Vocational Education and Training in Flanders

Vocational Education and Training in Flanders February 2010

Vocational Education and Training in Flanders 1. Introduction 13 1.1. Flanders in a nutshell 1.1.1. Structure and political decision making 1.1.2. Demographic situation 1.1.3. Macro-economical developments 1.2. Scope of the report VET in Flanders 1.2.1. Initial and continuing VET in Flanders 2. Policy related to VET 27 2.1. Basic principles, recent and future policy initiatives 2.1.1. Vocational education within the education system 2.1.1.1. Compulsory (vocational) education 2.1.1.2. Adult education 2.1.1.3. Professional bachelor as part of higher education 2.1.2. The Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training: SYNTRA Vlaanderen 2.1.3. The Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service: VDAB 2.2. Towards an integrated policy for education, training and work 2.2.1. The Competence Agenda for Flanders 2.2.2. The Flemish Qualifications Structure 2.2.2.1. Professional qualifications 2.2.2.2. Educational qualifications 2.2.2.3. Flemish Agency for Quality Assurance 2.2.3. Priorities in the Flemish Government Agreement (2009-2013) 3. Different types of VET programmes and statistical information 45 3.1. Initial VET programmes 3.1.1. Compulsory secondary vocational and technical education (BSO and TSO) 3.1.1.1. Compulsory secondary technical education (TSO) 3.1.1.2. Compulsory vocational education (BSO) 3.1.1.3. Dual System: Apprenticeship and Centres for Part-time Education 3.1.2. Non-compulsory secondary after secondary education (previously 3 rd year of 3 rd stage of secondary technical education (TSO)) 3.1.3. Associate degree (90 or 120 ECTS) 3.1.4. Professional bachelor degree (180 ECTS) 3.1.5. Pupil flow in initial VET 3.2. Continuing VET 3.2.1. Secondary adult education 3.2.2. Entrepreneurial training and Additional training (SYNTRA) 3.2.3. Vocational programmes of the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) 4. Pupil performance and literacy in secondary education 4.1. Tools for promoting and controlling the quality of learning outcomes in secondary education 4.1.1. Final objectives of compulsory secondary education 4.1.1.1. Initial secondary education 4.1.1.2. Secondary adult education 4.2. Standardised assessments of literacy and numeracy in Flanders 4.2.1. International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) 4.2.2. OECD s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 4.2.3. Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competences (PIAAC) 4.2.4. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) (2006) 4.2.5. Other literacy screenings tools 4.3. Support for secondary students with literacy and numeracy problems Identification of potential problems 4.3.1. Initial secondary education 4.3.2. Secondary adult education 4.3.3. Apprenticeship system at SYNTRA 4.3.4. Higher education 63

4.4. PISA data on pupil performance in reading, mathematics and science in secondary education in Flanders 4.4.1. Pupil performance per educational track 4.5. PISA data on the relationship between socio-economic background and student performance for each secondary education programme 5. Labour market outcomes 81 5.1. The VDAB school-leavers study 5.2. Labour Force Survey (LFS) 5.3. Results for apprenticeship and entrepreneurial training at SYNTRA (Vlaanderen) (2008-2009) 5.3.1. Apprenticeship 5.3.2. Entrepreneurial training 5.4. SONAR survey From education to labour market (Van Onderwijs Naar Arbeidsmarkt) 6. The provision of VET 87 6.1. Educational institutions 6.2. Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training: SYNTRA Vlaanderen 6.3. Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service: VDAB 6.4. Conclusion on the provision of VET 6.5. Curricular content of VET programmes 7. Organisation of work-based learning in VET 99 7.1. How is work-based learning organised in VET? 7.1.1. Work-based learning in compulsory education in VET 7.1.2. Work-based learning in professional bachelor 7.1.3. Work-based learning in centres for adult education 7.1.4. Work-based learning in SYNTRA VlaandereN 7.1.5. Work-based learning in the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) 7.2. Legal arrangements for students in workplace training 7.3. Mechanisms for assuring the quality of workplace training 7.3.1. Part-time secondary education 7.3.2. Apprenticeship system (SYNTRA) 7.3.3. Entrepreneurial training (SYNTRA) 7.3.4. Inspectorate of Education and Training 7.3.5. Higher education 8. Career guidance for (potential) VET students 109 8.1. Career guidance for VET students 8.1.1. Career guidance in educational institutions 8.1.1.1. Legal framework and national objectives 8.1.1.2. Responsibilities 8.1.1.3. Vocational guidance education in the curriculum 8.1.1.4. Contacts with the professional world 8.1.1.5. Guidance services for pupils in compulsory education: Pupil Guidance Centre (CLB) 8.1.1.6. Access to information on vocational guidance 8.1.1.7. Guidance services at university colleges 8.1.2. Guidance in SYNTRA programmes 8.1.2.1. Apprenticeship 8.1.2.2. Other VET courses offered by SYNTRA 8.2. Career guidance for employees 8.3. Career guidance for jobseekers

