Reference year 2019
1Scheme history
Apprenticeships were used by the ancient guilds to train craftsmen. When the guilds were abolished in the 19th century, apprenticeship remained as the way of delivering vocational qualifications.
In medieval times the apprenticeships were under the administration of guilds (this was dissolved in 1857). In 1937 the foundation of the system as we know it today was introduced. In 1956 the dual programme was introduced with periods of school-based and work-based education. Later, the school-based basic part of apprenticeship programmes was introduced in1970. Latest, in 2015, the combination of journeyman’s qualification and qualifications from upper secondary general education (EUX) was introduced (after being piloted in a few programs from 2010).
2Beneficiaries
Learners enrol in IVET usually at the age of 16-17. All IVET is organised as apprenticeship, and the workplace part of training usually starts after one year (40 weeks) of foundation training.
The usual target group of IVET programmes is the age bracket 16-17, but many learners enrol at a later age.
A distinction is made between mainstream and adult VET, but all programmes are organized as apprenticeships.
Source: https://uddannelsesstatistik.dk/Pages/Reports/1838.aspx
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Education, 108.606 learners were enrolled in IVET in 2019
https://uddannelsesstatistik.dk/Pages/Reports/1838.aspx
3Qualifications
IVET qualifications are generally at level 4 of the NQF.
Programme number 353.10/level 353
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET. Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to achieve qualifications at IVET-level by other means. Learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centres (skolepraktikcentre), which have been set up in connection with the vocational schools. This is meant to emulate enterprise training, however, and enrolment only happens when all possibilities for a normal apprenticeship contract are exhausted.
Journeyman
Learners with IVET qualifications as a rule have to take supplementary courses to enrol in higher education. The exception to this is the EUX variety of apprenticeships, which also confers general upper secondary qualifications that allow more direct progression to higher education.
A minimum duration of 2 years and 2 months is set, corresponding to the basic level of journeyman’s qualifications.
The Law on VET (Lov om Erhvervsuddannelser) stipulates that IVET programmes “as a rule cannot exceed 4 years and 6 months". Still, there are some programmes with longer duration.
For example, programmes with maximum duration of 5 years lead to both journeyman’s qualification and qualifications from upper secondary general education (EUX).
Usually VET programmes last 4 years including the first year of basic school-based training.
4Governance
Social partners play an institutionalized role at all levels of VET, from the National advisory council on vocational upper secondary education and training (Rådet for de grundlæggende Erhvervsrettede Uddannelser), which advises the Ministry of Education on principal matters concerning VET, to playing an advisory role at the local level through local training committees comprised of representatives of the social partners who advise colleges on local adaptations of VET. Their most important role is to ensure that VET provision is in line with the needs of the labour market.
Details about curriculum, duration, remuneration etc. are decided for each programme by the social partners in the so-called trade committees, which have a central role in apprenticeship governance and coordination (see also Q38, Q39).
Social partners play an institutionalized role at all levels of VET.
The National advisory council on vocational upper secondary education and training (Rådet for de grundlæggende Erhvervsrettede Uddannelser) advises the Ministry of Education on principal matters concerning VET.
In relation to shaping the apprenticeship content, social partners in the Trade Committees at national and local level:
• Provide yearly evaluation rapport with assessment of future needs for new competences and the description of new learning outcomes
• define learning objectives and curricula;
• define the length of a programme and its division between the school and the enterprise.
The social partners in the Trade Committees at national and local level:
- Provide assessors for the final exams (journeyman’s test).
- Asses and gives accreditation to companies that allow them to hire apprentices
- negotiate the wage level for apprentices
5Training at the workplace
The first year of IVET programmes in Denmark is school-based training. From the second year, most learners get an apprenticeship contract with a company or a public institution and usually spend 2/3 of their time with work-based learning and 1/3 of their time with school-based learning
Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to achieve qualifications at IVET level by other means. Learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centers (skolepraktikcentre), which have been set up in connection with the vocational schools. This is meant to emulate enterprise training, however, and enrolment only happens when all possibilities for a normal apprenticeship contract are exhausted.
