towards a European qualifications frameworkñ Leonardo agri-food projects neglect the sectoral approach ñ The backbone of our work: the newmedium term priorities ñ The value of training abroad: a new publication ñ Europe/Cedefop/ETF: ‘Pol-icy learning rather than policy copying’ ñ Leonardo da Vinci /Finland: A new resource on multicul-tural guidance ñ What’s holding e-learning back?

Internationalisation of VET 7Czech Republic: National Europass Centre begins work ñ Belgium: Bilateral cooperation with Tunisia:sustainable cooperation outcomes

Lifelong learning 8Belgium: Lifelong learning becomes more accessible in Flanders ñ Lithuania: Adult education devel-ops civic dialogue

Education policy 8-10United Kingdom: A new White Paper on skills ñ Italy: Regional and national legislative power un-der the labour market reform ñ Italy: The new obligation of training and school/work alternance ñGermany: Reform with risks and side-effects ñ Spain: Vocational training in the Basque Country ñCyprus: Education reform widely debated ñ Portugal: CNAEF - National Classification of TrainingAreas

Vocational education and training 10-11Hungary: Moving towards modular vocational training ñ Estonia: Apprenticeships: a new hands-onapproach to training ñ Lithuania: Shareholders run vocational schools ñ Belgium: Towards a mixedmode of management of the Flemish job market in Flanders

Initial vocational training 12Germany: Pioneering spirit in a critical situation ñ Germany: Trained to make coffee? The black sheepof the training market ñ Denmark: Reintroducing traditional apprenticeship

Employment policy 13-14United Kingdom: Towards a more inclusive labour market in the UK ñ France: Action plans pro-mote a genuine dialogue on employment and training ñ France: Personal services: 500 000 jobs tobe created within three years

Vocational Guidance 14Lithuania: New service provides in-depth vocational counselling

Social partners 14Poland: Social Partners take the initiative

Special target groups 15Belgium: A woman’s touch for the technical industries ñ Austria: Programme to combat gender stereo-typing in careers choice

Study visits corner 15-16Cedefop: 1985-2005: 20 years of study visits

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Cedefop Info is published in DE, EN, FR and con-tains information on vocational training in Europe,in particular the findings of work carried out byCedefop and reports from the social partners andthe Member States. It is provided free of chargeupon request. Cedefop Info is also available on theInternet (http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/etv/ pub-lication/publications.asp? section=24). The elec-tronic version often contains additional items forwhich there was no space in the printed version. The contents have been selected and edited byCedefop staff. Articles do not necessarily reflectthe views of Cedefop. Articles concerning activi-ties and events at EU level and particularly thoseinvolving Cedefop are usually written by Cedefopcolleagues. Their names and contact addresses aregiven. Most of the articles concerning the Mem-ber States or other EEA countries have been sub-mitted to Cedefop by the members of ReferNet(see Cedefop Info 2/2002). Contact informationfor these, including names and addresses, e-mailsand web sites, can be found at http://www.cede-fop.eu.int/directory. asp?refernet. Articles con-cerning the Candidate Countries have been sub-mitted through the European Training Foundation(ETF) by its network of National Observatories.

Unsolicited manuscripts, books and other materi-al will be carefully examined and assessed. Requests

for contacts, news of forthcoming conferences andother information would be welcomed. For the ac-curacy of these, however, Cedefop bears no re-sponsibility. Reproduction in whole or in part of thecontents of this publication is authorized, provid-ed that the source is acknowledged.

Responsible publisher: Johan van Rens, Director Christian Lettmayr, Deputy Director

Editors:Corinna Frey, cf@cedefop.eu.intIoanna Nezi, ine@cedefop.eu.intPhilippe Tissot, pht@cedefop.eu.int

Coordination: Corinna Frey, Dagmar Wolny

Responsible for translation:David Crabbe

Layout/Design: Panos Haramoglou, M. Diamantidi S.A.Thessaloniki, Greece

Editorial deadline: 31.5.2005Printed in Spain 2005Cat. number: TI-AD-05-002-EN-C

Europe 123,GR-570 01 Thessaloniki (Pylea)Postal address: PO Box 22427GR551 02 ThessalonikiTel. (30) 23 10 49 01 11Fax (30) 23 10 49 00 20E-mail: info@cedefop.eu.intHomepage: www.cedefop.eu.intInteractive website: www.trainingvillage.gr

Brussels Office20, Av. d'AuderghemB-1040 BrusselsTel. (322) 230 19 78Fax (322) 230 58 24E-mail: info.be@cedefop.eu.int

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Developing a coherent, overarchingEuropean qualifications frameworkis a key step toward achieving theeducation and training objectives ofthe Lisbon goals.

In its November 2003 Communica-tion, the Commission pointed out thatthere is a need to better integrate voca-tional education and training with high-er education, and recommended the es-tablishment of an overarching Europeanqualifications framework. Such a frame-work could accomplish several things:more effective education and training in-vestments, greater equality of access foreducation and training, and the devel-opment of a truly European-wide labourmarket. Moreover, the mutual recogni-tion of qualifications would underpinmobility, thus strengthening Europeancitizenship and civil society.

A European Qualifications Frameworkshould include: ñ a single transparency structure (thenew ‘Europass’);ñ common principles for the validationof non-formal and informal learning (1);ñ a definition of key skills on which thesuccessful outcome of further learningdepends (2);ñ the definition of the skills and quali-fications that will enable teachers andtrainers to fulfil their new roles (3) ;ñ the basic principles for a mobility thatworks (4).

In 2001, Cedefop launched a study ofEuropean structures of qualification lev-els (5). Apart from disparities betweenMember States, the study showed thatno country used a single set of qualifi-cation levels to certify learning and workexperience. To streamline the situation,three technical work groups were es-tablished, on quality assurance, valida-tion of non-formal learning and credittransfer. The latter focused on devel-oping new approaches to qualificationlevel frameworks in order to make cred-it transfer easier. The work group con-cluded that an overarching Europeanqualification framework was a prereq-uisite to creating a credit transfer systemfor VET. However, such a framework can-not be expected to mirror every region-al, sectoral or occupation-specific situa-

tion; what is needed, according to thework group, is to establish a frameworkof common references and to develop‘zones of mutual trust’ - a theme onwhich Cedefop conducted a study in2004.

As a result of the work of these threegroups, in 2004 the Council and the Euro-pean Parliament adopted a proposal fora single framework for the transparen-cy of qualifications and competences(Europass) (6), a common quality assur-ance framework for VET, and commonprinciples for the validation of non-for-mal and informal learning. In addition,a Directive on the recognition of pro-fessional qualifications (7) was agreed bythe Council and the European Parliamentin May 2004.

The Commission is determined to doeverything possible to achieve a Euro-pean qualifications framework in 2005and expects no less from the MemberStates. At the review of progress madeon Lisbon targets in March 2005, theEuropean Council pointed to ‘the im-portance of disseminating the Europassand of adopting the Directive on recog-nition of professional qualifications in2005 and a European qualifications frame-work in 2006.’ (point 35 of the Luxem-bourg Presidency conclusions).

An expert working group, establishedin November 2004 and representing bothhigher education and VET, was entrust-ed with developing a blueprint for a Euro-pean qualifications framework (EQF). Thegroup produced a working paper es-tablishing the main purposes and ref-erences for such a framework, which itpresented at the Bologna Group meet-ing of ministers in Bergen (May 2005).The Bologna process has come to simi-lar conclusions, recently proposing to setup a higher education qualificationsframework (8); developments in highereducation and in VET should be com-patible with each other and successful-ly integrate lifelong, non-formal and in-formal learning.

Extensive consultations with stake-holders and Member States on the EQFare to be held in the second half of 2005,allowing a formal proposal to be sub-mitted to the European Parliament andCouncil in early 2006.

The EQF functions as a meta-frame-work: it fulfills tasks that are differentfrom those of national and sector frame-works. To accommodate the great vari-ety of situations, it was agreed to basethe EQF on descriptors for learning out-comes rather than for kinds of provisionor for education and training institutionsor learning modes. This should allow bothemployees and employers to understandhow various learning activities contributeto competence in real working envi-ronments.

The instruments of the EQF will in-clude: ñ the European Credit Transfer System(ECTS and ECVET), to allow accumula-tion and transfer of learning credits re-gardless of where, how and when learn-ing took place;ñ certificate supplements;ñ a common CV format, available in allCommunity languages;ñ principles for the validation of non-formal and informal learning;ñ a quality assurance framework;ñ a guidance handbook for both youngpeople and adults.

The EQF should enable comparisonswithin the whole range of systems andindividual circumstances. On the otherhand, it will leave specific qualificationsto national or sector-specific qualifica-tion frameworks and will not bear judge-ment on legal, financial or quality issues.

In 2005, the working group on cred-it transfer is continuing its elaborationof the scheme proposed in 2004 (see

http://trainingvillage.communities.gr/credittransfer). Thanks to its efforts, it isexpected that by 2006 the EuropeanCommission will be proposing a com-prehensive European Qualifications andCredit Framework, in line with the con-clusions drawn in the Maastricht Com-muniqué.

(1) European framework for the validation of non-formal and informallearning - Copenhagen Declaration of 90 November 2002.(2) Development of a common framework of key skills, cg. Conclusionsof the Lisbon European Council and the report of the correspondingworking group (Working Group B of ‘Education & Training 2010’).(3) European framework for the skills and qualifications of teachers,Communication on lifelong learning and report of the correspondingworking group (Working Group A of ‘Education & Training 2010’).(4) Charter on the quality of mobility. Cf. conclusions of thecorresponding working group (Working Group F of ‘Education &Training 2010’).(5) Cedefop (2001): European structures of qualification levels, 3volumes, Luxembourg.(6) Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of theCouncil on a single framework for the transparency of qualificationsand competences. COM (2003) 796 final of 17th December 2003.(7) See common position published in the OJ of the EU in December2004.(8) See the report from March 2005 made available in the Credit transferVC.

Source: Cedefop/bs

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Supporting mobility: towards a European qualifications framework

During late 2004 and early 2005, Cede-fop’s Area C conducted a study of therepresentation and involvement of sec-toral organisations in sixty Leonardo daVinci projects in the agri-food and envi-ronment sectors. Two types of analysiswere performed - a survey of all sixty pro-jects and an in-depth analysis of six cas-es. The projects were categorised ac-cording to the level at which sectoral or-ganisations would need to be involvedto achieve the desired results.

The involvement of social partner or-ganisations was approximated by theirrepresentation in the project partnership(which consisted of promoter organi-sations and partners). The number ofpartners per project varied from 4 to 25,so there were projects with only a fewpartners and projects with a very largenumber of partners covering a large partof the EU.

The hypothesis in this study was thatthe closer project results were linked tothe labour market, the stronger the in-volvement of social partners. However,in examining the Leonardo da Vinci pro-jects we concluded that that there is infact no such correlation. One would ex-pect that projects whose stated goalsclearly call for the participation of sec-toral organisations in the project part-

nerships would actually include such sec-toral organisations. This appeared not tobe the case.

Of course, representation does not au-tomatically imply active and effective par-ticipation. Nor does low representationof social partner organisations neces-sarily mean that the partners involvedhave little effect. A low representationof sectoral organisations in the projectpartnership also does not necessarilymean that the project partnership can-not work with sectoral organisations thatare not formally included in the project;the team can search for cooperation withother sectoral organisations during thecourse of a project. However, becauseof their limited resources, sectoral or-ganisations are more likely to be moti-vated to cooperate with the team if theyare involved in the project partnership.

Further information: Martin Mulder (mmu@cedefop.eu.int; martin.mulder@wur.nl).Cedefop/Martin Mulder/Olimpia Gaspari

Source: mmu

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CEDEFOP/EU

Leonardo agri-food projects neglect thesectoral approach

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5cedefopinfo 2/2005

In May 2005 Cedefop’s Governing Boarddecided on new medium term priorities (MTPs)which will guide Cedefop’s work duringthe coming years and inform its work pro-grammes of 2006, 2007, 2008 (with a mid-term assessment in 2007).

The medium term priorities address the fo-cal points on which the work of Cedefop con-centrates during a given period. They providecontinuity between annual work programmesby making sure important themes are cov-ered from one year to the next. The themesof the MTPs take their cue from developmentsin the EU at large - after all, Cedefop’s statu-tory role is to provide information and to re-port on and analyse developments in theMember States and at the European level.

During the coming period, Cedefop willcontinue to focus on the goals of the LisbonStrategy and of the contribution of the Cen-tre. Cedefop will support implementation ofthe objectives and priorities set for vocationaleducation and training in the CopenhagenDeclaration (2002) and the Maastricht Com-muniqué (2004).

In terms of vocational education and train-ing, the overall strategic objective of the EU- and thus of Cedefop - is the lifelong de-velopment of skills and qualifications. Keychallenges facing vocational education andtraining in Europe, and the correspondingpriorities Cedefop is setting itself for this pe-riod, are: ñ Upskilling European populations by pro-viding lifelong guidance and counselling, pre-venting and reducing school dropout, analysingthe characteristics of low-skilled groups / peo-ple and providing targeted learning measures.

