Lifelong Guidance for job seekers A project among PES

Lifelong Guidance for job seekers A project among PES
Hungary – Slovakia Wallonia – Flanders

Mission VDAB As a public service provider we want to work on
a transparent and dynamic labour market for jobseekers, employees and employers in Flanders playing both a steering and an operational role Every word in this mission statement has its very own significance. VDAB is a public service, for all the people of Flanders, explicitly serving social and society bound goals. It delivers a service, which means that VDAB will bring in its knowledge and experience in a maximal way as to provide an extra value for the clients. There are three kinds of clients: the job seekers, the employed and the employers. The Flemish Government wants the VDAB to play both a steering and an active role in a dynamic and transparent labour market. The steering is reflected in the fact tat VDAB determines what organisations will get the task to guide groups of clients and as an actor in the field of vocational training. The 2 main goals of the federal government of Belgium, followed by the Flemish government and translated into the management contract of VDAB are 1. an increase of the employment rate: “More people at work”. Therefore: VDAB should stimulate in a very active way all job seekers to take the jobs that are available. VDAB will do this by a comprehensive approach of all job seekers, by focussing on groups at risk, groups that are too little involved in the labour market, such as elderly, foreigners, handicapped and low skilled people, by trying to keep people at work by offering quality jobs, slowing down early leave by stimulating to look for a new job after a reorganisation of a company. Therefore VDAB is developing systems and methods that can point out who belongs to which target group, and this is what I will be talking about in the next 20 or 25 minutes. 2. More attention for the development of talents A well performing labour market recognises and acknowledges talents and skills of everyone. This should result in promoting lifelong and life wide learning and drastically increasing the participation rate in adult education. Duality between who can develop his actual talents and who cannot should be avoided at all cost. Everyone should have the same opportunities (and grab them!) As to facilitate the mobility on the job market, a career follow up system should be developed for every citizen in Flanders and VDAB as the labour market director is to take up that task, states the Flemish Economical and Social Consultation Committee. The Flemish Government wants to invest considerably in competence management for the labour market by 2010.(competence agenda 2010) An inquiry by the Foundation Technology Flanders made clear that innovative companies are companies that are competence minded and vice versa; competence minded companies are at the top of innovation!

Steering of VDAB EU-guidelines Flemish Government
Ministry of Work and Social Economy Strategic Advisory council VDAB Policy council Management committee Core department Leading official SERR/ RESOC Direction committee The Flemish Government, the Flemish Parliament and the individual Ministers have strategic councils. For this Ministry the strategic council is also known as the SERV, the social-economic council of Flanders. These councils are established to advise the instance that commissioned them. Besides this council, every Minister has his own Department and its administration and a policy council, consisting of all heads of departments, and Public Services within the Minister's domain, in which they all debate in a open atmosphere on the policy of the minister. The Minister is the chairman of this council. Labour market ‘direction’ managers Regional managers competence centres

VDAB organisation chart
Leading official Central Labour market direction competence centres Support services Regional VDAB establishment manager (14) Regional manager VDAB competence centres (5) Job shops competence centres

Flemish Government - VDAB
MANAGEMENT CONTRACT Flemish Government - VDAB

Policy cycle Management agreement PABP
2 5 - 9 PABP -> specification of the management agreement -> translates the commitments into strategic goals and medium-/long-term objectives -> number of strategic goals that the VDAB (management committee) sets for itself as an organization. PABP = plural annual business plan (long term business plan) AAP = annual action plan The business plan is discussed internally, by involving all services: the basis for it is still the management agreement, but there is a vision management committee, that lays certain accents for the future. Then the plan is presented externally to RESOC and SERR, to the industrial sectors and to the stakeholders forum. In the mean time the PABP is translated into an annual action plan. Annually Linked to policy cycle AAP

Strategic goals of VDAB
FOCUS ON WORK: all jobseekers will be offered jobs and have to take the opportunities To realize an over-representation of the DISADVANTAGED GROUPS in the services offer of the VDAB and looking for OCCUPATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES for them by making maximal use of the occupational shortages list To provide clients with quick and personalized services through an integrated mix of channels To be recognized as a labour market ‘director’ steering the labour market policy in Flanders in consultation with the partners To provide training in a more cost-efficient and flexible way in cooperation with the sectors and other partners To maximally develop and use the competences of our VDAB-collaborators by means of a professional HRM-policy, COACHING our staff, as to enable them to COACH the jobseekers. Indeed, not so long ago, the focus was on the guidance of people, job seekers who had specific problems as to find their way on the labour market. But very recently this focus has been changed. Now the question is not so much whether or not they are willing to accept a job offer, but rather whether they can do a job, and if they are able to they should accept that job offer. The degree of tolerance has considerably been lowered. Still we are very much aware of having a large group of disadvantaged job seekers for whom we have to deliver a certain amount of guidance and support. Therefore the Flemish Government wants the VDAB to increase the number of such people who call upon our services, above the normal representation. The challenge remains to provide quick and personalized services to all clients, using therefore a mix of channels. VDAB wants to be recognized as a LM’s director (in consultation with the partners). Besides this steering role, VDAB is also still an actor on that labour market, providing training and doing this in a more cost-efficient way. Since the use of competences have been growing strongly lately, VDAB wants its collaborators to excel in competence-mindedness and therefore a professional HRM-policy, based on coaching, is being developed. This coaching must help the councillors to coach the job seekers in turn.

Policy accents: 3 x 3 message
3 priorities : Focus on work Opportunity groups (disadvantaged groups) Opportunity occupations (shortage occupations) 3 lines of force : Coaching Cooperation Values With each new government policies can change, which they often do. This does not sound strange to anybody, I presume. So, for Flanders it is not different. Our leading official has translated this new policy in a square message: 3 by 3 which stands for 3 priorities and 3 lines of force. In this presentation we will stick to the 3 priorities, which does not mean that we pay less attention to the 3 lines of force. On the contrary, but going into this matter in the depth would take too much of our time and lead us too far. Maybe we can keep this for the talks tonight…..

The client …… is the centre
VDAB is there for its clients, not for itself The client is the centre in everything we do. A combination of: warm-human approach: COACHING we put ourselves in the position of the client open attitude listen to needs warm reception and human guidance 2) Book results: FOCUS ON WORK Involved, solution-oriented and reliable Everybody is welcome in the VDAB. We dare say that we have the necessary know-how, that we stand for quality and a highly developed information technology. When the world changes, the VDAB changes nicely along. But more about the future tomorrow. Since a rather short time we have to combine more thoroughly coaching and the focus on work. We have not been used to this approach, since for about a decade ago the focus was rather on coaching and guiding people, and although work was an important solution for many a problem, it was not the only one, and we had to have an open eye for the other solutions too. But still, the warm human approach, that we express by our coaching attitude, is all there for the client.

Inclusive approach Decision of the European Union of 22 July 2003
"Active and preventative policies should be effective and contribute to the goals of full employment and social inclusion by ensuring that unemployed and inactive people, are able to compete in and integrate into the labour market." Federal and Flemish policy " Federal and Flemish translation of this decision = full employment  inclusive approach The government provides a large budget of extra means for this approach but demands in exchange that the exit numbers will increase. Either by placing people on the labour market, or by excluding them from unemployment benefits on a basis of non-co-operation for his integration in the labour market. However it is not VDAB that excludes people from unemployment benefits, it is the unemployment office, which is a federal one. But VDAB is supposed to transmit the data of those who refuse any help. See further on.

Full employment Labour market situation in Flanders; of all the unemployed .. 60 % is female 60 % are manual workers 60 % is < 1 year unemployed 60 % is low-skilled 60 % is < 40 years of age

Inclusive approach Preliminary remarks Aim
Face to face placement services are time-consuming and expensive Not every job seeker needs the same degree of individual guidance Aim VDAB presents an appropriate and continuous "offer" to every job seeker during his or her unemployment, in view of a rapid and direct employment

Inclusive approach W H A T to every jobseeker continuous
provide appropriate offer during unemployment H O W ? Upon registration: matching vacancies Weekly matching vacancies Preventive system Curative system Automatic matching Stepped model OC + pathway guidance Stepped model: increasing intensity of guidance

Preventive approach (1)
Aims at detecting those job seekers who are not self serving Starts at registration: matching the data in the personal file of the job seeker with the data of the job offers; presenting them the matched job offers Matching on a weekly basis for every job seeker and sending them appropriate job offers Back-up from the call centre: general screening by phone (within 3 months of unemployment) Intake by a VDAB counsellor Counselling only when necessary Within this general screening the file is updated, (nr 3) the counsellor on the phone gauges the application behaviour of the job seeker, detects the need of extra help, gauges his knowledge of IT and informs the job seeker about the self serving tools. This can lead to limited actions for which registration is possible instantly such as IT-basics, web learning, application training, Dutch as second language… for the second best cases. When screening does not give enough indications the job seeker is sent to a guidance counsellor for an intake (see nr 4). The best cases are those who still look for work on their own and in which the counsellor on the phone has enough confidence that they will succeed. This is done within 3 months of unemployment for all less than 25 years of age and for the others for the low skilled. The higher skilled, over 25 years will be called within 6 months of unemployment. In step 2 (here nr 4) the counsellor maps out the competencies of the job seeker, discusses his application behaviour, screens in a general way and tries to measure the distance to the labour market. The cause of one's unemployment is mostly a good basis to start the interview from. If, after the intake the job seeker registers for a limited action, there is no follow up by the counsellor. It is still possible that the job seeker continues looking for work on his own.

Step 1: telephone screening TIMING >25y and low-skilled: after three months of unemployment >25y and high-skilled: after six months of unemployment WHAT Update of file Follow up on job application behaviour Knowledge of ICT? Identify need of extra help Provide information about self-service tools RESULT Direct registration for limited actions (e.g. Web learning) Referral to pathway guidance counsellor for intake Jobseeker searches at his own initiative

Step 2: intake and pathway agreement (see mod 2) TIMING Three months after telephone screening Spontaneous demands for guidance WHAT Screening moment during which a pathway guidance counsellor determines the shortest possible pathway to work in consultation with the jobseeker. RESULT Pathway guidance (guidance and/or training) Direct registration for limited actions (no follow up by pathway guidance counsellor) Jobseeker searches for a job at his own initiative

PREVENTIVE APPROACH Multi-stage guidance 3 months
<25 or >25 and low skilled 6 months Registration 6 months 9 months >25 and educated Within the preventive approach there is still a large number of people to be helped: specific time schedule for the concerned job seekers to be called up and be presented appropriate help. labelling based on their period of unemployment and the level of education. Development of INDICATE: we lack an instrument that can point out what service a job seeker needs, based on the registration file. VDAB took the opportunity to develop such an instrument, together with the university of Ghent. Self supportive job seekers do not really need a face to face contact with a counsellor, but they need all kinds of instruments by which they can help themselves. It is considered the task of PES to put such instruments at the people’s disposal. In order to get the job offers to the concerned job seekers VDAB makes use of all possible channels, such as telephone, , letter and cell phone (SMS). But first we have to find out what job offers are for what job seekers: therefore we do an automatic matching procedure on about 9 elements of one’s file, such as, the chosen occupation, the distance from work someone wants to cover, the level of education one has, the languages one speaks, having a driving licence or not, …. Each of these elements has a different weight, and weights can vary according to the demands of the occupation or the employer. Doing all this, we found out that competencies became more and more important, so we started thinking of competencies instead of occupations as a very good basis for future matching between job seekers and job offers. We are now on the edge of training our counsellors in competencies and their meaning, giving them more technical background. Automatically matching and sending of job offers on weekly basis The real-time mobile phone practice for youngsters Correct personal file + matching for vacancies Telephone Screening Call Centre Intake VDAB Counsellor Pathway Guidance with vocational training, work practice, job search assistance,…

Curative approach For long term unemployed
Orientation centre is compulsory Intake follows instantly Referred to not-labour-market-targeted services Training or work experience if necessary = pathway to work Active and intensive counselling during 6 months towards a job search by the counsellor and with the help of all possible tools REMARK: this can be outsourced to recognized third organisations (tendering) For this approach two counsellors will be called upon; the one doing the orientation centre and the one doing the intake afterwards and working out a pathway to work.

Job offer matching (Elise)
Selection of job offers on the basis of jobseeker data entered Max. 20 job offers with a matching percentage of minimum 80% JS chooses job offers, ticks them and gets a print Results of choice in the intake checklist (manual) Weekly Automatic Matching (WAM) Online Automatic Matching (OAM) CMS : Campaign Management System (Online Automatic Matching or OAM) Immediate matching of job offers with new jobseekers (used for instance within the framework of the youth employment plan)

OBLIGATIONS as a JS JS should cooperate in a positive way to find a job, that is why : He must respond to every invitation (some reasons for absence may be acceptable) Refusal of work is communicated to the RVA : transmission Realize that the RVA will receive particular information Points of attention : Clear commitments are made with the customer Be attentive to weak groups - illiterate persons - foreign-speaking migrants Registration

FOLLOW UP ON TRANSMISSION
Invitation by VDAB A5 or other invitation letter JS does not come JS comes Refusal positive collaboration Positive collaboration Within 8 calendar days after the date on which the JS had to report himself  new invitation (A7a) JS does not come JS comes Transmitting data to RVA should be based on facts, not on a feeling…. So not: “In my opinion the job seeker ……” but “I find or I record that the job seeker…….” Mailing date A7a calendar days Did not respond invalid reason Did not respond valid reason A7b* RVA A8

Policy accents: 3 x 3 message
3 priorities : Focus on work Opportunity groups Opportunity occupations

The service is tailored to everyone’s needs
The needs of our clients are diverse Tailor-made: dealing with diversity: extra attention for disadvantaged groups OVER REPRESENTATION of disadvantaged groups in our service offer older persons short-skilled persons foreigners disabled persons eye for possibilities COACHING and use of competences in order to seize the opportunities offered

