RESULTS - IZM · stories; presentation of the new EAfA website and collaboration platform; sharing information about communication tools; discussions about getting on company boards,

RESULTSOF THE MEETING OF THE MINISTERS IN CHARGE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL PARTNERS AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF LATVIA, RIGA21–22 JUNE 2015

INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

AND TRAINING

Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

PUBLISHER

The Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia Address: 2 Vaļņu Street, Riga, LV1050, Latvia

Department of Policy Initiatives and Development Phone: +371 67047828 E-mail: [email protected]

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

C-VET continuing vocational education and training

EAfA European Alliance for Apprenticeships

EFTA European Free Trade Association

EC European Commission

ETUC European Trade Union Confederation

EU European Union

I-VET initial vocational education and training

OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

SMEs small and medium-sized enterprises

VET vocational education and training

WBL work-based learning

RESULTS OF THE MEETING OF THE MINISTERS IN CHARGE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL PARTNERS AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF LATVIA, RIGA | 21–22 JUNE 2015

CONTENTS

2 | Foreword

4 | In Brief

6 | Morning Session 6 | Opening Remarks 8 | Keynote Speeches12 | Summary of the

Parallel Sessions

14 | Afternoon Session14 | Boosting the European

Alliance for Apprenticeships

17 | Riga Conclusions

2FOREWORD


Dear Colleagues,

Realities today and forecasts for tomorrow call upon Europe to focus on its most valuable asset – its people. Through its economically turbulent past, Europe has learned a number of important lessons. Among them is the knowledge that resources allocated to education are not overheads but rather long-term investments. They boost national and European competitiveness and contribute to personal growth, civic development and general social well-being.

To be able to compete in the 21st century, our society needs people who have followed both academic and technical pathways. Properly developed, vocational education and training (VET) is a powerful tool for reducing unemployment, upskilling Europeans of all ages and addressing the many other socio-economic challenges that Europe is currently facing.

Strategically, VET has been a high priority on the EU’s agenda since the adoption of the Copenhagen Declaration in 2002. With the Declaration, a shared goal to strengthen cooperation in VET was established between 36 countries, the European Commission and the European-level social partners. For more than a decade Europe has already invested immensely in modernising its VET systems and establishing close strategic links between the partner countries. The road that European VET has travelled from Copenhagen to Bruges and then from Bruges to Riga seems much further than the 3000 kilometres which actually separate these cities. Countries have travelled great distances – they have changed their VET-related policies, implemented extensive reforms, increased the involvement of employers, boosted cross-border cooperation and invested time and resources in numerous other ways to enhance their VET systems.

When we set out to build an effective and competitive VET, it takes more than two to tango. Policymakers, VET providers and employers are the key partners, and modernising European VET relies heavily on strategic cooperation between these stakeholders. I was therefore particularly pleased to see the great commitment to further collaboration at our meeting. As the first gathering since 2010 to address VET issues at the highest political level, this meeting showed that not only policymakers, but also employers, employees and VET providers share the same vision of a competitive VET in Europe.

EMPOWERING EUROPE THROUGH VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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Agreed by the ministers, the European-level social partners and the European Commission, the Riga Conclusions encompass a new set of medium-term deliverables which will frame our priorities in VET for the five years ahead. However, I was pleased to conclude the meeting with a firm sense that the shared commitment to strengthen the competitiveness of VET in close partnership with all the relevant stakeholders clearly extends beyond 2020.

If the morning session of our meeting highlighted the political commitment to forming a long-term partnership to develop competitive VET in Europe, the afternoon session shed a light on how this political commitment is translated into practical terms. Work-based learning and apprenticeships play a crucial role in enhancing European VET. The close involvement of employers that we saw in Riga is an important development in this field. Against this backdrop and to my great satisfaction, the Baltic States have once again demonstrated their solidarity. By signing a Declaration of Intent, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have laid the foundations for closer cooperation in the field of work-based learning. I hope that this cooperation will yield tangible outcomes and result in an easier transition from school to work in the Baltics, thereby contributing to the overall competitiveness of European VET.

To conclude, a “long-term strategic partnership”, “international competitiveness” or even “innovation in VET” are a new way to envision VET. I am pleased to note that these ideas are echoed in the words and deeds of the participants who gathered around the same table on 22 June 2015. We have put together this brochure with the aim of capturing the essence of the ministerial meeting and to provide inspiration for further activities. I look forward to seeing continued cooperation between policymakers, social partners and the European Commission as we promote a competitive and innovative European VET.

Ms Mārīte SeileMinister for Education and Science, Latvia

FOREWORD

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IN BRIEF

SUMMARY OF THE MEETING OF THE MINISTERS IN CHARGE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL PARTNERS AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Organised by the Latvian Presidency and the European Commission (EC), the VET ministerial meeting brought together more than 120 participants from 47 governments, the European-level social partners and the EC. The meeting was co-chaired by Ms Mārīte Seile, the Minister for Education and Science of Latvia, and Ms Marianne Thyssen, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility. By unanimously endorsing the Riga Conclusions, the meeting reached its main goal – to set new medium term deliverables in the field of VET for the period 2015–2020 and to discuss collaboration beyond 2020.

To discuss the implementation of the medium term deliverables and to adjust the final preparations for the VET ministerial meeting, the Meeting of Directors General for VET was held in Riga on 21 June.

The morning session of the VET ministerial meeting included plenary sessions with keynote speeches, as well as three parallel working sessions and endorsement of the Riga Conclusions. Ms Mārīte Seile and Ms Marianne Thyssen made the opening statements; meanwhile, representatives of BUSINESSEUROPE, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) provided keynote speeches which gave an input and a broader context for the informal debate in parallel sessions. The social partners highlighted the role of VET and of lifelong learning in responding to the socio-economic and demographic challenges of Europe. They addressed a skills mismatch and structural weaknesses of VET systems in Europe and pointed out that the forecasts on Europe’s future workforce require immediate tools, a holistic approach, close cooperation among all the stakeholders, a focus on work-based learning, innovation and digital aspects. Meanwhile, with illustrative examples, OECD drew attention to the challenges that the emerging economies, academic education and the gap between the world of education and the world of work would present to VET systems globally. At the same time, opportunities for VET, such as better use of work-based learning, post-secondary domain, and innovation were also stressed.

The future of the Copenhagen process and the current challenges for competitive European VET 2015–2020 and beyond were discussed over the three parallel sessions. Within the discussion, participants highlighted the respective roles of VET stakeholders, including social partners, and developed ideas on innovative approaches and new types of institutional mechanisms and governance schemes for the development of a competitive European VET.

As a result of joint efforts to make VET more competitive, the Riga Conclusions were developed within several stages, involving various stakeholders in the VET review process and priority setting. With the preamble to the Riga Conclusions, the ministers demonstrated their commitment to implement political actions in order to achieve the new deliverables. Looking for a way forward, participants of the VET ministerial meeting particularly emphasized cooperation between governments and social partners as a crucial element for successful implementation of the Riga Conclusions.

The Riga Conclusions were supported by VET providers, highlighting the importance of joint actions, and putting VET in the centre of the dialogue; the important role of associations in the transfer of best practices into national systems was made clear.

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IN BRIEF

The afternoon session of the meeting gave a boost to the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA), gathering more than 300 participants, which included representatives of governments, the European and national social partners, companies and apprentices.

New pledges from over 40 new partners were received, committing to cooperate for the promotion of apprenticeships and work-based learning. It included the launch of the Baltic Alliance for Apprenticeships, which aims to increase the overall competitiveness of the Baltic countries’ VET workforce, to raise the status and attractiveness of the Baltic VET, and encourage regional approaches in VET implementation.

The meeting’s afternoon session also included statements from the apprentices and their success stories; presentation of the new EAfA website and collaboration platform; sharing information about communication tools; discussions about getting on company boards, particularly SMEs; and clear guidance from participating companies, business organisations, and social partners about what they are looking for in future recruits. Participants highlighted the importance of apprenticeships in further career development, as well as changing the mind-set of companies, to encourage greater recognition of apprenticeships as an investment in future growth.

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Ms Seile emphasized that the Riga Conclusions which detail the development of VET in Europe until 2020 are one of the most tangible results of the Latvian Presidency in the field of education. The minister outlined the topicallity of competitive European VET and called for action that goes beyond 2020.

Workforce is a resource that will decrease in the next decade in Europe. And like any sparse resources, we

must start to handle it more smartly. Therefore, it is important not to limit our vision by 2020. Within the objectives set by the Copenhagen Process, we must try to look further today and start a discussion about the overall competitiveness of European VET.

It is our duty and responsibility to achieve a situation where vocational students and people with vocational qualifications

can consider themselves respectable members of society. Qualifications awarded and jobs offered as a result of VET must become attractive and education path as well as career succession must be ensured offering personal and professional satisfaction and a well-provided material situation.

The involvement of entrepreneurs is essential for any VET system. European apprenticeships are one of the commonly accepted medium-

term objectives for European VET and are also part of the Riga Conclusions. By ensuring that knowledge and skills acquired through learning are in line with the expectations of entrepreneurs and labour market requirements, we increase the competitiveness of the workforce that has acquired key skills.

We see VET as part of the innovation system, and this issue has been undeservedly little discussed so far. In our previous efforts to strengthen

the prestige of vocational education we have ascertained that activities to promote the attractiveness of VET do not add to its prestige in society directly. We believe that the solution is excellence, innovation, a creative approach and flexibility, at the same time, of course, maintaining the already strengthened reputation of VET as accessible and inclusive education.

New strategic partnerships must be built and strengthened at national, regional and local levels, advanced and motivating financing models must

be implemented allowing the parties involved to realise their potential.

OPENING REMARKS

The participants were welcomed by co-chairs of the meeting, Ms Mārīte Seile and Ms Marianne Thyssen

MORNING SESSION

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Ms Thyssen highlighted the importance of VET and apprenticeships, in fostering a workforce that will help Europe retain its competitiveness and regain strong growth.

There are currently 23.5 million unemployed people across Europe – around 12 million have been so for more than a

year. And more worrying still, 4.7 million young people cannot find jobs. Yet, we face the paradoxical situation where there are 2 million unfilled vacancies. Employers claim that they cannot find people with the right skills to fill these posts. SMEs are particularly affected, as they lack the capacity to invest in further training.

Evidence shows that the most competitive economies invest more in education. These countries also benefit from

a private sector which provides more training for employees.

With our ageing population, we must first get more people into the labour market: young people, women, low-skilled

and older workers, and the long-term unemployed. And we must promote progression in quality work that supports and rewards lives and families.

Second, we must ensure that the skills available on the labour market match the needs of a dynamic and globalised economy. Currently, there

are 68 million European adults who reach only basic levels of proficiency in literacy and numeracy. Yet, these skills are at the core of their ability to perform in most jobs. In the near future, nearly all jobs will also require some level of digital skills, yet 70% of EU citizens only have low to basic digital skills.

Finally, we must make better use of the available skills – not least through enhanced geographical and occupational mobility.

A cornerstone of [the EU] Skills Agenda is cooperation between the world of education and the world of work. Too often, these are poles apart. But

if we are to strengthen employability – particularly of young people – and to facilitate smoother school-to-work transitions, we must build stronger synergies between these two worlds.

