A Skills beyond School Review of England

Abstract

Recommendation: Take strategic measures to encourage the expansion of high quality postsecondary vocational programmes reflecting both labour market demand and student needs. Further recommendations in this review are designed to meet this objective. Review funding and progression arrangements to this end. The rationalisation of vocational qualifications Challenge: The current system of awarding organisations for qualifications inhibits employer engagement in the development of qualifications at either national or local level, and causes confusion because of the large number of overlapping qualifications. Recommendation: Implement a franchise system for vocational qualifications, under which awarding organisations would bid for the right and the obligation to provide the qualifications within specific professional domains, during a franchise period. Qualifications should allow a proportion of the curriculum to be locally negotiated with employers by training providers. Mandatory workplace training Challenge: Postsecondary VET programmes make limited and variable use of workplace training, although it plays a central role in the strongest postsecondary VET programmes. Recommendation: To make quality workplace training a substantial and mandatory part of postsecondary VET programmes. Build local partnerships between employers and FE colleges to this end. Supporting the professional development of the further education college workforce Challenge: Continuing reforms need to get the balance right between pedagogical preparation and up-to-date industry experience in the FE workforce. Recommendation: Pursue reform of further education college teacher qualification requirements to ensure a good balance between pedagogical skills and up-to-date industry experience. Encourage people with valuable industry experience to enter teaching either full or part-time and promote skills updating. Support teachers new to the profession with effective mentoring and induction. Use local partnerships between FE colleges and employers to sustain and update knowledge of modern industry.

Improving the Labour Market Integration of Immigrants in Belgium

“…Workplace training is scarce, leading to abrupt transitions from education to work, and the design of programmes insufficiently informed by the needs of the labour market (Musset, 2013). This creates a vicious circle of low quality and prestige of vocational programmes and employer reluctance to train apprentices.…”

A Skills beyond School Review of Costa Rica

“…Source: Musset, P., (2013), A Skills beyond School Commentary on Flanders, OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training, OECD, www.oecd.org/edu/skills-beyond-school/ASkills BeyondSchoolCommentaryOnFlanders.pdf South Africa implemented a national qualification framework in 1995. It is intended to: i) create an integrated national framework for learning achievements; ii) facilitate access to mobility and progression within education, training and career paths; iii) enhance the quality of education and training; and iv) accelerate the redress of past unfair discrimination.…”

Articulación de la educación técnico profesional: una contribución para su comprensión y consideración desde la política pública

“…Esto porque el sistema, al definir centralizadamente los programas de estudio, permite un mayor alineamiento de los contenidos técnicos de nivel secundario y postsecundario. Sin embargo, el sistema es criticado por la OECD por su falta de permeabilidad entre ambos niveles, ya que exige a los egresados de los programas técnicos volver a cursar un año de secundaria, pero en la vía académica, como requisito de acceso a la ETP de nivel postsecundaria (Musset & Field, 2013). Otra crítica radica en el estancamiento que fácilmente tiende a producirse en la actualización de sus programas formativos y familias profesionales del SNCFP, ya que requieren ser oficializados bajo la firma de un decreto real, lo que implica que los cambios deban realizarse también por un decreto del mismo nivel.…”

“…Otros países como Australia cuentan con estructuras formales provistas por marcos nacionales de cualificaciones que articulan la educación técnica en sus distintos niveles, fomentando el aprendizaje permanente. Finalmente, países con sistemas de ETP secundaria fuertes como Alemania, China y España cuentan con instituciones que fusionan esta educación con la de nivel postsecundario (U.S. Department of Education, 2012; NCVER, 2002;Musset & Field, 2013).…”