Background of the WBL-TOI Manual project
The Common Quality Assurance Framework (CQAF) was adopted by European Ministers in May 2004. The quality assurance of the transfer of good practices carried out according to the CQAF model supports VET providers in successful implementation of good practices and intends to increase interest in applying a common European quality assurance framework. Applying the CQAF to the transfer of good practices and to the quality assurance of the process is aimed at assuring the procedure, which will be one of the challenges in implementation of the new European Quality Assurance Reference Framework (EQARF) at VET provider level. The EQARF was launched in June 2009 after the application phase of this project and it was reasonable to use the new framework in this Manual. The EQARF can also be used as a framework for the identification, support and exchange of best practices at national and local levels.
The critical points of the transfer process and feedback from partners were collected after the pilot phase and they were taken into account when finalising the Manual. Information on transferred practices was also documented. In addition, national transfer strategies were also drawn up in partner countries in order to increase transfer of innovations and use of the Manual.
Shifting tendencies and demands on the labour market
In December 2008, the European Council approved a Communication entitled ‘New Skills for New Jobs’ with a view to presenting an overview of expected changes in the labour market over the next 10 years. The analysis suggests that there could be approximately 100 million job openings in the EU25 area during the period from 2006 to 2020: most are replacement jobs and 20% are additional jobs.
On the supply side of the labour market, Eurostat estimates an increasing quantitative shortage: the EU’s working age population will peak in 2012 and then start shrinking as the ‘babyboomers’ retire; as the participation rate of women and older workers will continue to increase, the effective labour force should continue to grow slowly until 2020, at which point the ‘ageing effect’ will outstrip the increase in participation rates.
On the demand side, the slow but steady shift in the sector distribution of EU employment is likely to continue: in 2020, almost three quarters of jobs will be in services. The primary sector could lose 2.9 million jobs, while manufacturing would experience a net loss of 800,000 jobs. Lastly, efforts to mitigate and tackle climate change and environmental degradation will create a new ‘green economy’, with millions of new jobs across the world especially in energy, water and waste treatment, construction, transport, industry, agriculture and forestry. The market for environmental products and services is projected to double.
The next decade will see an increasing demand for a highly qualified and adaptable workforce and more skills-dependent jobs. The strength of the services sector and the wide adoption of ICT reduce the labour input for routine cognitive and Manual tasks; technological change also influences the organization of work towards more flexible forms, which affects demand for different levels of skills. The evolution of international trade and globalisation are other factors leading to increased demand for highly skilled workers in Europe and reduced demand for unskilled labour in developed countries.
The severity of the financial crisis adds an exceptional degree of unpredictability to the future of the world’s economy – yet in order to put Europe on the road to recovery, it is essential to enhance human capital and employability by upgrading skills.
Transversal and generic skills (problem-solving, analytical skills, self-management and communication skills, linguistic skills, digital competences) and the key competence of learningto- learn, recognising learning needs and finding opportunities for learning, are essential for everyone in a changing economy where some jobs will disappear while new ones will be created.
Providing high quality early-childhood and basic education for all, improving education attainment and preventing early school leaving are crucial to equip people with key competences. The development of new skills and competencies to fully exploit the potential for recovery is a priority and a challenge for the EU and national public authorities, for education and training providers, companies, workers and students. Ensuring a better match between the supply of skills and labour market demand is just as necessary.
The changes in the labour market will demand readiness and sensitivity for new modes of action in education and working life. The purpose of this Manual is to give VET providers tools for finding ways and methods to recognise good work-based learning practices and to adapt them within their own organization.
Current developments in European VET
The transition to a knowledge-based economy (Lisbon European Council 2000), the challenge underlined in the vision proposed for 2020, requires modernisation and continuous improvement of vocational education and training (VET) systems in order to follow the rapid changes in the economy and society, so that they can help increase employability and social inclusion, improve access to lifelong learning for all and promote the development of workers’ skills in order to ensure flexibility and adaptability.
The Lisbon Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs 2005–2008 call upon Member States to develop affordable, accessible lifelong learning systems that are responsive to the changing needs of the knowledge-based economy and society.
The EU Recommendation on the establishment of a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for VET (the EQARF 2008) provides a reference tool to help Member States promote and monitor continuous improvement of their VET systems based on common European references, in order to promote a culture of quality improvement and wider participation. The Framework should be applied at the VET system, VET provider and qualification-awarding levels.
The importance of quality improvement in VET has been re-affirmed by the new strategic framework for European co-operation in education and training, adopted by the Council in May 2009 (ET 2020). The conclusions identify both immediate priorities for 2009–2011 and long-term challenges for the decade ahead. The long-term strategic objectives are:
- Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality;
- Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training;
- Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship;
- Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training.
The strategic framework for European co-operation in education and training (ET 2020) reinforces the need for everyone to acquire key competences, placing it as one of the strategic objectives for improving creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship at all levels of education and training. The tools used to meet the strategic objectives include new education and training benchmarks for monitoring progress across Europe.
Both the EQARF and the ET 2020 Recommendations require a common awareness of all those involved in the VET systems. Work-based learning is seen as being one of the key factors for avoiding problems such as the mismatch between supply and demand and dropouts, which are challenges that the VET system should respond to. Those involved are the Member States, the Regional Authorities and the social partners, while VET providers also play a key role.
Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training is a commitment that requires a contribution from all VET providers by enhancing the quality and efficiency of their actions. That means that, in a world where big changes are expected in the labour market for the near future, it becomes a ‘must’ to develop the competences needed to read, anticipate and better match the skills requested by the productive system.
In meeting these objectives, a major role could be played by the adoption and increasing role of WBL as an experience included as part of all training courses and as a methodology on which traineeship and apprenticeship programmes are based.
Of all the different education/training systems, work-based learning (WBL) is most directly connected to the labour market. Therefore, WBL is particularly important and a major contributor to fulfilling the revised Lisbon strategy for general economic and social development in the European Union (ET 2020).
Work-based learning assists with development of students’ workplace awareness and helps young people to gain:
- basic workplace skills (including teamwork, communication,problem solving; customer service and social etiquette skills);
- Knowledge of specific occupational skills; and,
- An understanding of different industries in order to make informed career choices.
Employers value work-based learning because the competencies acquired by students are those that are specifically needed in the workplace. It’s worth is widely recognised.
When properly designed and supported, work-based learning can help schools to prepare students better for an economy that demands workers to have strong academic and career knowledge and skills, to be adaptable to change and to be prepared for lifelong learning.
WBL also provides an opportunity to meet students’ demands for work experience as part of education and training. WBL is more focused on practical learning and it can be more motivating for those students whose orientation is more practical.