- 2016Approved/Agreed
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Completed
Background
Several initiatives were taken in 2015-16 to improve the relevance of education and training systems in line with the needs of the labour market:
- the Youth guarantee implementation plan 2014-15, was approved in 2013 and included measures aiming to combat youth unemployment, which is also the key element of the VET strategy;
- the Strategy to reduce early school leaving, approved by government decision No 417/03 of June 2015, aimed to support social inclusion of at-risk groups, promoting initial VET as an opportunity for teenagers to continue their education and acquire a qualification, aspects of which are further detailed in the VET strategy;
- the 2015-20 Lifelong learning strategy was adopted in 2015 (government Decision No 418/2015). This addresses the need for strengthening partnerships between VET providers and enterprises to increase the quality and labour market relevance of VET. The LLL strategy is focused mainly on continuous education and training of adults.
This context created room for developing a VET strategy focused on measures and actions addressing initial VET, complementing all the above initiatives.
Objectives
To develop an education and training system adapted to the demands of the labour market and its direct and indirect beneficiaries through fostering the labour market relevance of VET; improving participation and facilitating access to VET programmes; improving VET quality; and fostering innovation and cooperation in VET.
To reduce unemployment among young people, and especially young NEETs and ensure that all under age 25, who lose their job or who do not find a job after finishing their studies, receive, within four months from registering with employment agencies or at youth guarantee centres, an offer of good quality employment, continuation of education, apprenticeship or internship.
Description
The strategy for education and vocational training in Romania for 2016-20 was adopted in 2016 (government Decision No 317 on 27 April 2016). It proposes the development of both an open-access and attractive and competitive system, offering quality education and training services in order to respond quickly and relevantly to the needs of people and the economy through efficient management of available resources. All individuals should benefit from the opportunity to acquire high-level competences relevant for the labour market and society.
Introducing a dual system in initial VET (as another form of organising the existing 3-year school-based VET programme, învățământ profesional) and developing a quality assurance mechanism for work-based learning is part of the strategy objectives. An action plan for the implementation of the strategy has been adopted on annually, providing for the creation of partnerships with companies, adapting curricula and training programmes to sectoral needs, increased financial resources to support work-based learning, and assessment of learning outcomes. The 2016-20 VET strategy includes measures aiming at training new apprenticeship tutors.
The National Centre for TVET Development and the education ministry, through its local representative structures (county school inspectorates), are committed to training 1 300 apprenticeship tutors by 2020. Their main priorities are to develop a national...
The strategy for education and vocational training in Romania for 2016-20 was adopted in 2016 (government Decision No 317 on 27 April 2016). It proposes the development of both an open-access and attractive and competitive system, offering quality education and training services in order to respond quickly and relevantly to the needs of people and the economy through efficient management of available resources. All individuals should benefit from the opportunity to acquire high-level competences relevant for the labour market and society.
Introducing a dual system in initial VET (as another form of organising the existing 3-year school-based VET programme, învățământ profesional) and developing a quality assurance mechanism for work-based learning is part of the strategy objectives. An action plan for the implementation of the strategy has been adopted on annually, providing for the creation of partnerships with companies, adapting curricula and training programmes to sectoral needs, increased financial resources to support work-based learning, and assessment of learning outcomes. The 2016-20 VET strategy includes measures aiming at training new apprenticeship tutors.
The National Centre for TVET Development and the education ministry, through its local representative structures (county school inspectorates), are committed to training 1 300 apprenticeship tutors by 2020. Their main priorities are to develop a national monitoring mechanism of IVET graduates entering the labour market and mechanisms for anticipating skills required by the labour market, to be able to review qualifications and update training programmes and curricula. A further commitment is to support access to IVET for young people by providing financial aid through scholarships, developing alternative training forms suited to diverse publics, accommodating special educational needs (SEN) learners, offering second-chance programmes for the young at risk of exclusion, developing mechanisms for recognition of prior learning and quality assurance mechanisms for learning-outcome certification. The implementation of the strategy will be supported by an ESF-funded project developed by the National Centre for TVET Development.
The Youth guarantee implementation plan brought together key reforms and initiatives designed to create the appropriate framework for the employment of young people by including them in apprenticeship schemes. Young people who have benefited from apprenticeships have also benefited from guidance and career counselling services, which are mandatory measures included in customised packages of interventions designed for young people.
The Youth guarantee implementation plan, 2017-20, continued those initiatives that combine employment and training, and the public employment service acted as a catalyst for the process. The key element for the new plan was the amendment of the Unemployment Insurance Law No 76/2002, so that it would include new categories distinct from beneficiaries who are eligible for the provision of specific services.
