- 2019Approved/Agreed
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
Objectives
To improve the relevance of VET provision to labour market needs.
Description
In June 2019, the Consultative Council for VET, an advisory body to the education minister, assigned the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training (NAVET) to prepare an analysis for the optimisation of the List of professions for vocational education and training (LPVET).
The analysis of LPVET contains findings, conclusions and possible solutions related to:
- providing an opportunity for upgrading the qualification acquired;
- aligning VET with international classifications in education;
- ensuring an opportunity for using My Competence to optimise the LPVET;
- providing an opportunity for relating VET to the higher education majors with a view to ensuring the upgrading of qualifications and a better transition from secondary to higher education;
- ensuring the relevance of the LPVET to the ESCO classification;
- implementing the recommendations on the project of the education ministry, Technical assistance in the implementation of the National Qualifications Framework in VET, funded by the European Commission;
- formulating a vision for the LPVET, based on the activities carried out under the analysis.
The analysis also includes reviewing of qualification registers that exist in Poland, Portugal and Finland, as well as thoughts on their applicability in the Bulgarian context.
The analysis containing specific proposals for the future development of the LPVET was submitted to the education ministry in December 2019.
In 2019, NAVET received two proposals to supplement LPVET with new professions or specialties. One of these proposals was supported at a meeting of the expert commission and presented to the education ministry for approval by the education minister.
The report containing specific proposals for the future development of the LPVET (submitted to the education ministry in December 2019) was officially presented to the education minister at the beginning of 2020.After an in-depth analysis prepared by NAVET in 2019, with proposals for optimising LPVET, work continued in 2020.
An updated detailed report was prepared under the Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS) project Technical assistance for the implementation of sector skills councils supporting the implementation of the NQF.
This analytical report provided policy recommendations that strengthen the links between the VET qualifications system and the economic and labour market structure to the education ministry and relevant stakeholders. The document included suggestions on how to make LPVET a modern tool for more closely linking the demand and supply of skills and professions to the needs for the digital and green transformation of the economy, society and for personal and professional development in the context of lifelong learning. The in-depth report contained suggestions revealed for LPVET structure, level of detail, length and consistency between the different categories of the list and described practical steps and options for the revision of the LPVET structure.
In 2021, six proposals for updating the LPVET were submitted.
The inclusion of two professions - programmer of artificial intelligence and programmer of robots and the deletion of the military orchestrator profession - was proposed by relevant industry stakeholders and the defence ministry.
The qualification for the public transport driver was updated from EQF/NQF level 2 to EQF/NQF level 3 due to the high level of responsibility on individuals.
During the reporting period, a working group with representatives from the education ministry, the labour ministry and NAVET was created to prepare for the actualisation of LPVET. NAVET prepared an exemplary framework for optimising LPVET and organised a meeting with the chairmen of the expert commissions to consult on some of its parameters.
The education ministry’s project Technical assistance project for the implementation of sector skills councils, supporting the implementation of the NQF, had been completed and its final report included recommendations for a sectoral approach to defining qualifications.
NAVET continued to cooperate with stakeholders who submitted proposals for changes to LPVET. During the reporting period, two orders were issued by the education minister to update LPVET.
The changes to LPVET were compatible with all documentation, and all consequent measures developed by the education ministry.
In 2022, NAVET organised and held a discussions with interested parties to review and update LPVET. The discussions focused on possible changes in professional areas 811(Hotel, restaurant and catering), 812 (‘Travel, tourism and leisure’) and 542 (Production technologies - textiles, clothing, footwear and leather).
Also in 2022, in anticipation of the reform of the VET system, the LPVET had not been updated for first time in the last 14 years.
In December 2022 the specialised administration of NAVET developed and submitted for approval a draft of an updated Order for the development and maintenance of the LPVET.
In 2022, the preparation of a project for the modernisation of the VET system-within which there’s a plan to update the professions and specialties in 10 vocational areas of LPVET-began.
In December 2022, with the ordinance issued by the education minister a working group for the preparation of VET Act amendment was established. Representatives from the education ministry, the labour ministry, Ministry of Economy and Industry, NAVET, social partners, training providers were involved in the activity. The working group is mandated with the task to propose VET Act amendments in the line with conclusions and recommendations of the ex post impact assessment of the VET Act, which had amongst its key pointers the need to redesign LPVET.
Bodies responsible
- National Agency for Vocational Education and Training (NAVET)
- Consultative Council for VET
- Ministry of Education and Science
- Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Adult learners
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Other stakeholders
- Social partners (employer organisations and trade unions)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to further development of national quality assurance (QA) systems for IVET and CVET, for all learning environments (school-based provision and work-based learning, including apprenticeships) and all learning types (digital, face-to-face or blended), delivered by both public and private providers. These systems are underpinned by the EQAVET quality criteria and by indicative descriptors applied both at system and provider levels, as defined in Annex II of the VET Recommendation. The sub-category concerns creating and improving external and self-evaluation of VET providers, and establishing criteria of QA, accreditation of providers and programmes. It also covers the activities of Quality assurance national reference points for VET on implementing and further developing the EQAVET framework, including the implementation of peer reviews at VET system level.
High-quality and timely skills intelligence is a powerful policy tool, helping improve economic competitiveness and fostering social progress and equality through the provision of targeted skills training to all citizens (Cedefop, 2020). Skills intelligence is the outcome of an expert-driven process of identifying, analysing, synthesising and presenting quantitative and/or qualitative skills and labour market information. Skills intelligence draws on data from multiple sources, such as graduate tracking systems, skills anticipation mechanisms, including at sectoral and regional levels. Actions related to establishing and developing such systems fall under this thematic sub-category.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET