Cedefop has now brought its redesigned and updated Web pages under a new roof. The new Web portal is designed primarily with the needs of policy-makers in mind, but also aims to serve the needs of researchers and practitioners in the field of vocational education and training.
Our ambition is to provide easy access to vital information about vocational education and training in Europe - especially, but not exclusively, Cedefop’s own work.
As you will see, we have organised content in a completely new way. Rather than present our work by project, we now gather it under four broad themes. The themes (identifying skills needs; understanding qualifications; analysing VET policy; and developing lifelong learning) are visible on the left column of all our Web pages. To further simplify your search, all content is indexed against a controlled vocabulary list.
The new portal also provides links to communication tools. We encourage you to subscribe to our free newsletter, download our publications, browse the Library and explore our statistics and indicators. Happy browsing!

Meeting of Directors-General for Vocational Training: 10-13/10/2009, Västerås, SWEDEN.
The Meeting of Directors-General for Vocational Training is an informal meeting held during every EU Presidency. Senior officials from the Member States and from applicant and observer countries are invited to the meeting, together with representatives of the European Commission, the European social partners, the European Training Foundation (ETF) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). The purpose is to provide the opportunity for exchange of experience and to discuss current issues relating to vocational training in the EU context. The Presidency and the Commission are jointly responsible for planning the meeting and its content.
The theme of the meeting in Västerås is Vocational education and training – labour market – quality assurance.
The Swedish part of the meeting will include presentations of the following:
    * The National Agency for Vocational Higher Education
    * Vocational education and training in the upcoming reform of upper secondary education
    * An example of a Swedish company’s workplace learning activities
In addition, three workshops will give participants an opportunity to discuss current issues linked to the overall theme.

Beyond the current downturn, there remains strong evidence that by 2020 there will be more and different jobs in the EU than there were in 2006. However, the content and structure of these jobs may be very different. Many new jobs are expected to require the highest qualifications levels including those acquired through vocational education and training (VET). Most job opportunities, however, will be for those with medium level, especially vocational qualifications at upper and post-secondary level. In 1996, 31 % of jobs needed low level or no qualifications. By 2020, this proportion is expected to fall to around 18 %. Continuity, consolidation and change.

Cedefop’s strategic objective is to contribute to achieving the Lisbon goal to modernise VET. To serve its strategic objective, Cedefop supports evidence-based policy-making through research findings and policy analyses.
Research and policy-making often seem to have different agendas. Researchers’ interests may not match those of policy-makers who, in turn, can be too busy to take into account what researchers are saying. Consequently, basing policy decisions on firm research evidence can be difficult to achieve. Cedefop’s fourth research report addresses this issue.
It brings together experts from the world of research to discuss policy matters for VET in the EU. The common VET policy priorities agreed between EU ministers for education in the Copenhagen process constituted the backdrop to select the issues discussed in the report.
The report provides a thorough review of research into the major aspects of EU VET policy priorities. It forms a valuable body of knowledge to inform European VET policy-making. Download the Background report.

Lifelong learning is now the key principle for the organisation of learning in Sweden, including both formal, non-formal and informal learning. The main forms of CVET are advanced vocational education and training (Kvalificered yrkesutbildning - www.ky.se). Some of the programmes through supplementary education (kompletterande utbildning), post secondary training (påbyggnadsutbildning), folk high schools and through bipartite sectoral training boards (apprenticeship-like programmes). CVET is typically restricted to adults (i.e. those 19 or over) as the main IVET programmes are in the upper secondary vocationally-oriented programmes. However, although there are clear links, or pathways, between IVET and higher education, links between IVET and CVET are less established with many temporary or ad hoc CVET programmes designed to respond to industry skill needs.
The main authorities involved with training for unemployed people and others vulnerable to exclusion in the labour market are the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen), the National Agency for Education (Skolverket) and the National Agency for Advanced Vocational Education and Training (Myndigheten för kvalificerad yrkesutbildning).
In Sweden staff training (personalutbildning) that is registered in statistics is formal or non-formal, teacher/trainer-controlled staff training paid by the employer. Two-thirds of this training is organised in the company or at the workplace, and it involves an internal or external teacher or trainer. It can, however, also be arranged by external providers such as higher education institutions, educational associations or private training companies.
As in many other countries, the focus in Sweden has shifted in recent years from education and training to individual learning in line with the concept lifelong and lifewide learning. Many municipalities have established special learning centres within the framework of municipal adult education (Komvux), in community centres or in libraries. Here learning is provided and supported in various subject areas at the initiative of the individual. Unfortunately, there are no data indicating the share of formal, non-formal and informal learning pursued by adults that is CVET.
Livslångt lärande är nu den viktigaste principen för organisationen av lärande i Sverige, både formellt, icke-formellt och informellt lärande. De viktigaste formerna av CVET är avancerad yrkesutbildning (Kvalificered yrkesutbildning - www.ky.se). Några av de program genom kompletterande utbildning (Kompletterande utbildning), efter utbildning (påbyggnadsutbildning), folkhögskolor och genom ömsesidig sektorsinriktade utbildning anslagstavlor (lärlings-liknande program). CVET är vanligtvis begränsad till vuxna (dvs 19 eller äldre) som IVET viktigaste program i gymnasieskolan yrkesinriktade inriktade program. Men även om det finns tydliga kopplingar eller spridningsvägar mellan IVET och högre utbildning, och kopplingar mellan IVET CVET är mindre etablerat med många tillfälliga eller ad hoc CVET program utformat för att möta industrins kompetensbehov.

