Trends in VET policy in Europe 2010-12 - Progress towards the Bruges communiqué
European countries have set themselves 22 specific goals by 2014 to support their long-term vision for vocational education and training (VET). This report is a first step in understanding progress by mid-2012 towards these goals, endorsed in 2010 in the Bruges communiqué to help achieve the Europe 2020 agenda. Attention has clearly focused on helping young people remain in, and return to, education and training through work-based learning routes. Building on their joint work in the last decade, countries have advanced in setting up qualifications frameworks and devising approaches to assure quality in VET, but much work is still in the planning stage. More attention to the professional development of VET staff, better monitoring of VET labour market outcomes, and considering incentives where appropriate, could help progress in the coming years. Download Trends in VET policy in Europe 2010-12.

Training leave - Policies and practice in Europe
The need for lifelong learning is leading to rising demand for training opportunities. This will involve a transformation of the learning environment within companies,  but also the provision of training outside the job itself. 
For adult employees, some of the most important barriers to training are lack of time, and conflicting training and work schedules. Paid training leave can therefore encourage more adults to add to and upgrade their skills. In times of economic crisis, paid leave can also be combined with part-time work to alleviate the effects of decreased demand.
With this study, Cedefop maps the application of training leave in Europe, reviews how it operates, analyses its performance in several countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain),  and sets out recommendations as to how to improve its effectiveness. Download Training leave, Training leave (ebook).

Vocational education and training (VET), a major part of lifelong learning, is critical to Europe’s effort to reposition itself in the global economy and respond to its major economic and social challenges.
To do this, policy and the policy making process need to be informed and supported by robust and internationally comparable statistics and indicators on, among other things, vocational education and training, adult education and its labour market and business context.
Cedefop’s work on statistics and indicators supports and contributes to statistical developments at European and international levels to improve the relevance and quality of data as well as methods and tools for data collection. Cedefop cooperates with key stakeholders to develop and improve international statistics, for example with Eurostat and the OECD.
Cedefop’s statistics and indicators work also aims to support evidence based policy and practice in vocational education and training, lifelong learning and skills. Products and services include dedicated publications and regular updates of key online statistics. Users can also access further statistics, indicators or related information. Cedefop’s focus on vocational education and training statistics draws on European data collections and surveys to provide key summary indicators, from country trends in initial and continuing vocational training to resources and financing of VET.
Contact Cedefop's Statistics team:
If you have questions concerning the statistics project in Cedefop or suggestions for indicators and further information, please contact us at . [Latest trends] [Data by theme] [Key documents] [Links] [Bibliography] [Cedefop publications].

In 2011, around 55% of early leavers from education and training were jobless (up by nine percentage points compared to 2008).
Labour market prospects for young adults that leave education and training early are generally bad. This is one reason why it is so important to encourage young people to continue their education and training beyond lower secondary level, a key objective of the EU 2020 strategy, as well as of vocational education and training policy. This becomes even more urgent in the current economic downturn, where job prospects are deteriorating.
Key points

• In 2011, 13.5% of 18-24 year-olds in the EU were early leavers from education and training. Around 55% of these young adults did not have a job.
• For young people leaving education and training early, 2011 labour market prospects were particularly bad in Bulgaria, Ireland, Hungary and Slovakia, where, 70% or more of them were not employed.
• This is a challenge across Europe. In 18 EU countries, 50% or more of young early leavers from education and training were not employed. In the remaining EU countries for which 2011 data are available, such shares were still high, ranging from 40% and 50% in three countries to between 25% and 40% in three other countries.
• Spain, Italy and Romania combined very high levels of early leaving (respectively 26%, 18% and 17% of young adults) with relatively high shares of early leavers not in employment (between 59% and 51%).
• In the period 2008-11, the share of early leavers among young adults declined by 1.4 percentage points in the EU. Over the same period, the share of early leavers that were not employed increased by 9.2 percentage points.

