Optimising the Cooperation between Part-time. time Vocational School and Company-based. Training

Transcription

1 Optimising the Cooperation between Part-time time Vocational School and Company-based Training Surveys and Analyses of Pedagogical Aspects to Improve the Quality of Initial Vocational Education and Training

2 Why this Survey? Contribution to quality assurance and further development of quality - QF 6: cooperation in education and training & leadership in education Highlighting potentials for the advancement of the cooperation between part-time vocational schools and enterprise based training Contribution to innovation transfer

3 FIGURE 1: Simplified representation of competencies for the implementation, quality and development of the dual IVET system Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture Framework curriculum Social partners: Federal Advisory Board on Apprenticeship Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour COORDINATION Training regulation: Occupational profile, activity description PART-TIME VOCATIONAL SCHOOL Part-time vocational school teachers, Parttime vocational school head teachers, schoolinspection COOPERATION Apprentice (part-time vocational school student) TRAINING ENTERPRISE Authorised apprenticeship trainers Apprenticeship Offices of the regional economic chambers Offices for the Protection of Apprentices and Minors of the regional chambers of labour Source: ibw 2006 Apprenticeship-leave exam before a committee Labour market

4 Basic Information on the Survey Written survey among training enterprises (return rate: 40%; sample: 758) Written survey among teachers and head teachers of vocational schools for apprentices (return rate: 60%; sample: 643) Apprenticeship occupations covered by the study: office assistant; cook; electrical installations engineering; motor vehicle engineering; machine engineering technology; bricklayer (mason)

5 Key Facts and Figures on Apprenticeship Training (i.e. the Dual System) % of IVET time spent at training enterprise % of IVET time spent at vocational school Duration of apprenticeship IVET programmes: mostly 3, 3.5 or 4 years > 260 apprenticeship-trades Share of apprentices among young people: 40 % Final examination held before a committee

6 Characteristics Cooperation between part-time vocational school & enterprises offering training Special case: joint training network special training institution

7 Cooperation between Part-time Vocational Schools & Enterprises Offering Training Opportunity or necessary evil?

8 Coordination and Cooperation as Challenges of the Dual System 1. The apprenticeship programmes are organised at two places of learning 2. These IVET programmes combine two learning cultures : school and the world of work 3. Coordination is necessary as the two places of learning enjoy a high degree of autonomy 4. Coordination and cooperation at several levels Legal bases, ministries, social partners Institutional networking in the regions Personal contacts and cooperation of stakeholders

9 Structure of cooperation between places of learning INTENSITY FOCUS 1 FOCUS 2 Cooperation Coordination Information The problems and development of the young persons in and outside school Specialist content of apprenticeship occupation: feedback, information about innovations and company-oriented CVET Source: ibw 2006

10 Who takes the initiative? Survey among training enterprises. Tabulated values: very often and sometimes ; in % Number of employees at company Vocational school teachers get in touch with enterprises in case of problems with an apprentice Training enterprise asks vocational school for information about the apprentices performance Below to to and more Total Source: ibw training enterprise survey, November 2005

11 Company size - the major variable of distinction between training enterprises regarding contacts and exchange with part-time vocational schools Experts at training enterprise maintain subject-specific contacts and exchange with part-time vocational school teachers * Number of employees at company in % Below to to and more 41 Total 24 * Tabulated values: very often and sometimes Source: ibw training enterprise survey, November 2005

12 Demand for company-oriented CVET Interest in information provided by companies among part-time vocational school teachers, in % Statements Fully agree Rather agree Rather disagree Fully disagree Information provided by training enterprises is important to my work because it makes classroom instruction more topical I wish I had more contacts and excursions to companies in the sector Source: ibw part-time vocational school survey, November 2005

13 Viewpoint of training enterprises: Importance and satisfaction regarding services provided by part-time vocational school, in % Part-time vocational school services Percentage: Very important Percentage: Satisfied* Difference Provision of occupation-related theory Provision of occupation-related practical contents needed in the company Preparation for the apprenticeship-leave exam Specific offers for particularly gifted apprentices Support classes for apprentices with learning difficulties Expansion of general education, improvement of knowledge and skills from compulsory school * Very satisfied and Satisfied Source: ibw training enterprise survey, November 2005

14 Improvement requirements from the viewpoint of training enterprises Allocation of critical comments and suggestions made by training enterprises regarding cooperation with parttime vocational school Aspects of improvement requirements (multiple answers were possible!) Curriculum, practice-orientation, quality of occupation-specific subjects, occupationspecific contents, teaching methods and orientation of part-time vocational school, boarding school Organisation of timetable of part-time vocational school subjects Information behaviour of part-time vocational school, suggestions for improved communication between part-time vocational school and training enterprises The part-time vocational school students basic education and attitude pedagogical suggestions towards improved personal development Criticism of teacher qualification (subject-related and pedagogical), teaching quality and teaching methods More business-oriented CVET offers for part-time vocational school teachers Differentiation at part-time vocational school level, learning for specific groups criticism and suggestions In % of survey participants Number of survey participants who expressed critical comments (excl. multiple entries) 20 Source: ibw training enterprise survey, November 2005 (n= 758)

