10.2.2011   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/32

—

welcomes the achievements to date in European cooperation in vocational education and training (VET) supported by the Copenhagen process and wishes to stress that the main focus in the forthcoming period should be on swift implementation, simplification and consolidation of the most effective existing instruments, initiatives and programmes;

—

shares the Commission’s view that given the future changes in jobs and social structures, such as the move towards a low-carbon economy and an ageing population, education and training, including VET, must adapt accordingly. Furthermore, VET must play a dual role: as a tool to help meet Europe’s immediate and future skills needs; and, in parallel, to reduce the social impact of and facilitate recovery from the crisis. These roles call for urgent reforms in order to ensure excellence and equity;

—

stresses that effective cooperation in VET and implementation requires continuous political and administrative interaction between, and sustained commitment from, all tiers of government. The Commission should ensure, therefore, that meaningful engagement with local and regional authorities (LRAs) takes place, properly reflecting their essential role as key partners in education and training in Europe;

—

endorses the aims of the Communication to increase the relevance of VET in order to promote an increase in the skills base of the labour market in Europe, and also acknowledges that, in addition, education and training are a means to foster and further develop social participation. Not least in the context of the year for fighting poverty and social exclusion 2010, VET is an important element of any strategy to reduce social and economic disadvantage. It has been shown that relatively small improvements to labour force skills can have a substantial impact on the future well-being of a nation state.

Rapporteur

:

Robert Bright (UK/PES), Member of Newport City Council

Reference document

:

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - A new impetus for European cooperation in Vocational Education and Training to support the Europe 2020 strategy

COM(2010) 296 final

1.

endorses the Commission's emphasis on a new impetus for further European cooperation in VET which will support the Europe 2020 Strategy;

2.

welcomes the achievements to date in European cooperation in vocational education and training (VET) supported by the Copenhagen process and wishes to stress that the main focus in the forthcoming period should be on swift implementation, simplification and consolidation of the most effective existing instruments, initiatives and programmes;

3.

believes that much can be gained from developing the exchange of information and experience between European governments at all levels, attaches high priority to the dissemination of best practice by the Commission and pledges to support such action by involving its own members and networks where appropriate;

4.

reiterates its support for reaching targets on competitiveness and innovation by 2020 and recognises that in order to achieve these targets, continued investment in education and training needs to be maintained, particularly during times of economic uncertainty;

5.

shares the Commission's view that given the future changes in jobs and social structures, such as the move towards a low-carbon economy and an ageing population, education and training, including VET, must adapt accordingly. Furthermore, VET must play a dual role: as a tool to help meet Europe's immediate and future skills needs; and, in parallel, to reduce the social impact of and facilitate recovery from the crisis. These roles call for urgent reforms in order to ensure excellence and equity;

6.

supports actions to bring the worlds of education, training and work closer together, such as ‘New Skills for New Jobs’. The distinction between education and training and its context in the workplace will become increasingly blurred in the future, and achieving greater integration will require a fundamental change in the way in which education and training are considered, not only from an individual perspective, but also at institutional level and at all levels of government. Systemic and attitudinal barriers to integration must be addressed if Europe's learners are to move up the skills/value chain and contribute effectively to the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy;

7.

stresses that effective cooperation in VET and implementation requires continuous political and administrative interaction between, and sustained commitment from, all tiers of government. The Commission should ensure, therefore, that meaningful engagement with local and regional authorities (LRAs) takes place, properly reflecting their essential role as key partners in education and training in Europe;

8.

underlines that VET should be delivered in an integrated way where partnerships, dialogue and curricula are developed in close cooperation between education and training institutions, governments at all levels and businesses. More effective partnerships between providers, employers and guidance and placement services should be supported by evidence-based, targeted priorities and effective use of up-to-date, reliable and shared data;

9.

considers it vitally important that the issues addressed in the Communication penetrate through to all levels of society. This is where LRAs have a fundamental role to play in terms of communication and dissemination of information via their networks and also by promoting equal rights and opportunities, delivering world-class quality assurance and improvements in both formal and non-formal contexts, and through the implementation of programmes;

