Learning for Jobs

OECD Review of Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Competing for Skills

Calgary, 31 August 2009 Kathrin Hoeckel Education & Training Policy Division OECD, Directorate for Education

An international perspective

Phase 1 2007-2008 Australia Hungary Korea Mexico Norway Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom (England and Wales) Phase 2 2009-2010 Austria Belgium (Flanders) Czech Republic Chile China Germany Ireland United States (South Carolina, Texas)

VET systems vary widely across OECD countries

Vocational education and training as a share of the upper secondary sector, 2006

Source: OECD (2008), Education at a Glance 2008, Indicators, Table C1.1, OECD, Paris

How to improve responsiveness of VET systems to labour market needs

Messages

from the OECD VET policy review

Message 1 The international VET evidence base needs to be improved.

Message 2 VET systems should deliver the right skills mix.

Message 3 VET needs to be well taught.

Message 4 VET should be delivered in the right place.

Message 5 Cooperation with social partners is essential to make change happen.

Message 1: The VET evidence base needs to be improved

The OECD International Survey of VET Systems Australia Austria Czech Republic Denm ark Finland France Germ any Hungary Netherlands Norw ay Sw eden Sw itzerland Turkey United States

C urric ula D e c is io n A dv ic e

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P ra c t ic a l t ra ining c o nt e nt D e c is io n A dv ic e

■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ -

A c quire d c o m pe t e nc ie s D e c is io n A dv ic e

■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ -

D e liv e re d Q ua lif ic a t io ns D e c is io n A dv ic e

■■■ ■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■ * ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ Social partner influence on upper secondary VET: - 0%; ■ 1-25%; ■■ 26-50%; ■■■ 51-75%; ■■■■ 76-100% Source : Kuczera, M. (forthcoming), The OECD International Survey of VET Systems, OECD, Paris

Message 2:

VET should deliver the right skills mix (micro)

What should students learn?

General skills or specific skills? Specific skills smoothen labour market transition, general skills ensure flexibility later on.

Message 2:

VET should deliver the right skills mix (macro)

How many students per programme? Students choose, government plans or employers determine?

Balance student preferences with employer demand, ideally through workplace training.

Provide government support in case of market failure.

Message 3:

VET needs to be well taught

Challenges:

How to prepare VET instructors?

Teacher shortages Teachers lack industry experience Trainers lack pedagogical skills Ensure adequate pedagogical and technical knowledge.

Promote interchange between VET institutions and firms.

Encourage flexible recruitment and part-time working.

Good practice in OECD countries



Switzerland

has a specific institution for VET teacher training/up-skilling (

SFIVET

).



Finland

has established the

Telkkä

programme matching VET teachers and trainers in industry.

 Some countries

(Mexico, Netherlands)

have part time arrangements for teachers working in industry.



Switzerland

ensures quality control and provides tools for self-evaluation in training firms (

QualiCarte

).

Learning and work: two worlds?

Message 4:

VET should be delivered in the right place

Prepares apprentices for the world of work Advantages of workplace training Apprentices can make productive contributions Facilitates recruitment and transition to the labour market

Limitations

: Some skills are better taught in a school environment. Tasks might be dangerous or too firm-specific.

Message 5:

Engagement of social partners is essential

 Provision of apprenticeship places signals

labour market relevance

of the programme.

 Participation in curricula design guarantees

link between workplace training and teaching

in schools.

 Actual influence and interest for engagement are

mutually reinforcing

.

VET systems and the crisis Economic development and apprenticeship enrolment rates among 16 year olds in Switzerland

7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% -1% 82% 80% 78% 76% 74% 72% 70% 68% Average GDP growth, current and previous year Share of apprentices among 16-year olds Source : Schweri und Müller (2008), Die Ausbildungsbereitschaft der Betriebe. Entwicklungen 1999 bis 2005, Bundesamt für Statistik, Neuenburg

The Irish apprenticeship system during the crisis

 Since 2008 the youth unemployment rate has doubled and is now at 21%.

 50% of apprenticeships are concentrated in the construction sector which is badly affected.

 Between December 2008 and April 2009 the number of redundant apprentices has increased from 3100 to 4500.

 At present apprentices do not receive a certificate unless they complete the entire apprenticeship.

Responses to the crisis should aim to

maintain the system

 Increase of the number of government-funded places in education and training in

Ireland

 Tight monitoring of demand and supply in the apprenticeship market in

Switzerland



Kurzarbeit

(short-time work) plus training and subsidies to employers who keep their apprentices in

Germany

 Provision of government sponsored workshop-type apprenticeships in

Austria

 Increase of the number of apprenticeship places in the public sector in

England

Learning for Jobs

OECD Review of Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Information: [email protected]

Project website: www.oecd.org/edu/learningforjobs