ERIC ED455415: Training and Learning for Competence: Second Report on Vocational Training Research in Europe. Executive Summary. CEDEFOP Reference Series.

53 Pages·2001·0.98 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 082 056
ED 455 415
Descy, Pascaline; Tessaring, Manfred
AUTHOR
Training and Learning for Competence: Second Report on
TITLE
Vocational Training Research in Europe. Executive Summary.
CEDEFOP Reference Series.
European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training,
INSTITUTION
Thessaloniki (Greece).
TI-33-00-841-EN-C
REPORT NO
ISBN-92-896-0020-9
ISBN
ISSN-1608-7089
ISSN
2001-00-00
PUB DATE
52p.; For the related full report, see CE 082 008.
NOTE
CEDEFOP, P.O. Box 22427, Thessaloniki, GR-55102 Greece. Tel:
AVAILABLE FROM
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Research (143)
Reports
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EDRS PRICE
*Competence; Competency Based Education; Developed Nations;
DESCRIPTORS
*Education Work Relationship; Educational Finance;
Educational Needs; Educational Research; Employment
Patterns; *Employment Qualifications; Entrepreneurship;
Equal Opportunities (Jobs); Foreign Countries; Futures (of
Society); Global Approach; Job Skills; Job Training; Labor
Market; Lifelong Learning; Postsecondary Education;
Secondary Education; Skill Analysis; *Skill Development;
Student Certification; *Technical Education; *Vocational
Education
*European Union; Training Needs
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This six-part publication summarizes the main findings and
conclusions of the second report on vocational education and training (VET)
research in Europe. Part 1, VET Systems, Coordination with the Labor Market,
and Steering, covers education and training systems, including regulation,
coordination, steering and cooperation, finance, certification, and
professionalism. Part 2, Lifelong Learning and Competencies: Challenges and
Reforms, contains information on lifelong learning and competence, as well as
differentiation in VET pathways and on-the-job training. Part 3, Training and
Employment in a Company Perspective, examines the skills needed in a global
economy, labor markets, the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in
training and employment, entrepreneurship, and skills and training needs.
Part 4, Employment, Economic Performance, and Skill Mismatch, focuses on
employment in Europe, education, training, and economic performance, dynamics
of labor markets, and skill mismatches and future needs. Part 5, Individual
Performance, Transition to Working Life and Social Exclusion, provides a
context for training and individual performance, the education work
relationship, and social exclusion and reintegration through training. Part
6, VET Research Outside the European Union, profiles research in the
countries of central and eastern Europe as well as in other nonEuropean Union
countries. An annex lists 31 bibliographic contributions to the background of
the second research report.
(KC)
a
a
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
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TR-Etnfing 2llad Ilearidng TOR° compete-
Second report on vocational training research in Europe: executive summary
Pascaline Descy
Manfred Tessaring
Cedefop Reference series
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2001
A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet.
It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int).
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2001.
ISBN 92-896-0020-9
CI European Communities, 2001
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Printed in Italy
The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) established in 1975, pro-
vides information and analyses of vocational education and training systems, policies and research.
Europe 123
GR-570 01 Thessaloniki (Pylea)
Postal Address:
PO Box 22427
GR-55102 Thessaloniki
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Homepage: www.cedefop.eu.int
Interactive website: www.trainingvillage.gr
Pascaline Descy, Manfred Tessaring
Cedefop
The manuscript was completed in November 2000.
Acknowledgements:
The authors would like to express their gratitude to all researchers who contributed to the research report
(see Annex). They are equally greatly indebted to all those who actively supported this publication, in par-
ticular Johan van Rens, Stavros Stavrou and a number of Cedefop colleagues, Cedefop's Management
Board and colleagues from the European Commission.
We would also like to thank all those engaged in the organisation and preparation of this report,
in particular:
Beatrice Herpin and Litza Papadimitriou-von Herff for their project organisation and editorial work;
Silvia del Planta for her compilation of European research projects;
Cedefop's translation service for the revisions and translations of the document;
Cedefop's publication service for the preparation of the report for print.
Content
Entrepreneurship and the European
4.
Introduction
3
employment strategy
20
Part one
Developing and measuring human resources
23
5.
VET systems, coordination
Exploring skills and training needs
6.
with the labour market and steering
4
24
by enterprise surveys
Education and training systems: regulation,
1.
Part four
4
coordination, steering and cooperation
Employment, economic performance and skill
The financing of training
2.
5
mismatch
25
The standing of VET in comparison with
3.
Employment in Europe
26
1.
general education
7
Education, training and economic
2.
Certification systems, assessment
4.
26
performance
and recognition of skills
8
Dynamics of labour markets and
3.
VET professionals: changing roles,
5.
competences
27
professionalisation and steering of systems
9
28
Skill mismatch in the labour market
4.
