VET & Globalisation: Trends, challenges, success stories in Europe

1. VET & Globalisation: Trends, challenges, success stories in Europe Tom Leney International Research and Strategy QCA LeneyTO@qca.org.uk EU/India Nov 2006

3. Theme 1 Globalisation and skills EU/India Nov 2006

4. GLOBAL DRIVERS – 8 DIMENSIONS • The unpredictable global economy ** • Global/local factors in anticipating skill needs ** • Technological and IT change ** • The (international) organisation of work ** • Demographic factors: a youthful population • Migration ** • The policy dimension: Economic &Social factors – strong social model, or ‘catch as catch can’? # • Environmental change # EU/India Nov 2006

5. THE KEY ARGUMENT • In a situation where globalisation creates uncertainty • High quality VET is a robust strategy as a country, region or sector moves towards a knowledge economy • The argument is for innovative VET EU/India Nov 2006

6. THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY : Lifelong learning/VET • Modernisation is essential .. (for) high levels of prosperity, social cohesion and quality of life • The Europe of dynamism, innovation and openness sits side by side with the Europe of 19 million unemployed, child poverty and stagnant growth • European Commission Communication to Heads of State, 2005 • The successful countries tend (PISA) to achieve high basic standards for (almost) all EU/India Nov 2006

7. WHY RAISE EDUCATION AND SKILLS LEVELS? • Effective modern economies will produce the most information/knowledge, with jobs increasingly skill/knowledge intensive • In the global economy, those who invest heavily in education and skills benefit most in economic and social terms • This is a tough challenge for education and training governance/ suppliers Some succeed. • Andreas Schleicher, OECD, briefing for the EU, 2005 EU/India Nov 2006

8. Theme 2 Challenges facing countries: What can we learn from VET in Europe? Lisbon: economic, employment, social, inclusion, environmental goal EU/India Nov 2006

9. PRIORITY INDICATORS FOR EUROPE What are the agreed priority indicators for lifelong learning? • Reduce numbers of 15 yr olds with low basic skill levels • Reduce the numbers of early school leavers • Raise the percentage of young people with at least upper secondary education • Increase university graduate numbers in maths, science, technology; address gender imbalances • Increase adult participation in E&T • Raise levels of investment in human resources EU/India Nov 2006

10. QUALITY VET REDUCES NO. OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVERS • 16 of 19 European countries with a high proportion of young people in IVET have high upper secondary completion rates and low dropout rates • The challenge is quality • Programmes attractive to learners and enterprises • Flexibility, focus on the learner • Links to general education • Valuing/recognising formal, informal and non-formal learning • Pathways to higher education (No dead ends!) • Quality IVET: a robust strategy, at least across Europe EU/India Nov 2006

11. CONTINUING TRAINING – A KEY CHALLENGE Raising levels of continuing training to update skills and competences. Most countries: unacceptably low participation. • High status jobs/low status jobs • High education level / low level of education • Younger workers /older workers. • Men / women. • Migrants marginalised. • Sectors: communications / textiles; expansion / decline EU/India Nov 2006

12. DEVELOPMENT OF LIFELONG LEARNING STRATEGIES • Few countries have well-advanced LLL strategies • Approaches? • Cradle to the grave • Employability • Social inclusion • How best to anticipate education and skills needs in an uncertain environment? EU/India Nov 2006

13. Theme 3 Innovation and success Building up: capacity for change, capabilities, partnerships, links between strategies EU/India Nov 2006

14. EXPERT LEARNERS • Empowering learners is the strong way to tackle • the need to improve learning • Expert learners are self-directed and goal-oriented, • able to use their skills to make best decisions about • their learning • A danger is a divide between expert and novice • learners – with low self image, poor learning • strategies, little reflective ability EU/India Nov 2006

15. THE SHIFT TO COMPETENCE-BASED TEACHING / LEARNING • From didactic VET teaching to an outcomes-based approach (programmes, teaching, learning, assessment, qualifications, frameworks) • Learning is focussed on real problems – in the workplace • Underpinned by general education / key competences • Partnerships mean efficient organisation –employer needs • Skilful teachers and trainers EU/India Nov 2006

16. Success stories: the Nordic countries • A small skills gap: those who consider they don’t have the skills for working life • A small credentials gap: they have the credentials to back the claim • A high proportion of people recently took part in education or training • A high proportion affirm there are few barriers to participating in learning • A small proportion say there is nothing to motivate them for further involvement in education and training • Few young people lack basic skills • Institute for Future Studies in Sweden, from Euro barometer data (see A Giddens 2006) EU/India Nov 2006

17. Success stories: A company - Telefonica • 1984 – 9 m customers, basic telephone service, in Spain • 2006 – 180 m customers, integrated IT solutions, in 18 countries • Telefonica • Has developed a competency framework. Based on value of trust. • Consisting of broad skills, including: client facing, flexibility, communication, contribution to production, innovation, collaboration, interpersonal development. • Defined macro roles (10 groups) have added functional and business skills. • Basis for HR, training and mobility programmes. EU/India Nov 2006

18. USEFUL SOURCES EC DG Employment - http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/employment_social/index_en.htm EC DGEAC – http://ec.europa.eu/education/index_en.html OECD - http://www.oecd.org ETF – http://etf.europa.eu CEDEFOP – http://cedefop.europa.eu REFERNET UK – http://www.refernet.org.uk QCA – http://www.qca.org.uk EU/India Nov 2006