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The experience of VET reform in Spain. Alejandro Tiana Former Secretary General for Education. Starting point (end of ’80s). Attractiveness for a sector of population (36% of post-compulsory secondary students in 1990)
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The experience of VET reform in Spain Alejandro Tiana Former Secretary General for Education
Starting point (end of ’80s) • Attractiveness for a sector of population (36% of post-compulsory secondary students in 1990) • Low prestige of VET- Initial & Intermediate levels, because of its association to school failure • Very limited pathways between VET and general/academic studies • No real offer of post-secondary VET, even though it was regulated in the 1970 Act • Very limited development of continuous training for employees and training for the unemployed Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Educational needs at the beginning of the ’90s • Increasing the overall educational level of the population • Offering more educational opportunities to lower social sectors • Offering an extended general curriculum to VET students • Improving formal and non-formal VET and adapting it to the new economic and labour demands Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
A first wave of reform (’90s) 1 • A new regulation for the education system (1990 Education Act) • Extension of compulsory education up to 16 • A new universal, comprehensive and compulsory level (ESO, 12-16) • Starting of VET-I after having successfully completed ESO and VET-U after Bachillerato • Remedial programs for failing students older than 16 Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
A first wave of reform (’90s) 2 • A new structure and organisation for VET (in the education system) • Basic VET components included in ESO • Two levels of specific VET: Intermediate (post-ESO) & Upper (post-Bac) • More strict requisites for access • Modular and cyclic organisation • About 25% of time devoted to practical training at workplace, with the participation of business organisations and companies • New pathways between academic studies and VET • Limited pathways between VET-I and VET-U Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
A first wave of reform (’90s) 3 • A new structure and organisation for non-formal training (outside the education system) • Reinforcement of the two non-formal training sectors: • Continuous training for employees • Training for unemployed • Signature of agreements for training between business, trade unions and government • Significant amount of new private and public resources for training in companies and public administrations (multiplied by 10 from 1993 to 2003) Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Outstanding results • Increased proportion of young people continuing education • A higher proportion of 16 and 17 year olds in education (75.2 and 66.6% in 1991; 88.2 and 75.7% in 2001) • A similar proportion of students in VET-I than ten years before (38% in 2000), but a smaller number • A new offer of VET diplomas in 26 professional families with a revised structure and organisation • A new offer of VET-U studies, so increasing its prestige • Limited VET pathways for failing students (remedial programs, adult education and training for unemployed) • Increased number of workers in training (increase by 432% from 1993 to 2000) Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
A second wave of reform (’00s) • An integral framework for VET and training (2002 Act), including: • A national qualifications framework, covering both formal VET and non-formal training • A system for recognition and accreditation of competences and qualifications • A model of vocational guidance • A system for quality control and improvement • A lifelong learning approach: • New pathways for ESO failing students to VET – Lower levels (initial training) • New pathways inside VET, between formal VET and non-formal training and between VET and academic studies Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Outstanding outcomes 1 • Approaching formal VET and non-formal training through a common framework of qualifications • Development of new connected education diplomas and labour certificates • Developing new instruments for VET policy-making and agreement (General VET Council with representatives from regions, business and trade unions, Ministries of Education and of Labor & Social Affairs • A new model of social and regional dialogue for designing and agreeing on VET policies Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Outstanding outcomes 2 • Increased attractiveness of VET • Significant labor market insertion rates for VET graduates: • VET-I: 67.4% in six months, 9.1% looking for a job • VET-U: 58,7% in six months, 8.7% looking for a job • Significant variation of increases/decreases of students in post-compulsory levels (2000-2007) Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Outstanding outomes 3 • Increased participation in continuous training • Significant increase in the proportion of workers from 25 to 64 having continuous training: from 4.4% in 1997 to 10.4% in 2007 • Limited possibilities for failing ESO students: • Only 45,960 in remedial programs in 2007 Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Remaining challenges 1 • Increasing the participation in VET • Figures are still lower than expected, even if they have improved: • 44.4% of young population graduated in Bachillerato in 2005 (45% in OECD) • 16.4% graduated in VET in 2005 (48% in OECD) • Expanding the alternatives for failing students to continue studies • An unacceptable early school leaving rate (29.9% in 2006, 31.4% in 1996) • Limited pathways for failing students, now being open Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Remaining challenges 2 • Counterbalancing the effects of the new working environment on opportunities for young people • Significant effect of youth employment increase • Significant effect of immigration • Smaller salary differential according to educational level • Increasing the prestige of VET • Significant effect of rates of employment and the relevance of training received Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain
Remaining challenges 3 • Matching and Linking Formal and Non-formal VET offers • Development of integrated training centres • Development of new labour training certificates • Development of new instruments for recognition and accreditation of competences and qualifications • Matching the current VET offer to the needs and demands of business and industry • Closer work with stakeholders (instruments already in place) Alejandro Tiana - VET reform in Spain