Special pathways for opportunity groups
Youth employment plan Integration through employment Activation screening and -guidance Low-literacy Pathway guidance for persons with a work disability (ATB) Active 50+

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PLAN General points of departure:
Quickly activate youngsters and lead them to sustainable employment Differentiate on the basis of profile and individual characteristics. These determine whether a more intensive or less intensive approach will be used. Intensive placement actions by means of the new media, from registration onwards Reach a quick view on ‘placeability’ Possible obstacles to employment: quick identification, quick draft of action plan + efficient, effective and structural elimination  help tools: OOC and individual training pathways Intensive follow up on customized work offer (job hunting) All jobseekers youngster than 25 who have recently become unemployed. A diversified approach is used, which depends on whether the youngster needs more (e.g. low-skilled persons) or less (e.g. high-skilled persons and some average-skilled persons) guidance. Specific attention is given to unqualified inflow. (OOC = orientation and observation centre or vocational orientation plus: a specific offer of observation, orientation and remediation for youngsters who do not find a job through intensive guidance) Partnerships: look for expertise where it is (Exception: this action is not aimed at students from part-time education and youngsters in the apprenticeship system) Lines of power of pathway model : Campaign management (online automatic matching or OAM) Intensive collective and individual placement by job hunting after 1 month More intensive guidance Vocational orientation plus = observation and orientation centre (OOC) : For jobseekers who are not placeable due to a lack of orientation and attitudes and who require thorough observation and orientation. Technical capacities and key skills are identified by means of do-activities. It involves do-activities that enable the youngsters to taste of different occupations in building, metal, wood etc. The jobseekers are guided and observed by a trainer when performing the activities. Sufficient attention must be paid to sharpening work attitudes. The counsellor’s evaluations of the observation part and the trainer’s evaluations of the orientation part must result in a pathway plan that is drawn up in consultation with the jobseeker involved. Jobseekers immediately start the appropriate action after the OOC.

Integration through employment
Flemish integration policy : reception and integration of newcomers in our society. Primary integration pathway = integration by a reception office Social orientation Basic course Dutch Career orientation Flemish policy for integration through employment: Secondary integration pathway = integration through employment of job seeking newcomers and old comers by VDAB’s pathway guidance counsellors. Everyone who attends an ‘integration training course’ is entitled to an ‘integration through employment pathway’, this is a pathway to a job. Work  integration Customers can start an ‘integration through employment pathway’ in 2 ways: through the reception office (‘persons integrating’) or through the regular VDAB pathway system (newcomers and oldcomers). Target group of integration through employment via the reception office The reception office refers jobseeking ‘persons integrating’ to the VDAB for a secondary integration pathway (second part of integration pathway: guidance and placement in view of a job) as soon as they have ended their primary integration pathway (first part of integration pathway, in which they benefited from social orientation and/or a basic Dutch training course and/or career orientation). These job seeking ‘persons integrating’ encompass entitled ‘persons integrating’, obligatory entitled persons, priority entitled persons and dispensed ‘integrating persons’ . Excluded foreigners are not entitled to the integration scheme. The target group of ‘persons integrating’ consists of newcomers and old comers. Newcomers and old comers who choose a pathway to work are referred to the VDAB by the reception office. Newcomers are foreign-speaking foreigners who have not been registered in the National Register of a community in Flanders or Brussels for more than 12 consecutive months, with the exception of the foreigner residing in Belgium for a temporary purpose and of the asylum-seeker as long as his request for asylum has not been declared admissible. Beside newcomers, immigrants (foreigners and Belgians of foreign origin who were born abroad and have at least one parent that was born abroad) who have resided in Belgium for more than one year, but who can use extra help at their integration in society, will be able to apply for the integration offer. We call this group old comers. Target group of integration through employment not via the reception office This target group consists of job seeking newcomers and old comers who qualify directly for the regular pathway system of the VDAB through labelling or at their own spontaneous request, and who need social orientation and/or a Dutch-as-a-second-language training course and/or career orientation.

Activation: screening and guidance
Target group : long-term jobseekers with serious medical, mental, psychic or psychiatric (MMPP-) problems, which may be combined with other social problems. Objective of the tender of activation guidance : Remedy and/or neutralize acute or chronic problems in view of : • a consecutive pathway to paid employment (in the NEC or the protected circuit); • at least an orientation to ‘labour care’ (arbeidszorg) Stimulate and reinforce the labour care networks in the work field. We are well aware of the fact that a number of unemployed people are not really seeking a job, due to serious problems of medical or mental nature. But still we are compelled to do something about these situations too. There are organisations that can cope with such problems and therefore VDAB tenders this guidance activity. The objectives for these partners are double: Either they can bring the client back to society by giving him a paid job, or they can orient him to “labour care” (arbeidszorg) Arbeidszorg aims at giving people who can not work (any longer) with a normal contract, an opportunity towards social interaction and participation in society. Objectives of the screening: Certification of labour care target group (only for the curative target group) External specialized assessment and confirmation of the (un)availability for the labour market due to MMPP-problems. Identification of the group of ‘not to be guided persons’.

Low-literacy (1) Target group : low-literate jobseekers who received their schooling in Dutch. Definition : “Literacy is the skill to use printed and written information to function in society, to reach personal goals and develop personal knowledge and skills. Literacy encompasses a whole range of aptitudes.”

Low-literacy (2) The counsellor takes the following steps :
Identification Referral Screening Pathway guidance Training course in a Centre for Basic Education(CBE). to fill the gaps that keep the JS from getting a particular job training course is included as one of the actions in the pathway agreement of the VDAB As a counsellor you take the following steps: STEP 1: IDENTIFICATION By means of a list of flashlights (see tools: list of flashlights) the counsellor can identify the problems of low-literacy and bring them up. The low-literate jobseeker will start a pathway. STEP 2: REFERRAL On the basis of the identification, the pathway guidance counsellor refers the jobseeker to a Centre for Basic Education (CBE). STEP 3: SCREENING The CBE tests the jobseeker involved on literacy and determines the right basic education training pathway if necessary. STEP 4: PATHWAY GUIDANCE – Importance of dual pathways The pathway guidance counsellor continues to guide the jobseeker to a job, also during the training course at the CBE (= dual pathway). STEP 5: TRAINING AT CBE The CBE trains the jobseeker to eliminate the gaps in view of the job goal, the training course is included as one of the actions in the pathway agreement of the VDAB.

ATB-pathway guidance Guidance of jobseeker through an intensive, planned and phased pathway to a place on the labour market. A pathway that fits the jobseeker is outlined, taking into account his individual limitations and possibilities. Guidance by the ATB service is entirely free of charge. ATB guides persons towards the normal economic circuit and the Sheltered Workshops. The jobseeker must participate in the normal training and employment circuit as much as possible. Apart from the individual guidance tasks, the ATB service also has the task to raise the awareness of employers, guide and inform them about employment of persons with a work disability. ATB is part of a network of specialized services such as Centres for Vocational training, Orientation Centres for Persons with a Disability and Sheltered Workshops. Cooperation agreements are concluded with these partners at the level of the organizations and of the customers. The ATB-services operate from the local job shops.