Medium-term priority: addressing the needsof the low-skilled and disadvantaged groups:ñ Strengthening all levels of VET, in partic-ular by providing more flexible and perme-able education and training routes, estab-lishing stronger links with higher educa-tion, and promoting lifelong learning pactswith social partners.

Medium-term priority: promoting the im-age and attractiveness of VET for employ-ers and individuals: ñ Recognising skills acquired in differentways and improving transparency and mo-bility by means of the Europass, credit sys-tem, and a European qualifications frame-work.

Medium-term priority: linking VET to the

demand for a highly skilled workforce, es-pecially by upgrading older workers: ñ Fostering investment in human capital andtraining, ensuring quality and promotinginnovation, including the improvement ofstatus and roles of teachers and trainers inVET.

Medium-term priority: achieving high lev-els of quality and innovation in the VET sys-tem.

The above priorities will be embedded inall activities, area plans and individual workplans within Cedefop, but approached fromdifferent angles. To take one example, thesecond priority, ‘promoting the image andattractiveness of the vocational route for em-ployers and individuals’ will be pursued invarious ways, including the following:

a) by providing relevant research results(including on labour market developments),analysing the participation of various targetgroups in VET and identifying obstacles tolearning: this is the task of Cedefop’s Area A(Research;)

b) by helping the Commission promote theEuropean Qualifications Framework and in-crease the visibility of vocational training cur-ricula through use of the Europass: this fallsunder Area B (Reporting on VET);

c) by organising debates and exchangesthrough the Study Visits Programme, pro-moting social partner participation in the vis-its and disseminating the results of Leonar-do da Vinci programmes: these tasks belongto Area C (Exchange and supporting part-ners).

As part of the transversal service that dis-seminates the results of this work, CedefopInfo encourages its collaborators to focus onthese issues in their reports. This will help allof us place developments across Europe with-in the EU’s strategic aims and concentrate allour efforts on achieving our common goals.

Source: Cedefop/cf/ine

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CEDEFOP

The backbone of our work: the new mediumterm priorities

Placements abroad for purposesof vocational training have grownexponentially over the last decadeand are set to expand still further. Ithas been estimated that some 175000 people from 17 countries (theEU-15, Norway and Iceland) take upsuch placements annually within theLeonardo da Vinci or other pro-grammes, or on their own initiative.This growing phenomenon has sofar gone largely unstudied by edu-cational research - until today.

Søren Kristensen’s publication forCedefop, Learning by leaving: Place-ments abroad as a didactic tool inthe context of vocational educationand training in Europe, argues thatthe growth of placements abroad isno isolated phenomenon but partand parcel of a new pedagogy forthe knowledge society - one that isconstructivist rather than behav-iourist.

The first part of the study assess-es the scope of related activitiesacross Europe and discusses the var-ious discourses at play. The secondgauges the learning potential ofplacements abroad. The author con-cludes that training abroad can bea powerful didactic tool, especiallyfor developing individuals’ capacityfor managing change in career, tech-nology and work organisation. ‘Train-ing abroad exposes the participantto diversity and change that is toogreat to be ignored and forces thetrainee to enter into a constructivedialogue with the new situation’.

But this learning potential will notunfold automatically: it is contin-gent upon learning situations. Norcan placements abroad be shoe-horned into standard training for-mats. For placements abroad tobe effective, the author suggests,they should focus on pedagogicrather than political value and must

be accompanied by measures al-lowing to be recognised skills ac-quired abroad.

Learning by leaving Placements abroad as adidactic tool in the context ofvocational education andtraining in EuropeCedefop Reference series3038Catalogue no.:TI-57-03-508-EN-CEUR 25May be obtained from theEU sales offices

Source: Cedefop

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CEDEFOP

The value of training abroad: a newpublication

Dear Cedefop Info readersand friends,

The time has come for me tobid farewell. After ten and a halfyears as Deputy Director of theCentre, it is virtually impossiblefor me to describe all my feelings,impressions and experiences over

the years in a few lines.But let me share this much with you: My own per-

sonal adventure with Cedefop started a quarter of acentury ago. I entered the Centre’s premises in Berlinfor the first time in July 1980 while conducting researchon international and European literature for my doc-torate. By the time I was appointed Deputy Director14 years later, many years of cooperation and ties laybehind us. The decade which followed was full of ma-jor challenges and significant events. The Centre movedtwice, first from Berlin to Thessaloniki and, a few years

later, from temporary premises to our new building.All this meant coping with a flood of technical and or-ganisational problems, and involved a fundamentalrestructuring and diversification of the Centre’s tasks.These tasks marked our path together.

All in all, Cedefop has turned its adventure intoa success story. The Centre’s visibility and reputationamong a wider European public, as well as its in-fluence on the development of VET in Europe, aregreater today than ever. I would like to express mythanks not only to the Centre’s staff, but also to you,the readers of its publications; and to those who asobservers, users or external staff have made valuablecontributions and offered constructive criticism tohelp Cedefop maintain the acknowledged high qual-ity of its products and services over the years.

It is up to others to judge my particular contributionto this success, as well as my responsibility for anumber of the Centre’s less felicitous efforts. As a

native of Thessaloniki, I took on most of the respon-sibility for the integration of the Centre into its newsurroundings. At the same time, on the basis of mystudies and professional experience my main role fo-cused on the content of the Centre’s work. I have al-ways regarded my role here as a stroke of good for-tune - as both an honour and a challenge. So for methe Centre has been a path to self-fulfilment. And forthis I will always be grateful.

I would like to thank you for your loyalty and for theenthusiasm with which many of you have disseminat-ed the knowledge compiled and processed by the Cen-tre over the years, enriching it with your own experi-ence.

Wishing you all the very best, I look forward to thepleasure of meeting you again.

Dr Stavros Stavrou, former Deputy Director of Cedefop (e-mail: sts@the.forthnet.gr)

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...is ETF’s approach towards vocational training re-form in their partner countries, Cedefop staff recent-ly learned in a knowledge-sharing seminar. This sem-inar tied in with Training for employability, a workshoporganised by the European Training Foundation (ETF)and the Stability Pact in association with the OECD.The event offered Cedefop staff the opportunity to en-hance their awareness of vocational training and labourmarket challenges facing South Eastern Europe today.

Peer learning: ETF and CedefopThanks to last year’s enlargement of the EU and the

need to further the Lisbon agenda in education andtraining, the staff of the ETF and Cedefop are becom-ing increasingly interested in each other’s work, de-spite the agencies’ different target countries and re-mits.

In helping to prepare candidate countries for ac-cession to the EU, and thus also to Cedefop’s network,ETF colleagues accumulate knowledge and expertiseregarding the training and labour market challengesfacing these countries, as well as their good practices.With Cedefop’s expertise in VET research, policies anddevelopments within the EU, it is clear the two sisterorganisations have much to learn from each other.

Last April’s meeting was a unique opportunity forCedefop staff to learn more about the challenges fac-ing South Eastern European countries in terms of howto use education and training to improve employabil-ity and entrepreneurship. ETF colleagues presentedlabour market issues in the Western Balkans based onreviews they have carried out upon request from DGEnlargement. The recently launched initiative to dis-seminate information on priorities and commonprinciples for vocational education and training with-in the EU-25 (Copenhagen Process) introduces partnercountries into the working methods used in this frame-work, which are: define priority areas, develop strate-gies, coordinate initiatives, involve stakeholders (par-ticularly social partners), and promote mutual learn-ing, e.g. through peer reviews on specific issues. Th-ese are only some of the ways in which the ETF helpspartner countries contribute to the Lisbon goals throughvocational training. In the course of the seminar, thedetailed information on ETF’s cooperation with Turkeytriggered off lively discussions on the status and dif-ferent concepts of vocational education and training,and on the challenges raised by administrative struc-tures and economic disparities.

A brief summary of the issuesAs a general rule, ETF promotes human resource de-

velopment in a way that takes into account the par-ticular circumstances of each country. Simply transfer-ring concepts from outside can be counterproductive(e.g. setting up apprenticeship in a country that tradi-tionally has a strong school-based system and wherecompanies show no enthusiasm in investing in train-ing; or shifting all vocational education to tertiarylevel in a country that has a long-standing tradition inVET at secondary level). It is vital to take into accounta country’s own socio-economic reality, institutionalstructures and education and training tradition. For thisreason, ETF colleagues advocate policy learning ratherthan policy copying.

Educational attainment at secondary level in theWestern Balkan countries is similar to the EU average.But developing the skills of adults (and thus enhanc-ing their employability) is largely neglected. Voca-tional education and training lags behind general ed-ucation, with the result that labour market prospectsare better for higher education graduates. Duringthe war and subsequent periods of instability, skills de-velopment and modernisation of education came to astandstill, especially vocational education and trainingat secondary level.

Factors that could improve the effectiveness of na-

tional policy are the regional exchange of informationand experience, peer reviews and partnerships, thepre-accession experience of the new Member Statesand an enhanced awareness of EU policies. Within theStability Pact, the Ministers of Education of SouthEastern European countries have committed to edu-cational reform and regional cooperation with the in-tention of following European developments (Me-morandum of Understanding, Nicosia 2003). ETF hasasked participating countries to focus on one or twopriorities in developing their action plans. So far qual-ity assurance, developing national qualification frame-works, lifelong guidance and transparency have emergedas the main priorities. These goals represent majorchallenges as these countries lack financial and hu-man resources, coordination between ministries is notyet well developed, and social partner involvementis still very low.

Discussion between all stakeholders necessary The necessity of dialogue with all stakeholders

was pointed out by a participant in a workshop on im-proving skills in order to attract investment and increaseemployment in South Eastern Europe. The work-shop, which followed the knowledge-sharing seminar,was part of a series of activities on ‘Enterprise devel-opment and employment generation’.

The event enabled representatives of economy, labourand education ministries, the private sector, social part-ners and donor organisations to exchange views andexperience across national boundaries and outside theirtraditional networks.

The observer’s perspectiveAt first sight, the issues discussed resemble those

debated by the EU-25 within the Copenhagen Process(see Cedefop Info 1/2005). A closer look reveals twomajor differences between the EU-25 and the coun-tries of South Eastern Europe: political instability, andeconomies still characterised by a high share of publicemployment and a large informal sector. Unemploy-ment rates remain persistently high. Attracting directforeign investment is a challenge, especially as thesecountries have not yet identified the economic sectorsin which they could be competitive and which theyshould therefore give priority to. And though employ-ers and potential investors lack a clear picture of theskills on offer, they have nonetheless identified a‘soft skills’ deficit, i.e. a lack of analytical ability, team-work and adaptability; but also deficiencies in attitudesto work and in corporate social responsibility.

Donors support national, regional and local stake-holders in activities ranging from reviewing legal frame-works, reforming curricula and developing qualifica-tion frameworks to encouraging enterprises and gen-erating employment. But launching a multitude of pro-jects is not enough. Countries need to develop the ca-

pacity to get stakeholders involved, monitor imple-mentation and absorb benefits. To achieve this, coun-tries aim to link donor initiatives to national and re-gional policy development. This requires dialogue andconcerted action between donor organisations and lo-cal stakeholders, with clearly defined responsibilities.

A noteworthy aspect of this workshop was theoptimism, spirit of community and eagerness to go be-yond the official agenda shown by representatives ofcountries that were until recently hostile to one an-other.

Source: Cedefop/RBR, EWS

For further information on the workshop Training for employability. Attracting investment andincreasing employment in South Eastern Europe by enhancing labour force skills, Thessaloniki 21-22 April 2005 consult:www.etf.eu.intwww.stabilitypact.org.

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‘Policy learning rather than policy copying’

6

The Centre for Inter-national Mobility (CIMO)in Helsinki in cooperationwith Finnish and inter-national experts has pub-lished the first ever hand-book on multiculturalcounselling in Europe.Multicultural Guidanceand Counselling - Theo-retical Foundations andBest Practices in Europeaims to provide counsel-

lors working with immigrants and ethnic minoritieswith information on relevant theories, methods andpractices applied across Europe.

Chapters cover the conceptual and philosophicalfoundations, approaches and methods, and best prac-tices of multicultural counselling, and include such top-ics as counselling for immigrant children in educationalinstitutions, counselling and therapy for war survivors,and helping immigrants adapt to working life. To fa-miliarise the reader with the ideas and methods dis-cussed in the handbook, each chapter ends with aquestions and tasks section.

The handbook, released in March 2005, is availablefree of charge as a pdf-publication (375 pages) onCIMO´s homepage www.cimo.fi/english | Publications.

This publication has been funded by the Leonardoda Vinci Programme, CIMO, the Finnish Ministry ofLabour and the Finnish National Board of Education.

For further information, contact the editors, Mr Mika Launikari, CIMO (mika.launikari@cimo.fi)and Dr Sauli Puukari, University of Jyväskylä (puukari@edu.jyu.fi).