The apprenticeship system is built on block release, where apprentices spend periods of up to one year in the enterprises, and have school periods of up to 3 months (apart from the initial period (grundforløbet) which is entirely school-based and may last up to 40 weeks.
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET in Denmark. Only learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centres. But almost all students end up signing an apprenticeship contract before the end of their education.
Learning objectives (praktikmål) for the placement periods are defined by the Trade Committees and the employer must provide training that allows the apprentice to reach these learning objectives.
There are requirements as to the ratio of apprentices and trained employees, as well as the nature of the tasks undertaken and the availability of machines and tools relevant to the trade. The rules for this are formulated by the Trade Committees.
Enterprises wishing to take apprentices must be approved by the Trade Committee (which may delegate this task to the vocational school).
Workplaces are not obligated to provide trained mentors, but there are short voluntary courses for trainers.
They can lose the right to train apprentices.
6Contract and compensation
The apprentice is an employee of the enterprise but has a special status as a learner. The enterprise is obliged to provide training so that the apprentice can reach the learning objectives (praktikmål) that have been formulated by the relevant Trade Committee for the placement periods.
The learner concludes an apprenticeship contract with the enterprise. The vocational school approves the contract but is not a signatory part.
The apprentice has the status of an employee at the enterprise.
The learner’s vocational school approves the contract (checks that all formalities are met) and registers the contract. Then the school sends the contract to the Trade Committee (Det faglige udvalg) and to the Ministry of education
All apprentices receive wage.
The apprentice is paid wages from the moment the contract comes into force.
Apprentices’ wages are negotiated as part of the collective agreements between the social partners. An example (plumber apprentices, 2019):
1st year DKK 66.15 per hour
2nd year DKK 76.30 per hour
3rd year DKK 96.15 per hour
4th year DKK 109.45 per hour
5th year (EUX) DKK 120,20 per hour
7Financing and incentives
The apprentice’s wages are paid by the employer. The employer may recover costs for wages during school periods from the Employers Reimbursement Fund (AUB).
Employers with apprentices are required to pay the apprentice’s wages during the apprenticeship.
Employers with more than five employees must contribute to the so-called Employers Reimbursement Scheme (Arbejdsgivernes Uddannelsesbidrag - AUB) irrespective of whether they have apprentices or not. The funds are used to compensate employers with apprentices for the extra costs they have for this (e.g. wages of apprentices during school periods, when they are not available to the enterprise).
Since 2018, companies and institutions that do not take their share of apprentices have to pay extra to the common fund (AUB). So, an expected ratio is calculated for different industries and those workplaces who do not have enough apprentices have to pay 3600 euro per year per ‘missing’ apprentice. At the same time those who expand their number of apprentices are rewarded with 3350 per year per extra apprentice. Link
Learners receive wage both when they participate in school based and work-based learning. The employer may recover costs for wages during school periods from the Employers Reimbursement Fund (AUB).
Reference Year 2016
1Target group
The main target group are young people who have completed the 9th or the 10th grade in lower secondary education (compulsory schooling finishes at the 9th grade, but most pupils take an optional 10th year before moving on). This target group will be between 16-17 years of age, but many wait till later to enrol – the average age of enrolment is nearly 21.
Adult learners may enter VET and do an apprenticeship. A system for the accreditation of prior learning (realkompetencevurdering) ensures that previous practical experience and educational achievements are taken into account and the total length of their learning trajectory shortened.
The main target group are in the age bracket aged 16-17, but many enrol at a later age. A distinction is made between mainstream and adult VET, but all programmes are organised as apprenticeships
2Overview of the scheme
Programme number 353.10/level 353.
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET.
Apprenticeships were introduced in medieval times.
Apprenticeships were used by the ancient guilds to train craftsmen. When the guilds were abolished in the 19th century, apprenticeship remained as the way of delivering vocational qualifications.
