This research paper was prepared as a part of the CEDEFOP project The changing nature and role of VET (2016-18), as the third publication in a series. It presents the changes in European VET systems during the past two decades in a wide socio-economic context.

The research paper is accompanied by case studies of changes in the VET systems of 10 countries, including the case of the Polish VET system.

Research paper and case studies:

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/5567

Case study focusing on Poland:

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/poland_cedefop_changing_nature_of_vet_-_case_study.pdf

The awards highlight good practices and recognise excellence in vocational education and training (VET) all over Europe. The winners will be announced during the closing event of European Vocational Skills Week 2018 in Vienna.

There are four categories of awards. September 20^th is the deadline for the application in the VET Innovators category for:

Detailed information on the awards, criteria and application forms are available on the website of European Vocational Skills Week 2018:

https://ec.europa.eu/social/vocational-skills-week/evsw2018_en

Cedefop has just published short descriptions of the VET systems in several European Union countries, Poland included.  

The series titled ‘Spotlight on VET’  may be found here: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publication-types/flyer

The Spotlight on VET: Poland: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/8125

The conference organised on the 20th and 21st of June in Warsaw, by the Educational Research Institute, will provide an opportunity to discuss the sectoral approach to qualifications. The conference is addressed to all interested in joining the development of sectoral qualifications: employers, industry organizations, trade unions, members of the Sector Competence Boards, representatives of central administration and local government, training companies and other institutions and units.

More information: http://www.kwalifikacje.edu.pl/en/news/1354-international-conference-on-sectoral-approach-to-qualifications

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training – Cedefop – invites you to submit an entry to the 2018 #CedefopPhotoAward contest on promoting excellence in vocational education and training. The deadline for sending an entry is July 15, 2018.

A consortium of the Educational Research Institute (Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych) and the „Your New Opportunities” Association (Stowarzyszenie „Twoje Nowe Możliwości”) completed a research project co-funded by the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of Disabled People (PFRON). The main purpose of the project was to assess the effectiveness of PFRON’s activating activities and to perform an in-depth diagnosis of the social and professional situation of higher education graduates.

Autumn is full of meetings, conferences and seminars on vocational education and training.
The Centre for Education Development is holding a series of 12 sectoral seminars during which representatives of ministries, Centre experts, the Educational Research Institute and the Central Examination Board will join in a discussion with industry representatives about the directions in which a given sector and its occupations are developing. The meetings are being implemented as part of the Partnership for Vocational Training project, aimed at adapting vocational education and training to the needs of the labour market. These activities are carried out in cooperation with employers and other social partners.
During the project, representatives of employers, industry associations and employers' organisations are developing curriculum for vocational training, diploma supplements, professional development pathways, and other program documents.

The European Commission, in collaboration with public and private partners as well as Cedefop have developed the latest version of the ESCO (European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations ) classification system. This is a multilingual European classification system that defines and classifies the skills, competences, qualifications and occupations relevant to the EU labour market and vocational education and training. Classification helps to identify and manage the skills, competences and qualifications in the vocational education and training system. The role of ESCO is also to reduce barriers to job mobility and to help establish cross-border co-operation between employers and training institutions. ESCO is part of the Europe 2020 strategy. The classification is made up of three modules: occupations, skills and qualifications.
The latest version of the classification was released in July 2017. The update is the result of pilot work and testing conducted in public and private institutions co-operating with the European Commission. Successive versions of the classification will ensure that it reflects reality and is useful for its various target groups.
A conference presenting the latest version of ESCO v1 will take place in Brussels on 9-10 October 2017. During the presentations, interactive workshops and discussions, conference participants will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ESCO classification and structure. The conference is addressed to a wide range of partners from: public and private employment agencies, human resources departments, education and vocational training, employers, professional organisations and others.
More information about the ESCO classification system can be found at: https://ec.europa.eu/esco/portal

One of the most important activities in preparing qualified staff for industry is to provide vocational training combined with practical training in the workplace. To this end, close cooperation between vocational training institutions and employers is required to organise practical vocational training, for example, through dual training.

The aim of the competition is to prepare model solutions for involving employers in the organisation of practical vocational training. The competition is intended for: employers’ and employees’ associations, self-governed business and professional groups, academic units, academic and vocational higher education institutions. The activities planned within a proposed project must focus on defined economic sectors: administration and services, construction, electrical and electronics, the arts, mechanics, mining and metallurgy, agriculture-forestry, tourism-food services, medicine and social services.

The main activities to be carried out are:
I. Determining the cost of vocational education for the occupations in a given economic sector
II. Developing a model programme of practical education for an occupation in a given economic sector
III. Conducting a pilot of the developed model in the 2018/2019 school year
IV. Developing guidelines for the quality assurance of the practical training occurring in a workplace
V. Developing recommendations on amendments to the law on education

Applications are being accepted from July 31 to September 15, 2017.

Additional information about the contest is available from efs.men.gov.pl 

The Sectoral Qualifications Framework for Telecommunications (SQF Tele) is to assist in the process of creating modern, transparent, and comparable forms of education, validation, and qualifications certification in the telecommunications sector.
SQF Tele is a sectoral extension of a Polish Qualifications Framework. Four sectoral framework levels have been outlined for the infrastructure: Three through Seven, with three (Three through Six) defined for end user appliances.

SQF Tele level characteristics are descriptions of learning effects (by knowledge, skills, and social competencies) typical for the telecommunication sector.
The fundamental purpose of drafting the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for Telecommunications is that of providing the telecommunications sector with a standardised tool, enabling the sector to:

1. Draft a qualifications map for the telecommunications sector,
2. Draft training and validation programmes,
3. Define detailed requirements for the certification process,
4. Identify competencies of job applicants,
5. Make appropriate career-development decisions (from the viewpoint of employees and/or other individuals interested in a telecommunications-related career),
6. Develop professional mobility for sectoral staff.

We cordially invite you to take a look at these publication!

Sectoral Qualifications Framework for Telecommunications (SQF Tele)