Cedefop Newsletter

European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen branded the activity ‘a huge success,’ adding that she favours its continuation next year.

Speaking at the closing event, Ms Thyssen repeated the Commission’s aim to make vocational education and training (VET) a first choice for parents and young people in Europe, and stressed that it works to achieve that goal ‘with expertise from our agencies, Cedefop and ETF.’

The winners of the #CedefopPhotoAward second phase, Nico Conti from Malta and Raquel Pereira Sousa Pinto from Portugal, received their awards from the Commissioner at the closing event.

They both said they were inspired and grateful for the experience. Nico Conti, an artist, urged participants to explain to their children and grandchildren the advantages of a VET career.

At events during the week, European Commission Vice Presidents Jyrki Katainen and Valdis Dombrovskis spoke of VET’s importance in the fight against unemployment in Europe and for the continent’s competitiveness.

Ministers, MEPs and other high-level speakers, as well as adult learners, representatives of social partners, teacher and trainer organisations, youth forums etc, made the case for VET, work-based learning and cooperation between the worlds of education and business. Examples from countries outside Europe were also presented.

Speaking at the European business forum on VET on 8 December, Cedefop Director James Calleja noted that ‘if we look closer at the world of work and the world of education, they have one common goal: employability.’

He added that countries where apprenticeships are strongly rooted in society have low youth unemployment, and encouraged all actors to work together offering Cedefop’s support.

Cedefop contributed to the European vocational skills week with work behind the scenes and a communication campaign. It also organised five related activities (how to make learning visible conference, policy learning forum on professional development of teacher and trainers, ReferNet annual plenary meeting, second policy learning forum on learning outcomes and the #CedefopPhotoAward competition ‘youth in education and training’).

In Brussels, the mobility scoreboards for initial VET, developed by Cedefop, and for higher education, developed by EACEA/Eurydice, were launched by the Commission during the business forum.

Cedefop expert Lidia Salvatore chaired a workshop on costs and financing at the adult skills conference on 6 and 7 December.

Studying and training abroad helps people build valuable skills and experience – as millions of past Erasmus students and trainees can demonstrate. The scoreboards show how well different countries are managing to create a favourable environment for mobility, and can help spur improvement.

The higher education scoreboard builds on a 2013 pilot study. For IVET, the scoreboard comes at the right time of increased political attention to mobility of vocational students and apprentices. The scoreboards are presented on a common online platform.

Learning abroad is generally seen as an enriching and often far-reaching experience, especially for young people. The European Union has promoted learner mobility for many years through various policies, programmes and tools, with the aim to reduce youth unemployment and to better match its workforce’s skills to labour market needs.

In 2011, the Council also set the goal that, by 2020, at least 6% of all 18 to 34 year-olds with a VET background be granted a learning experience abroad.

In the same year, it adopted a Recommendation encouraging Member States to promote learning mobility of young people. Through this Recommendation, Member States commit to promoting and removing obstacles to learners' mobility. In addition, the Council advocated the creation of a tool – a ‘mobility scoreboard’ – which would ‘monitor (…) progress in promoting, and removing obstacles to, learning mobility’ in Europe.

EACEA/Eurydice set out to work on a mobility scoreboard for HE. In parallel, the European Commission entrusted Cedefop with the development of a mobility scoreboard for IVET.

The scoreboards for IVET and HE take stock of policies and structures in place in countries to support mobility of learners.

Speaking at the European business forum on VET in Brussels, where the scoreboards were launched, Cedefop’s Head of Department for VET Systems and Institutions Loukas Zahilas said that the tool is meant to assist policy-makers in IVET and to provide an overview, in a simple way, of the state of play in learner mobility. He added that it is presented in a user-friendly way with indicators, maps, country fiches and European-level reports that allow users to access a broad range of information and make comparisons. The indicators can be found in two places: on the Cedefop and the Eurydice websites, while the Cedefop website also offers more in-depth information.

Dana-Carmen Bachmann, Head of Unit, DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, noted that the mobility scoreboard gives us a picture of the factors that enable a learner to access opportunities to go to another country.

