Validation arrangements

Policy development
Regulation/Legislation
Belgium-DE
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Timeline
  • 2015Design
  • 2016Legislative process
  • 2017Approved/Agreed
  • 2018Implementation
  • 2019Implementation
  • 2020Implementation
  • 2021Implementation
  • 2022Completed
ID number
28001

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

Against the backdrop of demographic change, longer working lives and with regards to the shortage of skilled workers, the EU is concerned to make non-formally and informally acquired competences visible and usable. In 2014, a project addressing the validation challenge started, responding to the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

The aim of this project is to support citizens in shaping their career paths by offering opportunities for validating and recognising their vocational competences.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

In 2015, a strategy for the introduction of a validation system was developed and a public launch event on the recognition of competences took place in October 2016. Sixty key actors from the German-speaking Community were invited to participate in a debate. Subsequently, a steering group was established with the participation of stakeholders from formal and non-formal education, as well as employment and social partners. Between February and November 2017, the steering group developed a validation concept for the German-speaking Community. On this basis, the ESF project 'Shaping future paths' was elaborated and has been running since July 2018.

The aim of this project is to support citizens in shaping their career paths by offering them the following opportunities:

  1. skills assessments in form of workshops and personal coaching (using the ProfilPASS tool; formative validation targets people aged 18 and over);
  2. information and counselling on VET and on support measures;
  3. validation/recognition of vocational competences (summative validation).

In the German-speaking Community, validation procedures are available for people who have non-formal and/or informal competences in an occupation for which there is an apprenticeship in the German-speaking Community. They are given the opportunity to take part in the practical final examination of apprenticeship to have their practical vocational skills certified at a Centre for Education...

In 2015, a strategy for the introduction of a validation system was developed and a public launch event on the recognition of competences took place in October 2016. Sixty key actors from the German-speaking Community were invited to participate in a debate. Subsequently, a steering group was established with the participation of stakeholders from formal and non-formal education, as well as employment and social partners. Between February and November 2017, the steering group developed a validation concept for the German-speaking Community. On this basis, the ESF project 'Shaping future paths' was elaborated and has been running since July 2018.

The aim of this project is to support citizens in shaping their career paths by offering them the following opportunities:

  1. skills assessments in form of workshops and personal coaching (using the ProfilPASS tool; formative validation targets people aged 18 and over);
  2. information and counselling on VET and on support measures;
  3. validation/recognition of vocational competences (summative validation).

In the German-speaking Community, validation procedures are available for people who have non-formal and/or informal competences in an occupation for which there is an apprenticeship in the German-speaking Community. They are given the opportunity to take part in the practical final examination of apprenticeship to have their practical vocational skills certified at a Centre for Education and Training of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ZAWM). The IAWM is the supervisory authority of the two ZAWMs. IAWM and ZAWM were involved in the development of the procedure.

The validation procedure is for individuals, regardless of their current employment status at home or abroad, who are unable to prove their status through a vocational qualification / recognised professional qualification in the German-speaking Community.

Individuals can participate in this validation procedure if they:

  1. are at least 25 years old;
  2. have relevant professional experience but do not have a professional qualification recognised in the recognised professional qualification in the German-speaking Community;
  3. have a good command of the German language;
  4. have mastered the German language to such an extent that they are able to understand professional tasks and give understandable explanations;
  5. wish to work or reside in Belgium.

Evidence of relevant professional experience is provided by means of a curriculum vitae. Sufficient command of the German language is important for the smooth running of the validation procedure. The minimum language requirement is, therefore, level German A2 of the Common European framework of reference for languages.

2015
Design
2016
Legislative process
2017
Approved/Agreed
2018
Implementation
2019
Implementation

In 2019, the implementation phase is ongoing and the validation procedures run as regular practice.

2020
Implementation

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no validation procedures took place in 2020.

A circular was elaborated in the German-speaking Community, containing guidelines for the public services to ensure that the validation concept for the dual vocational training is correctly understood and applied.

2021
Implementation

In 2021, it is no longer an ESF project but sustained by the Government and completely implemented. Validation arrangements are now known under a new project name: KomAn (Kompentenzen anerkennen - acknowledging competences). The KomAn project was introduced by the Ministry in cooperation with the Centre for Education and Training of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ZAWM). The Ministry is responsible for project management, as well as for information, advice and support of the candidates. The ZAWM carries out the test procedure and IAWM is supervising the project. The KomAn project addresses people from 25 years of age who do not have a professional qualification but bring a lot of experience and competences, in a profession for which there is a dual training in the German-speaking Community.

2022
Completed

In 2022, the KomAn project became a regular practice.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Ministry of German-Speaking Community
  • Institute for vocational and educational training in small and medium-sized companies (IAWM)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Learners

  • Young people (15-29 years old)
  • Learners with migrant background, including refugees
  • Adult learners

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Transparency and portability of VET skills and qualifications

European principles and tools, such as EQF, ESCO, ECTS, Europass and ECVET, provide a strong basis for transparency and portability of national and sectoral qualifications across Europe, including the issuing of digital diplomas and certificates.

This thematic category looks at how individuals are supported in transferring, accumulating, and validating skills and competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings – including learning on the job – and in having their learning recognised towards a qualification at any point of their lives. This is only possible if qualifications are transparent and comparable and are part of comprehensive national qualifications frameworks. Availability of qualifications smaller than full and acquirable in shorter periods of time is necessary; some countries have recently worked on developing partial qualifications, microcredentials, etc.

Learners' possibilities of accumulation, validation and recognition of learning outcomes acquired non-formally and informally

This thematic sub-category refers to validation mechanisms allowing individuals to accumulate, transfer, and recognise learning outcomes acquired non-formally and informally, including on-the-job learning, or in another formal system. In case they are not automatically recognised, a learner can have these learning outcomes validated and recognised through a particular process with a view to obtaining a partial or full qualification. This thematic sub-category covers such provisions and mechanisms. 

Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation

Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.

This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.

This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.

Lifelong guidance

This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
CVET

Further reading

Sources for further reading where readers can find more information on policy developments: links to official documents, dedicated websites, project pages. Some sources may only be available in national languages.
The ESF project Designing future paths'
Skills Validation in Ostbelgien
Circular (Legal Basis from 'KomAn')
Competence balancing and career orientation with the instrument 'ProfilPASS' (= 'Formative Validation')

Country

Belgium-DE

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Regulation/Legislation
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Validation arrangements: Belgium-DE. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28001