Knowledge, skills, competence: European divergences in vocational education and training (VET)—the English, German and Dutch cases (original) (raw)
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Vocations and Learning, 2008
This paper examines the notion of 'competence' in the VET systems of France and England. While both countries have developed 'competence-based' approaches, underlying the similar terminology are distinct meanings, rooted in the countries' institutional structures and labour processes. A key distinction is identified between a knowledge-based model in France and a skills-based model in England. Competence in the French sense is multi-dimensional and relies on the integration of practical and theoretical knowledge, as well as personal and social qualities within a broadly defined occupational field. By contrast, in England, competence refers to the performance of fragmented and narrowly defined tasks, with minimal underpinning knowledge. Thus, whereas 'competence' in the English VET system usually denotes functional employability for what may be relatively low-skilled employment, in France, it encapsulates the multi-dimensional development of the individual as a citizen as well as an employee.
Competence and competency in the EQF and in European VET systems
Journal of European Industrial Training, 2009
Purpose -Though the notion of competence is common terminology in European VET policy at national and supra-national level, understandings vary widely, both across countries and within. The particular conceptions of competence adopted in the EQF are themselves problematic and the framework allows for a variety of interpretations. The purpose of this paper is to clarify those applied in the EQF and the vocational education and qualifications systems of particular European countries and to contribute to the development of a transnational understanding of the term, one which is compatible with a rapidly changing labour market. Design/methodology/approach -Drawing on evidence from work funded by the Nuffield Foundation entitled "Cross-national Equivalence of Vocational Skills and Qualifications", the paper explores the various conceptions of competence in the EQF and the national systems -in particular in the sectors of construction, ICT and health -of England, Germany, France and The Netherlands. Findings -Interpretations are located on a continuum from the comprehensive occupational model traditionally found in many European countries to the task-focused model of the English NVQ system. Research limitations/implications -Much developmental work involving all stakeholders is necessary to arrive at a commonly agreed conception. A broad understanding of competence would relate to the potential of labour, itself determined through the occupational capacity embodied in the qualification. Practical implications -Zones of Mutual Trust need to be based on transnational categories of VET. Originality/value -The value of the paper is in seeking to go beyond identifying differences by developing transnational categories and suggesting the nature of Zones of Mutual Trust for implementing the EQF.
CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo, 2022
Context: The European Taxonomy of Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) has been developed over the last ten years, in particular with the aim of promoting worker mobility in Europe. With regard to the vocational training systems this raises the question of whether the effects of ESCO will remain limited to labour market mobility or whether the identification of skills needs as well as the definition of occupational skill profiles could also have an impact on the contents of national VET programs. This paper analyses the mechanisms of European governance in the interplay between European labour market policy and VET policy within the ESCO development and implementation process. Approach: Methodologically, this paper is based on (1) a document-analysis of European legal acts, resolutions and declarations in the context of the ESCO development and implementation. In order to reconstruct the ESCO governance with the respective roles, tasks and constellations of relevant actors at the national and supranational level, minutes and documents of central European bodies in the ESCO construction process are evaluated in a second step (2). These analyses are complemented by interviews conducted with actors in ESCO construction and ESCO implementation (3). Findings: Preliminary results show a diverse interweaving of governance forms through binding legal acts, soft legislation and the financial support of implementation programs. On the one hand a rather hierarchical governance through regulations and decisions becomes visible. On the other hand, the coordination process between the European Commission and the member states also includes "soft" forms of coordination through consultation and negotiation. Conclusion: The findings emphasize on the one hand the project logic of ESCO, on the other, a conflicting logic between education and labour market policy. Initial analyses suggest a greater depth of intervention of European education policy by linking labour market and education policy. In this respect, however, it will be important how and in which manner qualification profiles will be linked to the ESCO occupations and skills. This process has not yet been completed at the present time.