Employers with apprentices are required to pay the apprentice’s wages during the apprenticeship. All enterprises (also those without apprentices) have to contribute to a common fund (AUB), which compensates employers with apprentices for extra costs incurred (e.g. wages of apprentices during school periods, when they are not available to the enterprise).
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Education, 49,932 learners enrolled in IVET in 2014 (http://statweb.uni-c.dk/Databanken/uvmDataWeb/ShowReport.aspx?report=EAK-tilgang-erhudd).
All IVET-programmes are organised as apprenticeships.
According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Education, 18.4% of all those leaving compulsory education (9th or 10th form) opted for IVET. Nearly 75% opted for upper secondary general education (https://www.uvm.dk/Service/Statistik/Statistik-om-folkeskolen-og-frie-skoler/Statistik-om-elever-i-folkeskolen-og-frie-skoler/Statistik-over-tilmelding-til-ungdomsuddannelserne-for-9,-d-,-og-10,-d-,-klasse-(FTU).
Journeyman.
Journeyman.
3Qualifications
IVET qualifications are generally at level 4 of the NQF.
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET. Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to achieve qualifications at IVET-level by other means. Learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centres (skolepraktikcentre), which have been set up in connection with the vocational schools. This is meant to emulate enterprise training, however, and enrolment only happens when all possibilities for a normal apprenticeship contract are exhausted.
Learners with qualifications from IVET will as a rule have to take supplementary courses to enrol in higher education. The exception to this is the EUX variety of apprenticeships, which also confers general upper secondary qualifications.
4Duration
Most programmes are of a duration of around 4 years, but there are some that last 3 years while some others can last 5 years.
The Law on VET (Lov om Erhvervsuddannelser) stipulates that IVET programmes “as a rule cannot exceed 4 years and 6 months". Still, there are some programmes with longer duration.
The Law on VET contains no prescriptions for the length of time spent at school and in the enterprise. This is decided by the social partners in the Trade Committees.
5Alternation of work-based (in-company) training and school-based training
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET. Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to achieve qualifications at IVET-level by other means. Learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centres (skolepraktikcentre), which have been set up in connection with the vocational schools. This is meant to emulate enterprise training, however, and enrolment only happens when all possibilities for a normal apprenticeship contract are exhausted.
The apprenticeship system is built on block release, where apprentices spend periods of up to one year in the enterprises, and have school periods of up to 3 months (apart from the initial period (grundforløbet) which is entirely school-based and may last up to 40 weeks.
6Formal relationship with the employer
The learner concludes an apprenticeship contract with the enterprise. The vocational school approves the contract, but is not a signatory part.
The learner concludes an apprenticeship contract with the enterprise. The vocational school approves the contract, but is not a signatory part.
The apprentice has the status of an employee at the enterprise.
The learner’s vocational school approves the contract (checks that all formalities are OK) and registers the contract.
The apprentice is an employee of the enterprise, but has a special status as a learner. The enterprise is obliged to provide training so that the apprentice can reach the learning objectives that have been formulated by the relevant Trade Committee for the placement periods (praktikmål).
7Remuneration
Apprentices’ wages are negotiated as part of the collective agreements between the social partners. An example (plumber apprentices, 2014):
1st year DKK 61.75 per hour
2nd year DKK 71.20 per hour
3rd year DKK 89.70 per hour
4th year DKK 102.10 per hour
The apprentice’s wages are paid by the employer. The employer may recover costs for wages during school periods from the Employers Reimbursement Fund (AUB).
The employer must provide training, and learning objectives for the placement periods have been defined by the Trade Committees.
8Responsibility of employers
The are requirements as to the ratio of apprentices and trained employees, as well as the nature of the tasks undertaken and the presence of machines and tools relevant to the trade. The rules for this are formulated by the Trade Committees. Enterprises wishing to take apprentices must be approved by the Trade Committee (which may delegate this task to the vocational school).
They can lose the right to train apprentices.
The social partners in the Trade Committees at national and local level:
- define learning objectives and curricula;
- define length of programme and division school/enterprise;
- negotiate wage level for apprentices;
- provide assessors for the final exams (journeyman’s test).