In order for the measures to stimulate mobility, become more attractive and contributed to correcting the imbalances between supply and demand in the labour market, the legislative framework aimed to provide a mobility package that targeted especially vulnerable areas and can be provided for the whole family. To-be-employed persons willing to relocate for employment to a job in a locality more than 50 km away are to receive, for 12 months, a sum from the unemployment insurance budget to cover his transport expenses: a non-taxable amount for the payment of the rent, as well as an allowance for the spouse of the relocated person, if they are moving to another locality and, as a result, changing address. The First rent programme was introduced granting a monthly relocation bonus, for up to 36 months, to registered unemployed persons who are working in another locality more than 50 km away from that where they have their domicile and, as a result, must change their domicile to the respective locality or to neighbouring localities.
The 2016-20 VET strategy implementation included actions and results achieved related to the proposed objectives.
The National Centre for TVET Development supported the implementation of the initial VET programmes (4-year technological programme, 3-year school and work-based programme and its alternative form of organisation, namely the initial 3-year dual VET programme) and elaborated the calendar for admission for the next school year. This took place following consultation with companies eager to be involved in initial education and training: the local authorities, the local committees for social partnership development, and schools that collected students' requests. All proposals for school enrolment were submitted to county school inspectorates and further submitted for approval to the Ministry of Education. As a result, the 2019/20 school year started with 42 382 students enrolled in the 3-year school and work programme, 6 880 in the 3-year initial dual VET programme, and 45 460 in 4-year technological programmes.
The number of companies interested in being involved in the practical training of students increased from 4 730 in 2018 (for 2018/19) to 5 597 in 2019. The number of companies interested in supporting the practical training of the initial dual VET programmes also grew from 227 in 2018 (for 2018/19) to 527 companies in 2019 (for 2019/20).
The support and participation of companies in initial VET implementation was formalised through partnership agreements with schools: for involvement in the practical training within initial dual VET programmes, the partnership agreement was concluded between school-local authorities and the companies. Companies committed to providing human and material resources, working and protective equipment, and developing, together with schools, the curricula for students' practical training. Companies were also involved in the certification of competence examinations. Larger companies could provide additional facilities for students, such as meals, transportation, hosting in student hostels and scholarships.
Companies involved in initial dual VET programmes were additionally obliged by law to provide a scholarship of at least the same amount as the Professional scholarship (that is granted to all 3-year school and work programme students) for each student.
The National Centre for TVET Development has also designed the admission calendar for 2020/21 approved by Order of the Ministry of Education No 5087/2019. The ministry approved a total of 96 631 places in initial VET, which represented 53% of entrants to ninth grade nationally, an increase of 3.2 percentage points compared to students enrolled in 2019/20.
Many campaigns were run to promote initial VET: meetings with representatives of companies, authorities, Chambers of commerce, school directors, county school inspectorates and teachers in initial VET.
The new Youth guarantee implementation plan for 2017-20 again included measures to support apprenticeship. Since 2016, the plan has put even more emphasis on initiatives that combine employment with training of the workforce, which gave young people the opportunity to improve skills obtained during initial education and to acquire new ones through participation in apprenticeships and traineeships. Apprenticeship programmes for 1 105 young NEETs were organised within this plan between January 2017 and December 2019.
A total of 133 851 young people under 25 years of age and NEETs registered to public employment service and received tailor-made services: 38 815 in 2017; 36 650 in 2018; 58 386 in 2019.
In 2019, the number of unemployed with a low level of qualification who have benefited from basic or transversal skills training courses was 816, of which 95 were under 25 years of age and 52 were NEETs.
The number of participants included in apprenticeship programmes in 2019 was 6 163.
The measures were offered in accordance with Law 76/2002 regarding the unemployment insurance system and the stimulation of employment, with subsequent amendments and completions, and Law 279/2005 regarding apprenticeship at the workplace, with subsequent amendments and completions.
The VET strategy supported the development of initial and continuing VET. For initial VET, the following activities took place in 2020.
The National Centre for TVET Development supported the implementation of the initial VET programmes (4-year technological programme, 3-year school and work-based programme and its alternative form of organisation (the initial 3-year dual VET programme); it elaborated the calendar for admission for the next school year. This took place following consultation with companies eager to be involved in initial education and training: the local authorities, the local committees for social partnership development, and schools that collected students’ requests. All proposals for school enrolment were submitted to county school inspectorates and further submitted for approval to the Ministry of Education. As a result, the 2020/21 school year started with 41 407 new students enrolled in the 3-year school and work programme, out of which 6 639 were in the 3-year initial dual VET programme and 48 298 in 4-year technological programmes (full time education programmes, including places for SEN students).
