Cooperation VET school – Cooperation VET school – industry:industry:

a win-win for both a win-win for bothby by

Yves Beernaert, EduconsultYves Beernaert, Educonsult

Contribution to the meeting of Contribution to the meeting of the QTEL. Net projectthe QTEL. Net project

Glasgow, 15-16 November 2007Glasgow, 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, social-profit, 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• 7th 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!)