BELGIUM Rudy van Sweevelt VDAB Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service VDAB has existed since 1989 and is under the supervision of the Flemish Minister responsible for work. As a public service provider we want to realize a transparent and dynamic labour market in Flanders for jobseekers, employees and employers, playing both a director s and an actor s role in cooperation with the partners, and this with a social conscience. We offer a number of flexible vocational training courses, who are shaped in close cooperation with industry -Collective courses in VDAB vocational training (competence) centres, - Individual vocational training in an educational course -Apprenticeships and training in companies and accredited training centers -Individual vocational training in a company -Open learning -Distance learning -Web- learning And -Career guidance -Certification
In the following tracks was and is VDAB still present for already 10 years 1. Already in 2000, the Flemish government approved an action plan for lifelong learning, entitled lifelong learning on the right track. This plan is based on four pillars with gives the individual the right to: -information, guidance and counseling; in 2003 the free career service for people in employment was installed ( one service for free) -recurrent access to learning and training programmes; since 2004 the government gives training voucher for employers to stimulate the small and medium-sized enterprises in particular to invest in training for its employees -participate in the development of LLP : the same training vouchers were also directed to increase the responsibility of employees in keeping their competences up to standard and to remove the financial threshold that prevents many from taking part in learning activities -recognition of non-formal and informal learning : an example is the development of the Certificate of Experience. It provides certainty that welldefined, professional competences( mainly for bottleneck occupations) have been acquired. It allows individuals to enhance their employability and so it contributes to the attainment of a higher degree of employment and ease tensions in the labour market. The matching of competences becomes a more seamless process, can lead to shorter, more efficient and more effective placement paths and the possibility to define a future training plan which will be shorter (cost-saving) and increases the chances of success. 2. The pact of Vilvoorde (2001-2004) had the objective to evolve Flanders into a learning society by 2010. This objective aims to elicit three effects: -being able to anticipate new challenges more flexibly -increasing the employability -personal development is central to the learning potential of the individual Another objective was to prevent the digital gap to become bigger among risk groups. 3. In 2004 there became one minister responsible for two policy areas; at one side Work and Social economy and at the other side Education and Training. This reinforced the connection between those two policy areas. So was stated that: -Learning and the development of skills are crucial in order to be able to meet the exact requirements that society imposes on every individual -Work, education and training are becoming increasingly convergent and even interwoven
4. Offering work experience is an instrument used to support disadvantaged groups. We have got: - The Work Experience Programme (WEP-plus) It directed mainly to job-seekers at greater distance from the labour market. Extra attention is paid to the acquisition of social competences (70 % of the participants find work) -Individual Vocational Training in Enterprise ( IBO) It targets the short term and young unemployed. The unemployed and enterprise coaches are coached (95 % of the participants find work) -Various forms of training, alternating with practical work experience Offering work experience is a crucial instrument that gives job-seekers a chance to reconnect with the labour market, acquire competences and improve their position in the labour market 5. The Competence Agenda 2010 (2007) was the next initiative that focuses on measures necessary to be ready for future socio-economic challenges. It consists of 10 priorities that aim to recognize and use the capacities of students, jobseekers employees alike, across the bounderies of education and work. The most important for VDAB were: - More investments in guiding and improving pupil s study and career choice -Combining learning and working will develop besides the technical competences also the social competences and a healthy work attitude -Highlighting all available competences -A more direct and intensive approach for all young school-leavers with a secondary education or less -Exchanging, comparing and consolidating the know-how of the companies and organizations through learning networks -Dealing with changing careers and support the employee -The sectors has developed a competence policy within their particular fields: VDAB gathers this information and translate that into their vocational training programs (SOP s) to stay always up-to-date
6. What are we doing extra for the moment on the theme of NS4NJ: P -To provide the right incentives to upgrade and better use skills for individuals and employers: VDAB has put in place his own APEL- program (Talent service) besides the certificate of experience, to become shorter, more efficient and more effective placement paths and the possibility to define a future training plan which will be shorter (cost-saving) and increases the chances of success There are set up orientation centers for the unemployed who needs guidance in their search for a suitable custom job target By gathering information and working together with the industry and sector councils, we adept the supply of training to the demand for skills Now in times of crisis, we give free training/upskilling at the employee who are temporally unemployed The Certificate-supplements are put in place as a help to improve the mobility between regions /countries -Bring the worlds of education, training and work closer together We are now bringing together all these domains to establish a learning ladder (Associate degree) between secondary school and Bachelor degree. This will be a work-based educational program. Because a lot of schools haven t got the new, expansive equipment to give a workplace related training, we offer them the opportunity to continue the trainer at our location for free - Develop the right mix of skills Because the soft/ generic skills will become very important, we have put them in all our training programmes : contextualized to the job, and in different levels To prevent the digital gap to become bigger among risk groups, an minimum of ICT is build in in our training programmes To stay in touch with the workplace, our instructors have to go for a internship in company The new Employment and investment plan (WIP) of the Flemish government gives us the opportunity to set up trainings in cooperation with third partners and companies at their location
-Better anticipate future skill needs We are developing in collaboration with the Flemish social and economic Council, and the other two PES in Belgium, a competence management system that is based on occupational profiles as validated(and regularly updated) by the social partners We anticipate on trends in the vacancies: for the moment the white and green jobs Conclusion The concept of new skills/new jobs is not new. But it is very important to have a learning path, and that every stakeholder is involved!