The number of companies interested in being involved in the practical training of students decreased from 5 597 companies in 2019/20 to 4 944 companies in 2020/21. Despite the pandemic, the number of companies interested in supporting the practical training of the initial dual VET programmes grew from 527 companies in 2019 (for 2019/20) to 886 in 2020/21 emphasising a growing awareness of the vital role of companies supporting initial VET training.
The National Centre for TVET Development designed the admission calendar for 2021/22 approved by Order of the Ministry of Education No 5449/2020 and its latest update by Order of the Ministry of Education No 3337 on 26 February 2021. The ministry approved a total of 77 682 places in initial VET, which represents 50.7% of entrants to ninth grade nationally.
The National Centre for TVET Development together with other directorates of the Ministry of Education and other relevant institutions in initial and continuing education and training participated in the development of the draft operational programme education and employment to support the implementation of IVET through various directions of actions and measures. The proposals elaborated by the centre were line with the VET Strategy 2016-20, aiming to ensure a connection of former actions and with future actions relevant for the labour market needs.
The National Centre for TVET Development also completed two analyses within the project Strategic framework for educational infrastructure and support in strategic planning of education and training - INFRAED: one study on the direct social impact of the Professional scholarship programme in vocational education on the school community - dropout, repetition (2019-20); and one study on the indirect impact of the Professional scholarship programme in vocational education on raising the level of public confidence in initial vocational training through vocational education (the evolution of the number of students included in vocational education, the insertion on the labour market of vocational education graduates) (2019-20).
Due to the pandemic outbreak various meetings planned to take place physically in 2020 turned into online events:
- 42 online meetings with local committees for the development of social partnership, one meeting for each county. These are advisory committees (representatives from local authorities, companies, parents’ associations, county school inspectorates, trade unions) that support initial VET implementation by analysing the proposals for the enrolment of students in IVET, disseminating information about IVET programmes, participating in the approval process of new qualifications based on labour market needs, supporting the conclusion of partnership agreements between schools and companies for the practical training of students;
- Within the Erasmus+ programme funded project European quality assurance in vocational education and training - national reference points, EQAVET-NRP-RO 2019-2021, information sessions and peer learning meetings took place promoting best practices in partnership networks within initial VET. Six face-to face meetings and starting with April 2020 25 meetings took place online in 2020. A national information seminar within the European skills week, with the theme Vocational training - between real and virtual, was organised on 12 November 2020 with more than 100 participants (teachers, VET school principals, school inspectors, company representatives, and students). There were also 21 online meetings from January to the beginning of March 2021. The same project supported the development one online platform for communication in the partnership network and dissemination of good practices that is operational and used by the IVET schools in the partnership networks, and one platform for collecting feedback from students on the acquisition and evaluation of learning outcomes.
The National Centre for TVET Development responded to the initiative of the education ministry to elaborate support documents for teaching and learning, guiding principles for all levels of education. As a result, the publication Methodological benchmarks for strengthening teaching and learning in initial VET was made available online in September 2020 as a support guide for VET teachers in the new school year 2020/21. The methodological benchmarks aim to facilitate the intervention of teachers in vocational and technical education in the theoretical and practical training of students in 2020/21, to remedy the gaps created by the completion of 2019/20 in pandemic conditions, given that these gaps have direct consequences on students' acquisitions in terms of learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and attitudes. One more publication was made available with examples of lessons, assessment tests, online videoclips (4 000 materials), available for both students and teachers to adapt and use in theory lessons.
The National Centre for TVET Development informed VET schools from the partnership school network (included as target group in the European quality assurance in vocational education and training - national reference points project) about the SELFIE, a self-reflection tool for VET schools and companies to check the school's use of digital technology and literacy. In November-December 2020, 20 VET schools from the partnership network (30%) created within the project got involved in SELFIE activities.
The National Centre for TVET Development also participated in the initiative of the education ministry to develop Traffic light guide scenarios for opening schools (pandemic initiative):
- green colour representing the first scenario when schools start in regular attendance, in strict rules and conditions for preserving all student and staff health;
- yellow colour representing moderate risks situation: partial attendance/through rotation (one to two weeks) for modules of speciality and full attendance (in groups) for practical training, complying with the strict rules and conditions for preserving all student and staff health;
- red colour representing high risks, online courses. The incidental rate was established first at 3/1000. In autumn schools were opened for a short time and starting in October/November 2020 schools ensured online training and reopened in February 2021, with full-time face-to-face attendance for early education and primary schools, students in the final grades approaching exams (grades eight, 11and 12).
