Labour Markets and Skilled Labour Labour Markets and Skilled Labour – Some lessons learnt in the EU and application Some lessons learnt in the EU and application to Central Asia to Central Asia Egbert de Weert Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) University of Twente, The Netherlands Regional Workshop EU – Central Asian Education Platform (CAEP) Labour Market Needs and Best practices in Central Asia for Quality Assurance in VET and HE Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 11-12 December 2014
EU Policies to align HE /VET with labour EU Policies to align HE /VET with labour market needs market needs Europe 2020 Agenda for new skills and jobs Full employment goal by 2020 Assist young people with gaining knowledge, skills and experience to make their first job a reality Improve quality and attractiveness of education and training in Europe 40% of a generation should complete HE by 2020 Agenda for Higher Education Concentrate enough resources on excellence Contribute better to local and regional needs (human capital agenda) Closer cooperation between universities and business: design of curricula; dissemination and exploitation of research results Strengthen the knowledge triangle between education, research and business 2
Unemployment rates EU-27, 2000-2010 3
Do skills really matter? Do skills really matter? Unemployment is closely related to low skills, and employment and labour market participation to high skills Those with low qualifications are much less likely to upgrade their skills and follow lifelong learning Education systems with more equal access to education and continuous vocational training (CVET) are associated with lower levels of unemployment A higher educational level always necessary for securing employment? NO: VET is a more cost-effective way to provide necessary skills (incl transferable and soft skills) 4
Debate on over Debate on over-education and mismatches education and mismatches • Visible problems of graduate employment and work • Majority of graduate jobs are not employed according to their level of education (‘over-education ‘ or ‘vertical mismatch’) or linked to a single field of study (‘horizontal mismatch’): there is enormous flexibility in employment • Underestimation of the value of vocational education and training ‘below’ higher education level 5
What are functions of qualification standards? What are functions of qualification standards? 1. Regulate access to and progress through the educational system including higher education (permeability) 2. Instrumental for making knowledge and skills transparent and up-to-date 3. Information tool for (prospective) learners, providers, teachers) and employers about learning programmes and respective job profiles 4. Make the transition from learning to the labour market transparent, regulate access to professions or hierarchic positions 5. Legitimate differences between individuals or groups in terms of wages and social prestige 6. Facilitate international mobility (credit systems), lifelong learning and validation of (prior) knowledge and skills 6
Approaches to set qualification standards Approaches to set qualification standards Focus on Educational standards: • What people need to learn, the content and learning methods • Pedagogical logic: progressive accumulation of knowledge and skills, duration of studies, qualification of teachers Focus on Occupational standards: • Job descriptions with core functional or technical tasks and competences • Behavioral skills and attitudes Most effective when educational and occupational standards are linked together 7
Feedback Feedback-loop of standards and competences loop of standards and competences Labour market Demand for competences Formulation of Certification of competence competences requirements ~ a ssessment ~ o ccupational standards standards Learning competences ~ educational standards Competence-based education 8
Common trends in European landscape Common trends in European landscape Introducing out-come based standards / ‘learning outcomes ’ in terms of competences Institutionalising the involvement of social partners: For standard-setting procedures For renewal and update of standards on a regular basis • Find a balance between diverging interests and needs • Provide opportunities for structurally weak actors (e.g SMEs) • Not only traditional economic sectors, Sector Councils recognise better the need for new qualifications in emerging industries 9
Quality Assurance in Higher Education Quality Assurance in Higher Education • Both internal and external evaluations on basis of peer review • HE institutions responsible for quality assurance and quality improvement • Shift of emphasis on input variables to learning outcomes • Representatives from employment fields are structurally anchored in QA system / assessment panels/ importance of alumni surveys 10
European Quality Assurance Framework for European Quality Assurance Framework for VET (EQAVET) VET (EQAVET) • Participating countries should establish QA Frameworks in accordance with the EQAVET Recommendation: this guarantees improved quality, transparency, mutual trust, the mobility of workers and learners, and lifelong learning • Participating countries should –by the end of 2015 – establish at national level a common quality assurance framework for VET providers - compatible with the EQAVET Framework. • The Framework is not prescriptive, but provides guidance and inspiration for VET policy makers aimed at improving QA systems at national level involving social partners, regional and local authorities 11
National approaches for implementation National approaches for implementation of EQAVET in EU of EQAVET in EU-28 countries 28 countries • A large majority (81%) of countries include quality standards for VET at national level. The reasons: a condition of accreditation and (related for funding) and as part of legislation. Other reasons are hardly mentioned • 21 VET systems in the EU -28 (66%) have in place or have implemented a common QA framework for VET providers at national level. In line with the EQAVET Framework, while 10 national VET systems reported either that they are still preparing • Involvement of stakeholders varies considerably. Involvement of industry/companies, regional authorities and students/learners low 12
Stakeholders involved in national QA Stakeholders involved in national QA approaches in VET systems approaches in VET systems Public authorities VET providers Employer associations Employees associations teachers/instructors/trainers Industry/companies Regional/local authorities Higher education sector Students/learners 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Always Sometimes Occasionally/never Source: Feerick & Oviedo, Quality Assurance in VET, a collection of articles, ETF, febr 2014, p. 22. 13
Great things always begin from inside Great things always begin from inside In VET support from training providers to develop self-evaluation systems is low, BUT: • Self-evaluation reveals strengths and improvable aspects • Periodic self-evaluation develops a culture of continuous improvement (learning organisation) • Self-evaluation combined with external evaluation + employers’ representatives focus on key competences relevant for employment • Input variables remain a relevant part of quality assessment: entry qualifications, teaching material and methods, teacher qualifications, staff policies, facilities 14
How to increase employer engagement in How to increase employer engagement in education education • Participation of employers in advisory boards in institutions • Consulting on qualification standards and QA systems • Increase exchange and dialogue on a wide range of topics (governance modes of educational policy, funding, macro-issues on human capital. For example on: Involvement in the Bologna-process and views whether the Bachelor degree should have a labour market qualification Search for regulative frameworks at the systems level regarding supply and demand, in order to use resources better Steering instruments where quantitative mismatches of supply and demand occur (STEM subjects) Investments in research, development and innovation, national priority areas for research (e.g. sustainable development, energy, health, agriculture) 15
Work Work-based Learning as an effective way to based Learning as an effective way to narrow the gap between education and work narrow the gap between education and work • Internships, work placements or traineeships in companies are a compulsory or optional element of VET programmes leading to formal qualifications • Apprenticeships scheme (in Germany ‘Dual System’; in UK ‘Workplace Learning’): integration of companies as training providers together with VET institutions WBL is relevant for different categories of students: Regular students to acquire qualifications for employment For workers/ employees already in the workplace to enhance their knowledge and skills (continuing education). For VET teaching staff (internships) to regularly refresh their knowledge and skills and to gain practical experience 16
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