Source: CIMO

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A new resource on multicul-tural guidance

Stability PactThe Stability Pact is a political declaration of com-

mitment and a framework agreement on interna-tional cooperation to develop a shared strategyamong all partners for stability and growth in SouthEastern Europe. It is an EU initiative adopted in 1999.At regional and working tables, representatives ofSouth Eastern European countries are on an equalfooting with those of international organisationsand financial institutions in advising on the futureof their region and in setting priorities concerningthe content of the working areas. Two of the work-ing tables deal with education and training issues.

Further information:www.stabilitypact.orgwww.stabilitypact.org/education/default.aspwww.stabilitypact.org/edeg/default.aspSouth Eastern European Educational Co-operation Network (SEE-ECN): www.see-educoop.net

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7cedefopinfo 2/2005

Final report on e-learning for continuing voca-tional training in SMEs suggests ways to removebarriers

‘E-learning in continuing vocational training, par-ticularly at the workplace, with emphasis on Small andMedium Enterprises’, published in March 2005, is partof a study commissioned by the Directorate Generalfor Education and Culture to ‘assess the current situ-ation and analyse and understand the...barriers hin-dering the full blossoming of e-learning in the worldof work, with particular emphasis on SMEs, and to for-mulate recommendations for action in order to over-come the problems...identified’. A survey was launchedto get a direct response from SMEs - which represent99 % of all European enterprises - regarding the op-portunities e-learning offers and the barriers compa-nies encounter in implementing it.

After examining information technology use andtraining patterns in SMEs, the study identifies threemain obstacles to e-learning: i. companies are not awareof the potential benefits of e-learning; ii. most e-learn-ing materials are not well adapted to the practical andvery specific needs of SMEs; iii. (local) networking isoften inadequate.

Most SMEs are equipped with the basic configura-tion needed for e-learning: a PC and a link to the In-ternet. Yet only very few - mostly in specific regions -have actually adopted it. And although SMEs are demon-strably interested in e-learning, it is striking how hardit can be to find useful information. The literature fo-cuses on theoretical questions rather than on provid-ing an accurate image of e-learning in SMEs today.

Nevertheless, all available information is consistenton one point: most SMEs do not have a learning cul-ture, or at least not a ‘formal’ learning culture. SMEsand their employees may acknowledge the merit of

formal knowledge and certification, but their learningculture is informal, looking for just-in-time, immediateanswers to a problem; they have little time to look fortraining providers, draw up contracts, and send peo-ple in for formal training. On the other hand, it is alsohard to find consistent business proposals on e-learning for SMEs. The difficulty this specialised studyencountered in finding relevant information testifiesto the problems SME owners experience when look-ing for the same information.

What is missing is an entry point for SMEs into thee-learning route (and thence to various e-learning pro-posals, including shared knowledge). There is also adearth of coordinated policies and incentives aimed atgiving a consistent SME focus to the training propos-als of local organisations, universities and e-trainers.

For the promotion of e-learning the following rec-ommendations are detailed in the report:

The content of e-learning, once translated, is nototherwise strongly ‘national’ (except in administra-tive or fiscal matters), but appropriate to the singlemarket. Therefore a one-stop shop in the form of anSME-dedicated portal would be the most appropri-ate vehicle to disseminate e-learning awareness andcontent to all Internet-connected SMEs. Such a portalcould combine free knowledge and proprietary qual-ifications. A single portal could both attract SMEs ona search for knowledge or provide them with formalcertification.

The European Commission, among other measures,could formulate international accreditation (or a label)for e-learning. It should also promote a new role fortertiary education, urging universities to act as train-ing brokers, by developing the skills necessary to un-derstand the interests of both SMEs and training providers.Research on on-line pedagogy is still missing; the Com-

mission should support such research, with a focus oncontinuous training. In fact, research should be en-couraged to redirect its energies to SMEs; today, muchof it is targeted by nature to large companies.

Governments could offer easier access to infra-structure and highlight best practices. Providing broad-band Internet, a single window portal, awareness rais-ing, incentives and investment may well generate a vir-tuous circle. Regional and local authorities could cam-paign more effectively for e-learning in SMEs; theycould also provide incentives to support lifelong learn-ing, and encourage partnerships between training sup-ply and demand.

E-learning providers should be willing to customisetheir products to SME needs (content, format, infra-structure, learner support and evaluation) at a rea-sonable cost, and accept that their training offer willbe part of a larger learning mix.

SMEs themselves should take the initiative by care-fully analysing their needs, networking with other com-panies to create learning communities, encouragingthe participation of employees, and systematically eval-uating learning. Large companies could also be en-couraged to coach their subcontractors.

The authors of the study conclude by noting thatthough there is a long road ahead, the idea that per-manent learning is not just valuable but necessary isgaining ground in both government and industry, andaccompanies the expanding use of the Internet andsearch engines in the workplace.

Further information: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/elearning/studies_en.html

Source: Cedefop/ine

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What’s holding e-learning back?

Internationalisation of VET

For Czech citizens, their country’s en-try into the EU promises more opportu-nities for work or study in the other Mem-ber States. The Europass initiative, whichprovides tools ensuring greater trans-parency of qualifications and skills, is ex-pected to make it this process easier forall Europeans. National Europass Centresare now gradually starting up across theEU in order to coordinate activities relat-ed to the application of Europass. Inthe Czech Republic, NÚOV, the NationalInstitute for Technical and Vocational Ed-ucation, officially launched operations asNational Europass Centre with an intro-ductory conference on 30 March 2005.

Currently the Centre is concerned main-ly with developing procedures that suitCzech conditions. This means develop-ing Czech versions of Europass docu-ments with appropriate instructions (in-cluding examples) and providing a de-tailed analysis of activities that could helpimprove mobility for Czech citizens e.g.forging links with responsible organisa-tions. Links also need to be establishedbetween bodies issuing diploma sup-plements and certificate supplements.As they are a novelty in the Czech Repub-lic, certificate supplements will requirean entirely new mechanism and will ini-tially be issued for all branches of voca-tional education and training by NÚOV.The Centre will hold seminars addressedto organisations involved in Europass im-plementation in regional capitals in or-der to provide participants with detailedinformation about the Europass docu-ments and how they should be intro-duced to potential users. Seminars are

also being planned for specialists in var-ious fields who will be involved in issu-ing Europass documents.

Initial press reports about Europass inNovember 2004 raised considerable pub-lic interest. The team setting up the Na-tional Europass Centre received dozensof queries every week, both from citi-zens and from private and public or-ganisations. By the end of March 2005over 200 applications for Europass doc-uments had been entered into the Cen-tre’s database. This interest on the partof the public continues to be fuelled bythe press - and not just by professionalpublications. So far, Europass has beendiscussed in 29 newspaper articles, threeradio programmes and a television dis-cussion.

This nationwide interest has also beenbacked by the launch of www.europass.cz,the first website of a national Europasscentre in the EU. Users may find infor-mation about this European initiative aswell as instructions on how to obtainEuropass documents and fill out the rel-evant forms. The website also containslinks to other European initiatives (pri-marily those coordinated by Cedefop),with a focus on activities concerning theEuropean labour market and educationand mobility within the EU. The interac-tive component of the website allowsaccess to Europass applications and a di-rect channeling of information towardsthe population.

Further information: www.europass.cz

Source: Miroslava Salavcová, NÚOV, E-mail: salavcova@nuov.cz

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National Europass Centre begins work

Two vocational training projects haverecently been coordinated by FOREMin the framework of the bilateral agree-ment between Tunisia and the WalloonRegion/French-speaking Community ofBelgium. In its role as a coordinating andimplementing agency, FOREM has fora number of years been coordinating in-ternational projects in the field of train-ing and vocational integration on behalfof Wallonia and Brussels. In this contextof international relations with non-EUpartners, FOREM’s role is to identifythe needs of the institutions in the for-eign country, pinpoint the Walloon agencymost suitable to meet the demand inquestion, develop a cooperation projectand guarantee the expected outcomes- which must be concrete, visible andsustainable, and therefore transferableand involving a multiplying effect. Theseactivities, jointly funded by the Frenchcommunity of Wallonia-Brussels andFOREM, must imply the promotion ofWalloon expertise in the vocational train-ing field beyond EU borders and, in par-allel, open up its human resources to theinternational dimension.

The first project was implementedby the centre of excellence TECHNOCITE.After three years of concerted efforts be-tween Walloon and Tunisian experts, thepublic agency responsible for human re-sources development in Tunisian busi-nesses created the Ibn Rami enterprisecentre. Ibn Rami is an open centre, of-fering self-directed learning, à la cartemodules in office automation, comput-

ing and languages. The Walloon expertsshared their expertise with the Tunisianpartners, fitting out and converting thepremises for the management and op-eration of a centre of this kind. Tunisiantrainers are now working completely in-dependently, and the centre is still notfull.

The second project also involves de-veloping the competitiveness of Tunisiancompanies, an essential element of the1995 association and free-trade agree-ment between Tunisia and the EuropeanUnion. Thanks to this project, the Tu-nisian partners have now acquired a spe-cific methodology: the setting up andoperation of a network of companiessharing a common aim, e.g. the creationof a joint training unit for the personnelof a cluster of enterprises. A total ofeleven clusters have already been set upwith Walloon support, notably Delta Ma-nagement, while others are being cre-ated in the east of the country by the Tu-nisians themselves. This shows that thetarget has been reached: the partner hasacquired the method and the transfer ofexpertise has taken place.

The Walloon Region is proud of thisinternational cooperation and the sus-tainability of its outcomes, while the Tu-nisian partners have now acquired a num-ber of innovative solutions to stimulatecontinuing training.

Further information: Muriel Sempoux (muriel.sempoux@forem.be)

Source: FOREM - Department for International Relations(sigrid.dieu@forem.be)

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Bilateral cooperation with Tunisia:sustainable cooperation outcomes

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8

The Training and AlignmentInformation Service (Diva) of theDepartment of Education of theFlemish Community has launchedthe ‘Choose your career’ initia-tive, a website offering as wideas possible a range of trainingcourses, programmes and ses-sions. The objective is to improveaccess to lifelong education andtraining by offering a generaloverview of overall provision inthe region. Flanders in fact needsto step up its efforts to reach theLisbon lifelong learning objective:while the target set at Europeanlevel is to raise the number of per-sons participating in lifelong learn-ing to 12 %, not even 10 % ofBelgian adults are currently en-gaged in some form of lifelonglearning. Apart from the increasein service vouchers and the im-provement of vocational guidanceprovision, this initiative providesa further tool towards achievingthis objective. The website offers

information on more than 11 000courses and training programmes.The training providers are VDABand the adult socio-cultural pro-motion organisations. Some ofthe adult training centres, non-university higher education pro-grammes (hautes écoles) and uni-versities are not yet covered bythe website. This electronic data-base will possibly also include pri-vate sector training provision ata later stage.

Activities to promote lifelonglearning in the course of 2005 in-clude ‘certificates of vocationalaptitude’ for a number of key oc-cupations. In this framework, oneof the key factors are the skills re-quired by an individual to embarkon a given career. As a result, non-working experience will count asa value added.

Further details from: www.wordwatjewil.be

Source: VDAB, R. Van Weydeveldt

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Lifelong learning becomes moreaccessible in Flanders

On 22 March 2005, the Departmentfor Education and Skills published theWhite Paper ‘Skills: Getting on in busi-ness, getting on at work’, the sequel tothe 2003 Skills Strategy ‘Extending Op-portunities, raising standards’ (see Cede-fop Info no 3/2003).

Overall, the emphasis is on ensuringthat employers get the skills they need,and that as many people as possible getqualified up to at least level 2 nationalqualification - where it is considered that‘employability’ begins.

Employers’ needs are at the centre ofthe strategy, and will be met through thedelivery of a new National Employer Train-ing Programme (NETP). There will be apackage of free training in the workplacein basic skills and level 2, designed foremployers and delivered to suit their op-erational needs. NETP will be linked tothe full range of business support ser-vices including a national network of bro-kers.

Sector Skills Agreements will bring to-gether employers and training provisionto meet the future skill needs of the na-tion, and the Skills Academies will be keyplayers in a new network of specialistcolleges and training providers. They willprepare young people and adults for suc-cessful employment in each major sec-tor of the economy.

A clear, attractive ladder of progres-sion that challenges and encourages peo-

ple to achieve at every level will promoteskills for adult learners, inspiring peopleto achieve their potential.

From 2006/2007 there will be a na-tional entitlement to free tuition for afirst full Level 2 qualification and new ex-tensive support for learning at Level 3.

Skills for Life remains the main pro-gramme for achieving the basic skill goals.The White Paper highlights progress madein this area. Apart from meeting the 2004target of 750 000 learners gaining theirfirst nationally recognised basic skills qual-ification, 653 000 LSC funded learnersundertook Skills for Life training in col-leges in 2003/2004 with University forIndustry, Jobcentre Plus and many oth-ers all making significant contributions.

For those aged 16 and over, the em-phasis is on helping 2.25 million peo-ple achieve Skills for Life-recognised qual-ifications by 2010. The latest evidencesuggests that there are still 5.2m adultswith literacy skills below level 1 nation-al qualification and 14.9 million with nu-meracy skills below this level. The focusfor the future will be on a greater use ofonline assessment for basic skills and onattaining level 2.