In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, the National Centre for TVET Development updated the methodological frame for the certification exams for the 2019/20 graduates from IVET programmes (3-year school and work-based programme, its dual form and the 4-year technological programme).
The National Centre for TVET Development participated in the development of the draft for the Strategy regarding the digitalisation of education in Romania 2021-27 - SMART.Edu. The draft was opened to public debate and is in the design phase.
In 2020, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, together with other partners in IVET and CVET, concluded a series of further actions. Achievements regarding the participation of people looking for a job in training programmes organised by National Agency for Employment.
Through the National vocational training plan for 2020, the National Agency for Employment proposed to include 29 579 people in vocational training programmes. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, the plan was implemented for 40.86%.
In 2020, vocational training programmes by National Agency for Employment included 3 845 disadvantaged people.
Vocational training programmes were also organised by authorised adult vocational training providers.
In 20202, 103 372 adults graduated training programmes with qualification certificates. The minimum duration of the qualification programmes was between 180 and 1 080 hours.
In 2020, 253 154 adults graduated training programmes with graduation certificates. The training programmes completed with graduation certificates were organised for initiation, improvement, specialisation programmes, as well as for professional competences common to several occupations, key competences and transversal skills.
Activities with an impact on improving the vocational training offer
The project ReCONECT - Adaptation to change - Integrated mechanism for anticipation, monitoring, labour market and education assessment was developed and approved. The beneficiary was the National Agency for Employment and its partners: Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, National Institute for Scientific Research and Social Protection (INCSMPS), National Centre for TVET Development (CNDIPT), Ministry of Education, Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI). This project aims to ensure the anticipation of labour demand, in line with existing need on the labour market, including at local and regional level, with a direct impact on the identification of training programmes.
Activities on the development of strategic documents on vocational education and training, including adult education and training
In 2020, Romania developed the draft Operational programme education and employment to be approved, in accordance with the law. The general objective of this programme is to contribute to the creation of a more social Romania, with equal access to sustainable, quality employment, to an education system relevant to the labour market and which encourages lifelong learning.
Improving the partnership in the professional training of adults
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection was implementing the project Adult learning, a step forward for all. It is jointly financed by the ERASMUS + programme. It aimed to ensure effective liaison with ministries and stakeholders, social partners, enterprises, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations, with a view to improving coherence between adult education policies. The project aims to increase the participation of adults in lifelong learning and to improve the quality of education and training by developing key competences. Within the project, the National Coordination Group (CNG) was established and regular meetings were organised to bring together all policies, activities, measures, initiatives in the field of vocational training among adults, to integrate them in a coherent way, taking into account the national education strategies in force.
Since 2017, the Youth guarantee plan put even more emphasis on initiatives that combine employment with training of the workforce, which gave young people the opportunity to improve their skills obtained during initial education and to acquire new skills through participation in apprenticeships and traineeships. Apprenticeship programmes for 1 234 young NEETs were organised within this plan between January 2017 and December 2020.
And a total of 184 587 young people under 25 years of age and NEETs were registered to the public employment service and received tailor-made services:38 815 in 2017, 36 650 in 2018, 58 386 in 2019 and 50 736 in 2020.
In 2020, the number of the unemployed with a low level of qualification who have benefited from basic or transversal skills training courses was 189, of which 29 were under 25 years of age and 22 were NEETs.
The number of participants in apprenticeship programmes in 2020 was 3 088.
The measures were offered in accordance with Law 76/2002 regarding the unemployment insurance system and the stimulation of employment, with subsequent amendments and completions, and Law 279/2005 regarding apprenticeship at the workplace, with subsequent amendments and completions.
The VET strategy in Romania supported the development of initial and continuing VET. The strategy was envisaged for 2016-20 and covered 2021 as well until a new legislative framework was developed. The activities performed in initial VET throughout 2021 continued by implementing initial VET programmes (4-year technological programme, 3-year school and work-based programme and its alternative form of organisation (the initial 3-year dual VET programme) and other related actions that ensure the continuity from lower to upper general education and IVET:
- elaboration of the calendar for admission for the next school year, submitted for approval to the education ministry. The enrolment rate represents the result of a consultation with companies willing to be involved in initial education and training, local authorities, and schools. The National Centre for TVET Development designed the calendar admission to the 3-year school and work-based programme (învățământ profesional) and its dual (învățământ dual) form for 2022/23 approved by Order of the Ministry of Education No 5142/2021;
- contribution to the development of the admission calendar to 4-year technological programme (liceu tehnologic) Order of the Ministry of Education No 5150/2021.