Part two
Future skill requirements
5.
31
Lifelong learning and competences: challenges
Part five
and reforms
10
Individual performance, transition
Lifelong learning: from the creation
1.
to working life and social exclusion
32
of a concept to a new educational paradigm
10
Training and individual performance
32
1.
Competences, learning processes and didactic
2.
Transition from the education system to
2.
innovations for new occupational profiles
12
33
working life
Individualisation and differentiation
3.
Social exclusion and reintegration
3.
of VET pathways
14
36
via training
Learning in enterprise
4.
15
Part six
Part three
VET research outside the European Union
39
Training and employment in a company
VET research in the countries of central
1.
perspective
16
and eastern Europe
39
Skill needs in a global economy
16
1.
42
VET research in other non-EU countries
2.
Internal, external and occupational labour
2.
Annex
markets
16
Contributions to the background
The role of SMEs in training
3.
report of the 2" research report
44
and employment
18
continuing vocational training
CVTS
Abbreviations
Latvia
LV
survey
Lithuania
LT
Country abbreviations
Norway
education and training
ET
Netherlands
NL
Austria
A
European Union
EU
New Zealand
NZ
Australia
AU
human resource development
HRD
Portugal
Belgium
information and communica-
Poland
PL
Bulgaria
1CT
BG
Romania
tion technologies
RO
Switzerland
CH
Sweden
Canada
CA
international standard classifi-
1SCED
Sco
Scotland
Czech Republic
CZ
cation of education
Slovakia
SK
Germany
initial vocational training
IVT
Slovenia
Denmark
SL
DK
(Community) labour force
(C) LFS
United Kingdom
Spain
UK
survey
United States of America
Estonia
EE
US
Greece
EL
small and medium sized
SME
England
Eng
enterprise
European Union
EU
Frequently used abbreviations
targeted socio-economic
TSER
France
(With a few exceptions no abbreviations are
research (programme of the
Finland
FIN
listed here concerning institutions, organi-
European Commission)
Great Britain
GB
sations, projects, training programmes and
vocational education and
Hungary
VET
HU
the like, in particular at national level.)
Italy
training
central and eastern European
CEECs
Ireland
IRL
countries
Japan
JP
Luxembourg
continuing vocational training
CVT
1
6
Cedefrop's reporthag serlies art VET research fura Europe
First research report
Cedefop, 1998. Vocational education and training
the European research field. Background report 1998
(2 volumes). Tessaring M., ed. Cedefop reference document; 2 Volumes. Luxembourg: EUR-OP. 352
pp.
(Volume I), 321 pp. (Volume II)
in English only
ISBN 92-828-3612-6 (Volume I + Volume II)
Price in Luxembourg (excluding VAT): EUR 19 (for Volume I + Volume II)
Tessaring M., 1998. Training for a changing society. A report on current vocational education and train-
ing research in Europe 1998. Cedefop reference document (2"d edition 1999). Luxembourg: EUR-OP. 294
pp. (also available in German, French and Spanish)
ISBN 92-828-3488-3 (EN)
Price in Luxembourg (excluding VAT): EUR 19
Second research report
Descy P., Tessaring M., (eds.), 2000. Training in Europe. Second report on vocational training research in
Europe: background report. Cedefop Reference series; 3 Volumes. Luxembourg: EUR-OP. 430 pp. (Vol-
ume 1), 610 pp. (Volume 2), 460 pp. (Volume 3)
ISBN 92-896-0034-0 (Volume 1 + 2 + 3)
Price in Luxembourg (excluding VAT): EUR 21 (for Volumes 1 + 2 + 3)
Descy P., Tessaring M., 2000. Training and learning for competence. Second report on current vocational
training research in Europe: synthesis report 2000. Cedefop Reference series. Luxembourg: EUR-OP. 441
pp. (in the course of the year 2001 also available in German, French and Spanish)
ISBN 92-896-0029-2 (EN)
Price in Luxembourg (excluding VAT): EUR 19
Descy P., Tessaring M., 2000. Training and learning for competence. Second report on current vocational
training research in Europe: executive summary. Cedefop Reference series. Luxembourg: EUR-OP. ca. 45
pp. Available free of charge in 11 EU languages.
ISBN 92-896-0020-9 (EN)
Price for the background report (3 Volumes) and the synthesis report (excluding VAT in Luxembourg):
EUR 29.50
The research reports are available through the national EU sales offices only (see second last cover page).
Parts of the research report and this executive summary are also accessible through Cedefop's Electronic
Training Village (www.trainingvillage.gr/etv/research/index.asp).