In February 1999 the European Commission (DG EAC) established a steering group to undertake a study on the possible development of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) into a European Credit System allowing for accumulation and transfer within the LLL perspective.
The project was conceived as a feasibility study designed to be completed in a relatively short period. The members of the Steering Group gained feedback from their respective countries, regions or organisations and in total, over 200 individuals and organisations were consulted.
The FULL REPORT contains four sections: Introduction to the Report; Methodology; Main Findings; and Conclusions and Recommendations. There is also a full set of Appendices (pdf format) that contains: information on the membership of the steering group (Annex1); the project terms of reference (Annex2); the feasibility study information package and questionnaire (Annex3); and the  set of steering group reports (Annex4). A series of questions and answers on the ECTS extension was subsequently prepared by the full group of ECTS counsellors.
Main Findings
In the last ten years many European member States have introduced their own different national credit-based education innovations. Most have also reformed their education and training systems to adjust them to the realities of the global dimension of the education sector. These developments are clearly linked to the creation of a common European higher education area envisaged by the Sorbonne and Bologna declarations. The Bologna Declaration specifically mentions the establishment of ‘a system of credits – such as in the ECTS system’. It suggests ‘Credits could also be acquired in non-higher education contexts, including lifelong learning, providing they are recognised by receiving Universities concerned.’ The work of the Steering Group confirms that this aspiration is feasible. The application of a credits-based approach to lifelong learning will aid the harmonisation of the architecture of education systems in Europe.
Overall, a broadly favourable consensus of opinion emerged from the research. All of the national reports are positive about proceeding with the initiative, whilst at the same time, raising significant issues that have to be overcome in this highly complex area.
Several countries are developing systems to promote lifelong learning but they are all in the early stages. All countries, whatever their stage of development, suffer from similar problems associated with the need to improve the skills and knowledge of their citizens in the context of a highly competitive global economy. The creation of an effective pan-European credit-based framework for lifelong learning would benefit all European citizens. Furthermore, where systems do not currently exist, an ECTS-based framework would act as a template and spur for development.
Some European countries already have sophisticated national credit systems covering different types of education, whilst for others, ECTS is their only experience of credits. National credit systems have clearly been created to achieve quite different local, regional, national and international objectives. ECTS is compatible with all existing credit systems. ECTS is currently designed to act as a framework to facilitate credit transfer. Systems for credit transfer can be distinguished from those for credit accumulation. In the latter the students’ entire educational programme is expressed in terms of credits. ECTS can easily be applied as an accumulation system but this will require appropriate support and guidance.
It should be noted that various negative opinions were raised. However, these emphasise the structural difficulties and long-term practical problems that need to be overcome. One serious negative concern is based on a misconception. This is the opinion that the introduction of credit accumulation creates an ‘à la carte’ framework in which the student has complete freedom to mix credits/units (different types and levels of education) at will, and then demand a recognised qualification. It must be emphasised that this is not possible, nor envisaged. It is for each relevant national structure to determine how educational programmes are validated and constructed, for universities to take the ultimate decision.
The current state of the ECTS is relatively healthy and buoyant. It is accepted and used by over 1000 higher education institutions. The tools it uses are tried and tested and have been shown to be effective. The principles on which it is based are sound. However, it does require further embedding within institutions. For the current purposes of credit transfer ECTS works well. In this context no changes to its procedures and processes are necessary. The principles that underpin ECTS (as a credit transfer system) will also serve to underpin a broader European credit (accumulation) system. However, a number of adaptations and developments to the existing ECTS tools and procedures would be necessary for its application to lifelong learning.
Conclusions and Recommendations
It is timely to go ahead with the development of credit-based pilot projects to facilitate lifelong learning. The majority of those consulted enthusiastically agreed with the development of ECTS to achieve this end. Those who had reservations were concerned with legitimate issues associated with quality, institutional autonomy, and the risk of mismatching units and programmes (‘à la carte’ credit systems).
A new European credit system would increase the transparency of national systems, encourage flexibility in the development of personalised study courses and of joint curricula and facilitate agreements for the mobility of learners, not only between educational sectors in the same country, but also between those of different countries. Credit systems are powerful enabling devices, which aid mobility between various forms of education and training. The application of ECTS to different systems and types of education will facilitate the recognition of learning gained both nationally and internationally.
The development and introduction of an ECTS credit-based lifelong learning framework will be a complex process, best achieved at the strategic policy level through processes enabling a wide dialogue between European higher education institutions, initial education providers, professional bodies and employers. At the tactical level there is a strong argument for short, well-focussed follow-up projects, involving these bodies.
It is difficult to envisage a European system that did not require some convergence at national/institutional level. Like ECTS, a more comprehensive European credit-based system for lifelong learning should be developed on a voluntary basis, first in pilot projects and then with the participation of all interested countries and institutions. The experience with ECTS has shown that countries and institutions may at first resist change but then will slowly adjust to a system that facilitates mutual benefit, understanding and mobility. The Bologna Declaration is an indication of the political support offered by European governments to such a process.