15 Allocation of examples of good cooperation with a training enterprise as named by part-time vocational school teachers and head teachers Types of cooperation Number of replies Company projects or project partnerships by training enterprises and part-time vocational schools with involvement of other training providers Real-life encounters with the economy: sector-specific know-how transfer to school (excursions, trips, experiential days, etc.) Support by training enterprises (tangible and intangible) Cooperation in measures for students (apprenticeship competitions, Leonardo da Vinci exchange programmes, preparation for the apprenticeship-leave exam, etc.) Regular/coordinated information about the young person s development (e.g. student booklet, joint visiting day for parents) as well as about the training situation Events-related information and coordination of a joint procedure in case of difficulties with part-time vocational school students/apprentices Regular contact fora of IVET trainers in training enterprises and/or part-time vocational schools (e.g. working groups, IVET trainer jour fixes, quality circles, cooperation schemes between different places of learning) Cooperation with sectoral subunits of the employers organisations and specialised organisations in the sector and with the social partners Coordination meetings between part-time vocational schools and training enterprises regarding learning contents and training quality Total number of replies Source: ibw survey November 2005

16 Allocation of suggestions for good cooperation with a training enterprise as named by part-time vocational school teachers and head teachers Types of cooperation Number of replies Regular/coordinated information about the young person s development (e.g. student booklet, joint visiting day for parents) as well as about the training situation Events-related information and coordination of a joint procedure in case of difficulties with part-time vocational school students/apprentices Cooperation in measures for students (apprenticeship competitions, Leonardo da Vinci exchange programmes, preparation for the apprenticeship-leave exam, etc.) Real-life encounters with the economy: sector-specific know-how transfer to school (excursions, trips, experiential days, etc.) I would like the training enterprises to show more interest, initiative and interaction (e.g. regular visits by the training enterprises to programmes) Support by training enterprises (tangible and intangible) Coordination meetings between part-time vocational schools and training enterprises regarding learning contents and training quality Regular contact fora of IVET trainers in training enterprises and/or part-time vocational schools (e.g. working groups, IVET trainer jour fixes, quality circles, cooperation schemes between different places of learning) Cooperation with sectoral subunits of the employers organisations and specialised organisations in the sector and with the social partners Total number of replies Source: ibw survey November 2005

17 Suggestions for good cooperation of part-time vocational school with a training enterprise as named by school inspection Specific examples named by the school inspection Coordination of syllabus contents in the specialist fields between training enterprises and part-time vocational school; Coordination talks about workshop equipment Companies should show interest in part-time vocational school not only when they want them to reduce IVET time but also when they want to discuss contents. Visits by companies at Open Door Days organised by part-time vocational schools are important Cooperation meeting every two years with obligatory attendance of all teachers; Conferences held at sites of training enterprises; Portfolio (documentation of learning and training); Bridge syllabus Closer cooperation regarding the BRP; coordination of training contents => many possibilities Information flows primarily from part-time vocational school to the training enterprises; the training enterprises seek contact only upon request if they encounter problems. This would change if the companies showed more concern for school processes and became active by themselves. Source: ibw survey November 2005

18 Two Focuses of Cooperation Needs The young person and his/her problems with learning and developments during adolescence Expert exchange between vocational school teachers and company-based experts

19 Measures 1 FOCUS YOUNG PEOPLE Events with specialist (subject-related) and also social character (e.g. Open Door Days) to make new contacts and maintain existing personal relationships Regular information exchange with the training enterprise about the young person s learning progress via the student booklet (with information about his/her school performance, behaviour, training contents, etc.) or by phone The training enterprise sends short messages about learning contents with feedback option to vocational school Short informal memo after the first half year at vocational school Coordination regarding support measures for students with learning difficulties Coordination regarding setting high demands for high achievers to avoid boredom and behavioural problems

20 Measures 2 FOCUS COMPANY-ORIENTED CVET AND EXPERT EXCHANGE Regular meetings of vocational school teachers and IVET trainers from specific apprenticeship occupations Opening up the IVET trainers meetings to vocational school teachers Setting up working groups Joint organisation or support of apprenticeship competitions Regular excursions to companies Inviting teachers to take part in work placements Launching joint projects, e.g. Leonardo or Erasmus projects

21 SUMMARY THE CIP OF COOPERATION 1. Continuous cultivation of relationships at the institutional level 2. Establishment and maintenance of personal contacts and relations at the level of authorised apprenticeship trainers and vocational school teachers as the basis of communication 3. The micro-enterprises need mediators for cooperation with vocational school, e.g. sectoral subunits of the employers organisations 4. Creation and application of information exchange tools in case young people have problems 5. Establishment of long-term cooperation in working groups and projects 6. Company-oriented CVET offers for vocational school teachers