10.

endorses the aims of the Communication to increase the relevance of VET in order to promote an increase in the skills base of the labour market in Europe, and also acknowledges that, in addition, education and training are a means to foster and further develop social participation. Not least in the context of the year for fighting poverty and social exclusion 2010, VET is an important element of any strategy to reduce social and economic disadvantage. It has been shown that relatively small improvements to labour force skills can have a substantial impact on the future well-being of a nation state (1);

11.

stresses that given the economic and social functions of VET, it is essential that the right mix of competences and transnational/cross-vocational mobility become an integral part of it, including developing a knowledge of languages. Mobility can help to overcome language barriers and develop self-confidence, adaptability, a sense of responsibility, employability and intercultural competence;

12.

asks the Commission to consider that increasing participation in lifelong learning in adults is a major challenge for many governments with competence for education at the local, regional and national levels, and that current and future skills gaps must be filled by providing an individually-tailored balance between skills training focused on key competences and more job-specific training for both young people and the adult workforce, if such skills gaps are to be addressed;

13.

considers that the current economic situation could put a considerable strain on governments at the local, regional and national levels to maintain existing levels of investment in education and training. If Europe, however, is to compete on the global economic stage, there should be a relentless effort to equip the current and future workforce with the type of skills that are needed by business to thrive. All tiers of government should work together to match investment with skills needs, with the aim of ensuring that Europe in turn will have access to a pool of highly skilled workers to drive forward economic recovery;

14.

backs the key action to create flexible à la carte approaches to VET which aim to maximise access to continued education and training, as well as flexible systems based on the recognition of learning outcomes. Providing a genuine choice of courses and providers to learners will ensure that education and training can be accessed whatever the situation of the learner;

15.

stresses that this approach will inevitably have an impact on administration and funding for LRAs; however, to ensure quality of service, the best use of resources and the sustainability of public finances, provider institutions must work together to provide a suite of courses, accessible in a range of settings, that complement each other whilst avoiding duplication over a local area;

16.

supports the call for the development of VET programmes which aim to create genuinely open pathways from VET to university education. In order for this to be achieved, higher education institutions (HEIs) should be encouraged to work with all tiers of government, and with each other, across the EU, and with business interests to ensure that quality vocational courses are developed which provide relevant and high-quality skills training. The sharing of best practice in the development of higher-level vocational courses should be encouraged and coherence improved by developing ongoing joint programmes;

17.

recommends that in order to speed up Europe's economic recovery, boost skills, increase employment and commit to the Europe 2020 headline target of investing 3 % of the EU's GDP in R&D (2), education institutions providing vocational education and training should be able to introduce more and better VET provision. The use of non-classroom, work-based learning for learners who are less academically oriented should also be promoted, and even learners who are less academically oriented should be encouraged to obtain qualifications that help them successfully enter the labour market, as well as ensuring parity between vocational qualifications and more academically oriented degrees. Classroom work should also be strongly geared to individual students’ needs and learning methods, with the aim also of developing creativity, innovativeness and entrepreneurship. Effective, attractive VET can play a key role in providing early school leavers with an option for getting back to learning, and can also help address the high youth unemployment figures in Europe (3);

18.

agrees that in order to achieve effective transitions between learning phases and the world of work, guidance and counselling should be provided which will enable learners to gather relevant and timely information to inform career choices. Such career advice services should be available at all stages of learning, for both young people and adults, allowing learning choices to be made that will be relevant to the present jobs market, as well as advice once learning has been completed. LRAs are best placed to provide such support for learners at all levels and this contribution should be considered when developing support programmes. If they are to succeed in their aim, guidance services should have access to straightforward, reliable and coordinated information on the state of the labour market and its most immediate future needs;

19.

recalls that it is crucial that high-quality VET provided in one area should be recognised across the whole of the EU in order to encourage mobility and exchange. This approach will have to be supported by high quality and consistent quality assurance mechanisms supported by LRAs, which are recognised by the relevant stakeholders (competent governments, social partners, VET providers and learners);

