Statistics related to vocational training

KEY POINTS

Data to be collected in enterprises

EU Member States must collect data on the following:

• enterprises’ training policy and training strategies to develop workforce skills;
• management, organisation and forms of continuing vocational training in enterprises;
• the role of social partners in ensuring all aspects of continuing vocational training in the workplace;
• access to continuing vocational training, its volume and content, especially in the context of economic activity and enterprise size;
• specific measures of enterprises to improve their workforce’s skills in information and communication technologies;
• chances for employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access continuing vocational training and to acquire new skills, and specific SME needs in the provision of training;
• the effects of public measures on this form of training in enterprises;
• equal opportunities to access training in enterprises for all employees (and with respect to gender and specific age-groups in particular);
• specific measures for people at a disadvantage in the labour market, for example, older people and people from minorities;
• measures geared to different types of employment contract;
• expenditure on continuing vocational training: funding levels and funding resources, incentives for continuing vocational training; and
• evaluation and monitoring procedures of enterprises as regards continuing vocational training.

As regards, initial vocational training in the workplace, Member States should collect data on:

• participants in training of this type; and
• total expenditure on training of this type.

Scope

The statistics cover training in enterprises involved in economic activities falling into sections B to O and S to T of the EU’s NACE classification².

Statistical units

As a general rule, data are gathered only in relation to enterprises employing 10 or more people.

Data sources

Member States may collect the data by means of surveys in enterprises or a combination of surveys in enterprises and other sources, in order to minimise the burden on respondents and keep administration simple.

Member States lay down the procedures for enterprises to reply to the survey by the prescribed deadlines. Other sources of data may be used where deemed appropriate in terms of timeliness and relevance.

Survey characteristics and approach

Member States must ensure that the data they transmit accurately reflect the structure of the population of the statistical units. The survey must be conducted in such a way as to permit a breakdown of the results at EU level of at least the following categories:

• economic activities
• size of enterprise.

The European Commission (Eurostat) decides on the sampling requirements, the sample sizes to meet those requirements and the detailed specifications of the NACE and size categories into which the results can be broken down. The Commission also decides on the specific data to be collected with respect to training³ and non-training enterprises⁴ and to the different forms of vocational training.

Quality control

Member States are responsible for ensuring the quality of the data they transmit to Eurostat. After each reference period of one calendar year, they must, within 21 months, submit a quality report to Eurostat containing all the information and data requested. The report should also mention whether there have been any breaches in the methodological requirements. On the basis of these reports, Eurostat assesses the quality of the data transmitted in order to ensure its comparability.

Periodicity

Member States must collect the data every 5 years.

Transmission of data

Member States send the individual data on enterprises to Eurostat in accordance with the EU legislation on data transmission, subject to statistical confidentiality, as set out in Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 (see summary). They must ensure that the data sent do not permit the direct identification of the statistical units. Transmission is in an electronic form and in accordance with specifications agreed by the European Statistical System Committee, a committee that assists and advises Eurostat comprising representatives from Member States and chaired by the Commission.

Member States must transmit the complete and correct data no later than 18 months after the end of each reference year.