Journal of Vocational Education & Training
The article assesses the role comparative research plays from the 1980s in understanding vocational education and training (VET) systems in Europe, driven by political, economic, social and labour market changes. This research has been transformed, moving from national comparisons of VET systems, grounded in institutional theory and engaging with convergence versus divergence debates or human capital theory, to the varieties of capitalism approach considering groups of countries as representative of particular capitalist economies, to transcending national boundaries and emphasising capitalist diversity, governance and labour agency. Drawing on examples of research in which the authors and others have been involved, particularly on the construction industry, the article traces this development and shows how, despite governance weaknesses, comparative research has been enriched by the addition of a European Union level through the introduction of tools, such as the European Qualifications Framework. Four dimensions are proposedlabour market, governance, education and competence-capable of identifying VET 'families' and intra-national variations and capturing the dynamics of VET systems. Through a multidimensional and multi-level framework, comparative VET research can provide a deeper understanding of how and why VET systems respond to the challenges of technological, economic and environmental change.
The European Union policy for vocational education and training
2022
One of the oldest in the European Union, the vocational education and training (VET) policy is rich and complex. It influences the content of VET programmes, determines the conditions for accessing VET, and shapes the rules for the acquisition, validation, certification, and international recognition of competences and qualifications. This book presents the organisation, objectives, areas of action, and main achievements of the EU VET policy. The book shows how the development of VET policies in the European Union is based on a coherent vision the design of which Union authorities, Member States, and civil society stakeholders play an active role in; and how it follows a methodical approach for the ultimate purposes of economic growth and social cohesion.
Reforming the VET System via National Qualification Frameworks? A Comparison of Germany and Austria
The Future of Vocational Education and Training in a Changing World, 2012
Issues Determining the Current Development of the German Qualifications Framework National qualifications frameworks 'support the objectives of strong and accessible qualifications pathways, a transparent qualifications system, and one that facilitates lifelong learning' (Keating, 2008, p. 1). In this context, the European Union-with the implementation of the EQF-sees the boundaries between various sectors of the educational and/or training system, including higher and further education, as more and more permeable subsystems. 'This premise is based on a specific understanding of 'competence'-very similar to the concepts developed in Anglo-Saxon countries, such as Australia and the UK, which are countries with rather 'open' training markets without strong formal regulation (Harris, 2001). 'The idea of a flexible, individual and ongoing acquisition of competences which should be independent from courses also provides the basis for open forms of learning. In this context, which includes new approaches to assessment (Wolf, 1995; Deissinger and Hellwig, 2005; Hellwig, 2006), such as RPL (recognition of prior learning) or APL (accreditation of prior learning), two facets of the debate have become relevant in particular for the German situation and also emerge as problems when it comes to drafting of the DQR published in February 2009: • 'The first one refers to the to the problem of interpreting 'competence' in different national contexts, i. e. transforming the EQF to a national semantic level, with the specific German tradition and use of'competence' being 'holistic' rather than 'functional: 'This includes the creation of a 'competence matrix' featuring vertical
wmin . ac . uk / westminsterresearch A European skills framework ? – but what are skills ?
2008
With the proposed introduction of a common framework for comparing qualifications within the European Union (EU), as a result of the Lisbon agreement of 2000, the question of commonlyagreed transnational concepts of skills and qualifications is has become a pressing political and practical issue. The paper argues that there are grounds for doubting that there is a ready translation of the English terms ‘skill’ and ‘qualification’ in a way that avoids problems of comparing and calibrating German and English vocational qualifications. Reasons for this difficulty are explored, the most important of which relate to: a) the conceptual structure of skill and its cognates in the two languages; b) the differing socio-political role of qualifications; c) different industrial structures and labour processes; d) differences in institutions regulating vocational education and training (VET). These problems are discussed in relation to examples of similar industries and occupations and apparentl...
Scenarios for vocational education and training in Europe in the 21st century
Hungarian Educational Research Journal
Building on the findings of Cedefop’s research project ‘The changing nature and role of VET in Europe’ (2015–18), this article outlines the development and transformation of European VET over the last two decades. Exploring change from epistemological-pedagogical, institutional and socio-economic perspectives, the research not only illustrates the stability and path dependence of national VET systems (and how this sustains overall VET-diversity in Europe), it also demonstrates how the combination of incremental change and major societal and economic shocks shift the orientation of VET. This mapping and analysis of the past is used to outline possible scenarios for the future of vocational education and training in Europe. Three main scenarios - pluralistic, distinctive and special-purpose VET - illustrate the different directions VET can take in the next two decades and the challenges and opportunities involved in this. The final part of the article discusses the potential use of th...