Active 50+ Characteristics of this approach: Content:
Cooperation as a trump Opportunities as point of departure 50+ counsellors as anchor point the 50+ club as central element voluntary, not without obligations Content: Information and orientation Job application training and guidance Job application room The approach within Active 50+ has the following characteristics: Cooperation is a trump. Maximal cooperation with other actors on the labour market (unions, employers, temporary employment agencies, …) in the field of orientation, guidance and placement. Opportunities are point of departure. Older jobseekers who want to remain active are initially offered new chances, there is only an information obligation, participation is free. 50+ counsellors as anchor point. Specific 50+ counsellors at VDAB serve as anchor points for the jobseekers and welcome and guide them throughout their entire pathway. The 50+club as central element. On 25 locations in Flanders specific rooms are fit out for collective and individual guidance of older jobseekers in the field of information, orientation, job application training and guidance. Voluntary but not without obligations. Jobseeking persons older than 50 can decide after the obligatory information and the orientation whether or not to start a pathway, however job seeking persons older than 50 who sign a pathway agreement which contains actions that were laid down in mutual consultation also qualify for transmission. The pathway that a jobseeker older than 50 goes through at the VDAB can include the following steps. Registration as an unemployed jobseeker Orientation to active 50+ Obligatory info Qualifying intake and pathway guidance 50+club outflow

A partnership’s strength: together we are strong
In order to achieve our goals in the future: cooperation with other partners in the labour market cooperation with partners in society cooperation with private partners different forms of cooperation are possible One VDAB, many assignments VDAB is an open organization Warm human resources management: Work, our mutual concern We know by now that we cannot do everything ourselves. Some organisations are better equipped to cope with special problems within specific target groups. So, it is no use trying to beat them but it is all so much more worth to join them. We should not be blind for opportunities in society either. This is why we established local job shops, in co-operation with the municipalities, social welfare (assistance) and other organisations. And these co-operations do not have to be with public partners only, on the contrary it is very much advisable to take some partners of the private sector. So there is a co-operation with the interim sector e.g. and we tender a certain number of guidance pathways to the private sector as well.

Agencies for special categories
Partnerships High Executive search Job sites Recruitment & selection Interim management VDAB Special Non-profit categories outplacement Temporary employment sector Job shop Agencies for special categories Third parties LEA Social Service Therefore other organisations get the guidance assignment for parts of the curative target group. The government has pointed out that VDAB should play the role of director as well as the one of actor. The tendering assignment is limited in time. The last pathways have started this year and can still last until the end of 2009, which means that VDAB acknowledges that some target groups do need very long guidance periods. Low Public Private

The meeting place of jobs, jobseekers and counsellors
Contact services The meeting place of jobs, jobseekers and counsellors

Three channels for contact
online contact call centre Service to employers Service to job seekers basic service accountmanagement job offers pathway guidance There are three channels by which a jobseeker, or an employer, can contact VDAB. I will stick to the contact services, in which we have two main divisions. The service for employers and the one for jobseekers. For both of them there is something that we could call a basic service. Later about this. What might interest you most is the counselling service within the contact services. JOB SHOP Service by partners Integrated service

CLIENT ORIENTED SERVICE FOR JOB SEEKERS
module 1 : Basic Service module 2 : Qualifying intake (general + personalized screening) – pathway proposal extended pathway limited pathway Each job seeker demands a certain service and service level. But what we call basic service is there for everyone. The basic service is worked out in such a way that various types of job seekers can use various types of tools or channels to register, make changes in their files or look for guidance. This is the scheme for a client oriented service for job seekers. I intend to go over every item in the next 25 minutes. Let us look at the Basic Service first. You can see a line from this module 1 to the final OUTPUT, which is employment. Therefore the jobseeker needs a limited pathway. Job offers will probably do for him. Module 7 may be part of his pathway, for as long as it is limited to follow up job application behaviour or job application experience. It should not last too long, since if it does, there must be something wrong that has not been detected yet. module 3 : job application training/coaching module 4 : vocational training module 5 : personal skills training module 6 : training/coaching on the factory floor WORK (output) module 7 : pathway guidance and follow up Follow up of job application behaviour / experience or intensive coaching

Basic Service For job seekers For employers Reception Information
Registration - support at the self service tools Administrative formalities Automatic job offers For employers Noting down and registering a job offer (intake) Information about the treatment and the running of the job offer At the reception desk job seekers of all kinds can get information. Some of them may well be self-service minded or be able to help themselves. In both cases the receptionist will point out that tools are available for them, as to not have to get into contact with any counsellor. This may not yet be the majority, but we think this number is increasing. That is why VDAB keeps on developing tools and instruments to empower the ones who are liable to find their own way in the labour market. Some people are not yet familiar with IT-tools, but in the local job shops, support (in the form of a person) is present for them at the self service computers. This makes it easier to take the step towards this new technology. For employers there is also something like a basic service. Who ever they contact, this person can note down and register a job offer and is able to give the necessary information about the treatment and the running the job offer will be submitted to.

module 1 : Basic Service module 2 : Qualifying intake (general + specialized screening) – pathway proposal extended pathway limited pathway module 3 : job application training/coaching module 4 : vocational training module 5 : personal skills training module 6 : training/coaching on the factory floor If taking care of oneself is not so successful, the job seeker consequently remains unemployed for a couple of months, VDAB is expected to take the initiative. Each job seeker, who is unemployed for more than two months (low skilled youngsters), three months ( other youngsters), 6 months (older job seekers) or longer (different groups of ages and long-term unemployed) will be contacted by a VDAB-counsellor. This increasing number of jobseekers is becoming too much for VDAB. Therefore the organisation aims at bringing to value all modern means of communication (mobile phones, the Internet…). This way VDAB can still help a lot of self serving job seekers without much time investment, and keep the efforts of the counsellors for the less gifted. For these, a qualifying intake is necessary. EMPLOYMENT (output) module 7 : pathway guidance and follow up Follow up of job application behaviour / experience or intensive coaching

Qualifying intake Overall screening Specialised screening
Vocational knowledge, qualifications and skills Motivational aspects and attitudes Social and communicative skills Prior conditions for work Physical aspects Specialised screening Orientation centre Vocational skills' tests Psychological tests Medical examination by a doctor This has two parts, the second part not necessarily compulsory. In the overall screening it is the aim to know what one's vocational skills are and whether he is motivated or not. During the interview it can be obvious that the job seeker is not social or communicative, or that there are some obstacles that prevent him from finding a job or even looking for one. These are conditions prior to work that should be fulfilled. If not, finding a job is practically impossible. Physical aspects, such as handicaps of physical nature or very slight mental nature should be clear. When there is any doubt about the items just mentioned, a specialised screening can bring forward the real level of skills and problems. People who do not know where to turn to on the labour market can follow a cycle in the orientation centre. Vocational skills can be tested, which means that a job seeker has to prove what he really is able to do in that profession.

Orientation centre For whom? How organised?
For those who do not know what the labour market can offer them For those who do not know where to turn to For those who are long term unemployed and may have lost a lot of their abilities METHODOLOGY To get acquainted by means of a game and a questionnaire: this is a lighter form of getting acquainted than the simple interview, it is more familiar, playful and therefore easier to accept resistance to guidance? If there is resistance against guidance it is the question to get to know why! Is a change of attitude still possible? result = hypothesis (to be verified at each occasion): so do not urge to draw conclusions have the group reflect on possible solutions, for specific problems (i.e. mobility) since such solutions are better accepted To get an overall picture of everyone's background Social ability Emotional stability  stimulates to explore One's character Professional past; why some things went wrong self-image: over- or underestimated? Motivation: test on interests! All information is ordered and confronted with the demands of the labour market for similar functions. Importance of the sector (rather lower job than diff. sector) After having fixed the job target it is necessary to set up a pathway to work = handling the problem(s) How organised? Heterogeneous groups Group talks: to better know each other Information on what the labour market can offer To describe a job target Pathway towards that job target Fix the first step in that pathway: contact with a guidance-counsellor

Pathway Definition A pathway is a planned (1), efficient (2), but flexible (3) series of various steps (4) in a logical sequence (5), experienced as such by the client (6), the main purpose being a significant increase of employment opportunities (7). Planning: (first) steps must be timed, but the pathway plan should only be drawn after analysis and consultation with the client. Flexible and efficient: the shortest pathway to work is the best one. So no roundabout ways! Keep in mind the specialisation of the partners in the job shop or even outside of it. There must be a lot of communication between organisations that will execute parts of the pathway. Flexibility stands for the possibility to alter the pathway if one of the prescribed steps should come too early or should be a mistake. In a logical order: indeed the pathway is set up as to take the step that is nearest to the labour market in the last place (job application training for example). So it is tailored to the needs of the client and the labour market. Experienced as such by the client means that the latter constantly should feel that he is moving towards the goal. There should be no big gaps between different steps and when there are, they should be filled with temporary work, The goal is employment: which is appropriate and lasting and which gives the client the feeling to bean active part of society again.

Pathway guidance and follow up
Own single pathway coach Smooth transfer between various pathway stages Three types of guidance and follow up: Guidance and follow up during extended pathway Limited pathway: follow up of job applications attitudes and application experiences Active placement efforts As I said a couple of slides ago, module 7 CAN be part of a limited pathway, but it definitely is of an extended pathway. In every pathway however, it should be clear that there is only ONE single pathway coach for a specific client. It is this coach who will take care of all transfers between the different stages of a pathway to work. He makes the transfers smooth. He is the anchorman or –woman for the concerned job seeker. It is him or her who will do the qualifying intake, draw up the pathway agreement or contract, make all the dates with the different executors of modules, who will evaluate the passed module and see whether the job seeker is ready to take the next step. The counsellor takes up the responsibility to mould the job seeker as to make him or her fit enough to find an appropriate job. Therefore the counsellor is willing to make real active placement efforts, to spend a lot of time trying to find out what the problem is or trying to motivate a job seeker for the labour market.

Instruments for pathway guidance
IT-support Job seekers Enterprises Job offers Selection opportunities The counsellor can use a variety of IT-programs or instruments as to reach his goal. He has a lot of information on enterprises, on job offers.., on the labour market, on demands concerning specific jobs, He has his instructions on how to register all steps in the pathway. He can use different databases to store in or to extract items from. The pathway contract contains concise, clear and concrete agreements as to: - the various phases - timing - natural commitments, rights and duties Targeted to clients’ needs and labour market needs: remember the word efficient! (no roundabout ways!) Adaptable to changes and developments (clients, labour market, offer) Realistic for all parties: the goals must be realistic, otherwise the job seeker will not reach it and will become frustrated, which would be the most negative result of any pathway. Crucial role of pathway coach Quality instrument: since in this pathway contract a number of engagements are taken, the job seeker can use this contract as a kind of quality instrument. He can point out i.e. that VDAB does not keep its promises and therefore he could lodge a complaint with the sub regional committee for employment. Intranet Databases Instructions Planning System Pathway contract

module 1 : Basic Service module 2 : Qualifying intake (general + personalized screening) – pathway proposal extended pathway limited pathway module 3 : job application training/coaching module 4 : vocational training module 5 : personal skills training module 6 : training/coaching on the factory floor WORK (output) module 7 : pathway guidance and follow up Follow up of job application behaviour / experience or intensive coaching

Job application training
For those who do not know anything about applying for a job For those who want to know more about applying for a job For those who want to use the facilities in applying for a job For those who want to be guided in their efforts of applying for a job Try to imagine a path to work as a straight line. At the one end is situated the orientation centre, which we have presented already, and at the other end you will find the Job club. Participants in this service really do know what they want and they are making the last efforts to get what they want of the labour market. 1. WHAT? This service is available for all job seekers who want some professional help with their job application. Some people are technically spoken well trained or skilled, but they do not know how to present themselves in the labour market. In other words they cannot sell their own qualities. Or may be they do not know what channels to use in order to find the targeted job. This is what this service offers them.

Job application training
Organised in Job Club Two weeks of training (half days) How to find a job target How to make an appointment Write an application form and résumé (CV) Try an application interview Travel costs are paid Who am I? What do I know? (studies, professional past…) What can I do? (skills, what does the labour market offer?) What channels can I use to get a job? After having set their job aim, they are trained in what channels to use or can be used to find their job, what they should do as to get an interview with the employer, how they have to behave facing the employer during the interview and how they should write a curriculum vitae. The job club leader, a counsellor who is specialised in job application, gives this training. The training takes about a fortnight. Afterwards the participant moves on into the "material cell", which stands for the place where all material is available needed to apply for jobs. He remains there as long as it is necessary. The narrower his job aim and the more specialised his background, the more difficult it is to find what he wants, and therefore the longer he stays. People come to the material room only in the morning, the afternoon is given free to take interviews. Material: Newspapers (with job-ads in), TOP 30,000 of the industrial companies, phonebooks and phone boots, Computers, Paper for application form and envelopes, Postal stamps, Guidance / advice / background information FLOW and success-ratio: it is all on voluntary basis, but not without engagement, once one is in The average duration is 2 month and success ratio is 70 % within 2 month % within 4 month Positive aspects: one has to do it by oneself heterogeneous group totally free of any charge There are some critical factors that can make or break the Job club: The look and feel of the room , Social and cosy environment, Time and patience One has to be aware of unrealistic job aims, since this cannot but frustrate people. Obligation: the fact that people are obliged to enter a job club is a dangerous and wicked factor. You cannot motivate a person who is not inclined to see that his situation is problematic. Optimism: continue even when there is no direct and immediate solution. A number of weeks in the material room Where all material is available to apply As long as necessary Guided, when you want it Organised in Vocational Training period Near the end of the training period

module 1 : Basic Service module 2 : Qualifying intake (general + personalized screening) – pathway proposal extended pathway limited pathway module 3 : job application training/coaching module 4 : vocational training module 5 : personal skills training module 6 : training/coaching on the factory floor Now we could have a look at the other modules WORK (output) module 7 : pathway guidance and follow up Follow up of job application behaviour / experience or intensive coaching

Other modules Vocational training
Typical professional skills and attitudes Complete schooling, retraining, updating courses As brief as possible (functionally oriented instead of polyvalence), complementary on the factory floor Individual, flexible programmes Personal skills and attitude training As to function in a better way in a professional situation In order to cope with prior conditions for work Coaching on the factory floor Personal skills and attitude training is all about insight in one's abilities, in one's own attitude towards work and in the labour market's opportunities. It gives an answer to these problems by training communicative skills, social skills, assertiveness, coping with stress situations, learn to read, write and calculate, learn how to study… Another item is the language courses for the immigrants. A third one is what we call a pleasant acquaintance with the computer. In 4 half days people who never touched a computer mouse before learn that there is nothing mysterious about that thing, that there is a lot of information lying under their finger, that they can all around the world if they would want to… and besides that, they learn how to use a mobile phone.

VDAB’s Competence Centres
Organisation of training - VDAB’s competence centres - personal skills development - technical training combined with on-the-job training - job application training - 68 locations / 700 trainers - in a school - individual training for jobseekers in a company - step-in training

INFORMATION CAREER GUIDANCE TRAINING CERTIFICATION TRAINING OFFER CAREER > TRAINING MODULARISATION RECOGNITION LABOUR MARKET INFO 7% Job movers/year BLENDED LEARNING SECTORAL CERTIFICATES Sectors, Companies PDP, PTP EMERGING DOMAINS EUROPEAN CERTIFICATES The 4 main tasks for the competence centres are indicated on this slide: I would like to draw your attention to the key competences in the 3rd column. Although only 4 of them are mentioned here there are indeed key competences that are paid attention to during a training period. The others are Attention for personal hygiene Respecting rules and regulations Being persistent Coping with stress To work in a safe way, show respect for all material Work in a careful and accurate way Pursue good results To work efficiently, to be able to concentrate (one has to “see” work) Knowing how to plan and organise (work, day planning, home-work) And the other 2 are (maybe 3) Knowing enough Dutch to function efficiently (speaking and understanding) Knowing how to deal functionally with ICT-material and matters The third would be: learning how to manage one’s own life, but one’s own career in particular. APL = Advanced Prior Learning (=EVC-procedure) Job profiles FLEXIBLE APL WORK & WELL-BEING KEY COMPETENCES LEGISLATION Autonomy CONTACT/ON LINE Multicultural skills ICT Literacy FREE ENTRANCE Environment

On the job training Individual training in a company
on-the-job training for unemployed jobseekers duration: between 1 – 6 months (max. 12 months for long-term unemployed) employment commitment after training period situation: job vacancy cannot be filled in progressive productivity bonus: % of difference between normal wage and replacement income of jobseeker training programme: company + VDAB coaching and follow-up by company coach and VDAB coach variation: step-in training Step-in training is the continuation of a study-period (school) or a vocational training period (VDAB or others) Lasts 2 months and starts at the latest 4 month after the end of training period or the registration as a school leaver.

Incentives for trainees Employed workers training vouchers max. 250€/year 50% paid by worker/50% paid by Flemish Government Reimbursement of worker’s share: for low-skilled worker who follows second chance education Increase of ceiling amount of 250€ with the cost for career guidance for vulnerable target groups training, career guidance, competence assessment system coordinated and implemented by VDAB Plain trainees, who are among the poorest and most needing people will receive a bonus of 1 € per hour of training, if they represent the only income for the family and having persons at charge. Conditions: being registered as a job seeker for over a year being supported by public welfare (assistance)

Shortage occupations policy
The shortage occupations policy is currently altered: Methodology: Definition of shortage occupation Shortage intensity Internal processes: Treatment of job vacancies for shortage occupations Training courses in shortage occupations Convert shortages into opportunities for disadvantaged groups (opportunity occupation policy) Usefulness of premiums for training courses in shortage occupations The occupation shortage list is liable to be divided into 2 parts: shortages due to a real shortage of jobseekers (people in general) that are ABLE or CAPABLE of doing the job and shortages due to the lack of people who are WILLING to do the job, because of the negative working circumstances, weather, long hours, low payment, hectic environment a s o …. However, since the mentality of the Flemish Government and of the VDAB is changing, the latter shortages are to be converted into opportunities for the low skilled people and other disadvantaged groups of job seekers. The term “opportunity occupation” accentuates the positive side of a shortage occupation (job offer) for the jobseekers. The job offers for these occupations may well be opportunities for people from the opportunity groups. It is not easy to motivate these people to take these jobs. Refusing a job can turn out negatively for those job seekers, who can lose their unemployment benefit, at least for some weeks.

Opportunity occupations
Annual list Basis is job offers of VDAB Input of sectors Labour market specialists VDAB : Flanders Regional RVA In view of exemptions for training courses Employment measures The list with opportunity occupations is made up annually. The study department of VDAB makes an analysis of last calendar year’s job offers. On the basis of particular parameters, time they remain unfilled, filling degree, … a list is made up. This list is first presented to the sectors. They can add and delete occupations. Then an “improved” list is presented to labour market specialists. These are counsellors from the employers’ services. First a group is composed to make a list of opportunity occupations, which holds for the whole of Flanders. Then regional lists are made by regional labour market specialist in every region. The RVA makes a list of “shortage occupations” that is used to determine for which studies unemployed persons can obtain an exemption of registration as a jobseeker. Also for particular employment measures a deviation from the general conditions (regarding employment duration) can be obtained if employers recruit someone in a shortage occupation.

Service to employers Basic service : registration of job offer
publishing job offer via all sorts of media: AMI On-line WAM OAM WIS Teletext …. giving information about our services

Employer’s service : reporting job offer
The employer can choose : Reports job offer on VDAB-website : employer contacts service line ( ). fax or mail employer calls upon or drops by at the counsellor/ job shop counsellor Special service: Advice on drawing up and publishing the job offer Advice on diversity policy within job offer treatment Active recruitment: Events Applicant’s contacts Referring Applicant’s contacts: a number of potential applicants is invited to a group presentation of the job offer. Here special attention is paid to the applicant’s motivation as to present to the employer the most suitable candidates. VDAB and the employers’ union set up a project in May last year in Mechelen, in which 13 companies participated and 258 applicants. VDAB gave a lot of hints to the applicants on the behaviour towards employers, on gaining information about the companies they wanted to work in. The innovative element was that a VDAB-counsellor followed the application interview and deliberated with the employer. This way VDAB will be able to develop even more and better advice for applicants as to make them take the threshold more easily.

