Vocational Education and Training in Norway, and a VET Pilot Project/Certificate of Practice

Transcription

1 Vocational Education and Training in Norway, and a VET Pilot Project/Certificate of Practice Brussels, 1 March 2012 Erik Sandvik Senior Adviser Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research 1

2 Facts about Norway 4,9 million people Mainland: km 2 16 inhabitants per km 2 Three political-administrative levels: state/nation, county and municipality 19 counties 430 municipalities 99% of Norwegian enterprises are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 83% of Norwegian enterprises less than 5 employees only 2,500 enterprises have 100 or more employees 2

3 National and regional responsibilities national policy, regulations, financing and curricula 19 counties responsible for regional VET supply and implementation of training. The counties own the schools national monitoring/quality control of the counties 3

4 Equity a core value in Norwegian education and training equal access to quality education and training regardless of geographic location, gender, ethnic and social background learning progress and pedagogic methods adapted according to the pupils and apprentices attitudes and abilities 4

5 Upper Secondary Education and Training in Norway Vg1 = upper secondary level 1 Vg2 = upper secondary level 2 Vg3 = upper secondary level 3 5

6 Statutory right ensured in the Education Act all young persons have a statutory right to 3 years of Upper Secondary Education and Training the main model (2+2 model) consists of 2 years schoolbased training and 2 years of apprenticeship training in an enterprise. 6

7 Funding of VET VET is cost-free for pupils and students in public training institutions some private institutions are authorised providers public initial VET is funded over public budgets training enterprises receive a state grant for each apprentice (2009: around 12,000 over two years) an apprentice is also a paid employee: salary increases from 30% to 80% of a skilled worker s salary during the two years of apprenticeship 7

8 Twelve Programmes for Upper Secondary Education and Training Programme for General Studies Language Studies; Natural Science and Mathematics; Social Sciences and Arts, Crafts and design Music, Dance and Drama Sports and Physical education Nine programmes for vocational education and training 8

9 VET Programmes Building and Construction Design, Arts and Crafts Electrical Trades Health and Social Care Media and Communication Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry Restaurant and Food Processing Service and Transport Technical and Industrial Production 9

10 FROM MAINSTREAM to a 2-year PILOT PROJECT called CERTIFICATE OF PRACTICE SCHEME (running ) Measure: To reduce the number of drop outs in Upper Secondary School and Training within VET Only 70 per cent of pupils complete Upper Secondary Education and Training successfully within 5 years 10

11 Candidates, geography, duration and subjects 51 Pupils 3 Counties Programme/scheme lasting 2 years 4 days work a week in a firm (Different sorts of firms/training establishments,viz: Restaurant and Food Processing, Building and Construction, Service and Transport, Health and Social Care) 1 day school with general subjects; Norwegian, Maths and Social Studies 11

12 Candidates` backgrounds from Lower Secondary School Half of them had failed exams at lower secondary level (compulsory, ages 13-16) Or had not taken the exams at Lower Secondary pupils generally had (very) low grades 12

13 How were the results? Of the 51, who started in 2008, 41 completed the scheme in the 2 - year-period Among the 41, totally 40 passed exam tests in the General Subjects Maths, Social Studies and Norwegian 31 of the 41 (above) applied for Apprenticeship contract, of whom 25 got what they wanted 7 changed to other training programmes during the period 2 left for work 1 neither in education nor work 13

14 (cont) How were the results? Among the 51 candidates 49 per cent succeeded in getting apprenticeship (cp 29 per cent in ordinary VET) Of the 16 who fulfilled the Certificate of Practice Scheme, but did not apply for or obtain an apprenticeship afterwards, 9 are in paid work and 2 in military service 4 in education 3 neither in education nor work 1 unknown status 14

15 (cont) How were the results? The number of candidates with a full Craft Certificate as their ultimate goal increased during the project period Motivation increased during the period Practical work and training in an enterprise is the most important difference between the Certificate of Practice Scheme and ordinary Vocational Education and Training in school (and enterprise) 15

16 Likes and dislikes What the candidates liked best was to do practical work instead of attending school This is the most important factor behind the high completion rates. 16

17 Progress in the subjects The candidates had positive progress in the general subjects Maths, Norwegian and Social Studies despite much skepticism from many. The organisation of this teaching was organised with one day a week in school with teaching in very small groups and with strong efforts from the teachers to link the subjects to practice, and make them relevant to work place settings 17

18 Work in enterprises/self esteem and ambitions Working in enterprises seems to have given most of the candidates a boost in self-esteem Many have increased their ambitions in the course of the project period. The amount of candidates aspiring for a full/complete Craft`s Certificate (2+2) has risen 18

19 What else did we learn? If we see the Practice Certificate as a building block for a Craft`s Certificate, it seems to offer a successful approach when closely connected to the established institutions and network of the apprenticeship system and When the possibilities of getting an apprenticeship through these networks are reasonably good 19

20 (Cont.: What did we learn?) The good results are due to practice oriented instruction to pupils with poor learning outcome from Lower Secondary When the instruction (almost all of it) takes place in an enterprise it seems to strengthen the possibilities of the candidates to obtain an ordinary apprenticeship contract after successful completion of the Practice Certificate 20

21 Burden vs resource Adsolescents bored at school and who want to do practical work should be seen as a resource for working life, instead of a burden to the school system 21

22 Links to working (authentic) life The challenge is to find ways of linking these young people to working life, without losing the opportunities and rights for training and education The Certificate of Practice has contributed to this area with new solutions to linking these groups with appropriate work and training 22

23 The final question: IS THE PRACTICE CERTIFICATE A SOLID and SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE COMPLETE 2 +2 NORWEGIAN MAINSTREAM MODEL WITHIN VET? OR? 23

24 THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION 24