On 9th July 2015, the final conference of the European project TrainCom was held in Coburg, Germany. Researchers, project partners and stakeholders from the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria and the United Kingdom presented their products and outcomes developed within the TrainCom project. Fundación Tripartita para la Formación en el Empleo is the Spanish project partner.

Learning outcome orientation in VET has been the focus of TrainCom. The term ‘learning outcome’ was introduced in European debates in response to a need for increasing transnational transparency and mobility. Creating a common language eases communication across system borders and helps to transfer learning from one context to another. Learning outcome orientation has become an important element of systemic development in many countries’ education and training policy. It also influences curricula development.

The use of competence-based learning units contributes to VET quality, but training staff needs to be involved in shaping competence-based learning.

The main product of TrainCom is a multilingual online learning platform for competence-based VET. It provides information and inspiration to VET teachers and trainers who are in charge of developing or redesigning programmes. Five phases of competence-based training (CBVET) are covered:

The platform provides detailed information on how to carry out each phase and offers tools and examples of good practice from training providers, companies and training centres, in the participating countries.

TrainCom’s final conference was a good opportunity for national and European experts to discuss and exchange views on recent national developments regarding EU policies in apprenticeships, work-based learning, learning outcomes, and competence-based learning, and answer questions, such as:

  • what actions are planned to foster apprenticeship models?
  • what actions are planned to increase VET quality?
  • what actions are planned to decrease youth unemployment?

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