The capacity of colleges and other train-ing providers will be expanded to deliv-er benefits for both employers and indi-viduals. The QCA’s proposed Frameworkfor Achievement - a clear, simple quali-fication structure for individuals and em-

ployers - will be developed so that it sup-ports the 14-19 and adult reforms.

Christopher Duff, Chief Executive ofthe Sector Skills Development Agency(SSDA), was delighted with the Paper,which as he noted gives employers bet-ter input: ‘There’s little point in educa-tionalists simply asking for more resources,especially as education has received sub-stantial extra funding in recent years. Ifwe trained 350 000 more people, wewould create an extra £10bn for the econ-omy. This is enough to increase spend-ing on schools, colleges and universitiesby a fifth or to cut income tax by a tenth.’

CITB ConstructionSkills Chief Execu-tive Peter Lobban felt the White Paperwas a tremendous opportunity for UKindustry as it emphasises employer-ledtraining, adding: ‘This differs from pre-vious Government training initiatives be-cause if employers don’t agree withthe way training is currently funded ordelivered, or they feel new recruits arenot correctly skilled, they now have a re-al opportunity, through Sector Skills Agree-ments, to shape how training is provid-ed in the future. Further education cours-es should be cut where they do not de-liver the skills employers need.’

Brendan Barber, General Secretary ofthe Trade Union Congress (TUC) saw achallenge in making sure everybody makesfull use of the training available. He calledfor flexible working hours and time off

for staff, and for bosses to recognise thework of union learning representatives.He directed his comments especially atthe 40 % of employers who currently of-fer no training. ‘Trade unions will playa central role in driving this skill strategyforward... This role will be boosted bya new union academy that will see tradeunions delivering training for a quarterof a million employees by the end of thedecade.’

Further information: Department of Education and Skills, PublicCommunications Unit, info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

The White Paper is available at the Department of Education and Skillswebsite: www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/skillsgettingon/

Source: QCA, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, London

UNITED KINGDOM

A new White Paper on skills

Since joining the European Union, Lithuaniahas been attracting a growing number of im-migrants. The national policy is to help ethnicminorities preserve their cultural integrity. How-ever, this has not been enough to prevent con-flict arising from colliding institutional, groupand individual interests and cultural differences.One of the goals of lifelong learning and adulteducation should therefore be to learn to co-exist in a multicultural society.

A programme aimed at enhancing the par-ticipation of ethnic minorities in Lithuanian pub-lic life is the international European CulturalCompetence Programme, implemented in 2001-2005 (Socrates Grundtvig1). The goal of theprogramme was to encourage civic dialogue ina multinational society, to enhance the cultur-al skills of participants, to improve mutual un-derstanding, to develop tolerance and to teachinteraction. Participants were drawn from amongadult educators and representatives of NGOsand local authorities from ethnically mixed re-gions.

The programme has resulted in minority NGOsaiming their activities not just at preserving theirnational identities, traditions and languages butalso at enhancing the civic-mindedness of theirmembers and in encouraging active participa-

tion in public life. In addition, communicationbetween local authorities and ethnic minoritieshas improved. All participants thus gained anappreciation of the importance of political dia-logue, while minorities became aware of the ef-forts made on their behalf.

The programme trained educators to workwith mixed ethnic groups and teach not justcourse subjects but also civic education in theirmother tongue, and to propagate the idea oflifelong learning.

Participants can use the knowledge acquiredin the programme to act as go-between, inte-grating minorities into national culture. In par-ticular, they can employ the tools and methodsdevised in the course of the programme to pre-vent problems arising during ethic and culturalinteraction.

Further information:Vilija LukosunieneLithuanian Association of Adult Education Gelezinio Vilko str. 12LT-01112 VilniusTel. (370) 5 2619031Fax (370) 5 2312309E-mail: lssa@takas.lt Website: www.lssa.smm.lt

Source: Lithuanian Association of Adult Education/Vilija Lukosuniene

LITHUANIA

Adult education develops civic dialogue

Lifelong learning

Education policy

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The new Vocational Training Law en-tered into force on 1 April 2005. Thesocial partners supported the amend-ment - with mixed feelings.

Federal Minister for Education and Train-ing Edelgard Bulmahn is convinced thatthe new Vocational Training Law which en-tered into force on 1 April 2005 ‘makes vo-cational training much more attractive to in-dustry and young people’. However, althoughthey support the reform in principle, thejudgement of the social partners is consid-erably more reserved.

Among others, the new Law now makesit possible for young people coming out ofschool-based vocational training to take ex-aminations organised by the chambers, thusstrengthening cooperation between schoolsand industry. The new examination regula-tions also make it possible for trainees tocomplete periods of training abroad andallow for the recognition of preparatory cours-es towards training outcomes.

The minister is convinced that the reformsecures the future and the international com-petitiveness of the dual system. She high-lights the new provisions allowing those com-

ing out of full-time school-based programmesto take the examinations organised by thechambers as a clear improvement in the op-portunities of the 190 000 young peoplewho now complete school-based forms ofapprenticeship: only every other young per-son in this category so far actually starts work-ing in the training occupation in question,while 40 % go on to a further school-basedor industrial training programme. Bulmahnremarked that the reform had now put a stopto these ‘queues of young people waiting toget a foothold in the job market which areboth a waste of time and money’ and calledupon the Länder ministers of education toadapt their curricula to cater for the cham-ber examinations.

The Confederation of German Employers’Associations (BDA) notes that the new Vo-cational Training Law ‘while not a disaster,nevertheless leaves missed opportunities’. In-dustry had nevertheless secured the condi-tions under which a school-based trainingprogramme can now be completed by achamber examination. However the GermanIndustry and Trade Advisory Board for Voca-tional Education is concerned that by putting

school-based training courses on an equalfooting with industrial training, vocationaltraining may become ‘too academic andbookish’. It also fears that this measure mayimply ‘considerable risks for the future of thedual system’.

The BDA regrets that German industry hadnot succeeded in pushing through one of itscritical proposals: greater flexibility at the lev-el of training pay for those parties not cov-ered by a collective agreement. Industry hadlobbied in vain for a reduction of training payoutside the scope of collective agreementsto up to one third below the levels guaran-teed by collective agreement. The BDA seesthis as a missed opportunity to dismantle bar-riers to training.

The Confederation of German Trade Unions(DGB) also sees ‘light and shadow’ in thenew Law. While welcoming the establish-ment of vocational training boards at the lev-el of the chambers as a first step towardsquality management in the field of vocationaltraining, the DGB regrets that the Law doesnot include a legally guaranteed right to train-ing for young people or incentives to increasethe provision of industrial training places.

The DGB also sees risks for the dual train-ing system, but on different grounds. Theunions are concerned that the provisions al-lowing the transition from apprenticeshiptraining to higher education to be regulatedby the individual Länder will merely serve toreduce the appeal of the dual system in theEuropean and international context. The DGBtherefore calls upon the Länder to agreeon uniform admission requirements.

However, the DGB concludes that on thewhole the work leading to the reform of thevocational training system has shown thatboth the political parties and the social part-ners have developed common positions oncertain issues. DGB executive committee mem-ber Ingrid Sehrbrock remarked that ‘it is nowtime to carry on these efforts and give ourtraining system the innovation push it needs,in the interests of both individuals and thedevelopment of our economy’.

The full text of the Vocational Training Law (in German) can bedownloaded from the website of the Federal Ministry of Education,Training and Research (www.bmbf.de).

Source: BMBF/BDA/KWB/DGB/Cedefop/sk

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GERMANY

Reform with risks and side-effects

Law 30/2003 (known as the ‘Biagi Law’)and its implementing decree, 276/2003, en-acted as part of the reform of the labour mar-ket, have been reviewed by the Constitu-tional Court following appeals from certainregions challenging some of the measuresbrought in by central Government. The Re-gions have argued that the measures are inbreach of article 117 of the Constitution,which establishes the matters over which theState has sole legislative power and thosethat are subject to the concurrent legislationof the State and the Regions. For the lattergroup, which includes the ‘protection andsafety of labour’, the role of the State is lim-ited to determining the fundamental princi-ples, whereas legislative power is exercisedby the Regions in the light of these princi-ples. But the Regions have exclusive leg-islative power over all matters not express-ly listed as reserved to State law. In generalthe Court has held that the Biagi Law, to-gether with its implementing decrees, in sub-stance complies with constitutional princi-ples regarding the respective legislative com-petence of the State and the Regions. Of themany measures that have been enacted, on-ly two have failed to satisfy the Constitu-tional Court as to their legitimacy: the im-plementation of regulations on the onus onproviders of outsourced labour in respect ofa reserved quota and compulsory recruit-ment of disabled persons, and the regula-tions on summer job placements. In its judge-ment, the Constitutional Court has clearlystated its grounds for dismissing most of theappeals entered by local authorities; thosegrounds will be useful in assessing in whichcases legislation is the sole competence ofthe State or the State has concurrent com-petence with the Regions, and in which theRegions have exclusive competence. TheCourt has explained that the regulations gov-erning labour market services, and place-ment in particular, come within the scope ofthe protection and safety of labour and there-fore are matters falling within the concur-rent competence of the State and the Re-gions, whereas the exclusive power of leg-islation in the field of contracts of employ-

ment lies with the State, even when partof the content of such contracts is training.

The Court has also pronounced on thedelicate matter of vocational training, forwhich the Regions have exclusive legislativepower. Its judgement states that the link be-tween apprenticeship and education doesnot present problems of a constitutional na-ture: in the provisions of the Constitution re-garding the attribution of legislative com-petence, the State is assigned the exclusivepower of legislation for education in gener-al (Constitution, article 117(2) (n)), while re-sponsibility for the remainder is shared be-tween the State and the Regions. The Stateis responsible for laying down the funda-mental principles of the measures, and theRegions for the implementation of thosemeasures.

The Court has upheld the labour marketreform enacted by the Biagi Law, the soleexceptions being its ruling on the constitu-tional illegitimacy of article 22(6) of Legisla-tive Decree 276 of 2003 (regulating the re-cruitment of disabled workers in the case oftemporary workforce providers) and article60 (regulating summer placements for thepurpose of guidance).

In the former case, the measure statingthat, in the case of workforce outsourcing,neither the regulations on compulsory re-cruitments nor the quota of disabled work-ers apply, was held to be unconstitutional.

In the latter case, to cite the judgement,‘the regulations on summer work placementsfor the purpose of guidance, being dictatedwithout any connection with employmentrelationships, and without envisaging anyimmediate recruitment, are a matter of vo-cational training, which is the sole compe-tence of the Regions’.

It will therefore be for the Regions to reg-ulate the institution of summer job place-ments by virtue of their responsibility for thesubject of training.

Further information:www.welfare.gov.it/RiformaBiagi/RapportiLavoro/Tirocinio/default.htm,www.cortecostituzionale.it/

Source: Alessandra Pedone -ISFOL ReferNet Italia

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ITALY

Regional and national legislative powerunder the labour market reform

On 24 March 2005, the Council of Min-isters approved two major legislative decreesimplementing the reform of the education-al system, introduced by Law 53 of 2003.The decrees lay down that education andtraining are compulsory up to the age of 18and offer the option of alternance betweenschool and work for pupils from the age of15. Compulsory school education (alreadyembodied in the Constitution) and compul-sory training are redefined and extended byintroducing the concept that a minimumof twelve years’ education and training, atleast up to the acquisition of a qualifica-tion by the age of 18, is both a right and aduty. This process takes place in the first cy-cle of the educational system (primary + low-er secondary school) and in the second cy-cle (licei and vocational education and train-ing). Provision is made for the compilationand maintenance of data by the NationalRegister of pupils, established within the Min-istry for Education, Universities and Research.The Register will record the names of thosewho drop out, listed by each individual school,with a view to supporting the pupils and theirfamilies so that young people who have giv-en up their studies can return to the systemand achieve their first educational success.The Registry will be linked with regionalRegistries, based on procedures defined byan ad hoc agreement between the Educa-tion Ministry and the Labour Ministry, the re-gions and local bodies. This will make it pos-sible to monitor all pupils, including thoseopting for vocational education and trainingand those in apprenticeship. The guidanceservices in lower secondary schools will pro-vide a personalised path for all pupils, withthe involvement of their families and of schooland training establishments. Parents who failto cooperate will face sanctions, and pupilswill be exempt from all attendance fees instate schools. Developments will be jointlymonitored by the Ministry of Education,Universities and Research and the Ministryof Labour and Social Policies.

The second decree introduces the approachof alternance between school and work in-to the Italian system, as has already been

planned in the leading European countriesand successfully tested in Italy in 2004 (418upper secondary education establishments,including 53 classical, scientific and arts li-cei, conducted pilot schemes involving 20431 young people aged 15 to 17). Pupilsin the 15 to 18 age group may opt for thismethod of education/training, which offersan opportunity to learn in various trainingenvironments using different methods. Th-ese training paths will be planned as jointprojects with private employers, public enti-ties and non-profit organisations. Workplaceexperience, together with the skills that anindividual acquires throughout life, will bedocumented by using a new instrument, thelibretto formativo, or training log, devisedby the Ministry of Welfare in liaison with theMinistry of Education, Universities and Re-search, the Regions, the civil service and thesocial partners. This training log will be at-tached to the worker’s personal and em-ployment record within the national ItalianContinuous Labour Exchange. Young peo-ple can thus compile a true ‘passport’ fortheir future entry into the working world, inthe form of a certificate supplement issuedby the school or training institutions, whichcan also be spent in other countries in theEuropean Union within the Europass system.A national Committee for the Development,Monitoring and Evaluation of the school-workplace alternance system is being set up,and there are plans for a mentoring systemconsisting of an educational tutor within theschool or training establishment and an ex-ternal training tutor, designated by theparties hosting the students for periods ofpractical experience. Alternance paths maybegin from next year in both the secondaryschool system and in the vocational educa-tion and training system.

Further information:www.jobber.it/RifBiagi/RiformaBiagi.asp

Source: Alessandra Pedone -ISFOL ReferNet Italia

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ITALY

The new obligation of training andschool/work alternance

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The current status of vocational train-ing in the Basque Country is a reflec-tion of strategic planning which has foundconcrete expression in the Basque Voca-tional Training Plan (Plan Vasco de For-mación Profesional, PVFP). The BasqueVocational Training Plan has stimulatedthe development of a whole series of re-lated measures designed to create an in-tegrated vocational training system in theBasque Country. A number of indicatorsshow a positive response from the vari-ous sectors involved in vocational train-ing which has in turn provided a platformfor the development of further measures.

The new Basque Vocational TrainingPlan for the period 2004 to 2007 wasadopted by the Basque government on9 November 2004.

This new programme comprises fourstrategic lines, 44 strategic objectives and155 planned measures.

The main thrust of the measures out-lined in the new Basque Vocational Train-ing Plan can be summarised as follows:

Strategic line 1: Updating and im-proving the integrated system of

qualifications and vocational train-ing

This area includes reinforcing the in-stitutions associated with vocational train-ing, moving forward with the integrat-ed system of qualifications and vocationaltraining of the Basque Country, expandingthe integrated vocational training cen-tres and extending the recognition andassessment of non-formal and informallearning.

Strategic line 2: Quality in Basque vo-cational training

This area relates to quality assurancein the fields of training agency manage-ment, training of trainers and personnelmanagement and administration, thepromotion and management of projectteams and the development of furtherquality certificates, e.g. Investors in Peo-ple and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Strategic line 3: Stimulating innova-tion in Basque vocational training asa process of continuous improvement

This strategic area brings together awhole raft of guidelines, e.g. the es-

tablishment of a centre for vocationaltraining research, development and in-novation, innovative management of in-tegrated vocational training centres and,more generally, the use of modern tech-nologies in vocational training, the de-velopment of new teaching/learningprocesses and the continued develop-ment of technology and knowledge trans-fer between vocational training insti-tutions and industry. It includes the in-troduction of a knowledge managementsystem within the vocational trainingcentre network, greater transferabilitybetween upper-level vocational trainingand higher education, progressive ac-creditation of integrated vocational train-ing as research development and tech-nological innovation agencies and, fi-nally, the development of research pro-jects applicable to the vocational train-ing field.

Strategic line 4: New informationand communication technologies inBasque vocational training

These measures notably include ex-panding the joint network of vocational

training centres, increasing the numberof interactive digital classrooms, enhancedcooperation between training centres anddigital classrooms, the use of open sourcesoftware and, last but not least, the con-tinued development of three-dimensionalonline vocational training.

The overall budget for the develop-ment and implementation of the mea-sures envisaged by the new Basque Vo-cational Training Plan for the period 2004to 2007 stands at EUR 806 768 289.

Further information on the Basque Vo-cational Training Plan and its background,as well as reports on initial experiencewith the programme can be found onthe Basque government’s website:www.euskadi.net/lanbidez.

Source: Rosario Díaz de CerioBasque government, Directorate for Lifelong Learning, Department ofEducation, Universities and Research, Vitoria, Basque CountryE-mail: huisecoa@ej-gv.es

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SPAIN

Vocational training in the Basque Country

On 30 January 2005, the Pres-ident of the Republic of Cyprusofficially launched a public dia-logue on reforming the educa-tion system. The overall aim is toreach the widest possible agree-ment on the necessary structuralreforms. The discussions will takeas their basis a report prepared inAugust 2004 by a team of sevenprominent experts appointed bythe Council of Ministers.

This report suggests a series ofpriorities for reform, covering theentire education system. One ofthese is to create post-secondaryvocational training institutionsand a new Centre for Education-al Research and Evaluation. It isalso proposed to restructure thepre-service training programmefor teachers in secondary educa-tion and to develop a new as-sessment scheme for teachers. Fi-

nally, the Ministry of Educationand Culture is itself to be re-structured.

Responsibility for monitoringthe dialogue has been assignedto a newly created body, the Ed-ucation Council. The dialogue willbe carried out via four commit-tees, working in parallel on vari-ous issues. The committees mustsubmit detailed action plans tothe Education Council within threemonths.

Further information: Mr Elias MargadjisSecondary Technical and Vocational Education DepartmentMinistry of Education and CultureTel. (357) 22 80 06 54E-mail: marga@cyearn.pi.ac.cywww.moec.gov.cy

Source: Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus

CYPRUS

Education reform widely debated

A new structure for vocational edu-cation and training is currently being de-veloped in Hungary with the financialsupport of the European Social Fund. Theaim is to renew both content and struc-ture of the vocational education andtraining system on the basis of labourmarket analysis. The system will becomemodular, with a ‘module map’ of voca-tional qualifications serving as the basisfor the new National Qualification Regis-ter. The programme also involves group-

ing qualifications according to ISCED lev-els and defining the occupations that canbe attained within adult education andtraining.

This new approach is expected to re-duce the number of formal vocationalqualifications listed today in the Nation-al Qualification Register in line with theskills needed on the labour market. Themodular structure will allow the systemto better respond to changes in the econ-omy and will link initial and continuing

education and training more closely to-gether. Entering and exiting the system- whether for initial or continuing train-ing - will be possible at any time by choos-ing the appropriate training modules.These modules will be designed to en-able the worker or student to masterskills necessary to execute successfully agiven group of vocational tasks for a spe-cific occupation. All continuing train-ing will rest on a series of basic modules,recently defined by the Ministry of Ed-

ucation. In addition, recognition and ac-creditation of prior knowledge will bestreamlined.

The programme also covers the de-velopment of up-to-date teaching ma-terials, including e-learning solutions,and the necessary teacher training.

Source: Dr Tamás Köpeczi Bócz Hungarian National Observatorywww.omai.hu

HUNGARY

Moving towards modular vocational training

The CNAEF, established by ministerial decreeNo 316/2001 of 2 April 2001, was an instru-ment for the collection and processing of da-ta relating to vocational training in the contextof surveys, studies and the identification of train-ing provision. This classification, based on theUnesco International Standard Classification ofEducation (ISCED), as well as classifications oftraining areas developed under the auspices ofthe Statistical Office of the European Com-munities (Eurostat) and the European Centrefor the Development of Vocational Training(Cedefop), was designed to offset the lack of aharmonised international classification in thefield of initial and continuing training. Eurostatand Cedefop have updated the classification oftraining areas so that a harmonised classifica-tion can serve as an instrument for statisticalcoordination in the areas of education and train-ing. The Higher Council for Statistics has thusadopted the National Classification of Educa-tion and Training Areas (CNAEF), which willbe compulsory for institutions producing sta-tistics within the national statistics system. At

the same time, a recommendation was issuedto public administrations to adopt the CNAEFin drawing up administrative documents for sta-tistical purposes and to revise this classificationin accordance with later updates of Communi-ty instruments. Decree 316/2001 has thereforebeen revoked, and replaced by decree No 26 of16 March 2005. This introduces the new clas-sification to be adopted for the collection andprocessing of data relating to vocational train-ing, in particular in the context of the EuropeanSocial Fund, surveys, studies and the identifi-cation of training provision.

As education and training now play a crucialrole in preparing individuals for vocational in-tegration or re-integration, it is vital to providedetailed, comprehensive and comparable in-formation for the effective definition, monitor-ing and evaluation of training policies.

Further information: Ministry of Economic Affairs and EmploymentDecree No 256/2005, 16 March 2005CID/DGEEP Fátima Hora (fatima.hora@deep.msst.gov.pt)Claudia Arriegas (claudia.arriegas@deep.msst.gov.pt)

Source: Ministère des activités économiques and du travail/CID/DGEEP

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PORTUGAL

CNAEF - National Classification of Training Areas

Vocational education and training

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One of the biggest problems facingEstonian education today is the highdropout rate from general and vocationaleducation. In some areas employersare finding it very difficult to find a qual-ified labour force with working experi-ence and a sense of discipline and val-ues. Much of the blame for this is beingattributed to vocational schools: theirquality is considered inadequate and theirorientation too theoretical. To correct thissituation on the basis both of Euro-pean experience and local needs and re-sources, a pilot project programme wasdevised focusing on apprenticeship train-ing as a new learning method (1).

The main aim of the pilot project is tointegrate the apprenticeship trainingmethod into the Estonian vocational ed-ucation system, in the hope that offer-

ing a new form of learning will createmore training opportunities.

In May 2004, 187 apprentices be-gan their studies on the basis of new ap-prenticeship curricula for 18 fields, in sev-en vocational education and training cen-tres across Estonia. These curricula arebeing constantly improved upon, in co-operation with the partner companies,in order to achieve the best match be-tween trainee and company needs.

How is the new approach different?Most study time (about 70 %) is de-

voted to practical training within a com-pany, under direct supervision, with eachsupervisor overseeing the work of 2-4apprentices. The remaining time is spentacquiring theoretical knowledge at a vo-cational education institution. Periods of

practical hands-on training and theoret-ical studies at school alternate so thattrainees can put theory into practice asefficiently as possible.

The apprentice, school and compa-ny sign a trilateral contract that speci-fies study and training conditions andthe responsibilities of all parties. Eachapprentice is allocated a grant duringtheoretical training, while the compa-ny pays trainees an allowance duringpractical training. The project covers ac-commodation, transportation and cater-ing costs.

This project is targeted at young peo-ple with basic or secondary educationlacking vocational skills. The first train-ing period will end in October 2005 withqualification examinations. A 65 % em-ployment rate for trainees completing

this programme has been set as a cri-terion of success.

Future plansA follow-up apprenticeship training

project is already being prepared for sub-mission for financing by the EU Struc-tural Funds. New study groups shouldbegin their traineeship within this pro-ject by January 2006 at the latest.

(1) under the Phare 2002 programme

Further information: J. Tomingastel. (372) 699 80 53E-mail: jaak.tomingas@innove.ee

Source: Jaak Tomingas, Project Manager, Phare 2002 programme

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ESTONIA

Apprenticeships: a new hands-on approach to training

Two years ago, Lithuania started de-centralising responsibility for vocation-al schools. Previously under the Ministryof Education and Science, vocationalschools are being reorganised into self-governing institutions, providing mu-nicipalities, enterprises and other inter-ested bodies with an opportunity to takepart in running vocational training.

Reorganisation began with the im-plementation of government resolutionson decentralising the functions of cen-trally governed institutions. Initially thisinvolved 8 vocational schools in variousregions. By 2008 this status will havebeen granted to 10 more VET schools.

The main administrative body in a de-centralised public institution is the gen-eral assembly of shareholders, each share-holder having a single vote. The as-sembly has the power to appoint anddismiss the head of the institution, toapprove and amend the regulations, andto approve financial accounts and activ-ity reports. The municipality and socialpartners, being equal shareholders withthe Ministry of Education and Science,are thus jointly responsible for adminis-tering the institution. This arrange-ment enables the institution effectivelyto respond to the needs of the region aswell as to the changing requirements forqualification.

One of the shareholders in our schoolis a privately-owned construction enter-prise. Until recently companies consid-ered providing support to a state-financedschool as a form of charity; but with thecompany now owning shares, the ma-terial and intangible assets of the insti-tution become part of the assets of thecompany. In participating in the ad-ministration of a public institution, theenterprise is in fact investing in train-ing its own workers. In turn, this al-lows the VET institution to use the com-pany’s equipment and specialist knowl-edge. Such a relationship between anenterprise and a vocational school is high-ly relevant to builder training in Lithua-nia. Construction companies are mod-ernising their equipment and technolo-

gies while vocational schools lack state-of-the-art equipment in their classroomsand workshops. Conferring self-gov-erning status to VET schools is crucial indealing with this problem.

A self-governing VET institution re-tains considerable independence. Schoolsface very few limitations on how theyuse their money (apart from wages) andcan be members of various non-profitorganisations which provide them withuseful information. With full hiring andfiring powers and decision-making au-thority the head of the institution canreact in a timely fashion to a changingsituation. But such powers also meanthat the head of the institution shouldbe highly qualified and have a very highsense of responsibility.