7
2
Traftniing and [learning Tor competence:
executiive summary
conclusions of the second report on vocational educa-
This publication summarises the main findings and
and learning for competence' which is part of the
tion and training (VET) research in Europe 'Training
is to give a comprehensive overview on
reporting series Cedefop started in 1998. The aim of the reports
theoretical and conceptual approaches, on
the state of the art of VET research in Europe, on the main
and practice.
empirical findings and to discuss implications for policy, research
overview on the main topics, findings and
The summary that you have before you attempts to provide an
interested to gain deeper insight
conclusions presented in the second research report. Readers who are
and/or to the background report.
into specific issues are invited to refer to the synthesis report
demonstrate its relevance to the option-seeking
(c)
lIntroductiorra
and decision-making of the various protagonists.
Definition and role of vocational education
Reporting on VET research in Europe
and training
The reports on VET research in Europe published regu-
Broadly defined, vocational education and training
larly by Cedefop intend to improve transparency on VET
(VET) comprises all more or less organised or structured
research issues in Europe, by pooling the findings of dif-
whether or not they lead to a recognised qual-
activities
ferent research disciplines and, at the same time, by prop-
which aim to provide people with knowledge,
ification
erly positioning other fields of social action in terms of
skills and competences that are necessary and sufficient
their relationship to initial and continuing vocational
in order to perform a job or a set of jobs. Trainees in ini-
training. Furthermore, the reports indicate the implica-
tial or continuing training thus undertake work prepara-
tions of research results for the various protagonists con-
tion or adapt their skills to changing requirements.
politicians, institutions, social partners, enter-
cerned
and draw attention to areas where
prises, individuals
VET is independent of its venue, of the age or other
research coverage is too thin and needs building up.
characteristics of participants, and of their previous
level of qualification. The content of VET could be job-
The second research report builds upon the first edition
specific, directed to a broader range of jobs or occupa-
published in 1998/99. Some topics have been devel-
tions, or a mixture of both; VET may also include gen-
oped further, others have been updated to consider new
eral education elements. However, the definition of
research findings, and some have been introduced to
VET and continuing training (CVT) in individual coun-
reflect the current debate.
tries is different.
The second research report consists
Function and objectives of VET research
of three publications
Education and training policies, as with other policies,
the executive summary that you have before you
(a)
have to consider complex relationships between educa-
which attempts to provide an overview on the
tion and training and the socio-economic system. It is the
main topics, findings and conclusions presented
task of research to shed light on these aspects in order to
in the second research report;
analyse, identify and explain these relationships, to
improve our understanding of causes and effects, and to
(b) a synthesis report which provides a comprehen-
identify the means and strategies which are expected to
sive overview on the state of the art of VET
be effective and acceptable in solving a problem.
research in Europe, on the main theoretical and
conceptual approaches, empirical findings and
In particular VET research aims to:
implications for decision-makers and researchers;
describe and explain the systems, conditions and
(a)
effectively the
a background report (3 volumes,
(c)
frameworks for processes involved in acquiring
basis for the synthesis report) which contains con-
and updating vocational skills and competences;
tributions on different topics from renowned
provide information on the interactions between
(b)
researchers across Europe.
VET and other areas of social action. Those inter-
The list of contributions to the background report can be
actions concern the legal and institutional frame-
found in the Annex. Other bibliographical references
work, interdependencies with social, economic,
reader may find
were not included in this summary. The
technological and demographic change and the
all bibliographical references in the synthesis report.
behaviour of the different actors in these fields;
3
Training and learning for competence
Part one
adopted: decentralisation, deregulation and dele-
gation of authority. Market regulation is based on
V T systems, coordfination wfitl
feedback from VET users. The education and
the Ilabour market and steerfing
labour markets are interdependent.
The market-State dichotomy has long been
o
(and often still is) seen as the crux of the debate
Part one of the report examines the coordination,
surrounding the methods of coordination between
financing and steering of vocational education and
education and training systems. Every coordina-
training (VET) systems. After providing a general
tion model, however, has its weaknesses. All par-
review of coordination principles and the players
ties therefore seek to reach the best possible com-
involved, methods for financing initial vocational
promise
one which would allow the system to
education and training (IVT), continuing voca-
respond to market demand while avoiding exces-
tional training (CVT) and vocational training for
sive bureaucracy, and permit the use of alternative
the unemployed are discussed. This Part of the
solutions, such as corporatist regulation or net-
report goes on to examine the reforms that have
works (bringing together players with varying
been introduced to improve VET's standing, new
interests), in order to make the VET system more
methods by which competences are being certified,
flexible and improve its responsiveness.
and changes in the profiles of VET professionals.
Professional associations and the social partners
play a coordinating role by bringing together play-
1.
