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Continuing training and education committees
Policy Instrument
Continuing training and education committees
DenmarkDescription
Timespan
The committees has been in operation since 1994, but was recently redesigned in 2014.
Stage
Focus area
Foundations
Policy area
The committees are responsible to develop adult vocational training programmes.
Policy goal
To contribute to maintaining and improving the vocational skills and competences of the participants in accordance with the needs in the labour market and to furthering competence development of the participants. The education and training committee's task is to develop labour market education that can meet the labour market needs for vocational adult and continuing education targeted at skilled and unskilled workers.
Mismatch
The education and training committee's primary function is monitor the labour market, prepare analysis and thus develop the adult vocational training programmes in accordance with the needs of the labour market.
Aim of policy instrument
Legal basis
Administrative level
Main responsible body
All programmes are approved by the Ministry of Education.
Stakeholders
At the national level, there are set levels of 11 continuing training and education committees. They consist of the social partners (employer associations and trade unions) representing specific fields of industry. The social partners play a major role in the management, priority setting, development, organisation and quality assurance of adult vocational training programmes.
Funding
No information
Intended beneficiaries
Adult vocational training programmes have been developed for low skilled and skilled workers. The programmes are mainly provided for low skilled and skilled workers with a job. Workers and employers in private, as well as public sector enterprises may participate in the programmes.
Processes
Use of labour market intelligence
The committees develop labour market education based on analysis of educational needs, and on the basis of their cooperation with businesses in the industry.
Financial schemes
The committees use secretarial assistance, which is funded by the organizations represented in the committees. In case of the development of a new training program, the committee may choose to apply for a grant through the UUL-grant from the Ministry of Education.
Frequency of updates
Besides the social partners ongoing monitoring of labour market needs, the committee also initiates concrete analysis and mappings on specific sectors. However, these analyses are not initiated very systematically and varies depending on the specific committee.
Development
Since the committee's were established in 1994 there have been many small adjustments in the overall adult vocational training system. But the social partners have always played a major role in the management, priority setting, development, organisation and quality assurance of adult vocational training programmes.
Success factors
The social partners are close to the labour market as they represent both the employers and employees, which is important to develop adult training programs that matches the needs in the labour market.
Monitoring
Both the social partners and the Ministry of Education are responsible for measuring the progress of development and discontinuation of the adult vocational programs.
Innovativeness
A system where the social partners are responsible for organising and developing educational programs is quite an innovative approach in the international context.
Sustainability
Evidence of effectiveness
Recently, the government has set up an expert group to assess the entire adult education and continuing training system. It was the expert group's assessment that the continuing training and education committees has been successful in ensuring responsiveness within the industry sectors through analysis of labour and educational needs. However, the expert group also stressed that there is an untapped potential for greater involvement of more systematic analysis of the labour needs, and especially skill assessments across the industry sectors.
Engagement of stakeholders
The social partners are very engaged in the committee, due to their influence to design and develop the programs.
Transferability
The opportunity of transferability depends on the tradition of involving social partners. Denmark has a long tradition of involving social partners in different policy areas. The partners' large influence are characteristic of the Danish labour market model.
Sustainability
Yes