Our self-governing vocational traininginstitution has proved its vitality and itsrelevance. Recognising that it providesa useful model for dealing with today’sproblems and challenges in vocationaleducation and training, the Lithuaniangovernment has decided a further in-crease in the number of self-governingVET institutions by 2008.

Further information:Juozas Baranauskas, Principal Vilnius Builder Training Centre Laisves pr. 53LT-07191 VilniusTel. (370) 5 2423581Fax (370) 5 2407079E-mail: direktorius@vsrc.ltwww.vsrc.lt

Source: ReferNet, LT

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LITHUANIA

Shareholders run vocational schools

The temporary employment sector iscurrently working at full capacity in Bel-gium. Both the federal policy declarationof the Verhofstadt II government and thepolicy memorandum issued by the Flem-ish Minister for Employment and Edu-cation provide for a more important rolefor temporary employment agencies inthe job market.

Within Flanders, the minister wouldlike temporary employment to be recog-nised as an ‘integration channel forrisk groups’. He therefore advocates a‘mixed mode of management of the jobmarket’ and better collaboration betweenprivate industry and the VDAB as a pub-lic agency, e.g. sub-contracting by VDABof supervisory functions to private-sec-tor enterprises and third-party organi-sations. The latter are to be contractedto provide support and deliver trainingfor specific groups. These third-party or-ganisations, which may vary greatly insize, are mainly private companies spe-cialising in human resources manage-ment or temporary employment agen-cies; non-commercial organisations mayalso participate. To this end, participat-ing organisations will receive financialcompensation depending on the successof their supervisory activities. This typeof project introduces a certain degree ofdiversity to provision while allowing forthe application of quality criteria.

Against this background both thetrade unions and Federgon, the asso-ciation representing the temporary em-ployment sector, are up in arms againstthe Bolkestein European directive on the

free movement of services. Fearing thatthe proposal (which renders tempo-rary employment arrangements subjectto the legislation of the country of ori-gin) would trigger uncontrollable com-petition, they are lobbying for an amend-ment to the directive.

In Flanders, it is true that this experi-ence is only of interest to organisationsif they work with relatively large groups.Working with specific target groups (thoseliving with disabilities, migrants, olderworkers, etc.) is one of the priorities setby the Flemish Minister for Employmentand Education who views these groupsas a hitherto untapped ‘pool of experi-ence’. To achieve this, the VDAB will needto be reformed, and its roles as organ-ising agency and as facilitator separat-ed. This course of action does not requirea further legislative decree.

Source: R. Van Weydeveldt, with reference to the: - Federal policy declaration of the Verhofstadt II government - Policy memorandum issued by the Flemish Minister for Employmentand Education

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Towards a mixed mode of management ofthe Flemish job market in Flanders

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Initial vocational training

Although the partners to the training pact havekept their word, the crucial test lies ahead.

In presenting the 2005 Vocational Training Report,Federal Minister for Education and Training, EdelgardBulmahn, emphasised that a ‘crucial test’ lay ahead forthe nationwide training pact concluded with Germanindustry last year. In view of the expected rise in de-mand for training places this year, the minister calledupon German industry to honour its pledge and create30 000 new industrial training places a year, alongsidean additional 25 000 training places in the context ofthe federal government’s special programme for the in-troductory training of young people (EQJ). The minis-ter drew attention to the fact that the federal govern-ment, for its part, was continuing on its modernisationcourse: 19 training occupations are to be updated andfive new training occupations, including two two-year training programmes, are to be introduced in thecourse of this year. Bulmahn also highlighted the re-form of the Vocational Training Law which had enteredinto force on 1 April, drawing particular attention tothe new provisions allowing those coming out of school-based training programmes to take the examinationsorganised by the chambers.

Continued efforts necessaryThe minister nevertheless conceded that the situa-

tion in the training place market remained critical. Thisappraisal of the situation was shared by the CentralCommittee of the Federal Institute for Vocational Train-ing (BIBB), a quadripartite advisory body to the feder-al government on fundamental VET issues, comprisingrepresentatives of the employers, workers, central gov-ernment and the Länder. In its opinion on the draft re-port, the Central Committee again calls for more reli-able figures, pointing out that while the Federal Em-ployment Agency (BA) reports 519 794 training places,a decline of 4.9 %, the number of newly concludedtraining contracts shows an increase of 2.8 % to 572980. In the opinion of the Central Committee, thisdemonstrates a reversal of the downward trend in 2004,the 4.5 % increase in industrial training places to a to-tal of 22 562 being of particular note.

As well as matching the data supplied by the Fed-eral Employment Agency with the official training con-tract statistics, the Central Committee calls for a clas-sification of unplaced applicants according to a scaleof placeability: `definitely placeable´, `placeable with acertain degree of assistance´, `only placeable with in-tensive support´ or `completely unplaceable´. In its view,this is the only way of gaining a true picture of theactual requirements in the training market.

In its opinion, the Central Committee calls for ‘vo-cational induction programmes to become an inte-gral part of industrial training, without this being to thedetriment of industrial training place provision’. More-over it also for optimisation of the frequent duplicationof effort among agencies responsible for careers guid-ance, job induction and training programme placementwhich are often far removed from the world of work.

The Central Committee welcomes the fact that thepartners to the training pact have kept their wordand not only fulfilled, but in some cases even surpassedtheir pledge. It sees this newly created ‘pioneering spir-it’ as an important basis for the continuation of inten-sive efforts in the years to come. The Central Commit-tee stresses that the increased numbers of new train-ing contracts achieved so far ‘are not enough by far’,calling for a whole raft of measures, including the co-ordination of the job induction programmes offered bythe Länder and the Federal Employment Agency, e.g.skills assessment and the placement of youngsters inskilling programmes leading to certified training mod-ules, to halt the continuing rise in the number of youngpeople with no formal vocational training.

Constructive cooperationIn their own minority position statement, the repre-

sentatives of the employers in the BIBB Central Com-mittee notes that the ‘counterproductive confrontation’

triggered by the last year’s debate on the introductionof a compulsory training place levy has given way to‘constructive cooperation’ in the context of the train-ing pact. Alongside an enormous effort on the partof industry, they also note with satisfaction that thechambers and associations have also made a major con-tribution to improving the training place market situ-ation. The employers point out that with over 170 000new training contracts registered at the end of 2004,the craft sector remains the most training-intensivebranch of German industry, with 7 000 introductorytraining programmes offered and 2 400 contracts signed.The employers indicate the need to break down barri-ers to the placement of candidates as a key aspect ofthe 2005 pact, a second key aspect being ‘training ma-turity’.

While noting considerable progress towards the re-form of training occupations, the employers’ side regretsthat the government has missed the opportunity todismantle barriers to training. The employers’ main pointof criticism is that the reform has failed to introducegreater flexibility at the level of training pay for those par-ties not covered by collective agreement, authorised topay a maximum of 20 % below the levels agreed by col-lective agreement. They also note that their call for anexpansion of the ‘restrictive’ working hours stipulated bythe Youth Protection Law, as well as their proposal to ex-tend the probationary period from a maximum of fourto six months, have fallen on deaf ears.

In their position statement, the employers go on tosay that the national training debate has been particu-larly influenced by the decisions of principle taken atEU level, e.g. in the context of the Bruges-Copenhagenand the Lisbon process - despite the fact that these de-cisions only take the form of recommendations. Theemployers draw attention to the fact that they haveseized the opportunity to actively participate in the cre-ation of a European training area, pointing out it is amatter of ‘correctly positioning German vocational train-ing within the EU’.

Crisis of the dual vocational training systemThe workers’ representatives in the BIBB Central

Committee also issued a minority position statementexpressing the view that the trends in the training mar-ket underline the crisis of the dual vocational trainingsystem. Despite an increase in the number of trainingcontracts, they observe a further shift in the supply-and-demand ratio to the detriment of young people.To prevent the situation from deteriorating even fur-ther, a key priority in their opinion therefore has to beto step up training participation among risk groups.However they note a further decline in training par-ticipation among foreign young people, while the num-ber of contracts broken off as a result of inadequatetraining induction and industrial training quality remainsas high as ever. Moreover, they note that every othertraining place applicant was already in the training mar-ket in previous years.

Pointing to the low take-up rate for introductory train-ing schemes and the decline in non-industrial trainingcontracts, the workers’ side sees no alternative to theprovision of industrial training places based on selec-tion. Although the result of the training pact is consid-erable in itself, the workers regard it as disappointing interms of the actual needs in the training market. Thetrade unions therefore intend to reactivate the contro-versial debate on the introduction of a training levy puton ice last year when the training pact was concluded.

The workers’ side is distinctly critical of the Voca-tional Training Report itself, regretting that it lacks con-crete indicators on the new trends in future qualityrequirements, presented according to target group. Theworkers stress that it is not enough to merely publishfindings; what is actually needed is guidance and on-going support for the decision-makers.

Further information on the Vocational Training Report can be found on the website of theFederal Ministry of Education and Training (www.bmbf.de)

Source: BIBB/Cedefop/sk

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GERMANY

Pioneering spirit in a critical situation

In May, the German Trade UnionConfederation (DGB) created quitea stir by publishing a ‘black list’of 77 cases of serious abuse oftraining relationships. The exam-ples ranged from trainees beingforced to do work completely un-related to their actual training (e.g.making coffee, cleaning, babysit-ting, painting, walking the boss’sdog) to bullying, sexual harass-ment and physical violence.

The backlist was compiled bythe DGB from its online help desk‘Doktor Azubi’, a web portal of-fering young people qualified ad-vice. According to its coordinator,Christian Kühbauch, the portalhas been used by over 2 000trainees seeking help over the lasttwo years. Many of the trainees’complaints relate to unfair wagedeductions, illegal overtime or thehandling of hazardous substances.

In presenting the reported cas-es of abuse at a press conferenceon 19 May, DGB executive com-mittee member Ingrid Sehrbrockdescribed them as ‘shocking’. Sheadded that many victims did notdare to report cases of abuse forfear of reprisal or losing their train-ing place. It was hardly surprisingthat 22 percent of all youngstersbroke off their training contractprematurely.

According to Sehrbrock, it isthe chambers who are principal-ly to blame abuse of this kind: al-though they are responsible fortraining inspection, they do not

take their role seriously enough.She called upon employers ‘toeliminate abuses of this kind andimprove the quality of training’,pointing to the ever-widening gapin the training place market, withthe prospect of a further declineof over 30 000 industrial trainingplaces to some 346 000 this year.

Sehrbrock nevertheless drewattention to the fact that trainingin Germany, especially in large-scale firms, was exemplary whencompared with other countries,thanks to instruments of indus-trial cooperation such as bodiesrepresenting the interests of youngworkers. It is precisely the exem-plary character of training in Ger-many that makes it intolerablethat there should still be areas vir-tually beyond the reach of the law.

Further information can befound on the helpdesk website:www.doktor-azubi.de, which leadsto many further links.

Extracts from the ‘black list’ canbe downloaded from the website.

Source: Cedefop/cf

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GERMANY

Trained to make coffee? The blacksheep of the training market

More young people should en-rol for a vocational training pro-gramme and more should com-plete their training programme.These are the government’s de-clared aims. At the beginning ofJune, a committee consisting ofrepresentatives from the socialpartners and the ministries for Ed-ucation, for Refugee, Immigrationand Integration Affairs, for Labourand for Finance, presented theirrecommendations on how to im-prove opportunities for young peo-ple to enrol for and complete vo-cational training.

The most eye-catching recom-mendation is the reintroductionof the traditional form of ap-prenticeships, which increase thecompanies’ share of responsibil-ity for training. Apprentices wouldbe trained at the workplace byskilled workers within their field,instead of (as in the present sys-tem) getting basic training in vo-cational colleges and alternatingbetween college and company fortheir specialised training. There isno difference in the level of skills

and qualifications acquired fromtraditional apprenticeship and al-ternance-based training.

The aim is to offer this form oftraining in all training programmes.The social partners, however, mayagree to give up the opportuni-ty to make such an offer if it isdeemed inadequate by the rele-vant trade committee.

Further information: Nicolai Kampmann, Head of CommunicationsDepartment, Ministry of Education, tel. (45) 3392 5009.Thomas Harder Rasmussen, Press Officer, Ministry ofRefugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs, tel. (45) 3395 5848

Source: Cirius

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DENMARK

Reintroducing traditionalapprenticeship

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Employment policy

In February 2005, the Department forWork and Pensions (DWP) published theirfive-year strategy entitled Opportunityand security throughout life. In it formerminister for further and higher educa-tion, Alan Johnson, now Secretary ofState for Work and Pensions comment-ed ‘We need to ensure that everyone -not just those leaving school now, butthose already in the workforce - is equippedwith the skills and education they needto succeed in the labour market’. But itis not the only departmental five-yearstrategy to place increasing emphasis onlearning and skills. For example, ‘sup-porting skills’ was announced as a newpriority for the Department of Produc-tivity, Energy and Industry (at the timeknown as the Department of Trade andIndustry) in its five-year plan, publishedback in November.

