- 2022Approved/Agreed
Background
To improve the qualification levels of the Portuguese population, it is necessary to strengthen the education and training system, which will leverage the productive potential of the economy and contribute to reducing socio-economic and geographic inequalities. The VET agreement foresees the political design of an integrated and consistent strategy to boost VET offers, valuing the role of vocational training as a mechanism to promote social, professional and academic mobility. With Portugal's lifelong learning as a strategic plan for the next decade, and reinforcing the goal of convergence with Europe, a set of reforms, investments and measures that contribute to increasing the participation of the Portuguese population in initial and continuing training was defined.
Objectives
- To achieve the specific training needs of the employed and unemployed.
- To promote the return of the unemployed to the labour market through a rapid integration in training actions of short and medium duration.
- To allow the acquisition of relevant competences, or the valorisation of competences already held, always allowing the continuity of the qualification pathway.
- To enable the gradual acquisition of a professional qualification.
Description
Modular training courses (Formação Modular Certificada) are addressed to adults aged 18 and over, employed or unemployed, who do not have the appropriate qualifications to enter or progress in the labour market, especially, those who have yet to complete basic or upper secondary education.
This is a modality that allows flexible training paths, through the realisation and certification of competence units and/or short duration training units (UFCD), that can be capitalised to obtain one, or more than one, qualification at level 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of the NQF and EQF that reflect the National catalogue of qualifications (CNQ).
Whenever an adult completes a training course, he/she gets a certificate listing all the units of competence or UFCD (short-term training units) successfully completed.
ANQEP has the responsibility for coordinating the implementation. The providers may be public or private schools of basic and secondary education; vocational training centres of IEFP; other entities such as municipalities, companies or business associations, trade unions and ONG, as long as they are part of the network of training entities of the national qualifications system.
This measure is part of the NIP under the package Skilling and reskilling.
The new legal framework for certified modular training courses (Ordinance No 66/2022) promotes flexibility and complementarity of the modalities of adult education and training and expands the intervention of the SNQ in the non-higher post-secondary level. It aims to contribute to meeting the needs of the labour market in terms of specialised skills, at non-university level, and to encourage the participation of adults in lifelong learning, ensuring conditions for capitalising on the training undertaken to improve their qualification levels and for continuing their studies. In support of these aims, it introduces changes: the extension of this training modality to level 5 of the national qualifications framework (QNQ); and the removal of the ceiling of 600 hours for participation in certified modular training, which was one of the rules limiting the participation of adults. This creates the flexibility to adapt training to people's needs, by adopting the training pathways without the time limit. These pathways could be organised in a tailor-made way, and linked to different training units from the national qualifications catalogue.
The revision of these courses reinforces the complementarity of this modality with others, including adult education and training courses (EFA), Apprenticeship+, Technological specialisation courses (CET) and processes of recognition, validation and certification of competences (RVCC).
Bodies responsible
- Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP)
- National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training (ANQEP)
Target groups
Learners
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
- Learners with migrant background, including refugees
- Learners with disabilities
- Adult learners
- Older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old)
- Unemployed and jobseekers
- Persons in employment, including those at risk of unemployment
- Low-skilled/qualified persons
- Learners from other groups at risk of exclusion (minorities, people with fewer opportunities due to geographical location or social-economic disadvantaged position)
Thematic categories
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.
This thematic sub-category refers to expanding VET to higher levels and developing VET programmes leading to qualifications at EQF levels 5-8.
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.
This thematic sub-category refers to the development and implementation of qualifications that are smaller than full qualifications (alternative credentials) or are acquired in a shorter learning experience. It includes microcredentials, partial qualifications, units of learning outcomes (ECVET principle), digital badges, etc. These are owned by learners and can be combined or not to get a full qualification.
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.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- Flexibility and progression opportunities at the core of VET
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation