Maria Cândida Soares Validation of non formal and informal qualifications The Portuguese Case November 2006

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case n Portuguese Situation n Global Lifelong Learning Strategy n Strengthening on Validation of non formal and informal qualifications

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Main Indicators – Portugal Population and Labour Market Participation (1)

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Main Indicators – Portugal Population and Labour Market Participation (2)

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Main Indicators – Portugal Life-long Learning and Youth Education Level

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Main Indicators – Portugal Business Structure

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Lifelong Learning Strategy Objectives (defined in 2001) Provide young people with basic and relevant aptitudes for the labour market, needed for participating in lifelong learning Reduce youth and adults illiteracy and decrease meaningfully the number of early school leavers Promote conditions which provide a better adults’ access to training Improve qualifications, know-how and competencies’ recognition system Develop e-apprenticeship for all citizens.

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Initiative New Opportunities What it is: - It is a Government’s strong policy initiative, aiming to give a strong and decisive impulse to the Portuguese’s qualification, either young people or adults (already in their active life). Main targets: - Make 12 th school year the minimum education/training referential for all; - Place 50% of young people of secondary education in training paths of double certification. - Qualify 1 million active people, with priority for the unemployed, through the double path of (i) both skills’ recognition and (ii) double certification training (vocational and professional).

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Recognition, Validation and Skills Certification System (RVCC)  Target Group People aged 18 years old and more Having acquired knowledge and competences throughout their life experience Having not completed 4 th, 6 th or 9 th education level (from January 2007 on, also 12 th school year)  Certification Obtain a school and qualification certification (equivalent to 4 th, 6 th or 9 th school years and a professional level; from January 2007 on, also equivalence to 12 th school year)  Purposes Support equal opportunities towards access to education, vocational training and employment Promote employability Encourage innovative programs and projects within Adult Education and Training Increase lifelong learning, favoring a permanent and suitable skills’ adaptation Ensure acquisition, visibility and certification of learning

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case RVCC Centres in Portugal

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case RVCC Centres These are structured from: 1.Skills Referential 2.Intervention Axis 3.Centres’ Functions

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case 1. Skills Referential Organised in the following levels: Basic 1 - B1 Basic 2 - B2 Basic 3 - B3 Secondary (Jan 2007) Taking as reference the correspondence with 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd basic education cycles and 2 nd vocational training qualification Taking as reference the correspondence with secondary education and 3 rd vocational training qualification

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Based in 4 key-skills areas: Language and Communication Information and Communication Technologies Maths for Life Citizenship and Employability + Vocational qualifications referential 1. Skills Referential (cont.)

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case 2. Main Intervention Axes Information, skills’ identification, guidance Recognition Assessment of adults’ skills towards the standards (academic and professional) according to the Referential Framework of Key-Skills for Adult Education and Training Skills’ certification (entire or part of standards), individual vocational and educational training plan Validation Certification

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case 3. Centres’ Functions Local Animation Information Counselling Follow-Up Post-placement follow-up and counselling They shall also supply: Complementary Short Term Training so that the adult can complete a certain level and proceed to the still lacking skills’ validation process

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case A Possible Path Through a RVCC Centre WELCOME Information and Guidance Competencies Assessment Information and Guidance Further Learning Validation and Certification Information and Guidance Post-placement follow-up and counselling

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Recognition, Validation and Skills’ Certification System  This Network is set up starting from the accreditation of entities of different nature, public and private, and strongly established in the community to which they belong. They are among others: enterprise associations; associations for local /regional development; municipalities associations; schools and universities; other public institutions; institutional social partners.

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case RVCC – Mechanism Quality REFERENTIALCRITERIAREFERENTIALCRITERIA METHODOLOGIESMETHODOLOGIES PROFESSIONALS PREPARED

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case RVCC – 2006 Execution Data n Nº of Centres (October): 272 n (July): more than adults inscribed for a RVCC process ( since September 2005) n Near adults certificated n Near 375 protocols established between the Ministries for Labour and Social Solidarity and for Education with enterprises and municipalities, to promote the insertion in RVCC processes of a great number of workers (ex. Protocol with Portugal Telecom, a major communications enterprise, involving near workers; Protocol with enterprises, industrial and trade associations, involving near workers, until the end of 2007).

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case RVCC – Direct and Indirect Impacts Self - esteem Self - value Self - conscientiousness Personal valorisation Professional project Personal project  LABOUR MARKET – positive effects on the:  Unemployed  Employed  Inactive  LABOUR MARKET – positive effects on the:  Unemployed  Employed  Inactive  Continuing studies

Validation of non formal and informal qualifications - The Portuguese Case Testimonies Carlos Agostinho, 44 years old, driver “The RVCC System was an opportunity which I could not lose: it allowed me to achieve objectives that for a long time I had defined for myself, but for various reasons I hadn’t been able to reach. This system has an evaluation criteria adjusted to the reality of active people who didn’t have a chance to conclude their basic education. It was very useful for me, once it allowed me, after 6 months of attendance, to acquire a school certification equivalent to the 9 th year and allowed to attend secondary education. Once I had more ambitious objectives, I entered the recurrent education system, and I am presently concluding the secondary education, aiming to later on attend the higher education system.” Silvério Silva, 38 years old, locksmith “I work as a locksmith for 24 years in the enterprise where I learned my profession. I started as an apprentice, and today I lead the bridges and rolling porches, as well as pickling tunnels section. I adhered to the RVCC-Professional process because I wanted to have my professional skills recognized. It was a way of valuing myself and improve my self-esteem. I had to make sacrifices to participate in this process, namely to give in of some time to rest and to be spent with my family and my friends. When I finished the certification process, I was proud and very happy to have achieved successfully the certification.” Andriy Yakubovych “I am Ukrainian. The RVCC-Professional Process means, to me, the chance to have my professional skills, acquired abroad, recognised. Professional certification will, surely, ease my insertion in the Portuguese labour market.”

Thank you for your attention.