MORNING SESSION

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Mr Javier Calderón Beltrán, Chair of BUSINESSEUROPE’s Education and Training Working Group.

In Europe, the most urgent social challenge over the next five years is to boost the job creation and employment

participation in order to reduce unemployment. While we see that some progress is being made with slightly increasing European employment we are unlikely to achieve the European 2020 target of 75% employment.

Cedefop forecasts suggest that by 2025 39% of the labour force will have high level qualifications, 47% medium level

and 14% will have low or no qualifications. This helps to show that it is not a lack of education or training, but a mismatch in the skills and qualifications that people have, relative to the needs of the labour market, that is the problem.

A key element to foster employment and to improve Europe’s competitiveness is therefore the development of stronger links between the worlds of education and employment.

A crucial aspect of this is ensuring that the EU has a workforce of sufficient size and productivity with the required range of skills and competences.

Secondly, if we talk about increasing Europe’s competitiveness and the skills required to achieve this another issue for businesses is digitisation.

Digitisation fosters innovation by giving companies the possibility to shorten time-to-market, increase flexibility and product customisation and ultimately achieve higher sales, of both existing and new products.

(..) Moreover, digital entrepreneurship is critical to create new jobs and innovative ideas, accelerating the pace of innovation in Europe. For example, from 2013 to 2018, the app economy is expected to triple its revenues and generate 3 million jobs.

However, for companies to truly benefit from digitisation it is essential that there are appropriate education and training pathways in place to provide the skills that companies need across all sectors of the economy.

VET has an important role to play to address the key skills challenges that Europe is facing. In meeting these challenges the main elements for employers are ensuring that VET is better aligned with labour market needs and that appropriate conditions and systems are put in place to foster employers’ engagement in VET.

KEYNOTE SPEECHES

Representing the social partners, Mr Javier Calderón Beltrán, Chair of BUSINESSEUROPE’s Education and Training Working Group, and Mr Luca Visentini, Confederal Secretary, ETUC, gave the key-note address

MORNING SESSION

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Mr Luca Visentini, Confederal Secretary, ETUC.

The idea that was popular a few years ago, that education and training tools alone could create jobs, has finally been

dropped and job creation through investment in VET is now at the core of the European strategy.

However, we still see too much emphasis being placed on boosting higher skills, digital skills, sector specific skills and

the so-called STEM skills. These areas remain important, but innovation and upskilling are fundamental at all levels and for every category of worker. Every type of job should be improved in terms of quality, and innovation is not only a matter of tools and technology, but also includes improving processes and better organising, particularly at the work place level.

The Riga Conclusions can provide us with a comprehensive and effective set of measures, such as boosting investment

in education and training in general, and in VET in particular. However to achieve this the country-specific recommendations need to be more coherent, such as not pushing for cuts in public spending while seeking to boost investment in education and training at the same time. In this respect, the education and training area has to be preserved, and also private investment of companies must be anchored to workers’ training and work-based learning, and mutual investment of social partners needs to be supported.

We need to increase quality of education and training and we need permeability between education and work. It is crucial to not only involve

students in IVET, but also workers through continuous training and lifelong learning. Employability does not only mean the possibility for young people to find a job in line with their competences and skills. Employability also means the possibility for workers to retain their jobs and to face increasing changes on the labour market, as well as providing the chance for unemployed people to re-enter the labour market with dignity and to avoid precarious employment. Employability and quality increase the attractiveness of VET and, more generally, of education and lifelong learning. We should never forget that better competences, qualifications and skills are not only there to serve the economy and labour market needs, they should also serve personal development, career development and higher salaries for workers. That is why recognition of competences and skills at the workplace and on the labour market is essential, even more so if they have been acquired through informal and non-formal paths.

MORNING SESSION

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Bringing aboard the expertise of the OECD, Senior Analyst Mr Simon Field shared evidence-based analysis and recommendations.

Vocational education is moving up the policy agenda everywhere, not only in Europe, but all over the world, and

particularly in the emerging economies that are going to be and already are major players in the 21st century.

On average, the adult workforce in some of the big emerging economies is still poorly educated and low-skilled generally.

But, if you look at young people, the situation is completely different. In China today, around 3/4 of young people have completed upper-secondary school, around half of them vocational programmes – and this phenomenon is actually very recent. As these better-educated young people progressively enter the labour force, the Chinese workforce will become much higher skilled, and will pose a much greater competitive challenge globally.

Work-based learning more broadly is also a very important element in vocational education programme besides

apprenticeships. The workplace is a great place to learn the hard skills – it is where you find the latest equipment. However, it is

also a great place to learn the soft skills. You learn how to deal with people; you learn from real experts because there are people that really know how to do the job. For students, the workplace provides a stepping stone for later employment, because students and employers get to know each other.

The emphasis Minister Seile placed on innovation is very welcome. Innovation is not something that just happens at universities – it is also

a practical art. Useful innovations are very often realised and developed in practical contexts – a form of workbased learning.

MORNING SESSION


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SUMMARY OF THE PARALLEL SESSIONS

The three parallel sessions aimed to discuss the future of the Copenhagen process and the current challenges for competitive European VET 2015-2020 and beyond. Within the discussions – which are described below – respective roles of VET stakeholders, including social partners, were highlighted, and ideas were developed on innovative approaches and new types of institutional mechanisms and governance schemes of VET systems.

Stakeholders’ capacity to be innovative in implementing structural reforms and securing adequate financial investment, including strategic approaches and partnerships, as well as funding mechanisms, and promoting innovation in European VET.

• It is important to identify the emerging needs of the labour market, thus reducing a skills mismatch. Better research is required within this process, thus supporting an evidence-based policy.

• It is necessary to promote better cooperation between education and the world of work, including partnerships and employers’ participation in educating future employees. Good strategic partnerships cannot be established by law; they have to be based on mutual interest and benefits.

• Innovation in VET should be developed, involving different stakeholders. Innovation process means flexibility, it requires “thinking out of the box”, finding new solutions, and being proactive in meeting the challenges of new technologies.

» Meeting materials are available at www.izm.gov.lv/en/meeting-materials-innovating-for-the-future-of-vet

MORNING SESSION

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• EU funds is a sufficient tool in helping to achieve the goals in VET. The call for a proposal to support the involvement of SMEs in work-based learning is expected this autumn.

Strengthening excellence and inclusion as a part of national VET policies, attracting more learners, as well as political arguments / strategic approaches for raising the status of VET in our countries.

• Regarding the attractiveness of VET, quality and permeability are important. It is necessary to promote the quality of VET, making it an equal choice, and

improving links to higher education opportunities. Flexible and permeable pathways are the key to achieving a better quality VET system. Salaries equal to that of higher education graduates and effective recognition of skills could also make a significant contribution.

• Information and better guidance should be provided to youngsters and their parents and there should not be a significant distinction between general and vocational educational subjects and certificates.

• VET should provide very high qualifications, supported by closer cooperation between education and the labour market. There is need to focus on qualifications and competences, not just narrow skills. Good basic education is equally important to avoid a negative selection process, which is usual for VET tracking in many countries.

• VET needs to be inclusive and excellent, constituting “a product to sell” which can be promoted on the basis of its attractiveness. At the same time, VET is not only a labour market instrument, but a viable and appealing avenue for personal development.

International competitiveness of European VET, considering possible move of the Copenhagen process from “enhanced cooperation” to increased convergence of reforms and recognition of qualifications, with an increased share of common European training content for occupations and professions, improving recognition of VET qualifications in Europe and in a global context.

• Education is the key to Europe’s competitiveness. Skills are the “global currency” and VET is the main instrument to develop skills. VET is a high priority on the European agenda, as well as a considerable part of country-specific recommendations.

• Closer cooperation in Europe is the key to the future of the Copenhagen process, sharing experience and best practice. VET cooperation at the European level needs to be improved, to find a common language for description of learning outcomes.

• Cross-border cooperation and cooperation between clusters of countries would be a good testing platform for creating common VET content. That said, it should only happen on a voluntary basis by the initiative and common interests of countries.

MORNING SESSION

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AFTERNOON SESSION

BOOSTING THE EUROPEAN ALLIANCE FOR APPRENTICESHIPS

By the European Commission

The Riga event was an essential moment for mobilising key stakeholders for a new boost of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA), which brings together public authorities, businesses, social partners, chambers, VET providers, youth representatives, and other major actors to promote apprenticeship schemes and initiatives across Europe.

Around 300 participants took part in the event, including heads of delegations from the EU Member States, EFTA and candidate countries, as well as EAfA stakeholders from businesses, business organisations, chambers, social partners, VET providers, youth and non-profit organisations as well as think tanks.

The meeting showed strong support for the Alliance and increasing momentum, as seven new countries and more than 40 new companies and organisations joined. In addition, the new Baltic Alliance “Declaration of Intent” – jointly signed by Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - accentuated the importance of promoting apprenticeship schemes.

The liveliest part came when with around 20 apprentices came to the stage and told the audience their personal stories.

All the speakers stressed the importance of raising attractiveness for apprenticeships schemes as it offers concrete job opportunities to develop professional careers.

Ms Mārīte Seile, the Latvian Minister for Education and Science, welcomed the Alliance event and highlighted the importance of enhancing the prestige of VET, innovation and strategic partnerships, as well as the introduction of a bottom-up process in Latvia involving companies and VET providers in Ministry decisions on VET. The government’s work on a system to motivate entrepreneurs to encourage apprenticeships was also explained.

Ms Marianne Thyssen, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, pointed to the pressing need to get more companies, including SMEs on board to boost the provision of apprenticeship supply.

Mr Javier Calderón Beltrán, Chair of BUSINESSEUROPE’s Education and Training Working Group, emphasised the need to put in place the right framework conditions for companies to boost their engagement in apprenticeships, and the need to tackle negative perceptions. As examples of good partnerships

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AFTERNOON SESSION

he cited the Spanish employers’ federation (CEOE) agreement with the Bertelsmann Foundation in Spain, and the launch of the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN) cooperation.

Mr Luca Visentini, Confederal Secretary (ETUC), supported the Alliance and noted the decline of apprenticeship supply in Europe due to a lack of attractiveness for learners and companies, and called for enhancing the quality of apprenticeships through an EU quality framework on apprenticeships. Pledges were important, he stressed, but help was needed to engage not only the largest organisations, but also the weaker ones like SMEs.

During the signing of all new pledgers, participating countries, companies and other stakeholders came on stage and their commitments were outlined during the session.

During the session dedicated to apprentices, two apprentices from Siemens, a Latvian and a German, presented the apprenticeship programme “Europeans@Berlin”. The young people gave testimonials and expressed their expectations on the future of the Alliance, which included a minimum wage for apprentices. Another German apprentice from a construction SME briefly explained the specific case of “dual studies”, leading in his case to the double qualification as a mason (apprenticeship) and an engineer (university studies).

The new EAfA website was presented, including its improved search functions and contact information. The Commissioner, Thyssen, launched Drop’Pin which is linked to the EAfA site and aims to give concrete offers to young people. It is a metasite which aggregates training offers and will soon become multilingual.

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The last part consisted of a presentation of success stories.

Mr Holger Schwannecke (Secretary General, ZDH, Confederation of Skilled Crafts Germany) presented ZDH initiatives on raising attractiveness of apprenticeships for SMEs in the crafts sector, in particular the image campaign started in 2010 to attract more young people to the skilled crafts professions. He demonstrated the importance of up-to-date technical skills and the evolution of the sector.

Mr Matthew Thomson (CE, Fifteen Cornwall; Project Fifteen – A recipe for success, ESF project) introduced ‘Project 15’, aimed at giving socially disadvantaged young people the possibility of acquiring skills through work-based learning in the food sector (VET college and company training) and provided high employability (90% employed now). The initiative uses a creative funding concept with national and private sector funding, ESF and ERDF (Region Star Award 2014).

Ms Anita Līce (Adviser, Employers’ Confederation of Latvia) presented Erasmus+ funded National Agency project on apprenticeships in the Baltic States, which includes the participation of social partners and focuses on peer learning. The on-going project also formed the basis for the Declaration of Intent letter signed by the three Baltic States.

Ms Vita Žunda (Q-Placements Project Manager) presented the EU funded Q-VET Placements projects focusing on quality assurance with a strong VET enterprise cooperation across four countries, which involved VET providers and Chambers.

Ms Andrea Nigg (Head of Marketing and Communications, Global Apprenticeships Network) highlighted the global dimension of apprenticeships and the work by GAN, which is a business driven network.

Mr Jos de Goey (President, WorldSkills Europe) explained the role of WorldSkills and Euroskills competitions in raising attractiveness for skills.

Mr Norbert Schöbel (European Commission, EAfA Team Leader) presented new communication tools of the Alliance (first-online survey, new brochure, new video clip, promotion material e.g. T-Shirts, fortune teller) and next steps (call for proposals on the support for SMEs, Cedefop conference, NetWBL conference, study to monitor progress).

At the end, all participants expressed satisfaction with the successful mobilising event in Riga, which gave the Alliance a real boost for more follow-up work. Next steps should entail setting the right framework, such as the legal setting and quality systems for VET trainers. It was acknowledged that SMEs required support, through intermediary organisations for example, and agreed that the private sector should continue to make more concrete offers.

AFTERNOON SESSION

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RIGA CONCLUSIONS 2015

ON A NEW SET OF MEDIUM-TERM DELIVERABLES IN THE FIELD OF VET FOR THE PERIOD 2015-2020, AS A RESULT OF THE REVIEW OF SHORT-TERM DELIVERABLES DEFINED IN THE 2010 BRUGES COMMUNIQUÉ

RIGA CONCLUSIONS

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RIGA CONCLUSIONS

PREAMBLE:

Declaration of the Ministers in charge of vocational education and training – of EU Member States, Candidate Countries, European Economic Area Countries

We, the Ministers in charge of vocational education and training (VET) met in the Baltic city of Riga on 22 June 2015 to renew our efforts in raising the overall quality and status of VET in the context of the Copenhagen process, in order to meet the ET 2020 strategic objectives and to reaffirm our support for the wider European growth and jobs agenda.

We hereby recall the importance of investing in VET and skills’ policies that, on one the hand, raise the employability of people, help to reduce current skills’ mismatches and allow for smoother transitions into employment and, on the other hand, promote personal development of individuals and thus contribute to increasing quality of life. We remain convinced that all groups merit our full attention and commitment in this respect.

We will build on the achievements of our cooperation agreed in the Copenhagen declaration (2002) and reaffirmed in the Communiqués of Maastricht (2004), Helsinki (2006), Bordeaux (2008) and Bruges (2010). We commit ourselves to implement VET reforms in compliance with national, regional and local developments and demands. Where applicable, our actions in the period 2015-2020 will focus on five medium-term deliverables as defined in the Riga Conclusions. We will reiterate these five deliverables in the discussion on the future priorities of the ET 2020 Strategic Framework.

We highly value the existing dialogue and cooperation with social partners and other relevant stakeholders, such as chambers and various competent institutions. We will continue contributing to raised quality and attractiveness of accessible and inclusive VET at all education levels by encouraging further cooperation between social partners, VET providers, learners, parents, companies, public employment services, chambers, teachers and trainers, guidance personnel and other stakeholders.

We will step up efforts to better understand the skills needed in the labour market, including by closely monitoring sectoral and regional trends, and to exploit this understanding to improve education and training policies and underpin learning and career guidance and counselling.

We will commit ourselves to long-term policies through effective investment, enhanced strategic partnerships and increased cooperation to promote innovation and excellence in VET, as well as to strengthen permeable and flexible pathways for a competitive European VET.

We will combine our efforts to encourage the effective use of EU transparency tools, and in particular of the European Qualifications Framework, as a common reference for EU comparison and transparency to facilitate mobility of students and workers in Europe. In this respect we invite the European Commission to explore ways to make such tools more effective and easily accessible to individuals and relevant stakeholders.

We are determined to further contribute to the international competitiveness of the labour force developed by the European VET systems and to improved recognition of VET qualifications in Europe and global context.

We, the Ministers:

• Firmly intend to implement the commitments expressed in the Riga Conclusions and explore alternative ways of funding and partnerships to meet the five medium-term deliverables;

• Invite the future EU Presidencies to build on the discussions held in Riga on 22 June 2015 and the Riga Conclusions, when setting out future priorities for European cooperation in VET.

• Invite the European Commission to develop, in cooperation with Member States, social partners and stakeholders, a VET and skills agenda with a view to strengthening European cooperation in VET and to boosting employability and competitiveness.

• Express our resolution to continue our discussion on the current and future challenges for a competitive European VET in the light of the Copenhagen process in the period 2015 to 2020 and beyond.

