1. General Trends in VET in Europe over the Past Decades
Education International, European Region Vocational Education and Training Round Table Budapest, October 2009
General Trends in VET in Europe over the Past Decades
Keynote Address
Dr Hubert Ertl Department of Education University of Oxford

2. Outline European Models in VET
VET in two national contexts: England and Germany
Characteristics
History and contexts
Current reforms
The bigger picture
Questions and issues in VET
Challenges for VET teachers and trainers

3. European Models in VET VET Models state model market model dual model
state regulates training and education (nationally or regionally)
mostly school-based training
market model
regulation of training is left to market forces
mostly work-based training
VET Models
dual model
regulation through combination of market forces and state
combination of venues

4. European Models in VET VET Models market model
regulation of training is left to market forces
mostly work-based training
VET Models
companies pay for training
 strong connection between work and training
 needs of training company determine training
 supply of training places dependent on economic situation of companies

5. European Models in VET VET Models state model
state regulates training and education (nationally or regionally)
mostly school-based training
VET Models
state pays for training
strong connection between vocational and general/academic education
wider needs of society determine training
state guaranties availability of training

6. European Models in VET VET Models dual model
compromise between world of work and societal needs
state determines legal framework, other stakeholder determine contents of training
market forces and state intervention influence availability of training
VET Models
cost-sharing model
dual model
regulation through combination of market forces and state
combination of venues

7. ideal-types – adaptation through comparisons and globalisation
European Models in VET
state model
state regulates training and education (nationally or regionally)
mostly school-based training
(examples: France, Sweden)
market model
regulation of training is left to market forces
mostly work-based training (example: UK)
VET Models:
ideal-types – adaptation through comparisons and globalisation
Models in place maybe 30 years ago but not anymore!
no more pure models at all!
Impact of EU policies
dual model
regulation through combination of market forces and state
combination of venues (examples: German-sp.-c.)

8. VET characteristics in two national contexts
England
Low participation in WBL (~ 8% of age cohort, declining)
Patchy employer involvement
‘Qualifications jungle’, state-funded and private qualifications
Voluntarist VET system beyond age 16
Germany
High participation (~ 55% of age cohort, stable)
Strong employer involvement
~ 250 state-recognised qualifications
Compulsory education/ training up to age 18
2013: age of compulsory participation - 18

9. History and Context: VET in England
Voluntarist principle
Individuals not compelled to engage in education and training
Employers not compelled to train young people
Liberal market economy:
Political goal of labour market flexibility
Minimal labour market regulation
Few licences of practice
Policy environment: constant change
250 reforms/changes in last 10 years
major reform every 2/3 years

10. History and Context: VET in Germany
Principle of neo-corporatism
Societal interest groups (corporations) determine VET (self-determination of employers and trade unions)
State sets legal framework for self-determination
Vocationally-structured labour market
Initial training as the ‘ticket’ to the labour market and further training
Training occupations refer to specific work roles and benefits in the labour market
Policy environment: stability and consensus
Only one major change in VET Act in over 30 years

11. School to work: the German case
VET in the
Dual System
Secondary School
Universities and
Polytechnics
Further
Education
Workplace
public governance
and public law
private business
and private law
‘School-based System’

12. Germany: Changing transition patterns
‘School-based System’
VET in the
Dual System
Year
‘Transition System’
VET in specialised Colleges
Dual System
1995
341,137
31.9%
180,271
16.9%
547,062
51.2%
2000
460,107
37.8%
175,462
14.3%
582,416
47.8%
2004
488,073
39.5%
211,531
17.1%
535,322
43.3%

13. Current reforms: Germany
Structural modernisation
new training occupations (IT sector, entertainment...)
shorter procedures for updating training occupations
Institutional co-operation
between smaller companies
between the dual partners
Didactic innovation
focus on comprehensive work tasks
focus on social learning and learning –to-learn skills
Re-conceptualisation of curricula
introduction of concept of ‘learning areas’
modularisation
~ 250 state-recognised training occupations
move away from specialised technical skills to more learning-to-learn skills

14. School to Work: The English case
private business
and private law
Workplace
Universities
VET
Further Education
Secondary School
public governance
and public law

15. England: Participation patterns

16. Current Reforms: England
Most recent VET reform has focused on qualifications and qualification frameworks:
NQF and Framework for Achievement
Strengthening of Apprenticeships
14-19 Diplomas
Limited reform of curriculum or pedagogy
Rise of compulsory participation age to 18
Apprenticeship and NVQ and GNVQ – attempts to make them more attractive!
Foundation Degrees: vocational provision within HE. Government sees them as way of increasing participation in HE.
National Qualifications Framework – to help navigate around different qualifications. Framework for Achievement – an attempt to accredit learning outside formal qualifications too.
2) Private providers to deliver publicly-funded programmes

17. Higher or Advanced Diploma Foundation or Higher Diploma
England: Main routes through edu-cation and training in 2015 and beyond
CONSIDER OPTIONS 14
CONSIDER OPTIONS 16
CONSIDER OPTIONS 17
CONSIDER OPTIONS 18
Further education
GCSE
Higher or Advanced Diploma
Foundation or Higher Diploma
Higher education
GCSE / A-Level
Foundation Learning Tier
Foundation Learning Tier
Apprenticeship post 18
Employment
Employment with training
Employment with training
Apprenticeship

18. The bigger picture: Questions and issues in VET
How can employers be engaged in VET matters?
How can the relevance of school-based VET for the world of work be increased?
How can VET be made more attractive for high-achieving students?
What contribution can VET make to social inclusion of disadvantaged societal groups?
Is the way forward to reform qualification systems or to develop curricula and pedagogy?
What is the contribution of qualification frameworks and credit transfer schemes?
Apprenticeship and NVQ and GNVQ – attempts to make them more attractive!
Foundation Degrees: vocational provision within HE. Government sees them as way of increasing participation in HE.
National Qualifications Framework – to help navigate around different qualifications. Framework for Achievement – an attempt to accredit learning outside formal qualifications too.
2) Private providers to deliver publicly-funded programmes

19. The bigger picture: Challenges for VET teachers and trainers
Establishing the link between school-based VET and the world of work
Interpreting and implementing political reform agendas
Being responsive to the needs of an increasingly diverse and individualised group of students/trainees
Responding in an innovative way to declining resources
 ‘Reform fatigue’ in the face of an ‘avalanche of change’ „[...] the preparedness of teaching staff to initiate innovation has declined substantially (‘not another new thing’).“ (Dubs 2003, p. 3)
Apprenticeship and NVQ and GNVQ – attempts to make them more attractive!
Foundation Degrees: vocational provision within HE. Government sees them as way of increasing participation in HE.
National Qualifications Framework – to help navigate around different qualifications. Framework for Achievement – an attempt to accredit learning outside formal qualifications too.
2) Private providers to deliver publicly-funded programmes

20. Thank you for your interest hubert.ertl@education.ox.ac.uk