Service line + employer’s counsellors
On intake 3 possible services : Publishing Publishing and help on drawing up the job offer Publishing, help on drawing up and active mediation Intake of job offers Selection of job seekers Sending (referring) job seekers (update file) Visits to companies discuss job offers, internal problems (if called upon by the employer for that reason), diversity service line employer’s counsellor The employer’s counsellors take care of every job offer that belongs to level 3 of the service, since there is a lot of work involved. Each job offer received via JOB CHANNEL (Jobkanaal) VDAB is compelled to send 4 qualitative applicants, belonging to the opportunity groups. It is of course possible that on discussing the job offer with the job seeker, the latter appears not to respond to the job offer’s demands. It is possible that his file was not filled in correctly, so the counsellor has to adapt the file to the real possibilities of the client. It has to be a reflection of what the client can do, rather than what he wants to do! With the necessary attention for the opportunity jobs. On visiting a company the counsellor pays the necessary attention to the company’s culture, as well as to the company’s file in the database. A very important part of this file is the common history of the company and VDAB (rendered services). It tells him what has happened between them over the years.

Thank you for your attention.
THE END Thank you for your attention. If any questions, I will be glad to answer them after all the presentations

Mijn Loopbaan A quick view on a new vision of career management by the citizen himself It is the goal of the Flemish Government to provide an electronic system for the citizens for the management of their own career. Careers are not so consistent any more, they are rather transitional. People more often switch from job to job or from company to company. There is also a clearly more frequent switch between working and not working, stduying and working, caring for the children and working, training and working and the other way round. In most of these circumstances people acquire competences, that can be useful in other situations. Therefore it is advisable to have a inventory system at one’s disposal, at all times, of an electronic kind. VDAB has got the task to work out such a system, since we already have got the mission of playing a director’s role on the labour market. The next 5 slides will give you an idea of what the system will be like and what it can mean for the people throughout their lives.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH IT? elaborating electronic CV
Rapid availability of CV Own portfolio (> storage of documents) on a virtual platform Incontestable proof for diplomas, titles of proficiency, certificates Storage of different test results Orienting possibilities Inventory of all competencies Rapid and optimal matching with vacancies Detection of competency gap  PDP  direct link to appropriate training module An IT-career follow-up system? What’s the use of it for a citizen? It is incredible, dear audience. Just imagine that the only thing you have at your disposal is a folder in which you collect all kinds of slips of paper that prove some part of your career. To start with, you probably have hidden that folder somewhere in a drawer and every time you need something you have to look for the folder. Whatever proof you need, you have to copy that piece of paper, sometimes you need a certification of the copy (for which you often have to pay). With this system all that paperwork is really over and done with!. Moreover, how do you make a list of all the competencies you have, how do you show that certain competencies are lacking and how do you point out what the best training course is in order to obtain that competency? What would be the best occupation for you? What are the competencies you want to achieve? Are there other occupations that you might want, starting from all the competencies you already have? Is this not the very best way to move the right person to the right place?

WHY NOW? The citizen’s demand for self management increases
The client-citizen stand in the centre and sits behind the steering wheel Strongly focussed on the availability and the adaptability of the client-citizen Life long learning becomes a necessity Being competency focussed becomes more important VDAB already has a broad basis for such an instrument VDAB claims that the client is at the steering wheel for whatever we do and whatever we develop. His call for self management sounds louder ad louder and this is a need we want to meet as closely as possible. It all started developing WIS and look where we are now! The government agreement, followed by the “work” note of our Minister every effort focuses on the availability of the client and his adaptability. To adapt means orienting, continuously learning new things a whole life long. In order to learn new things one has to know what one already is capable of and secondly knowing what is expected. Whatever is lacking should be learned. Companies, VDAB and even the citizen himself are inclined to think more and more in terms of competencies. VDAB already has a broad basis (know-how) for these matters. We have a lot of applications that are worked based on CO.BR.A. and the competencies involved. But still the input by the partner organisations is very valuable and most wanted.

WHAT ? Extensive dynamic portfolio Via internet technology
Managed by the client-citizen himself, with own selection- and steering functions Citizen determines who can access what parts With different levels of security defined entrances and reserved parts for the organisations concerned, links to other databases With adapted evidence/protected certification 2 things: on the one side it is a platform through which a number of well defined databases are consulted, from which data are temporarily transferred to the platform, as to enable the citizen to manage most of the data. In order to realize this we are compelled to make use of Internet technology and therefore we have to provide strong security levels. Among other things, this means for organisations that would have direct access to this platform, that a series of restrictions are defined, that we have to start consulting the privacy commission as to establish a link with specific databases in order to ensure that data can be transferred at will. This transfer brings along that a very specific kind of certification has to be developed as to guarantee each organisation that their input can be considered as evidence and be accepted as such.

HOW ? Constructed on the unique file of the Flemish citizen, for all layers of the population Strengths and weaknesses of the client-citizen or converted into competencies, with CO.BR.A. as auxiliary database Partnerships with multiple organisations as to get input and provide applications for Learning how to make good use of “Mijn LoopBaan” is included in attainment targets of secondary school Europass-functions are to be built in VDAB being the director can provide lots of expertise and has already a very large database, containing lots of useful information and data. As we intended already to integrate the 2 applications that are running simultaneously now, we considered it would be best to construct the new application on the same basis. This already implies the use of what we call the unique layer. Regardless the number of applications, the system looks up a multiple used item in one single place. However, we are compelled to make it a Flemish system, not a VDAB-system. In order to set up a system like Mijn LoopBaan and to get different possible organisations to collaborate, we shall have to start negotiations with these organisations. A first impulse has been given by our partner “The department of National Education” . From a conference in Cambridge I learned that it would be better for everyone to align to the Europass functions, meaning that at least all data needed in Europass or provided by Europass would be transferable to the new system. The top of the bill would be if the new system would permit matching with job offers and training modules, all based on competencies. We started from this idea and that is exactly where we want to end! Therefore CO.BR.A. has to be fine-tuned, still allowing expansion, without touching the essence of it.

SERV occupation profiles
VDAB + other LM - players MIJN LOOPBAAN CO.BR.A Occupation profiles IDENTIFICATION Labour market- Information system Dossiermanager Cliëntvolgsysteem wanted occupations mobility data labour time regulation test results reference data driving licence/means of transport category job seeker wanted occupations mobility data labour time regulation guidance actions test results reference data driving licence/means of transport category job seeker Function profiles training profiles guidance actions DIMONA Besides the input from VDAB as well as from other Labour Market players, provided in AMI, Dossiermanager or CVS, we might install a certain verification through the intersection database of social security and DIMONA as a derived product from it. The latter provides the official working periods and places of a person, the first also provides the periods of inactivity (illness, unemployment) which means that the one is verifying the other. DIMONA has become an application that was highly necessary in view of the abolition of the unemployment control procedure. Wanted occupations are occupations that are defined in terms of CO.BR.A., which is derived from the perhaps better known French occupational repertory ROME. In CO.BR.A. We have stored the collection of occupational profiles as are provided by the SERV, but also the function profiles and training profiles coming from the companies and the training centres. All these profiles are elaborated in terms of competencies. As to give a judgement on a title of competence SERV provides occupation standards, the competencies of which are also to be found in CO.BR.A. Occupation’s standards official periods of work