The DWP’s five-year strategy lays outa plan to target support, including ed-ucation and training, to ‘particular groupsin society who can experience barriers towork’. The DWP calls for a more inclu-sive labour market in the UK, which meanstackling barriers that prevent sustained

employment, especially among lone par-ents, some disabled people and the lowskilled. ‘We simply cannot afford to loseout on the skills and contributions ofmany who can work but who remainoutside the labour market,’ says AlanJohnson.

First announced in the 2004 Budget,the New Deal for Skills was designedto reduce the number of adults withlow or no skills and help employers im-prove the skills of their workforce. Fur-ther changes to the programme basedaround ‘local solutions meeting indi-vidual needs’ will be implementedthroughout the next five years. Partic-ular attention will be given to the needfor ‘better joint working between Job-centre Plus offices and local Learningand Skills Councils to offer a more ef-fective and integrated skills service toindividuals and employers’, with a fo-cus on raising the quality of provisionof information, advice and guidancetailored to individual need.

For example, there are plans to in-troduce a skills-coaching service to en-sure that individuals undertaking lengthy

training as a route back into work receivefinancial support. Skills passports will helpto keep a record of skills and compe-tences gained and to help transfer skillsbetween training and jobs. In addition,personal advisers in Jobcentre Plus willreceive training to better distinguish be-tween clients who already have the skillsnecessary to get jobs and those who needthe chance to develop their skills further.

The overall approach is one of ‘help-ing people meet their own desires’ inmoving into work as well as providingsupport to improve their chances of sus-tained employment, not just recruitmentto dead-end jobs without opportuni-ties for ongoing training. For example,Pathways to Work for Lone Parents willbe introduced in 2005, offering some300 000 individuals a ‘package of skills,childcare and financial incentives’ so thatthey can get and remain in a job. Anotherexample is the replacement next year ofthe New Deal for Disabled People withnew arrangements to support those withlong-term and variable health conditions,focusing on what they can do, not whatthey cannot.

The alignment between the strategiesof the DWP and the Department for Ed-ucation and Skills (DfES) in developingskills for sustained employment shouldbe particularly welcome for those train-ing providers who contract with both de-partments.

Further information: Department of Work and Pensions,www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2005/5_yr_strat/chapter3-1.asp

Source: Source: QCA, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, London

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Towards a more inclusive labour market in the UK

For 14 years now, the State and theFrench regions have been adopting ac-tion plans known as contrats d’objectifs(1) with different industries. These aim toimprove the provision of training andpromote employment in specific sectors,especially those experiencing recruitmentdifficulties. The contracts promote gen-uine consultation and reflection on localor regional sectoral training needs andestablish consistency between trainingtracks. As such, they are important in-struments of occupational integration.

Public authorities can employ a num-ber of tools to promote employment andtraining. Regardless of the specific ob-jectives, partnerships generally take theform of agreements or contracts, espe-cially with the world of work. One ex-ample are the so-called contrats d’ob-jectifs, established between the State andthe regions with different sectors on thebasis of the Apprenticeship Training Actof 17 July 1992.

These action plans take the form ofannual or multiannual (3- to 5-year) con-tracts signed between the State, theregion and the sector, laying down theobjectives for the development of initialor continuing vocational training, in par-ticular alternance training, by pooling re-sources.

A survey conducted by the RegionalProgramme Coordinating Committee(CCPR) in March 2003 shows that thesecontracts are a major tool for regionalcouncils in their relations with differentindustries, as negotiation of the actionplans is a means of involving practi-tioners in the identification of skill needs.The action plans give rise to a genuine

dialogue on employment and training,offering the public authorities an op-portunity to sound out the opinion ofthe various industries, especially on thesuitability of the training delivered. Theyalso provide an opportunity for the de-velopment of joint actions in the field ofguidance and awareness-raising activi-ties for individual occupations and offera framework for regional experiments.

This approach may nevertheless implyall kinds of difficulties, starting off withproblems at the level of management.According to this survey, the regionssometimes have problems in gaining thecommitment of certain industries; as aresult, they introduce new tools.

The Region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, forinstance, has developed sectoral region-al plans covering all areas of regional in-tervention and coordinating its policy onrecruitment with the signatory branch-es of industry. This is an example of anaction plan providing a more globalapproach to employment needs. Otherregions have decided to implement ex-perts’ studies conducted by bodies suchas training/employment groups, or ob-servatories with the involvement ofvarious sectors of industry.

The action plans contain a certain num-ber of general guidelines, designed aboveall to introduce training programmesmatching employment needs identifiedat local and regional levels and to pro-mote youth access to skilling. In this con-text, the contracts look to develop ap-prenticeship and alternance training in

a school-based setting in response to theneeds of both young people and in-dustry, and to promote better links be-tween education and the world of work.

How is an action plan drawn up?A number of bodies or players are in-

volved: a professional association, theprefect of the region, the regional edu-cation board, the regional council, cham-bers of crafts and trades, trade and in-dustry, as well as unemployment insur-ance funds and employment agenciesfor industry and trade.

The contract is then drawn up on thebasis of both the guidelines defined inthe sector and the agreements and un-dertakings it has entered into with theState. A number of bodies are given anopportunity to express their views, e.g.the National Joint Industrial Committeefor Employment (CPNE) and the RegionalInter-occupational Joint Industrial Com-mittees for Employment(COPIRE); the Re-gional Coordinating Committee for Em-ployment and Vocational Training (CCREFP),the Academic Council for National Edu-cation and the Regional Committee forEducation in Agriculture) may also becalled upon to express an opinion.

As far as the content of a contrat d’ob-jectifs is concerned, a number of vari-ables are to be found, but the followingelements are systematically included inthe action plans: the quantitative and

qualitative objectives of the envisagedtraining schemes; their location, tar-geted levels, duration, final qualificationsand certificates; and the provision of in-formation resources for the target group.The contrat d’objectifs may also providefor measures to support the implemen-tation of the programmes, conditions tolink up the measures with apprentice-ship schemes, and a timetable. Someplans also provide for the conclusion ofquality contracts between the region andthe implementing bodies (apprenticeshiptraining centres, CFA).

A follow-up committee is set up, head-ed by the prefect of the region and thepresident of the regional council, chargedwith monitoring and evaluating theimplementation of the action plan.

Adjustments to the specific arrange-ments or content of the action plan maybe decided, depending on the outcomesof the annual evaluation process.

(1) Since 1992, almost 150 contrats d’objectifs have been signedthroughout the regions of France. Over 100 action plans wereoperational in 2003; more than ten action plans had been signed inthree regions: Alsace, Aquitaine and Brittany.

Source: Extract from an article by Sandrine Zadunayski published inINFFO Flash, No 653, 16 to 28 February 2005, p. 17 to 22

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Vocational guidance

The Lithuanian Labour Market Train-ing Authority at the Ministry of SocialSecurity and Labour (LLMTA) is the mainvocational counselling service providerfor adults and pupils of general educa-tion schools in Lithuania (www.dar-borinka.lt). Seven Territorial CounsellingOffices and seven of their local divisionscover all regions of the country and pro-vide counselling services to more than60 000 persons per year. The clients ofLLMTA are employees, the unemployed,pupils and their parents, and teach-ers.

The main services provided by LLMTAare:ñ to help the unemployed choose be-tween re-qualification or qualificationupgrading programmes that correspondto the person’s inclination, needs andpossibilities and to labour market de-mands;ñ to help the unmotivated and long-

term unemployed develop greater self-determination;ñ to develop the personal and socialskills of disadvantaged people (the dis-abled, ex-convicts, drug addicts and oth-ers);ñ to provide consultancy services forteachers, pupils and their parents on theissues of choice of vocation, qualifica-tion for an occupation and integrationinto the labour market;ñ to offer career reorientation pro-grammes to workers wishing to changejobs in order to achieve greater person-al satisfaction.

Counselling programmes are dividedinto three blocks according to the tasks:ñ Programmes to encourage vocation-al decision-making: evaluating a person’scapacities and needs, developing au-tonomous action and self-awareness,understanding the employment and ca-reer world;

ñ Programmes to develop employabil-ity and skills. In these programmes peo-ple learn to overcome the anxiety andstress caused by long-term unemploy-ment and develop the ability to makecontacts, communicate freely, and un-derstand the wishes and demands ofothers;ñ Programmes to develop adaptability.These encourage a positive attitude tochange and help formulate short-termand long-term objectives.

Counsellors work in individual andgroup counselling programmes. The lat-ter have turned out to be particularly use-ful for the long-termed unemployed. Forexample, a programme prepared in co-operation with partners from the Nether-lands has helped 50 % of its participantsfind a job, while 22 % chose continuingvocational training and qualification up-grading programmes.

The number of participants from each

target group consulted in 2004 are dis-played in the table.Unemployed 49 346Employed 995Pupils 12 047Pupils’ parents 536Pupils’ teachers 1 365

To ensure better access to LLMTA ser-vices, the Internet Vocational CounsellingService (IVCS) was introduced at the endof 2004. The IVCS consists of:tests on vocational choice and careerplanning;real-time interactive counselling;the interactive course, ‘Steps towardsgetting a job’.

The IVCS is integrated into the web-site of LLMTA: www.darborinka.lt.

Further information:Sigitas Zilionis, Deputy Director of Lithuanian Labour Market TrainingAuthority, Aguonu str. 10, LT-03213 VilniusTel. (370-5) 2310538, E-mail: sigitas@ldrmt.lt

Source: LLMTA/Sigitas Zilionis

LITHUANIA

New service provides in-depth vocational counselling

Social partners

The difficult situation on the Polishlabour market is partly due to mismatchesbetween the vocational training systemand employers’ expectations. Several so-cial partner organisations are thereforestepping up efforts to improve VET in aneffort to enhance human resource de-velopment.

In December 2004, Polish partners af-filiated with international organisationshelped prepare a report on social part-ners’ initiatives relating to VET and theimprovement of skills and qualifications,which was submitted to the EuropeanCommission. All organisations partici-pating in the work of the Tripartite Com-mission for Social and Economic Affairsin Poland were also involved in draftinga bill on employment promotion and

labour market institutions. This bill pro-poses solutions supporting VET.

Polish social partners are also under-taking independent initiatives.

The Polish Craft Association (ZRP) col-laborates with the Ministry of NationalEducation and Sport and the Ministry ofEconomy in creating learning environ-ments in enterprises; it also organises, incollaboration with the National LabourInspectorate and the Ministry of Edu-cation, national and regional vocation-al excellence competitions for youngworkers.

The Polish Confederation of PrivateEmployers (PKPP) is working on a projectaiming to improve training available forthe SME sector. It also publishes an an-nual report on research in the SME sec-

tor, which can help identify the majorobstacles to work-based training for SMEemployees.

Solidarnos’c’, the Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union (NSZZ) partici-pates in CI-EQUAL projects, which helpupgrade the skills and qualifications ofolder workers. It also offers training pro-grammes to employees in restructuredsectors of the economy.

The All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions(OPZZ) offers training on labour relationsand the harmonisation of Polish labourlaw with the ‘acquis communautaire’through its Foundation for Social Pro-grammes Implementation.

Most of the projects co-financed bythe Confederation of Polish Employers(KPP) and the EU involve training. In ad-

dition KPP regularly sends staff to sem-inars organised by Cedefop to build ex-pertise on training and human resourcesmanagement.

This short review shows that the ma-jor social partners in Poland are keenlyaware of the importance of supportingthe further development of vocationaltraining to meet the needs of both thelabour market and the workers them-selves.

Source: Marcin Kucharski, Secretary of the Council of PersonnelDirectors of PKPP kucharski@prywatni.pl

POLAND

Social Partners take the initiative

On 16 February 2005, Jean-Louis Bor-loo, Minister for Employment, Labourand Social Cohesion, presented his planfor the development of personal services,which follows on from the national agree-ment signed with the representatives ofthe operators in this sector on 22 Novem-ber 2004.

This plan comprises three frameworkprogrammes in response to PresidentChirac’s call for the development of thistype of service: (i) the development ofmajor multi-service providers as bench-marks, (ii) the creation of a national agencyfor the development of personal servicesand (iii) adaptation of existing regula-tions in order to ensure quality.

The objective of the measures is to sim-plify recourse to personal services and tocut the costs for private individuals by in-troducing the ‘all-round service cheque’

which will reduce social charges. A fur-ther aim is to improve wage conditionsand social rights in the sector. The planalso provides for negotiations betweenthe social partners on the following is-sues: combating involuntary part-timework, reimbursing of travel costs and in-troducing a formal training track. To cre-ate and provide access to formal train-ing, reference occupations will be de-veloped, social sector qualifications re-engineered, new occupations recognisedand a ‘contribution to vocational train-ing’ introduced. Accreditation of priorlearning (APL) is also to be stepped upover the next three years.

A national agency responsible for per-sonal services should be operationalby 1 January 2006. Its mandate will beto promote major multi-service providersas benchmarks, to make the public fa-

miliar with services offered and to pro-vide information on rules applicable inthe sector for private individuals, wage-earners, entrepreneurs and administra-tions.

