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The open system of vocational information and consulting AIKOS
Policy Instrument
The open system of vocational information and consulting AIKOS
LithuaniaDescription
Timespan
Started in 2008
Stage
Focus area
Foundations
Policy area
It is primarily the instrument for vocational guidance and consulting, helping the learners to choose a pathway in education and training.
Policy goal
The goal of the policy is to ensure relevant and comprehensive information about labour market and education and training possibilities in Lithuania is provided. It is an open online information portal, providing information on qualifications, VET and HE study programmes, as well as about the providers of these programmes to the different target groups. The target group includes pupils and young people seeking to obtain the information about occupations and qualifications, students, employers, education and training providers.
Mismatch
It is explicitly designed to address skill mismatch through improving the access to and quality of the information on education and training opportunities, occupations, qualifications and their providers to learners, employees, enterprises and other groups of interest. It targets skill mismatch through the provision of information for vocational guidance.
Aim of policy instrument
Legal basis
Administrative level
Main responsible body
The Ministry of Education and Science
Stakeholders
Ministry of Education and Science supervises the functioning of the system.
Ministry of Social Security and Labour is also involved in the supervision of the system and provision of the information related to employment and qualifications.
Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania provides part of the statistical information to the system.
Lithuanian Labour Exchange uses the system for labour market policies and provides the information on labour market needs.
Other users and involved stakeholders of the system are Centre of Information Technologies of Education, Lithuanian Youth Technical Creativity Palace, Euroguidance.
Funding
It was mainly funded by the European Social Fund, with a smaller contribution from the national budget, about €4.4 million.
Intended beneficiaries
There are two groups of beneficiaries of the instrument: pupils from secondary schools and people willing to change or improve their qualification. Relevant information about learning and training possibilities at vocational training centres, colleges, universities and other education and science institutes are being provided. Main benefits for both groups is relevant, structured, updated information in one platform.
Processes
Use of labour market intelligence
AIKOS is an open vocational information, counselling, and guidance system, providing a wide range of users with information based on public, departmental, and other databases and registers. The programme provides qualitative information on the possibilities of distant learning, and informs and consults a wide range of users irrespective of their age, helping them to chose their own path in the sphere of education, training, and occupation, and to build their professional career.
Financial schemes
Subsidies are from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania. Subsidies are dedicated to the Centre of Information Technologies in Education, who is responsible for the administration of the project.
Frequency of updates
Information about education and science institutes, study programmes, qualification, certificates, register of science is updated daily. Information from the Lithuanian Labour Exchange and available work place is updated every month. Information from the register of pupils and teacher is updated twice a year. Information from the Statistics Department is updated once a year.
Development
No adaptations/adjustments have been made.
Success factors
Cooperation of various stakeholders, financial support and understanding the need of lifelong learning and updating of skills and competence needed in the labour market.
Monitoring
There is no clear indicators or descriptors.
Innovativeness
AIKOS platform as an instrument was quite innovative in terms of the cooperation of different governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, providing relevant information, the forms and width of various information (video, different templates, licences, certificates, different programmes, upcoming events), and the historical data (register for programmes, statistics and historical information). A special space is being dedicated for self evaluation and selection of career path.
Sustainability
Evidence of effectiveness
Considering the wide usage of the instrument by the target users, its impact is high. In 2017, the page was visited by 889,943 visitors. During the same period, there were 251,089 sessions with an average duration of 3 min 15 sec. The main benefits and beneficiaries have been as expected.
Engagement of stakeholders
Regulation specifies the role of the Ministry in the policy.
Transferability
AIKOS is accessible to users in different regions. The instrument is also partially available in English and can be used by the users from other countries. Similar instruments are implemented in many countries (e.g. France, UK, Czech Republic etc).
Sustainability
Threats to sustainability for this project are from a financial aspect, and from the possibility of a change in clients (the emergence of other similar platforms). It is expected this project will continue, however, due to the systemic information for users in one place.