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RIGA CONCLUSIONS

THE RIGA CONCLUSIONS:

Agreed by the Ministers responsible for vocational education and training of countries participating in the Copenhagen process (hereafter: ‘participating countries’):

• of the EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark1, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom);

• of the EU Candidate Countries (Albania, Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey); • of the EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway).

Agreed by the European Social Partners (ETUC, BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME, CEEP), agreed by the European Commission, and supported by the European level VET providers’ associations (EVTA, EFVET, EURASHE, EUCEN, EUproVET, EVBB) by issuing a joint Declaration in support of the Riga Conclusions,

FROM COPENHAGEN TO BRUGES AND RIGA

The Riga Conclusions2 present the role of vocational education and training (VET) in the context of the growth and jobs agenda and the Strategic Framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020). It aims at reaching agreement among the participating countries, EU level social partners and the European Commission on a new set of medium-term deliverables for the period 2015 – 2020 in the context of the Bruges Communiqué3 adopted in 2010 as part of the overall Copenhagen process launched in 20024.

The new deliverables reinforce the 2020 vision for VET. They contribute to the key challenges and the progress to be made. Compared to the period 2011-2014, they are substantially streamlined and reduced in number. At the same time, the continuity with previous deliverables is maintained.

Due attention will be paid to transversal areas and principles which are crucial for achieving the deliverables and for modernising VET: strong partnerships with social partners and other relevant stakeholders such as chambers and various competent institutions; efficient funding and promotion of excellence and innovation in VET; consistent use of the learning outcomes approach and the commonly developed tools and principles. This includes: setting up comprehensive validation arrangements by 2018 as agreed in the 2012 Council Recommendation5. In addition, the European Commission and the Member States should also commit, in cooperation with all VET stakeholders, to targeted communication and appropriate visibility of the achievements of European cooperation in VET (Copenhagen process).

» 1 Subject to government endorsement.

» 2 These Conclusions include Annex 1, Annex 2 and Annex 3 that form an integral part of the Riga Conclusions. The socio-economic and institutional background in Annex 1 gives an overview of the foundations of the new medium-term deliverables. The EU level activities, listed in Annex 2, will support the implementation and monitoring of the above mentioned deliverables in participating countries. Annex 3 provides a list of examples of policy options linked to the new deliverables

» 3 http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/doc/brugescom_en.pdf

» 4 http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/doc/copenhagen-declaration_en.pdf

» 5 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012H1222(01)

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/doc/brugescom_en.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/doc/copenhagen-declaration_en.pdf

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012H1222(01)

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THE PROPOSAL FOR A NEW SET OF MEDIUM-TERM DELIVERABLES 2015-2020

With a view to developing high quality and labour market relevant vocational skills and qualifications, based on the learning outcomes approach:

1. Promote work-based learning in all its forms6, with special attention to apprenticeships, by involving social partners, companies, chambers and VET providers, as well as by stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship.

2. Further develop quality assurance mechanisms in VET in line with the EQAVET recommendation7 and, as part of quality assurance systems, establish continuous information and feedback loops in I-VET and C-VET systems based on learning outcomes.

For people’s informed choice of pathways and long-term employability and adaptability to evolving skills needs:

3. Enhance access to VET and qualifications for all through more flexible and permeable systems, notably by offering efficient and integrated guidance services and making available validation of non-formal and informal learning.

4. Further strengthen key competences8 in VET curricula and provide more effective opportunities to acquire or develop those skills through I-VET and C-VET.

In support of successful implementation of reforms and to raise the overall quality and efficiency of VET:

5. Introduce systematic approaches to, and opportunities for, initial and continuous professional development of VET teachers, trainers and mentors in both school and work based settings.

ANNEX 1 THE CONTEXT FOR DEFINING THE MEDIUM-TERM DELIVERABLES

VET’s role in the European growth and jobs agenda

As in 2010, Europe still faces enormous economic and social challenges with very high levels of youth unemployment in many Member States, an adult workforce of which one quarter lacks basic skills, a strong need for up-skilling of the workforce due to changes in labour market requirements, including increasing use of new technologies, an evident mismatch of skills supply and demand that hinders economic growth and job creation, and reduced public and private financial resources due to budgetary consolidation processes.

Given these challenges, a much more prominent role has been attributed to VET in the overall growth and jobs agenda. The contribution of VET, particularly work-based learning and apprenticeships, to fight youth unemployment, to ensure better match between training and labour market needs and to ease transitions to employment is now more widely recognised. As an indication of the urgency of reforms in this sector, a considerable number of country specific recommendations adopted within the European Semester are related to VET. The Rethinking Education Communication (2012)9 stressed the need to invest in building world-class VET systems and increase participation in work-based learning. The European Alliance for Apprenticeships, Youth Guarantee as well as the Youth employment initiative – all launched in 2013 – confirmed the crucial role of VET in increasing the employability of young people. Learning in the workplace is also an effective way to re-train and up-skill adults. Ensuring learning opportunities for all, especially disadvantaged groups, remains a major challenge, as the renewed adult learning agenda underlined. The potential

» 6 According to Cedefop, work-based learning refers to knowledge and skills acquired through carrying out – and reflecting on – tasks in a vocational context, either at the workplace […] or in a VET institution. For IVET, according to the Commission report from 2013 (Work-based learning in Europe: Practices and Policy pointers), there are three forms of work-based learning: 1) alternance schemes or apprenticeships typically known as the “dual system”, 2) work-based learning as school-based VET which includes on-the-job training periods in companies and 3) work-based learning integrated in a school-based programme, through on-site labs, workshops, kitchens, restaurants, junior or practice firms, simulations or real business/industry project assignments.