As a result, the 2021/22 school year registered:
- the 3-year school and work programme with a total (grades 9-11) of 105 566 students out of which there are 35 483 new students enrolled. From the total newly enrolled (in grade 9) 4 649 are in the 3-year initial dual VET programme.
- 4-year technological programmes (full-time education programmes, including places for SEN students) with a total 169 164 students (grades 9-12) and 35 515 are newly enrolled (in grade 9).
Being affected by the pandemic, the number of companies willing, at first, to be involved in student practical training, registered variations caused by a fall in profits and consequent availability of both human and financial capacity. Their number varied around 5 000, yet partners, even strong business partners such as ENGI, decided to withdraw from their partnership with IVET schools because of market fluctuations and other potential socio-economic increased risks.
The National Centre for TVET Development continued to offer support and promote teaching-learning, guiding principles for initial VET teachers and student education with additional material on Methodological guidelines for the teaching and learning activities for 2021/22 school year.
Counselling and support to schools and companies was provided to help schools, companies and students to perform their training activities under a legal framework (partnership agreements).
In order to keep teachers updated with specific general actions to be taken in initial VET, the National Centre for TVET Development elaborated a detailed informative plan and guidelines on the calendars for events such as:
- consultation meetings with local committees for partnership in education;
- school enrolment data collection procedure and general calendar;
- clear references on the curricular framework that ensures the teaching framework in initial VET is applied to curricula, standards, etc.
CVET organisation and implementation took place under the coordination of the labour ministry and the National Agency for Employment (NAE) and its 42 county level administrative units. Between January-December 2021, NAE organised training sessions for adults (16+) with 16 560 persons out of which 11 351 unemployed and 2 655 persons benefited from training at their work place, through apprenticeship programmes.
NAE’s CVET beneficiaries were classified mainly as:
- the unemployed included in training programmes: 10 916;
- people receiving free services, other than the unemployed: 298;
- persons included in apprenticeship programmes: 2 538.
In 2021, the National Agency for Employment organised and implemented 788 free of charge CVET programmes out of which 471 were organised for qualification/requalification and 317 programmes were for initiation, improvement, specialisation of competences, as well as for professional competences common to several occupations, key competences and transversal skills.
The top five qualification areas accessed by adults after participation in free CVET programmes were: human resources, green space caretaker, security, data processing and validation, and commercial activities. In 2021, the labour ministry adopted a new strategy on occupation, including specific measures for a consolidated youth guarantee plan, the unemployed and NEETs.
Activities on the development of strategic documents on vocational education and training, including adult education and training.
The Strategy on VET 2016-20 implementation period covering both IVET and CVET is closed but reporting was carried out under the general objectives of this strategy while a new framework was under development throughout 2021.
For IVET there were no specific, dedicated strategy developed, but the relevant general objectives were reflected in the new framework of the National plan for recovery and resilience and other specific strategic documents such as the operational programme for Education and Occupation. These strategic documents were under development, consultation and readied for approval procedures. For CVET the previous documents also applied and actions were included in the newly (2021) developed Strategy for employment, developed mainly by the labour ministry with partners in CVET.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of National Education (until 2021)
- National Centre for TVET Development (CNDIPT)
- Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity
- Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (until 2021)
- National Qualifications Authority (ANC)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
- Learners with migrant background, including refugees
- Learners at risk of early leaving or/and early leavers
- Learners with disabilities
- Adult learners
- Older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old)
- Unemployed and jobseekers
- Persons in employment, including those at risk of unemployment
- Low-skilled/qualified persons
- Learners from other groups at risk of exclusion (minorities, people with fewer opportunities due to geographical location or social-economic disadvantaged position)
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- Adult educators
- Guidance practitioners
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to initiatives that promote VET and lifelong learning implemented at any level and by any stakeholder. It also covers measures to ensure and broaden access to information about VET to various target groups, including targeted information and promotional campaigns (e.g. for parents, adult learners, vulnerable groups). Among others, it includes national skill competitions and fairs organised to attract learners to VET.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of incentives that encourage learners to take part in VET and lifelong learning; VET providers to improve, broaden and update their offer; companies to provide places for apprenticeship and work-based learning, and to stimulate and support learning of their employees. It also includes measures addressing specific challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) willing to create work-based learning opportunities in different sectors. Incentives can be financial (e.g. grants, allowances, tax incentives, levy/grant mechanisms, vouchers, training credits, individual learning accounts) and non-financial (e.g. information/advice on funding opportunities, technical support, mentoring).
This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.