20.

underlines that given the responsibility of the competent authorities in the Member States for the fields addressed in the Communication, the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) is the appropriate working method for European cooperation in education and training. Furthermore, the administrative and financial implications for LRAs should be taken into account when applying the OMC in education and training;

21.

recommends that consideration also be given to the use of projects such as the Soft Open Method of Coordination (SMOC), which supports the transfer of VET practices among regions through scientific systematisation of learning and transfer (4);

22.

reminds the Commission that LRAs are leading the way in Europe in the development of VET mobility actions. LRAs can make an important contribution to promoting learning mobility, particularly with regard to information, advice and awareness-raising, and in supporting measures ensuring quality and the availability of financing as also outlined in the ‘Barcelona Declaration’ (5) The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), which provides a new legal framework for cross-border and inter-regional cooperation, can be a useful instrument in fostering VET mobility actions;

23.

calls on the Commission to actively seek engagement with LRAs, and to have proper regard to views expressed, either collectively through the CoR, networks, or as individual governments, in the development of European initiatives which support the delivery of VET, such as ‘An Agenda for new skills and new jobs’, and ‘Youth on the Move’;

24.

invites the Commission to consider the role of LRAs as potential mobility support structures in the development of its VET mobility support programmes;

25.

wishes to point out that the EU should ensure that these programmes for mobility in education are accessible under equal conditions to all students, regardless of the geographical location of their home region, and thus recommends that support be given to regions with specific geographical features, such as the outermost regions, whose mobility policies are seriously hampered by their distance and geographical isolation from mainland Europe;

26.

calls upon the Commission to continue to support quality assurance systems, such as those recommended in the European Quality Assurance in VET framework (EQAVET);

27.

stresses that quality assurance is the key to providing flexible and portable VET. However, such frameworks have a financial implication at a local and regional level, where many of the VET providers are located. It is essential, therefore, that any such frameworks are mindful of existing local quality assurance systems and aim to build on existing good practice;

28.

supports the proposal to increase the use of different forms of work-based learning. If key skills gaps in the labour force are to be addressed then it is essential that the current workforce actively participate in VET, as the majority of the future workforce, upon which economic recovery is dependent, is already in employment;

29.

emphasises that in order to increase the use of work-based learning, businesses will need to be fully supportive and engaged. Providing the right incentives to intensify cooperation between providers of education, training and businesses will be crucial. With a multi-level governmental approach, LRAs are best placed to develop and maintain links with business, especially small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), which employ a significant proportion of the European workforce. Encouraging skills development within these businesses will support economic growth within this important sector;

30.

supports the view that the labour market relevance of VET can be strengthened by the development of forward planning tools to match skills and jobs, and emphasises that VET providers, in cooperation with LRAs and local labour market representatives, are in a special position to recognise the needs to adapt curricula accordingly to reflect skills shortages, surpluses, skills gaps or obsolescence;

31.

believes that adaptability and flexibility of learners and workers is essential. For this to be achieved, VET needs to equip them with skills that are adaptable and flexible, that are competency based, and match the current and future needs of business;

32.

supports the Commission in calling for VET that is more responsive to market needs, to achieve the vision of an adaptable and flexible workforce. However, it should be noted that the needs of business do not always match the needs of governments in promoting social participation and cohesion policies, and that the demands of flexibility from the workforce need to be balanced by the provision of appropriate levels of security (as expressed in the ‘flexicurity’ concept) for the individual;

33.

notes that. in many cases, it is also difficult for many individual sectors and businesses to accurately anticipate their needs several years in advance, and to have a full overview of their needs for all occupations within a sector. There must therefore be a considered balance between specialisation and generalisation in training courses, and vocational training options with both a longer-term and permanent perspective and a shorter-term and rapid perspective. In this context, the need for - and potential offered by - public-private cooperation should be emphasised. By accumulating key competences, individuals become better equipped to deal with sudden and unforeseeable changes at work;