» 7 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1430316040997&uri=CELEX:52014DC0030

» 8 As defined in the corresponding Recommendation from 2006, the 8 key competences consist of communication in the mother tongue, communication in foreign languages, mathematical compe-tence and basic competences in science and technology, digital competence, learning to learn, social and civic competences, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression. The Recommendation also refers to fundamental basic skills of language, literacy, numeracy and ICT as essential foundation for learning. Learning to learn, social and civic competences, initiative-taking and entrepreneurship, and cultural awareness and expression are considered ‘transversal key competences’ (Council conclusions 2010 on competences supporting lifelong learning and the ‘new skills for new jobs’ initiative).

» 9 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1389776578033&uri=CELEX:52012DC0669

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1430316040997&uri=CELEX:52014DC0030

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of continuing VET, which can respond flexibly to short-term needs and helps improve citizens’ employability and enterprises’ competitiveness, is not yet fully used.

The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has identified growth and job creation as the first priority objective of the European Commission (2014-2019). Development of skills and competences of the European workforce is key to this objective, including promotion of quality VET and lifelong learning. Candidate Countries also share these aspirations.

From Copenhagen to Bruges and Riga

Work on modernising VET does not start from scratch. It has been subject of enhanced political cooperation between Member States, EEA and Candidate Countries, European level social partners and the European Commission for more than a decade – known as Copenhagen process. They committed themselves to supporting mobility for work and learning and making access to lifelong learning easier through: more transparency and easier recognition of qualifications and competences, improved quality of VET and better information and guidance. A series of Communiqués has guided this work on common priorities.

The Bruges Communiqué, adopted in 2010, combined a long-term vision with short-term actions. Building on the agreed principles and in line with the overall framework for education and training (ET 2020), it defines an ambitious agenda to contribute to the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy. Aiming to support employability and economic growth and help promote social cohesion and respond to broader societal challenges, it stresses the dual objective of VET: excellence and inclusion.

The Bruges Communiqué and, in particular, its set of short-term deliverables for the period 2011 - 2014, has helped EU and Candidate Countries focus and implement reforms, as Cedefop’s and ETF’s progress analyses show.10 The review points to a focus on overall system reforms, quality assurance, work-based learning and labour market relevance of VET, also apparent from the ET2020 National Reports.11

The work on learning-outcomes based national qualifications frameworks has facilitated many of these reforms. Frameworks that cover all types and levels of national qualifications have helped clarify how those acquired in VET relate to those obtained in general/academic programmes. National qualification frameworks are increasingly being linked to validation of non-formal learning and support countries in putting comprehensive validation systems into place. To help people progress in learning, find, maintain and advance in work within and across countries, the next step should be to move from a ‘tool by tool’ to a more integrated approach focused on user needs, make them widely known and use them systematically.

While most national agendas have focused on making VET more inclusive to help reduce early leaving and promote further learning among those at risk, less attention has been paid to promoting VET excellence through creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship – which could aid enterprise performance and job creation. Information on labour market outcomes is not yet sufficiently used to guide VET provision and continuing professional development for VET teachers and trainers12 has also been less visible in national policies. Social partners have increasingly been involved in developing and implementing VET policies. However, involvement of employers and trade unions in VET governance and management could be strengthened.

The new deliverables should support the work of the countries and social partners endorsing the Riga Conclusions in implementing VET reforms, and in the case of EU Member States the developments called for in the country-specific recommendations issued in the area of VET in the framework of the European Semester. They are also an integral part of the Education and Training 2020 Strategic Framework and its priorities with a proposed identical policy cycle up to 2020. The links between the Copenhagen process as the European cooperation platform for VET and the ET 2020 Strategic Framework are of particular importance in ensuring consistency between VET and other sectors of education and training.

» 10 The text in this section provides a summary of the main findings presented in Cedefop (2015): Stronger VET for better lives – monitoring report on vocational education and training policies 2010-2014. This report includes ETF’s monitoring on achievements in the candidate countries. http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/3067

» http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/9096

» 11 http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/strategic-framework/index_en.htm#stock

» 12 Professional development of VET teachers and trainers was not a specific short-term deliverable in the period 2011-2014.

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/3067

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/9096

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/strategic-framework/index_en.htm#stock

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ANNEX 2 EU LEVEL SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MEDIUM-TERM DELIVERABLESThe following EU level activities will support the implementation of the above mentioned deliverables in the participating countries, as well as the country-specific recommendations within the European Semester. They will be supported by funding opportunities under ESIF and Erasmus+.

• Assist participating countries or clusters of participating countries to implement VET reforms (depending on their particular needs) through country specific support, including with the assistance of Cedefop and the ETF for participating countries in the form of country reviews, targeted national activities, policy learning fora, mutual learning and exchanges of good practices notably through the ET 2020 Working Groups on VET and Adult Learning, DGVT Peer Reviews as well as through facilitation of bilateral or multilateral cooperation arrangements between countries. Produce EU level evidence (e.g. study on higher VET in the EU) and policy guidelines (e.g. Guidelines for SME involvement in WBL), and organise EU level events (e.g. European Business Forum on Vocational Training).

• Monitor and analyse progress in the area of VET by Cedefop and the ETF, through a streamlined monitoring system with a use of newly developed indicators (related to prevalence and quality of work-based learning and mobility in I-VET) and available VET specific statistical data (implementation of ISCED 2011 in Labour Force Survey and UNESCO/OECD/EUROSTAT data collection), adapted to the new medium-term deliverables; monitor impact of VET initiatives supported by ESIF at national level.

• Intensify support to the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) to boost the quality, supply and attractiveness of apprenticeships across Europe.