The scoreboard was also discussed at a workshop on mobility in VET and apprenticeships with the participation of Cedefop expert Guy Tchibozo, who is the project manager.

The forum explored the way forward, which will involve the setting up of a practitioner network and the development of a handbook, the first draft of which was presented to participants.

In her opening speech, Cedefop Deputy Director Mara Brugia pointed out that there is a 'strong political commitment about learning outcomes across Europe’, but warned that this 'does not guarantee that they are written and applied in a way which benefits end-users, be these teachers, learners or employers.'

She added: ‘Learning outcomes are widely used in VET, but exchange of experience between institutions and countries and mutual learning are still rather limited, as opposed to higher education.’

Ms Brugia said that the feedback received after the first forum singled out the need for a ‘more permanent community of practitioners,’ adding that Cedefop ‘certainly wants to support such mutual learning in a more systematic way.’

European Commission’s Koen Nomden argued that making learning outcomes mainstream will define qualification standards.

Cedefop Head of Department for VET Systems and Institutions Loukas Zahilas mentioned that following last year’s forum we have come closer to a much-needed community of practice, supported by Cedefop research.

Comparing countries

More Cedefop research in the field was also discussed at the forum, including two comparative studies: one on learning outcome application in 33 European countries, carried out in 2014-15, and another of 10 learning outcomes-based VET qualifications currently being carried out in 25 countries across the world (13 in Europe and 12 in the rest of the world).

Cedefop expert Slava Pevec Grm said that learning outcomes are increasingly embedded in policies and practices across Europe, noting that all European countries have significantly progressed on defining and using them.

Prior to the event, which was part of the European vocational skills week, national representatives had been asked to submit written input summarising the way learning outcomes have been implemented in their country. During the event, participants exchanged experiences in the plenary sessions and in the working groups.

'GPS for qualifications'

Cedefop expert Jens Bjørnåvold presented the first draft of the handbook for defining and writing learning outcomes and invited stakeholders to contribute as it needs to reflect a wide approach.

In his closing remarks, Cedefop Director James Calleja highlighted further this work by saying that ‘a handbook in evolution’ will become the ‘GPS for qualifications.’

He argued that learning outcomes are more than a technical exercise: ‘We must create a culture in schools and institutions to define, write and implement learning outcomes; we need to have leaders, well-trained teachers and stimulating learning environments where learning outcomes are accepted as enriching qualifications.’

Mr Calleja concluded: ‘Learning outcomes are at the heart of the journey from education to employment and give providers and employers the chance to step into one another’s shoes.’ He called for social partners and students to get more involved, and stressed the need for all actors to continue to talk to one another.

Over 65 members and national representatives from 29 countries discussed the latest VET policy developments, prepared the 2017 work plan and shared experiences related to validation of the network’s deliverables on 15 and 16 November in Thessaloniki.

National representatives, who validate the reports, were invited for the first time and new members, who joined this year, were also welcomed.

The event was part of the first European vocational skills week, organised by the European Commission with Cedefop as a partner.

In his opening remarks, Cedefop’s Head of Department for VET Systems and Institutions Loukas Zahilas said that ‘ReferNet is our main source of information on VET’s role, governance, structure and insights in Member States, and, every year, we aspire to improve the way we work together.’

Mr Zahilas noted that ‘thousands of report pages and hundreds of news articles produced by ReferNet members have been used by the European Commission, OECD, UNESCO and many others.’

ReferNet coordinator Sylvie Bousquet stressed the concepts of member co-ownership and interactivity.

European Commission’s Jan Varchola argued that VET is ‘now receiving maximum attention with the Commission’s New skills agenda for Europe, the European vocational skills week, initial VET mobility, the revision of Cedefop’s Founding Regulation and the European alliance for apprenticeship being some of the latest initiatives.’

Mr Varchola added that there is funding available to support Member State reform in this field and underlined the importance of communication activities to raise VET attractiveness.

It is also necessary to pay due attention to all teachers who work in VET, be it teachers of general subjects to VET students or teachers of vocational subjects, providing them with better opportunities for professionalisation and institutionalising training programmes for teaching in VET.

