Provision of vouchers for various studies available to individuals Best practice example in LLL in Bulgaria Maria Donkova, Paideia Foundation, Bulgaria

BG-best practice example: Vouchers for various studies Preconditions (context) - National LLL Strategy prescribes that participation of adults in continuing education has to increase from 1.7% in 2007 to 5% in 2013 in AIM to “enhance the productivity and adaptability of the employed persons”. >>>Massive programme of funding is considered necessary. >>>>>The voucher scheme is estimated to be a good tool to address various of factors for the participation gap: cost of training. The considerable interest from employees from the very first days of the scheme confirm that cost had been a hindering factor for participation in E&T; equity – availability of funding regardless of income.

Funding of VET courses by funder (number of courses per year) Source: National Agency for VET[1][1] [1] Quoted in: The Labour Market: State and Trends, a report by the Bulgarian Industrial Association, September 2011 (in Bulgarian), p.32.[1]

BG-best practice example: Vouchers for various studies Content of the practice: issuing of government vouchers to employed persons in Bulgaria used to finance training for acquiring professional qualification and training for acquiring key competence. executing body - National Employment Agency type of training - no requirement concerning the formality of the training funded through vouchers

BG-best practice example: Vouchers for various studies Facts and figures: introduced in October ,5 mln. € OPHRD (ESF) –VET – value of voucher vary for €200 for training in a part of a profession at first qualification level to €920 for training for acquiring third qualification level; –KC - from €30 for communication in the native language to €350 for skills in foreign languages 733 providers of E&T in key competences and 522 in vocational training approved by NEA Candidates for vouchers apply individually to the NEA

Goals pursued by voucher users

BG-best practice example: Vouchers for various studies Overall advantages of the practice: first scheme I Can Do generated almost 100,000 applications – around 3% of the national workforce and has the potential to increase significantly adult participation rates in LLL quite efficient as it forgoes costs associated with public procurement, reporting, etc.

BG-best practice example: Vouchers for various studies Advantages of the practice for actors For employees: no cost for the learner, except in time invested, choice in selecting a provider, choice in area/subject of training For employers no co-financing required (as in some supply side schemes) training takes place in the individual’s leisure time. For the government: Better matching the government labour market policies with the interest and needs of learners

BG-best practice example: Vouchers for various studies Evaluation of MLSA conclusions of 1 st first scheme I Can Do ( ) a “considerable” portion (no exact number given) of users believing that the training has had a direct positive effect on them; the scheme has increased the general motivation of learners to participate in LLL – 86.6% would use vouchers in the future; the training has had a deterring effect on the loss of employment.

What about the coherence? The policy intention: Participation of adults in continuing education has to increase from 1.7% in 2007 to 5% in 2013 in AIM to enhance the productivity and adaptability of the employed persons Possible practice result: Preference for training in key competences over vocational training (2:1 in favour of the KC) also point to priorities of learners not directly associated with labour market prospects