• EU level support to ensure transparency and recognition tools (EQF, ECVET, EQAVET, Europass and validation of non-formal and informal learning) are further developed and implemented in a more coherent and integrated way.

• Support transnational mobility of VET learners and staff (Erasmus+, ESIF, EURES, Your first EURES job), facilitate the development of adult educators (EPALE), address common EU level sector specific skills challenges (Sector Skills Alliances) and support policy reforms in VET (strategic partnerships, forward-looking projects).

• In addition, the European Commission assisted by Cedefop will support Member States in targeted communication and visibility of the achievements of European cooperation in VET (Copenhagen process) through concrete activities (visibility events, campaigns, promotional activities).

ANNEX 3 EXAMPLES OF POLICY OPTIONS LINKED TO THE NEW MEDIUM-TERM DELIVERABLES 2015-2020

The new deliverables provide more flexibility in their implementation at national level which is crucial given the considerable differences in VET across participating countries. Some of the deliverables will be more pertinent than others depending on each country’s specific situation and needs. Similarly, a specific medium-term deliverable can be implemented in a different way depending on national circumstances. To cater for these differences, the medium-term deliverables are further supported by a second level of policy options which present an indicative and not prescriptive list of possible relevant measures that could be pursued to address a specific deliverable.

1. Promote work-based learning (WBL) in all its forms, with special attention to apprenticeships, by involving social partners, companies, chambers and VET providers as well as stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship.

Concrete actions could, for example, include mobilising initiatives at national level to boost the share of WBL in VET programmes in school-based programmes and those combining learning in schools and enterprises, as appropriate; mobilising actions to strengthen, review or introduce apprenticeships in the context of the EAfA, and integration of apprenticeships provided under Youth Guarantees in national VET systems; creating a clear regulatory framework (for WBL) taking into account existing regulations, industrial relations and education practices; setting up institutionalised intermediary support structures with involvement of chamber, business and sector organisations to manage administration related to work-based learning in companies; assist VET providers

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in finding training places for trainees and VET teachers and trainers in enterprises, and support SMEs in providing apprenticeship places (including incentives), etc.

2. Further develop quality assurance mechanisms in VET in line with the EQAVET recommendation and, as part of quality assurance systems, establish continuous information and feedback loops in I-VET and C-VET systems based on learning outcomes.

Concrete actions could, for example, include further developing quality assurance (including a specific focus on work-based learning and C-VET), introducing incentives to VET providers to upgrade technological equipment, use information on VET graduate employability and a combination of data on learning, labour market entry and career; establish coherent systems for data collection and analysis and mechanisms to feed back the results of the monitoring to adapt VET provision; develop capacities of local and regional authorities and VET providers to use the information for designing curricula, development of occupational profiles and the content of VET qualifications at all levels in response to new economic and technical requirements; ensure that the use of outcomes of VET is systematically used as part of quality assurance systems, including those in C-VET, use new opportunities for data collection and analysis such as big data, etc.

3. Enhance access to VET and qualifications for all through more flexible and permeable systems, notably by offering efficient and integrated guidance services and making available validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Concrete actions could, for example, include stepping up efforts to: set up systems for validation of non-formal and informal learning (agreement in the 2012 Council Recommendation to set such arrangements up by 2018); expansion of modularised offers of C-VET as a way to enable up-skilling of workers and a rapid response to emerging skills requirements; tackle the well-known barriers to accessing training for groups at risk, in particular low-skilled adults; expand training offers by using ICT tools, better integration of C-VET and active labour market policies; promote work-place learning and the creation of learning conducive work environments in companies for the working population; integrate guidance and counselling services provided by both education and employment sectors for both I-VET and C-VET, promote measures to foster inclusiveness of VET systems (including preventing early leaving or second-chance-VET programmes leading to qualifications), continue work on implementation of National Qualifications Frameworks, linked to EQF, by embedding also qualifications obtained outside formal education and training systems; ensure greater institutional synergies between I-VET and C-VET providers (at regional, national and European levels), guidance and employment services and validation centres, etc.

4. Further strengthen key competences in VET curricula and provide more effective opportunities to acquire or develop those skills through I-VET and C-VET.

Concrete actions could, for example, include assessing the place of key competence in VET curricula, work on improving levels of basic skills of VET students as exemplified by PISA and PIAAC, strengthen provision of key competencies in VET, particularly in work-related training, promote innovative approaches to provide combined key competencies and work-specific skills, devote special attention to the development of entrepreneurial skills, etc.

5. Introduce systematic approaches and opportunities for initial and continuous professional development of VET teachers, trainers and mentors in both school and work based settings.

Concrete actions for supporting initial and continuous professional development of VET teachers and trainers could, for example, include development and implementation of policies addressing VET teachers and trainers competence development underpinned by sustainable use and complementarity of national and EU funding (Erasmus +, ESIF, etc.); systematic approaches towards ensuring professional development of VET staff (including knowledge gathering, needs analyses, provision of learning opportunities, creating and expanding opportunities for validation and certification of trainers’ prior learning and competences acquired at work as valid alternatives to formal training); effective partnerships of all relevant stakeholders (particularly companies) to support professional development of VET teacher and trainers (including arranging training placements for VET teachers directly in companies, incentives to support companies to invest in their trainers professional development);empowering and supporting bodies responsible for the professional development of VET teachers and trainers (including European and National networks of VET providers); promotional, information and awareness raising activities (through information services, sharing good practices, promotional events and awards for best training companies and VET trainers), etc.


Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Documents

RESULTS - IZM · stories; presentation of the new EAfA website and collaboration platform; sharing information about communication tools; discussions about getting on company boards,