- 2021Completed
- 2022Implementation
Background
Systemic interventions and actions have been designed under EU-funded programmes for strengthening working force skills and knowledge, to support structural changes in the economy. The social partners, representatives of employees and employers play a key role in adapting VET to the labour market by supporting and implementing activities to increase the adaptability of workers and enterprises to the new entrepreneurial environment.
Objectives
Aiming to support the adaptability of workers, enterprises and the entrepreneurial environment to the new development requirements, the Labour Institute of General Confederation of Workers (INE/GSEE) implemented integrated and targeted actions to align VET and training programmes to the labour market and to sectoral up- and reskilling needs. These actions contribute to further development of quality assured systems for initial VET (IVET), continuing VET (CVET) and lifelong learning and the certification of human resources skills. The deliverables include new occupational standards- which in Greece are ‘entitled’ occupational profiles-, also defining the required learning outcomes and the related VET programmes, referred to specific occupations. Further, actions to increase the role and the skills of career/vocational counsellors have been included.
Description
The INE/GSEE implemented the project Support to quality development of industrial vocational training and its alignment with employee certification (regardless of age), under the priority, Development and update of occupational profiles and framework curricula, under the operational programme, Competitiveness, entrepreneurship and innovation, during 2017-21.
The occupational profiles are based on a methodology for developing occupational standards in line with the Hellenic Qualifications Framework (HQF) levels of skills, knowledge and competences. They adopt the learning outcomes approach and include digital competences as employment prerequisites and horizontal skills for educational curricula.
The project consists of two sub-projects. The first includes: a methodology for the development and updating of occupational profiles(Ops), standards and relevant framework curricula; the development of 30 occupational profiles and framework curricula for specific sectors, professions and specialities (25 created for the first time and five updated); the development of an up-to-date specialised examination topics bank for the assessment and certification of knowledge and skills per training subject; and 25 videos of specific occupational profiles for their dissemination. The second subproject concerns a systematic intervention for the certification of the career/vocational counsellors and includes: specialised training materials...
The INE/GSEE implemented the project Support to quality development of industrial vocational training and its alignment with employee certification (regardless of age), under the priority, Development and update of occupational profiles and framework curricula, under the operational programme, Competitiveness, entrepreneurship and innovation, during 2017-21.
The occupational profiles are based on a methodology for developing occupational standards in line with the Hellenic Qualifications Framework (HQF) levels of skills, knowledge and competences. They adopt the learning outcomes approach and include digital competences as employment prerequisites and horizontal skills for educational curricula.
The project consists of two sub-projects. The first includes: a methodology for the development and updating of occupational profiles(Ops), standards and relevant framework curricula; the development of 30 occupational profiles and framework curricula for specific sectors, professions and specialities (25 created for the first time and five updated); the development of an up-to-date specialised examination topics bank for the assessment and certification of knowledge and skills per training subject; and 25 videos of specific occupational profiles for their dissemination. The second subproject concerns a systematic intervention for the certification of the career/vocational counsellors and includes: specialised training materials and an examination topics bank for the specialty of career/vocational counsellor in direct relation to the existing occupational profile; the pilot implementation of two continuing vocational training programmes in the career/vocational counselling; and special regulations for the assessment of the practice exams in the certification procedure.
The project was completed in 2021 and all deliverables planned under the two subprojects were finalised.
The 2022-24 Strategic plan re-affirmed the added value of Ops as ‘multi-purpose’ instruments (e.g., linking VET with labour market needs, providing quality certification standards, and improving the quality of VET curricula and study programmes, etc.). This was also ‘re-affirmed’ by the Greek National Implementation Plan for the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET and Osnabrück Declaration (NIP) as their importance in strengthening the links with the labour market was emphasised.
In 2022, the National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) in cooperation and partnership with the social partners’ national institutional bodies, in particular the Small Enterprises’ Institute of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (IME GSEVEE), the Labour Institute (INE GSEE), the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), the Centre of Hellenic Commerce and Entrepreneurship Development (KAELE ESEE) and the Institute of Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE-INSETE) in the framework of the co-funded project ‘Development, Updating and Certification of Professional Profiles and Specification Framework Programmes’ under the Operational Programme ‘Human resources development, education and lifelong learning’, decided the continuation of interventions for upgrading VET and its link with labour market affirming anew the importance of Ops.
The Hellenic confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (IME GSEVEE), as the coordinator of the above partnership conducted a study entitled: ‘Mapping the existing situation - Identifying needs for developing new professional profiles and updating existing occupational profiles‘ to depict the status of Ops and to identify and prioritise needs for developing new Ops and updating existing ones.
The strategic objectives of the study were to:
- develop a catalogue of one 124 existing Ops which are regarded outdated;
- create a catalogue of 39 Ops for further development and certification (this was documented as a priority on the basis of the ISCO08 classification system and other criteria);
- prepare a broader catalogue of professions for which it is recommended that OPs are necessary and should be developed;
- initially develop, pilot, obtain feedback on and produce a final version of a text on feasibility check methodology for updating or further developing an OP (including techniques and tools such as template documents, etc.).
The study concluded that some of the Ops identified by the study were developed or updated by all social partners which are cooperating with EOPPEP.
Bodies responsible
- Labour Institute of General Confederation of Workers (INE/GSEE)
- Ministry of Development and Investments
- Small Enterprises' Institute of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (IME GSEVEE)
- Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV)
- Centre of Hellenic Commerce and Entrepreneurship Development (KAELE ESEE)
- Institute of Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE-INSETE)
- National Organisation for Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP)
Target groups
Learners
- Adult learners
- Older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old)
Education professionals
- Adult educators
- Guidance practitioners
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- VET providers (all kinds)
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 the integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall into this sub-category.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
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.
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.
The learning-outcomes-based approaches focus on what a learner is expected to know, to be able to do and understand at the end of a learning process (Cedefop, 2016). Learning outcomes can be defined at the system level as in national qualification frameworks (NQFs), most of which are currently based on learning outcomes. Learning outcomes can be defined in qualification standards, curricula, learning programmes and assessment, although the last one is still uncommon. This thematic sub-category refers to the use of learning outcomes in these contexts and to development and use of modules or units of learning outcomes in VET curricula and programmes.
This thematic sub-category focuses on developing and updating all kinds of learning resources and materials, both for learners and for teachers and trainers (e.g. teachers handbooks or manuals), to embrace current and evolving content and modes of learning. These activities target all kinds of formats: hard copy and digital publications, learning websites and platforms, tools for learner self-assessment of progress, ICT-based simulators, virtual and augmented reality, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to updating VET curricula and programmes to incorporate skills related and needed for the digital transition, including sector- and occupation-specific ones identified in cooperation with stakeholders.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
Osnabrück Declaration
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation
- Sustainability - a green link in VET