Over 70 participants from 29 countries and representatives of the European Commission and the European Training Foundation worked together at the forum to identify ways of achieving a systemic approach to teachers’ and trainers’ professional development and cooperation between VET and the labour market.

The event was part of the first European vocational skills week, which is organised by the European Commission with Cedefop as a partner.

Opening the forum, Cedefop Director James Calleja suggested that VET teacher training must turn professional with initial and continuous training systemically established in all Member States. Teacher training qualifications will ensure VET quality, he said.

According to Mr Calleja, the key challenges related to VET teacher training are: the diverse systems in which they work, their different training needs, the need for closer cooperation between businesses and VET schools, the recognition of VET teachers’, trainers’ and mentors’ potential, the need for planning and monitoring their development, the importance of school leadership that promotes a more professional environment for learning, the need to use EU funding with sustainable plans for long-term teacher training.

Mr Calleja stressed that VET teachers, trainers and mentors must be certified and fully qualified after years of higher education and training.

European Commission's Norbert Schoebel thanked Cedefop for linking the forum with the meeting of the ET2020 working group on VET on the agency’s premises (23/11), saying that it is a good way of cooperation.

Participants discussed in small groups ideas such as how systematic a systemic approach should be, how to integrate work-based and school-based learning, the use of IT (online platforms, forums, social networking), cooperation at different levels, how to support professional development of SME trainers etc.

Following the forum, the wealth of acquired information and ideas will be taken forward by the ET2020 group (2016-18 focus is on professional development of teachers and trainers in VET). The group is developing guiding principles for the Member States.

Other conclusions

It was pointed out at the forum that there is a lack of data across Europe with regard to VET teachers and trainers, and it was agreed that Cedefop will look into possibilities to improve the situation.

It was also agreed that the activities of teachers’ unions on teachers’ continuing professional development will be explored better and taken into account in the future.

Cedefop will follow up on the results and disseminate them, and will possibly focus the next forum, in two years’ time, on the cooperation mechanisms of teachers in VET schools and trainers in companies in a broader context of crossing the boundaries between VET and the world of work.

Cedefop expert Irina Jemeljanova, who organised the event, said: ‘I think the forum has been successful because the participants have represented various stakeholder groups: teacher unions, VET providers, employers, teachers and trainers, officials from national governments. We addressed important issues while approaching professional development for teachers and trainers. The main goal is to move from a fragmented and supply-driven process to a systematic one which ensures the best possible learning outcomes for students.’

Find out what some of the participants had to say.

He noted: ‘We need to take small but consistent steps towards 2018 to put the 2012 Council Recommendation into practice. Validation has added value when political and legal support is forthcoming and when the most vulnerable in society can benefit from this tool.’

Learning value

In her opening speech, Cedefop Deputy Director Mara Brugia said that ‘the value of learning, or rather its outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and competences, ranks high on Europe’s policy agenda today.’

She added: ‘It is outside school that many people have acquired the most important skills for their jobs. This is certainly the case with the 50+ generation. Formally, many of these people are low qualified but have gained important skills and competences in the course of their lives.’

So, validation is ‘really about making all learning visible to encourage people to continue, help them get a job and/or raise their self-esteem.’

Ms Brugia underlined that, in its long-standing work on validation, Cedefop has always advocated a comprehensive approach: ‘And our work has provided the evidence that EU Member States investing the most in strengthening their policies on validating skills, recognising qualifications and career guidance, have more inclusive and efficient labour markets.’

Political commitment

European Commission’s Ana Carla Pereira presented the current state of validation in Europe, noting that, although validation is high on the European political agenda, many countries have reported a lack of political engagement. This is where we should focus, she added.

Cedefop expert Ernesto Villalba, who organised the conference, presented the first results of the 2016 European inventory update. The inventory monitors the progress of validation arrangements from a country-specific and a thematic point of view, and it works together with the validation guidelines.

According to the inventory, there is increasing political commitment, but less involvement of social partners and civil society. Validation arrangements are education-driven and more coordination is needed. There is also potential for better use of ICT.