Par Leïla de Comarmond. Plus d'un salarié sur deux a changé d'orientation dans sa vie professionnelle, selon un sondage Ipsos-Afpa.
Passer toute sa vie dans le même emploi, les salariés du privé savent depuis longtemps que c'est fini. Désormais, ils savent aussi qu'ils devront probablement non seulement changer d'employeur mais aussi de métier ou de secteur. C'est ce qui ressort d'un sondage Ipsos pour l'Association pour la formation professionnelle des adultes (Afpa) publié aujourd'hui. Suite de l'article...

Alain Cadix, administrateur général du Programme Paris Nouveaux Mondes (Investissements d’avenir/Idex) du Pôle de recherche et d’enseignement supérieur HESAM, évoquent des pistes pour combler les faiblesses des pôles de compétitivité. Ce dispositif lancé en 2004 peine, selon lui, à faire ses preuves.
Un récent rapport des services de l’État a mis le doigt sur une certaine insuffisance créatrice – en termes d’innovations, d’entreprises, de croissance, d’emploi – de nos pôles de compétitivité. Les résultats sont jugés en deçà du potentiel. Rien d’étonnant. Les pôles vivent au rythme des appels à projets (FUI, ANR, ADEME, etc.) de l’État, parfois des Régions. Ces appels à projets ont des cahiers des charges. Pour l’essentiel ils sont orientés vers la recherche en amont, les avancées scientifiques et technologiques, très rarement vers les retombées. Le président d’un pôle me disait il y a peu: "95% de notre temps nous parlons de technologie et 5% nous parlons d’usages". Or chacun sait que la technologie est bien peu sans ses usages… Les cahiers des charges, première piste, peuvent faire bouger des lignes entre amont et aval. Suite de l'article...

Du fait de la conjoncture économique et d’une réflexion des salariés sur des projets potentiels de mobilité, le volume de la demande de bilans de compétences s’accroit. Cette situation a amené le FONGECIF à établir des priorités en matière de financement pour 2013: catégories de salariés les plus modestes, niveau de formation inférieur ou égal au bac, expérience de plus de 10 ans, âge de plus de 40 ans, statut d'handicapé, retour d'un congé parental, emploi dans une PME –PMI, salaire brut moyen mensuel inférieur à trois SMIC… pour lister des critères assez constants des financeurs publics. En tout état de cause, le FONGECIF tente déjà d’exclure du financement deux types de demandes de bilans qui ne sont pas, selon son analyse, issus de la définition de la loi:

• le bilan de positionnement qui précède la participation à une formation et qui a pour objet de « positionner » le niveau du stagiaire (exemples: le niveau en langues, en informatique…les pratiques managériales, les connaissances en gestion…). Entrent notamment dans ce cadre, les évaluations préalables et autres diagnostics ainsi que les actions qui relèvent du conseil en organisation, en gestion ou en management (exemple: évaluations dites à 360°).
• le bilan à la demande de l’employeur qui peut précéder une décision de mobilité interne (mais aussi externe) se substituer aux entretiens professionnels…
  Le niveau de prise en charge financière de la prestation de bilan par le FONGECIF est de 1 750 euros HT. Si le bénéficiaire choisit un prestataire plus coûteux, il devra acquitter personnellement les frais non pris en charge. Cette règle conduit à une uniformisation des tarifs des prestataires.

Subsiste un débat sur l'efficacité et la qualité des bilans même si une forte majorité des bénéficiaires semble satisfaite de la prestation. En effet, un bilan "efficace" ne se traduit pas toujours pas les recommandations qu'a envie d'entendre le bénéficiaire...
Le bilan de compétences est un outil particulièrement cadré par la réglementation de la formation. Il a été institué « pour permettre à des travailleurs d’analyser leurs compétences personnelles ainsi que leurs aptitudes et leurs motivations afin de définir un projet professionnel et, le cas échéant, un projet de formation. » (Art. L 900-2 du Code du travail). Les textes cadrent également le processus d'habilitation des prestataires qui est confié à l'ensemble du réseau des FONGECIF régionaux. Suite de l'article...