Education and training systems:
ers who in
principle
similar
share
interests.
regulation, coordination, steering
Employers' associations, trade unions, associa-
and cooperation
tions of teachers or parents, etc., thus provide a
bridge between the meso and macro levels,
The purpose of steering is to ensure that educa-
between the supply of, and demand for, training in
the VET system and between the supply of, and
tion and training systems adapt, and respond ade-
quately to, the needs of individuals, the labour
demand for, skills and competences in the labour
market (Figure 1).
market and society as a whole. The main function
of coordination is to ensure a balance between the
Networks help maintain direct but informal links
occasionally conflicting interests of the various
between the different players. The good function-
players (State, employers and individuals).
ing of a network is based more on trust than on
financial interests or formal authority.
In every country, VET has complex links with the
economy, the labour market and employment.
Moreover, its highly fragmented structure and
Systems are steered by choosing a strategy in
many specialisations make a coordination difficult.
keeping with policy choices: distribution of
State-managed planning and demand-led steering
decision-making
powers
(decentralisation,
by the market represent two opposite extremes
involvement of the social partners, etc.),
among the mechanisms by which VET systems can
changes to the structure of education and cur-
be co-ordinated. Both types of steering are found in
riculum targets and adaptation of teaching
every system in differing degrees. In practice,
and learning processes.
steering is based on both systems, but new co-ordi-
The choice of the steering system has to be
nation methods also are explored, such as corpo-
based on an analysis of weaknesses and bot-
ratist steering or the use of networks.
tlenecks so that appropriate solutions can
In the case of planned management, the pub-
o
then be found.
lic authorities are responsible for matching supply
to demand (from the point of view of both indi-
viduals and the labour market) and for organising
training. State-led steering, through centralised
planning, generally acts on the education supply.
VET systems cannot, however, be steered solely
by a State system as it is impossible to forecast
changes in demand beyond a certain point.
If labour market demand is used to steer the
o
system, the following principles have to be
4
Executive Summary
coordination
Stylised
Figure
D2aD7© MCI qTgeP
Labour market
VET systems
Demand for
Supply of
Supply of
Demand for
qualifications
competences
education/training
education/training
and competences
Legislation, political parties
Actors in the labour market
Actors in education/training
Employers'
Workers'
Administration
Macro level
Students'/parents'
organisations
organisations
Teachers'/trainers'
organisations
(national,
organisations
regional, local)
Enterprises
Workers'
Education/training
Students'/parents'
Meso level
representatives
providers
representatives
(organisational)
Individual
Individual
Teachers,
Micro level
Individual
employers
employees
trainers, etc.
(individual)
households
Source: Lassnigg, 2000. Steering, networking, and profiles of professionals in vocational educational and training. In: Descy P., Tes-
saring M., eds., Training.in Europe, Vol. 1.
The introduction of strategies of lifelong learning
2. The financing of training'
is enhancing the role of continuing vocational
training (CVT). CVT budgets have increased in
vocational education and
Finance for
initial
most countries (Table 1).
training (IVT) comes chiefly from the State
(including regional authorities), with the excep-
Enterprises bear most of the direct costs of CVT.
tion of apprenticeship, which receives substantial
However, public authorities would like private
financing from enterprises. In many countries the
investment (by both enterprises and individuals)
IVT budget is increasing in real terms, though
to increase even further.
unit costs are in some cases decreasing.
CVT financing mechanisms depend on the pre-
Despite various innovations, the financing of IVT
ferred type of steering: state regulation, regulation
an
In
input-based.2
largely
be
continues
to
through agreements between the social partners
attempt, however, to reduce costs, criteria are
or market regulation. These three types of mecha-
being refined and more complex allocation crite-
nism form a continuum. All three are combined to
ria are being applied.
different degrees in the countries examined; how-
ever, one or the other tends to predominate and to
With the exception of the input-based model, which
influence the way in which finance is allocated.
is the most conventional and most widespread, all
financing models (output-related financing, training
It is necessary to introduce mechanisms to ensure
vouchers, etc.) try, with varying degrees of success,
opportunities
and
training
continuing
that
to regulate service provision and to optimise certain
resources are equitably distributed between enter-
and
quality
effectiveness,
(efficiency,
factors
sectors and individu-
especially SMEs
prises
equity). These aims are expected to become more
als, while taking care to tie the financing of train-
important: IVT budgets are increasingly tight as a
ing to output. Competition between providers
result of increases in other types of public expendi-
should become a more important factor.
ture, despite the fact that costs have levelled off.
The sums channelled into training for the unem-
ployed have evolved proportionally to the rate of
The conclusions drawn in this chapter are based on an
unemployment and continue to rise everywhere
analysis of VET financing systems in Austria, Denmark,
even where unem-
except the United Kingdom
France, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United
ployment is levelling off or falling. This type of
Kingdom, Spain and Germany (Cedefop project).
VET is chiefly State-financed.
Payment of a lump sum, calculated differently in each
2
country and taking certain variables into consideration:
Various reforms have been introduced to make
registration and participation, duration and nature of the
training for the unemployed more efficient. They
programme.
5