Cooperation VET school industry a win-win for

Cooperation VET school – industry: a win-win for both by Yves Beernaert, Educonsult Contribution to the meeting of the QTEL. Net project Glasgow, 15 -16 November 2007

Policy Flemish Ministry of Education, Training and labour • Accent op Talent Report 2001 -2002 – All stakeholders involved – Discussion groups • Bottom –up approach mainly • Voortrekkersscholen – Now proeftuinen / learning hothouses • Voortrekkersbedrijven: ESF project • Other policy elements

Key elements of cooperation school - industry • Parties concerned • Why? Objectives and benefits • • for schools / training centres - providers For companies For ministries Characteristics for quality cooperation • Structures for cooperation • Where? In which areas? • Examples

Parties concerned • VET schools, training centres & training providers • Companies & trade (profit, socialprofit, non profit) • Authorities & ministries (local, regional, national authorities) • European Union: DG Enterprise, DG Education & Culture, DG Social Affairs etc.

Objectives for schools & training centres • Quality of education and training • New qualification standards & upgrading of existing ones • Quality of teaching materials & pedag. process • Increase 8 key competences of learners: • • • Especially: entrepreneurship Promote key attitudes with learners Professional development of trainers & teachers Improve org. & financ. basis of Ed & Tr providers Increase social impact of Ed & Tr providers Enhance opportunities for disadvantaged groups: e. g. diversity management • Better guidance of pupils / learners

Objectives for companies • • Improve image / knowledge about industry Appropriate and updated qualification standards Recruitment better trained people Larger recruitment basis Professional development of company staff Improvement internal training Increased community involvement & commitment: contribution to CSR, SD or SE, – Corporate Social Responsibility / corporate citizenship – Sustainable Development or Sustainable Entrepreneurship • PR exercise

Objectives for ministries to enhance cooperation • • Increase quality of Ed & Tr : better employability Increase innovation capacity of companies & trade Improved functioning of economy & trade Bring about macro-economic cost saving Enhance social cohesion Benefit from enhanced entrepreneurial skills Upgraded Vocational Qualification standards Active citizenship: personal, societal, economic entrepreneurship • Achieving EU benchmarks

Characteristics of quality cooperation • Integration of cooperation in mission and vision of school, training centre & Cy • Joint charter of cooperation & code of conduct • Regular policy meetings & contacts • Training of people involved (e. g. mentors of placements in companies and schools) • Win-win situation: clear benefits for both parties • Evaluation of activities

Structures for cooperation / support in Bnl • • • SERV. : Soc. & Econ. Council Flanders VEV - VOKA: chambers of commerce UNIZO: Union of SME VDAB / FOREM (Employment Service) VIZO (Independent entrepreneurship ) + SYNTRA training centres Federations of professions Trade Unions Ministry of Education, Training and labour (Bnl) HIVA: research body KULeuven Etc.

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation • Quality Assurance in education and training • Facilitation transfer from training or school to industry: placements • Develop competences & skills of staff • Support to schools & training centres • Impact on Ed & Tr policy • Local & Regional development • Promoting entrepreneurship education

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation: • Quality Assurance education & training – – – QA of Training Programmes QA of qualification standards QA of pedagogical process QA of placements QA of equipment & infrastructure QA of professional development teachers / staff

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation: • Facilitate transfer from Education or Training to working life – Learners are in contact with work field – Support in career & professional counselling – Special training courses unemployed and groups at risk – Dual learning systems or alternated learning: special role!

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation: • Develop competences of staff – Competences of Ed. & Tr. staff: practice teachers or trainers / mentors in charge of placements etc. – Competences of staff in companies – Better management of schools, training centres and companies: ex. co-coaching NL

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation: • Support to schools & training centres – Financial support / sponsoring – Support in equipment & infrastructure – Involvement in board of governors, special interest groups, information events: jobs days in schools – Involvement in equipment audits of schools & training centres

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation: • Impact on policy in Ed & Tr – Sessions with Parliamentary commission for education & training – Joint working groups to define future Ed. & Tr. – Joint development of tools: contract placements, safety regulations for placements, medical regulations etc. – Joint management of Regional Technology Centres to improve VET

Where to cooperate? Areas of cooperation: • Local & regional development – Cooperation with regional authorities & groups of schools or training centres – Cooperation in Regional Development projects – Regional development through School Industry partnerships (Australia) – RITON transregional cooperation: B – NL – ROC in NL / RTC in Bnl – European projects: Interreg and ESF etc. – Job fairs at local or regional level

Examples of involvement of industry in schools / training • Study visit / placements of pupils and teachers to a company • Hands on experiences for pupils to practise skills and competences as part of curriculum • Paid placements outside the curriculum • Organisation of job fairs • Information events • Job interviews (simulations) • Support to curriculum • Learners doing project work • Learners making their final work or thesis in Cies • Organising modules of the curriculum in the Cy or in the school • Acting as external examiners on final exams and tests

Examples of involvement of industry in schools / training • Participation in: • Job simulations: virtual (tourist) office, build a house in the school premises, build part of a ‘real’ house • Young entrepreneurs activities • Science projects: Edison project (University of Antwerp) • Eur. School projects: Megatronics, Mobile school • Development of tools , instruments and pedagogical materials • In-service training of teachers

Examples Eur. projects Involvement in • LLL project – – Comenius Erasmus Grundtvig Leonardo: placements & pilot projects • ESF projects: Voortrekkersbedrijven involving Cies & Schools (pathway Cies) • Interreg: cooperation between regions • 7 th Framework R & D projects

Examples Eur. projects • ESF projects – VIVES Comito : tools for placements in industry – JANUS: development of dual learning in Cies – LEGIO: Limburg Learning Region – WELP: quality of placements in part-time Ed. & Training – LEA: Learning & Assessment (an APEL project) – TRACER: dual learning for disadvantaged youngsters

Some useful initiatives • • Co-coaching (NL) Partners in Leadership (UK) Education Business Partnerships UK American Express Foundation : GTTP partnerships (Global Travel & Tourism partnership) • Foundation degrees in UK • La taxe d’apprentissage in France (VET tax)

Publications & websites • • Effective Education Business links, 2005, Specialist Schools Trust, UK Learning through work experience for the knowledge economy: CEDEFOP, 2004 A guide on good practices in promoting entrepreneurial attitudes and skills through education, 2005, DG Enterprise EU: http: //europa. eu. int/comm/enterprise/entrepreneurship/support_ measures/training_education/doc/entrepreneurial_culture_en. pdf EBNET UK: http: //www. dfes. gov. uk/ebnet/ Altramas programme Ireland Centre for Education & Industry, University of Warwick: http: //www. warwick. ac. uk/wie/cei/ Progress in Partnership; Evaluations of Education Business Links and Teacher Placement; University glasgow: http: //www. scre. ac. uk/resreport/pdf/073. pdf Types of cooperation education – industry, etc. : http: //www. buildbridges. net (access with a password!)