The legal definition of continuing education in Poland is presented in The Education System Act of 7^th September 1991, (Dziennik Ustaw of 2004, No. 256, item. 2 572 with further amendments.) in article 3, section 17. It declares that continuing education is “education in schools for adults, as well as gaining and supplementing general knowledge, vocational skills and qualifications in the out-of-school forms by people past the period of compulsory education”. According to this definition, continuing education in Poland is not identical with the continuing education concept as defined in the European Union where it is treated as a “lifelong process” (lifelong learning).
Strategy for Continuing Education until 2010” which was accepted by the Council of Ministers on 8^th July 2003. The “Development Strategy for Continuing Education until 2010” specifies the strategic objective of continuing education development and lifelong learning. It is “giving support and direction to personal development, stimulating human innovativeness and creativity”. Implementation of the objective will help “increase competitiveness, improve work organization and build foundations for the knowledge-based society”.
The system of training for the unemployed, job seekers and disadvantaged groups is regulated by the "Act on Promoting Employment and Labour Market Institutions". According to this Act, regional and district labour offices are a part of the public employment services which accomplish territorial self-government tasks in the field of labour market. Labour offices are territorial self-government units. The Minister competent in the labour market affairs co-ordinates activities of public employment services and the Voivode (Head of the Region) supervises and controls them.
Vocational qualification and general education upgrading can be undertaken on the basis of the employer's recommendation or without such a recommendation. The employee can be sent for training in any phase of learning, e.g. to a school of higher education - in any academic year or in any term of academic studies.
It is not possible to estimate the size of the CVET undertaken as individual initiative because the research carried out by the Central Statistical Office does not include category understood as "individual initiative". Indirectly, about those types of initiative we can deduct from the participation of adults in non-formal education. Such survey was carried out by the Central Statistical Office in the II quarter of 2003, including 18 900 households what gave a sample of 47 900 people at the age of 15 and more.

  Strategia dla kontynuowania edukacji do roku 2010 ", który został przyjęty przez Radę Ministrów w dniu 8 lipca 2003. W "Strategii Rozwoju dla kontynuowania edukacji do roku 2010" określa strategiczne cele rozwoju kształcenia i uczenia się przez całe życie. To jest "udzielanie wsparcia i kierunku rozwoju osobistego, stymulowanie innowacyjności i kreatywności człowieka.

Law 5/2002 of 19th June (BOE 20th June 2002), the Qualifications and Vocational Training Act, implemented a system of vocational training, qualifications and accreditation. There are three pathways within this section: adult education, run by the educational authorities; vocational training for the unemployed, run by the labour authorities; and continuing training for workers. Under the Qualifications and Vocational Training Act, the Instituto Nacional de Empleo INEM (National Employment Institute) and the Autonomous Regions administer jointly the Plan Nacional de Formación e Inserción Profesional, Plan FIP (the National Training and Employment Plan). The Plan was passed into law by Royal Decree 631/1993 of 3rd May (BOE 4 May) and implemented by the Ministerial Order of 14th April 1994 (BOE 28th April). Since then, subsequent laws have modified aspects of this Order.
The education supply in the field of Adult Education comprises several educational activities: a formal option that allows adults to follow all levels of learning in the education system; a very broad non-formal option that encompasses a variety of learning curricula, and finally, a series of specific or exceptional tests leading to academic or vocational degrees.
The public funds for education in Spain come mainly from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and the Autonomous Regions. Other ministries and local authorities also contribute, as do local authorities. Regardless of which level of government the funds are from, they are not only allocated to public education, but also for subsidies to private centres and grants and financial assistance for students.
The companies will be able to deliver training themselves or through the employers’ organizations, trade unions or specialist training bodies. The aim is to create a flexible, objective, efficient and transparent management model, which guarantees finance for companies with the minimum of red tape. According to the regulations contained in Royal Decree 395/2006, which regulates the vocational training for employment sub-system, the cost of training actions by companies and of leave for training that has been paid to the individuals must be entered into the company accounts and the companies must also make available to the authorities proof that the training has taken place, in the form of invoices, entries in their account books and any other documentary proof.
With regard to education, individuals who do not have the qualifications needed to go to university and are on or over 25 years of age before the first day of October of the year when entrance exams are held, may enter higher education if they pass these exams. Between 1% and 3% of the places available in universities are reserved for this group.