Moreover, the ‘all-round service cheque’is to replace the current ‘service cheque’and ‘service voucher’ schemes from Jan-uary 2006 onwards. Employers will beencouraged to co-finance the cheque.The payment of an employers’ contri-bution, which is to be tax-deductible andexempt of social contributions, will makecompanies eligible for a special tax cred-it of 25 percent.

Jean-Louis Borloo hopes that on thebasis of this plan 500 000 jobs will becreated in this sector over the next threeyears. Services to private individuals is abooming sector, offering more than 1.3million jobs and posting an annual growth

rate of 5.5 percent since 1990. Almost80 000 jobs are created in the sectorevery year. The target set by the plan isto increase this annual rate to 15 per-cent.

Source: Article by Sandrine Zadunayski in: INFFO Flash, No 653, 16 to 28February 2005.

The following sources (in French) are also of interest:Press file dated 16 February 2005 (28 pages)www.travail.gouv.fr/actualites/Pdf/DP160205.pdfPlan for the development of personal services: towards the setting up ofa centre of national excellence in employment in the personal servicessector/ Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Cohesion - Unit forthe development of personal services16 February 2005, 60 pages www.travail.gouv.fr/actualites/pdf/Rap-port_SP.pdf

- Features with practical details can be found on the ministry websitewith a comprehensive presentation of the current ‘service cheque’scheme: www.travail.gouv.fr/infos_pratiques/ch_emploi-service.html- and the ‘service voucher’ scheme: www.travail.gouv.fr/infos_pra-tiques/emploi-service.html.

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Personal services: 500 000 jobs to be created within three years

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Study visits Corner

Special target groups

The twentieth anniversary of the Community StudyVisits Programme provides an opportunity to look backon the long voyage of mutual acquaintance upon whichso many European states have embarked.

The Community Study Visits Programme representsthe main forum for exchanging experience and dis-cussing subjects of common interest among thoseresponsible for vocational education and training inEurope.

Currently the programme is focusing on the Lis-bon (2000) and Maastricht (2004) objectives, not leastbecause a wider range of countries and potential par-ticipants have now been taken on board.

What is the key to the success of the Study VisitsProgramme and its development over the years?

The study visits principally serve to help Europeansunderstand each others’ vocational training systems

and mechanisms, and thus each others’ policy deci-sions on education, employment and training.

Explaining the various decisions and policy frame-works is a particularly important aspect of the pro-gramme, reflecting a need to move from theory intopractice on questions affecting the future of all Euro-pean citizens.

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1985-2005: 20 years of study visits

In Austria - as in many other countries - very few womenand girls opt for jobs in technical and scientific fields. ThePISA study has nevertheless highlighted that this gender-specific concentration results in important potential remaininguntapped and going to waste. Although girls are often justas good at science subjects as boys at Austrian schools, thisis still not adequately reflected in girls’ and women’s train-ing or careers choice. In conjunction with the federal states,the Federal Ministry of Education and Training has nowlaunched a programme to combat this gender stereotypingin careers choice: ‘MUT2 - Girls and Technology’.

The innovative element of MUT2 is awareness-raisingand further training of key opinion multipliers, in particu-lar teachers and parents. The reason for the focus on theseplayers is that they tend to play a major role in young peo-ple’s careers choice, whereby traditional role stereotypingis still more prominent in the case of girls than boys.

A further innovative aspect of the programme is projectcoordination. The project is headed by an inter-regionalsteering committee, comprising representatives of the fed-eral states (women’s affairs officers), the Federal Ministryof Education and Training and the association responsiblefor the implementation of the project, Akzente Salzburg.At operational level, nine counselling centres for girls andwomen in eight federal states are participating in projectimplementation.

A total budget of EUR 1.3 million has been earmarkedfor the project. The main events planned during the sum-mer of 2005 are a careers’ fair in Carinthia, a workshop forup-and-coming kindergarten educators in Vienna and Girls’Day events in Hallein and Lower Austria. These events areaddressed to girls in lower-secondary compulsory school-ing, training schools for kindergarten teachers and higher-level technical colleges.

Further information: Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Tel. (43-1) 53120-5021 www.bmbwk.gv.at

Source: Helmut Hafner/ibw

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Programme to combat genderstereotyping in careers choiceTechnical industries are still very much a male pre-

serve. Barely 15 percent of all workers in this sectorare women. Moreover, women are often relegatedto operational and practical tasks, generally of arepetitive nature. In tasks calling for a certain degreeof autonomy and specific technical skills, women areconspicuous by their absence. This is often the caseeven in technical occupations hit by the dearth ofskilled workers, e.g. electrical engineers, welders,maintenance technicians and civil engineers.

Dominique Michel, Secretary General of AGORIA,an association of employers and companies fromkey technical industries, regards this underrepre-sentation of women as a disadvantage for Belgianindustry. Michel is convinced that the limited rep-resentation of typically female attributes - team spir-it, a sense of responsibility, organisational skills,cooperation and compromise - deprives firms ofvitality. However it would be disrespectful to reducethe abilities of active women to these stereotypes:on average, women today are better trained thanmen and account for over half of graduates (uni-versities and other tertiary level institutions). Con-trary to general opinion, women certainly do havea gift for science; but female students tend to optfor life sciences such as medicine or biology.

It is against this background that AGORIA Brus-sels is also involved in the activities of the Interface3training centre, which delivers technical and com-mercial training courses targeted to non-Belgianwomen. Of the 120 persons completing these cours-es every year, at least 60 percent go directly intoemployment; this proportion is as high as 80 per-cent among those who also have fluent Dutch (even90 percent in the case of accountancy assistantcourses).

Among Interface3’s training courses, AGORIA hasmade a particular investment in the e-commercecourse, as many of its member firms lack the rele-

vant skills. Twelve trainees from 11 different na-tionalities are currently engaged in this course, hav-ing already participated in specific modules im-parting commercial, legal, computing and languageskills.

All of the trainees are currently engaged in workexperience. Placements were found for each of themin AGORIA companies, the association’s trainingfund covering the costs of ongoing guidance forboth enterprises and trainees. The trainees are en-trusted with the following tasks: drawing up spec-ifications, e-procurement, handling export proce-dures, contact with the commercial courts, etc. Par-ticular attention is given to the use of ICT to increasethe business potential of AGORIA member compa-nies in this field.

Source: FOREM - Department for International Relations (sigrid.dieu@forem.be)

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AGORIA Brussels represents some 350 firms work-ing in technical industries in the Brussels-Capitalregion. Its members work in the manufacturingsector (metalworking, mechanics, electronics,automotive industry and aerospace), ICTs or in main-tenance and installation trades. The association’smembers employ a total of some 32 000 workers,almost one half of industrial employment in Brus-sels.

Further information from:Agoria Bruxelles,Stijn Ombelets (stijn.ombelets@agoria.be),Anne-Catherine Devolder (anne-catherine.devolder@interface3.be)

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The Community Study Visits Programme was set upin 1985 but its roots date back to the adoption of twoEuropean Council resolutions in 1983. The resolutions,providing for measures to develop vocational trainingand focusing on the impact of new technologies, wereimplemented in 1985. The Council decision of 1995creating the Leonardo da Vinci Programme led to theextension of the Community Study Visits Programmeto EU candidate countries and some members of theEuropean Economic Area (EEA). Since then, the pro-gramme has gradually taken in the entire Europeanfamily, with a total of 31 countries currently benefit-ing from its positive outcomes.

The objectives of the programme can be summarisedas follows: a) to enrich the experience and update theknowledge of researchers on training and educationwithin Europe, b) to encourage a continual exchangeof ideas and information between participants, c) todevelop communication between Member States ofthe European Union and those in charge of vocation-al training.

Apart from including increasing numbers of citizensand countries, the programme is meant to act as a pol-icy tool, i.e. to contribute to the debate on subjects ofcommon interest by taking account of the differentneeds, mentalities and even philosophies affectinglabour and employment throughout Europe.

The programme constantly takes on board the newchallenges facing Europe due to globalisation or tech-nological change.

Over the years, VET professionals throughout Europehave been keen to participate in the study visits. Morethan 900 visits have so far been organised by EU coun-tries and 3 308 participants attended study visits be-tween 1995 and 1999. Similarly, between 1995 and2001, 14 visits were organised by the candidate coun-tries, e.g. Poland, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, etc.,while 18 visits were organised by countries cooperat-ing with the European Union.

How do the participants view the Study Visits Pro-gramme?

The objectives of the programme are achieved if thevisit succeeds in establishing a connection between thedifferent education, training and employment prac-tices that share a common objective, i.e. to clarify andimplement EU policies.

Exchanges of views on e.g. national vocational train-ing systems, the role of foreign language learning orthe importance of higher education, raise awarenessamong participants.

The multinational and multidisciplinary groups of 10to 15 participants in each visit form small communitieswithin which the secrets of vocational training in eachcountry are revealed.

The Study Visits Programme has offered represen-tatives of trade unions and employers’ organisations,researchers, public education/training bodies, those re-sponsible for training in related centres and agencies,local employment agencies, documentalists, companytraining managers, SMEs and chambers of commercean opportunity to understand their differences and re-flect on cooperation.

The programme has also played a role in develop-ing the entrepreneurship and training of women at EUlevel, notably in the course of the last 15 years.

Study visits are fertile ground for analysing issues ofconcern to national education and training systems,such as skills recognition; for discussing new teachingmethods, such as distance learning; and for the de-velopment of good practices.

What is the future of the programme?Study visits do not make decisions. They promote

mutual understanding of vocational training systemsand mechanisms and EU policy decisions, and help toshare experience.

The programme seeks to face the challenges of build-ing Europe by bringing closer together national sys-tems and mentalities which may in fact be very farremoved from each other. Study visits aim to bring

about a similar standard in all Member States, candi-date and EEA countries in the field of training and em-ployment. The participation of all in education and em-ployment is part and parcel of the European her-itage.

The current priorities of the programme are definedin the 2004 - 2006 action plan. The programme is giv-en a different focus every year, concentrating on oneor two sensitive issues. Ultimately, it aims to ensureequal access for all players to both training and em-ployment.

In the course of 20 years the Community Study VisitsProgramme has tracked the major social, economic andtechnological developments that have left their markon vocational training, ranging from the liberalisa-tion of the economy (affecting all Member States ofthe EU) to armed conflict in regions bordering the Euro-pean Union.

The success and smooth continuation of the pro-gramme will depend on whether it continues to re-spond to changing technological, geopolitical, socialand cultural circumstances - in a word, if it retainsthe creative spirit with which it has achieved its objec-tives during its first 20 years.

Source: Cedefop/dd

Full details on the study visit programme, its history and operation can be found at:www.studyvisits.gr

Takis Theodoropoulos then evokedimaginary journeys. As writing is in it-self a kind of journey, he sees writersas cosmopolitan per se, regardless ofwhether they travel in the literal sense.Multiple and internal emigration, voy-ages across languages, firm roots anda sense of not belonging - writers whisktheir readers off on a voyage of themind.

The panel of five journalists from dif-ferent European countries addressed thequestion of the Community Study VisitsProgramme from a more technical pointof view.

Luis Garcia Llorente (Fundación Tri-partita, Spain) drew attention to the riskof information on vocational training be-ing reduced to a mere statement of facts,devoid of any real interest.

This, he believed, could well happenif managers and those responsible forproviding information on vocational train-ing are not perfectly conversant with theirfield and fail to convey the importance

of certain issues, e.g. lifelong learning,to the public at large.

Elisabeth Kukalowska from Le Monde-initiatives (France) drew attention to thefact that European Union citizens wouldfrom now on be working up to the ageof 65 to 70 - which made the successfulimplementation of vocational trainingprogrammes specifically addressed toworkers aged 35+ an issue of major im-portance.

Remarking that there was much moreto Europe than the ‘bureaucrats’ in Brus-sels or the uniform media culture of whichthe recent Eurovision Song Contest wasbut one example, Wolf Günter Brügmannfrom the German daily Frankfurter Rund-schau pointed out that mixed cultureswere, in fact, emerging in the Europeanstates.

The Director of Cedefop, Johan vanRens, said that Brussels should not be re-garded as a bureaucratic machine or,worse, a mere reservoir of capital: on thecontrary, it was crucial to focus on the

real substance of vocational training prob-lems.

Boris Bergant from Slovene Radio andTelevision demonstrated the need to de-sign and introduce programmes offeringEuropean citizens an opportunity to be-come acquainted with the customs, habits,culture and languages of the Europeannations, in particular the smallest ones;he added that the success story of Euro-pean Union over the last 15 years was

due not only to enlargement, but also tothe development of the media in SouthEastern Europe.

In a nutshell, all the discussions andcontributions in the course of the dayshed light on the key idea of the StudyVisits: the value of travel and exchange- of ‘distancing’, as Brecht would say -and, ultimately, of learning from eachother.Source: Cedefop/dd/cf

A moving experience for EuropeansContinued from Page 1

Photo: Andreas Sfiridis

1985-2005: 20 years of study visits Continued from page 15

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