Participants discussed in parallel sessions validation for migrants, for the unemployed or at risk of unemployment, for low-skilled adults and for people in employment and came up with ideas for action.

Difficult issues

An engaging question and answer session with representatives of various stakeholders examined difficult issues related to trust, migrants, coordination, speed of action, employers, opportunities for the unemployed etc.

In his closing remarks, Mr Calleja said that ‘in many Member States there is still fear of change in implementing validation.’

According to the Cedefop Director, validation stems from proliferation of information (people learn anywhere, anything, at any time of the day), from aviation, which has dramatically increased mobility, and from wars, which have displaced people in many parts of the world.

We cannot ignore hidden skills if we want a competitive Europe, he added. In this process, employers and trade unions must be seen as shareholders and, together with training providers and authorities, must ensure that quality of the process breeds trust in it.

Moving forward

Mr Calleja listed the actions to be taken: ‘We need to reach a tipping point where validation is integrated in society; we need to believe that learning from whatever source has a value; we need political and legislative commitment to package action into value and give it a transparent process; we need to clarify the relationship between the private and the public spheres on the recognition of skills; we also need to proliferate awareness of validation’s value through the media and career counsellors; and finally we need to use national qualification frameworks to back the validation process and give people the chance to climb the qualifications ladder.’

Actions between now and 2018 should speak louder than words, he concluded.

The exhibition is hosted at the museum by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) and will be open to the public until 25 November.

‘Youth in education and training’ was the theme of the competition on Instagram for EU residents aged 18 to 30. More than 200 photos were submitted during the award’s two phases.

Mr Calleja thanked festival Director Élise Jalladeau for the cooperation with Cedefop, which has made it possible for the winners to attend the opening night of the 57th TIFF on 3 November and watch various movies over the first weekend as part of their prize.

‘This is an initiative where we involve young people in what we do at Cedefop – promoting talent and vocational education and training (VET); when you look at the photos they’ve taken, they are all related to VET, related to a career, and this is in line with what we preach and try to put into action,’ said Mr Calleja.

Beautiful photos

Ms Jalladeau congratulated the winners, adding that the photos ‘are not only interesting, not only telling us about VET; they are also very beautiful.’

She referred to the museum’s educational programmes in film literacy: ‘We welcome more than 25 000 young people who follow the educational programmes every year, so it makes sense to host this exhibition here and it will be a pleasure to have you next year too.’

There were two winners for each phase of the #CedefopPhotoAward. Antía Varela Torres, 18, from Spain and Vasiliki Kalopita, 24, from Greece, who triumphed in the first phase, were at the event along with Raquel Pereira Sousa Pinto, 22, from Portugal, one of the second phase winners. The other, Nico Conti from Malta, was not able to attend.

A great experience

The three winners explained the thinking behind the photos that gave them the award and summed up their experience of taking part.

Raquel, a medical student, said: ‘It’s been a great experience coming to Greece for the first time and visiting Cedefop where I learned many interesting things.’ She is also looking forward to going to Brussels for the first European vocational skills week, organised by the European Commission, with Cedefop one of the partners. There, she and Nico will take part in an award ceremony during the closing event.

Vasiliki, currently a trainee at the European Parliament Office in Malta, singled out receiving her award by Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen at the European Youth Event in Strasbourg in May as the outstanding moment of the process: ‘It was one of the best experiences in my life, which I’ll never forget. Also, being here in a city that I love, meeting all of you and the girls is really great.’

Antía, a photography student, was also impressed: ‘I feel that this award gave me the opportunity to open my world. Going to Strasbourg was such a great experience – going to a foreign country and participating in the event at the European Parliament, giving my opinion on things, being listened to, meeting a lot of people. And then coming here; more travelling, meeting more special people, going to Cedefop.’

Cedefop’s Head of Department for Communication Gerd-Oskar Bausewein, who was behind the idea of the competition, said of the project: ‘For me it’s very important that we were able to reach the young people in education and training in Europe and give them a platform for expressing themselves, their hopes, their dreams, their challenges.’