There is a long tradition of adult education in Slovakia, however, with a focus on serving adult learners’ personal interests rather than increasing their employability. Continuing vocational education and training (CVET) was originally provided predominantly at training centres linked to enterprises and branch industries. In the early 1990s the two systems - adult education and CVET, underwent dramatic changes. Sectoral industry-affiliated CVET centres closed down or after privatisation, widened their scope of services beyond education and training. Similarly, traditional adult providers started to operate as any other private body offering education and training demanded by the market.
The Strategy of Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Guidance and Counselling till 2015 (Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a celoživotného poradenstva do roku 2015) was adopted by the government on 25th April 2007 however without elaborated tools and clear measures in support of LLL. The Strategy reflected trends in EU, the Lisbon strategy and Copenhagen process and recognise importance of adoption of Copenhagen principles and development of Copenhagen tools.
Education and training is offered within the National Programme of Education and Training for the Labour Market (Národný program vzdelávania a prípravy pre trh práce) elaborated and implemented by the employment services headquarters of the Centre of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR, Ústredie práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny) and/or by regional offices, according to identified regional priorities (which should be included in the comprehensive Regional Training Plan) and through training providers selected by public procurement. Furthermore, agreement on training must be based on a specific procedure finalised by a written agreement. Both public and private providers are accepted.
According to § 153 of the Act No. 311/2001 Coll. the Labour Code (Zákon č. 311/2001 Z.z. Zákonník práce), as amended, an employer “shall attend to deepening the employees’ qualification, or to its increase ... employer shall negotiate with employees’ representatives measures aimed at attending to the employees’ qualification, its deepening and increase”. According to § 155(1) the employer can make a written agreement with the employee enabling “the employee for increasing his/her qualification by providing time off, wage compensation and reimbursement of other costs pursuant to study, and the employee commits himself/herself to remaining in an employment relationship with the employer for a determinate period upon completion of study, or to repay costs associated with the course of study, even when the employee terminates the employment relationship prior to the completion of study.”
Despite the developed CVET/LLL market, the share of adult population in training is insufficient. The reason for this is the low purchasing power of inhabitants.

Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a celoživotné usmerňovanie a poradenstvo až 2015 (Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a celoživotného poradenstva do roku 2015) bol schválený vládou dňa 25. apríla 2007 sa však bez nástrojov rozpracované a jasné opatrenia na podporu celoživotného vzdelávania.

In 2005, with the aim of raising basic qualification levels of adult population, the Portuguese Government launched the New Opportunities Initiative. Among other aspects, this initiative facilitates, with a special interest in terms of continuing vocational training, the recognition, validation and certification of acquired skills (which shall constitute the ‘entry door’ to adult vocational training). It also promotes vocational training intended for adults who have no qualifications or whose qualifications are inadequate for integration in the labour market.
During the current year, within the scope of the Agreement for Vocational Training Reform signed by the Government and its social partners, the Sistema Nacional de Qualificações (National Qualifications System – SNQ) has been created. The Catálogo Nacional de Qualificações (National Qualification Catalogue - CNQ) contains a set of standard guidelines, which are essential for the competitiveness and modernisation of economy and for the personal and social development of individuals, enabling that training solutions are thus rightly adjusted to the needs of enterprises and of the labour market.
The Conselho Nacional da Formação Profissional (National Council for Vocational Training – CNFP), which is an advisory body of the Government in terms of the conception, formulation and support of the qualification policies for the Portuguese population, within the framework of the SNQ. The Council approves the elements which constitute the CNQ.
The social partners’ involvement in the development and provision of continuing vocational training gained increased support with the signing of the Acordo sobre Política de Emprego, Mercado de Trabalho, Educação e Formação (Agreement on Policy concerning Employment, the Labour Market, Education and Training) (2001) and with the implementation of the Código do Trabalho (Labour Code).
The number of workers involved in vocational training schemes varies widely from sector to sector and depending on the size of enterprise concerned. The results of the Inquérito Comunitário à Formação Contínua nas Empresas [Community Survey of Continuing Training in Enterprises]and the Inquéritos Nacional sobre a Execução das Acções de Formação Profissional [National Surveys of the Implementation of Vocational training Activities] indicate an upward trend in participation by workers in enterprises with ten or more employees.
For people who have joined the labour market but wish to continue studying, Portuguese law establishes the rights and status of student-workers (Art. 79 of the Labour Code). Accordingly, workers are entitled to support in the form of flexible working hours (or time off work to attend classes, if necessary) and have the right to take leave of absence to attend assessment procedures.

Em 2005, com o objectivo de elevar os níveis básicos da população adulta, o Governo Português lançou a Iniciativa Novas Oportunidades. Entre outros aspectos, esta iniciativa permite, com um interesse especial em termos de formação profissional contínua, o reconhecimento, validação e certificação de competências adquiridas (que deverá constituir a 'porta entrada "para adultos de formação profissional). Também promove a formação profissional destinados aos adultos que não têm habilidades ou cujos conhecimentos são insuficientes para a integração no mercado de trabalho.