Quality of apprenticeships in the EU

Antonio Ranieri is Head of Department for VET and Skills at Cedefop.

He leads a team of European experts investigating skills trends and changes in the worlds of work and support the development of the Union policy in the field of vocational education and training. The Department work covers a wide range of research and policy analysis in two Cedefop strategic areas of operation, namely skills and labour market and learning and employability. 

An economist by training, Antonio has taught regional economics at the University of Rome si.nce 2002. He also lectured at the National High School of Public Administration on cost-benefit analysis and public expenditure.

Andrea Leruste  is Deputy Head of Unit B3 at DG EMPL (Vocational education and training, Skills Portability, Cedefop). She was previously Deputy Head of Unit for European Social Fund Plus. Until 2017, she was responsible for microfinance and social enterprise support and previously for gender equality. 

She started her career in 2005 as teaching assistant at the College of Europe, Bruges, before joining the German Foreign Office in Berlin. Andrea holds a degree in Cultural & Business Studies from the University of Passau, Germany, a degree in International Relations from the University March Bloch in Strasbourg and a Master of European Political and Administrative Studies from the College of Europe.

With a background in International Relations and Development Cooperation and a previous experience at the Italian Permanent Representation to the EU, Amira Bakr works as Policy and Outreach Assistant at the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU), where she is part of the coordination team of the European Apprentices Network (EAN). 

Her work focuses on representing students, and particularly VET learners and apprentices, in European policy processes, including contributions to the EU VET Strategy and the organisation of European-level events. Through her engagement with apprenticeship organisations across Europe, she brings to this webinar the perspective of learners on what quality in apprenticeship schemes means in practice, and where gaps remain.

Mairéad is Head of Monitoring and Further Education and Training Validation with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), where she is responsible for QQI's statutory functions to accredit and monitor programmes of education and training delivered by providers of Further Education and Training. Since 2017, Mairéad has held several different roles in QQI, which have included leadership of QQI’s QA approval function; management of institutional review and QQI’s regulatory function in relation to academic integrity, and management of QQI's engagement with professional, statutory and regulatory bodies. 

Deborah De Leener is a Sector Advisor Education for the green sectors at Eduplus.

Eduplus is a sector training fund, funded by the Joint Committee for Agriculture, Horticulture, Agricultural Contracting and Landscaping.

Her background in education as a teacher laid the foundation for a career dedicated to learning. This path led to a role as a prospector, helping secondary school students gain hands-on experience in the workplace. Later, her role serving as Sector Consultant Education for the workplaces of the local Flemish authorities (VVSG) paved the way for the current journey at Eduplus.

Johanna Herrala is the Apprenticeship Manager at the Federation of Education in Central Ostrobothnia (Keski-Pohjanmaan koulutusyhtymä) and a member of the Association of Apprenticeship Experts in Finland (Suomen Oppisopimusosaajat ry).

The purpose of the Association of Apprenticeship Experts in Finland is to develop and promote the quality of apprenticeship training in Finland and to increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities. In Finland, apprenticeship training is a form of work-based learning that can be arranged for both young people and adults. Its key strengths are its strong practical orientation towards working life and its excellent employment outcomes.

Ms Barbara Krajnc has over 25 years of experience as an expert in the field of vocational education and training. She is the representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Professional Council for Vocational Education and Training, co-author of training materials for mentors and for over 15 years a lecturer for mentors in companies involved in formal education. She cooperates with all key institutions for the development and implementation of VET and with working bodies that prepare implementing regulations in this field.

Since 2020, Thomas Moldaschl is specialist for vocational educational in the Education Department of the Chamber of Labor and head of the Federal Council for Vocational Educationspecialist for vocational education in the Education Department of the Chamber of Labor in Austria. His main focus includes data analysis and statistics concerning vocational training, conducting surveys, political lobbying on behalf of apprentices, and the political implications of climate change and digitalization on vocational training. He holds a Master’s in economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien). He was former head of the Economics Department at the trade union Vida (2012-2020).