34.

points out that mapping the skills needs of business can put an administrative burden on LRAs, especially if this is not a task that they currently carry out. In order for such skills analysis to be relevant it needs to be regularly updated, as the needs of business can change quickly. Knowledge sharing should be encouraged in this area, including on analysis systems with governments that do not currently employ such techniques;

35.

welcomes the Commission's inclusive approach and agrees about the importance of promoting equal rights and opportunities by recognizing the key competences and skills of the least advantaged. VET has a major role in promoting equity, social inclusion and active citizenship, especially of the low-skilled, learners from a migrant background, the unemployed and those with special educational needs;

36.

calls upon the Commission to fully take into account the needs of at-risk groups when considering transitions between learning phases, and pathways between VET and other forms of education. Both adults and young people from vulnerable or at-risk groups can benefit significantly from accessible and relevant VET, which can enable individuals to participate positively in active citizenship and also make a meaningful contribution to the economy. Programmes should be tailored to suit the needs of the individual and should be set within the context of locally provided services for such vulnerable groups. It is essential that LRAs play a key role in promoting development of local course provision, and also in ensuring that information about courses is readily available, especially to vulnerable individuals;

37.

stresses that although it is important to ensure that systems are in place to monitor employment rates of VET students, particularly those belonging to at-risk groups, such systems should also seek to look at the quality of employment attained by such groups. In this way information collated can be used to inform future development of VET that seeks to provide skills giving learners the opportunity to find decent work;

38.

welcomes the emphasis on the development of key competencies for active citizenship in partnerships between VET providers, local communities, civil organisations, parents and learners. This approach should also seek to include LRAs who play a key role in supporting local communities and developing citizenship;

39.

endorses the Commission's emphasis on the development of key competencies, and considers that developing literacy, numeracy and other basic skills, as well as IT and language skills, are essential to engaging vulnerable and at-risk groups, including migrant workers, particularly given that approximately 20 % of EU citizens have poor literacy skills (6);

40.

compliments the Commission on the inclusion of the provision of experienced-based and active learning with a view to developing high level e-skills, risk-taking and critical thinking. If the European economy is to thrive, then nurturing skills such as these, in conjunction with vocational skills, will provide opportunities for learners as well as enhancing the skills base for business;

41.

supports the Commission in calling on the EU ministers in charge of VET to endorse an ambitious VET modernisation agenda, to define concrete deliverables over the next decade, and to make a strong commitment to its implementation within the Europe 2020 national reform programmes. Building higher skills through better education and training systems is an essential part of Europe's strategy to meet current and future challenges, and these challenges need to be addressed in an integrated policy across all levels of the education systems;

42.

welcomes the reference to the need for close partnerships between Member States, the Commission and the social partners when reviewing VET priorities in December 2010, while including LRAs, vocational providers, teachers and trainers as well as learners at all levels when referring to the implementation. Integrating education, training and work requires more effective coherence at the local, national and European levels. In addition, VET strategies must be linked to economic development strategies, again at the local, national and European levels;

43.

reiterates that LRAs should be fully involved by individual Member States during all phases of the implementation of the set objectives. The working methods chosen for long-term European cooperation in education and training must take into account the responsibilities of LRAs and include them as partners during the process of their improvement;

44.

emphasises that the design and delivery of the agreed actions requires support not only from European-level existing platforms such as the Directors-General for Vocational Training (DGVT) and the Advisory Committee for Vocational Training (ACVT), but also via the relevant EU programmes and instruments, such as the Leonardo da Vinci Programme, which should continue to support accessibility, mobility and innovation in VET within the Lifelong Learning Programme;

45.

believes it is crucial to maximise usage of the Structural Funds to support VET. A refocused European Social Fund could provide tailor-made solutions for learners who will require up-skilling to obtain new employment opportunities or keep existing ones. The European Regional Development Fund and European Globalisation Adjustment Fund could also be mobilised in this respect.