official periods of work
COBRA VDAB- Competency centres Learning MS/ Learning Content MS/ learning pathway MIJN LOOPBAAN MIJN LOOPBAAN IDENTITEITSGEGEVENS IDENTIFICATION EDUCATION wanted occupations mobility data labour time regulation begeleidingsacties test results reference data driving licence/means of transport category job seeker = competencies begeleidingsacties begeleidingsacties Other LM-players There are more organisations that grant diplomas (education, syntra), certificates (VDAB, private-organisations, other instances …) on the basis of exams or tests. In MLB these should have conclusive force. This means that the appropriate organisation has to go together with the appropriate certificate. Hence the need of a clear and secured link between the databases concerned, as to provide indisputable evidence. This meets the demands and conditions of the privacy legislation, since no one looks into other organisations’ databases and only these data are collected that can be useful for the e-portfolio. This also means that all databases should be maximally protected against notorious priers. Neither has the citizen to intervene as to provide conclusive force. He cannot change or delete anything of the data that was put in that way, he can use it or not use it, that his only choice. SYNTRA studies, training, diplomas, titles, certificates studies, training, diplomas, titles, certificates studies, training, diplomas, titles, certificates studies, training, diplomas, titles, certificates studies, training, diplomas, titles, certificates gevolgde opleidingen gevolgde opleidingen official periods of work

MIJN LOOPBAAN IDENTIFICATION Proved competencies Wanted competencies
Diploma Title of competence Certificate studies, training, diplomas, titles of competence, certificates, competencies test results, competencies periods of work  competencies vocational orientation, competencies spare time activities  competencies soft skills = competencies wanted occupations = competencies guidance actions, references category job seeker mobility data, driving licence/ means of transport labour time regulation Wanted competencies In Mijn LoopBaan there are a lot of elements. Many of them are translated into competencies. When we talk about studies, training courses, diplomas, titles of competence and certificates en even test results, we can call them PROVEN competencies. Working periods, spare time activities, soft skills judge by oneself are more CLAIMED competencies. Although nothing prevents to turn them into PROVEN competencies, through tests, training or similar means. Last but not least there are the occupations one would like to do. They demand some competencies one has, but also some that one claims to have, although there is no proof. But here one can find a third group of competencies, namely those that one would like to obtain, by exercising that job or function. Normally they should form a minority and be of secondary importance. Each kind of work will also be a learning situation The competencies we are talking about here are the desired ones. Sometimes one would like to obtain these through a training period. Anyway, all competencies, together with other elements of MLB , may end up in a portfolio. Portfolio can have several meanings, but we talk of a portfolio from which an applicant can extract elements to nourish his CV. This is what he eventually will use to find work, but especially to sell oneself. wanted occupations = competencies wanted occupations = competencies wanted occupations = competencies Claimed competencies Emp supports claim Counsellor’s judgement Client judges himself

Applications for the client-citizen
ORIENTATION via interests via competencies What direction? towards companies (e-)CV Mijn LoopBaan occupations = competencies mobility data working time schedule guidance activities testresults references driving licence/means of transport category of job seeker official employment periods studies, training, diplomas, titles, certificates IDENTIFICATION DATA Matching with job offers Employability check (LM-information) e-Portfolio e-Portfolio Mijn LoopBaan is a platform that aims at presenting one file of a citizen concerning his career, his working life. One can also call this a portfolio, that contains everything, but that is divided into 4 large activity-parts. A CV is only what will be shown to a company when applying for a job. This can be in an electronic form, which is likely to become more often used in the future. But even without a CV a jobseeker must be visible for companies, in order to establish a kind of contact between both parties. Not everybody is capable of writing a good CV, even though we are at their disposal to lend a helping hand. Hence the automatic matching. Some people do not even know what they want or can do. Therefore VDAB developed an instrument that helps them to orient in the world of occupations. This orientation can be based on their interests as well as on their competencies. Both kinds of orientation are to be found in the e-job guidance project (I presented last year). For each occupation in the resulting list or registered in his file, a citizen can immediately look what the chances for employment are in that occupation (employability check). This application informs you about the number of job offers that have been treated by VDAB over the last 12 months. Not every citizen is unemployed. It can very well be an employed person looking for other perspectives in his career and therefore asks for advice. Within VDAB a service has been created that offers just that, career guidance. Other organisations, doing the same thing, can also make use of this application with statistical information. Whoever addresses an employer with a certain number of competencies in his résumé, wishes that the employer believes what he sees. The best thing to do is having these competencies verified and consequently prove them. This can e.g. be done by getting a certificate of proficiency. This certificate can be accredited by various organisations, if only they are recognised as assessors for that occupation. The procedure to get such a certificate is called APL (acquired competencies). It consists of testing and measuring a number of competencies, according to the occupation’s standard. Those who respond to this standard in a sufficient way, get the certificate. For those who do not get the certificate immediately, there is still a possibility to follow an additional training course as to obtain that standard. On the other hand, it will be possible to have a certificate for separate competencies. Learning can be a goal in itself, but in most cases it will be a means of keeping one’s job, making promotion, change jobs or function within the same company. Such certificates are a welcome addition to one’s CV. Let us not forget the possibilities of Europass. All procedures and application for Europass will be built in. LEARNING TRAINING • sleutelvaardigheden SKILL STANDARDS Career guidance guidance proof? Europass APL-process measuring tests Training advice ABROAD

Applications for the partners
2009 Follow up own clients HR-instrument Matching/CDP/re-placing (int, ext) LM-players companies Mijn LoopBaan Co-Navigate COBRA Statistical information Functional profiles Mijn loopbaan is one big portfolio, from the point of view of the citizen, but a large database for all participating organisations as well. Every organisation has its own part in the file of a citizen, provided that they are actually and currently working for that citizen and on condition that the concerned citizen has allowed them to register in his file, without opening up other parts of his file than the one they are supposed to register in. Besides there is a lot of exchange of data between databases, without direct manual interference of client or organisation. All these exchanges are to be agreed on and checked with the privacy commission. Companies will profit of the fact that matching with job offers will be based on competencies. Eventually they will see the advantages of drawing up thorough function profiles as to find their candidates by means of the automatic matching. That is why VDAB will offer them a large set of competencies in an instrument, with various entrances, as to make possible to find the necessary competency in an optimally easy way. In the long run these function profiles can lead to a new description of an occupation, or to a description of even a totally new occupation. Being informed about these evolutions can lead to adapting the contents of training courses and eventually to updating the national education contents. CO.BR.A. will also be updated if a certain competency is lacking and is still asked for. If this competency proves to be very representative for the occupation it will be added to CO.BR.A.. And last but not least, all players on the labour market, using Mijn LoopBaan to register their activities regarding their clients, will have a large set of statistical information. e-Portfolio SYNTRA Adapt training content VDAB National Education Attainment targets /evaluating content /adapting orientation on studies updating CO.BR.A.

Lifelong Guidance for job seekers A project among PES

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