9. VET teacher and trainer workforce 9.1. Initial training of teachers in education, including VET teachers 9.1.1. Entry to the profession in secondary education 9.1.2. Professional status 9.2. Teachers and trainers in continuing VET 9.2.1. Adult education 9.2.1.1. Evaluation of teaching staff 9.2.2. Professional bachelor 9.2.3. Trainers at SYNTRA Vlaanderen 9.2.4. Trainers in the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) 9.2.5. Training programme for trainers of adults 9.2.6. Pedagogical preparation for employers offering other types of workplace training 10. VET funding 131 10.1. Financing educational and training institutions 10.1.1. Educational institutions 10.1.1.1. Secondary education 10.1.1.2. Adult education 10.1.1.3. Higher education 10.1.2. The Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) 10.1.3. Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) 10.1.3.1. Apprenticeship funding SYNTRA 10.1.3.2. Entrepreneurial training and additional training funding SYNTRA 10.1.4. Public cost per student of different types of training at upper secondary level 10.2 Funding individuals 10.2.1. Student grants 10.2.2. Other financial incentives to stimulate lifelong learning 10.2.2.1. Training and guidance vouchers 10.2.2.2. Paid training leave 10.2.2.3. Encouragement premium for training credit 10.2.2.4. Compensation for social promotion 10.2.2.5. Refund of VDAB training fee 10.2.2.6. Incentives for pupils in the dual system 10.2.2.7. Incentives for students in the entrepreneurial system (SYNTRA) 10.2.2.8. Individual in-company training: IBO 10.2.3. Statistics on participation in education and training among employees 10.3. Financial incentives for companies 10.3.1. The SME Portfolio 10.3.2. Sector agreements 10.3.3. Sector funds in Flanders 10.3.4. VDAB incentives for companies 10.3.5. Incentives for employers to provide workplace training to VET students 10.3.5.1. Compulsory secondary education 10.3.5.2. Apprenticeship 10.3.5.3. Entrepreneurial training at SYNTRA Vlaanderen 11. Labour market context 143 119 11.1. Data on unemployment by educational background 11.2. Data on youth unemployment (by educational background) 11.3. Specific incentives for employers to employ young people 11.4. Indicators on job-to-job mobility (movement from one employer to another, from one year to the next) 11.5. Data on the share of employees in different types of employment (regular, temporary, part-time, etc.), broken down by educational background

11.6. Licensed occupations (i.e. which cannot be exercised without a particular qualification) 11.6.1. Regulated on the federal level 11.6.2. Regulated professions under the responsibility of the Flemish Government 11.6.3. Regulated professions under the responsibility of the regional or local government 11.6.4. Regulated by the sectors 11.7. Minimum wage 11.8. Conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefits 12. Involvement of social partners in VET 153 12.1. Educational VET 12.1.1. Flemish Education Council (VLOR) 12.1.2. Weight of employers in the Education Council 12.1.3. Role of VLOR in VET policy making 12.2. Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) 12.2.1. Board of Directors 12.2.2. Practice Commission 12.2.3. Sectors covenants and commissions 12.3. Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) 13. Existing knowledge sources on VET, the availability and quality of research and data on VET 159 13.1. Flemish Ministry of Education & Training 13.2. Labour Force Survey 13.3. Flemish Ministry of Work and Social Economy 13.4 Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) Glossary Colophon 165 168

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INTRODUCTION13

The purpose of this report is to inform about the systems of vocational education and training in Flanders (VET systems), the main challenges it currently faces and recent or planned policy reforms in response to these challenges. 1.1. Flanders in a nutshell 1.1.1. Structure and political decision making 1 Belgium is a federalised state. It has three communities: - The Flemish Community: the Flemish Region and the Dutch-language institutions within the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region - The French Community: the Walloon Region, excluding the German-language region, but including the French-language institutions within the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region - The German-speaking Community: the German-language region. Belgium also has three regions: the Flemish region, the Walloon region and the Brussels-Capital region. For Flanders, there is one combined government for the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. 14 Since 1989, the Flemish Community has been in charge of matters of education. It is responsible for the administration of education in its language region. All responsibilities regarding the educational system belong to the different Communities, except for three items, which remain a federal responsibility: - Specifying when compulsory education starts and ends - Establishing minimum requirements for qualification conferrals - the pension system. The legislative body for Flanders is the Flemish Parliament, which performs three functions: legislation, formation of the Flemish government and a supervisory function. The Flemish parliament exercises its legislative powers by means of Acts. These have the same legal force as the laws from the federal parliament. The elections for the Flemish parliament are held every five years. The most recent elections were held in June 2009. The executive power is vested in the Flemish government. This consists, by act, of maximum 11 members. The ministers are appointed by the Flemish Parliament. The Flemish Public Administration has 13 policy areas. Each policy area comprises: - A ministry in charge of policy support - Autonomous agencies in charge of policy implementation - A strategic advisory council - A governing council. 1 Source: Eurybase. The information Database on Education Systems in Europe. The education System in the Flemish Community of Belgium (2007/08).

The policy areas of the Flemish Administration relevant to vocational education and training are mainly: - Education and Training - Work and Social Economy Two other policy areas responsible for specific vocational programmes are: - Agriculture and Fisheries - Culture, Youth, Sports & Media In the scope of this report, these programmes will not be discussed further. For matters of education and other community matters in Brussels, the Flemish Community has the competence of an organising body. Although education is a responsibility of the Flemish Community, the access to professions and a number of financial incentives are a federal matter. 15

1.1.2. Demographic situation 2 Flanders is an extremely densely populated region. The population has doubled over the past hundred years. Urbanised areas clearly predominate in Flanders. Region Population Surface area (km 2 ) Population density (inhabitants/km 2 ) Flemish Region 6,161,600 13,522 455 Walloon Region (including the Germanspeaking Community) 3,456,800 16,844 205 Brussels-Capital Region 1,048,500 161 6,496 Belgium 10,666,900 30,528 349 The Netherlands 16,405,400 33,756 486 Source: Vrind 2009 Flanders has been faced with the same problem of an ageing population and dejuvenation of its society as the rest of Europe. The prospects are that by 2021 the Flemish Region will have 33% inhabitants younger than 30 and 21% aged 65+. The ageing population also has consequences for education and training staff. While the educational staff in Flanders is still relatively young e.g. in secondary education 18% of the teachers are younger than 30, which is a higher percentage than in other European countries Flanders is still expected to face a shortage in teaching staff in the coming years. 16 The main source for the growing population in Flanders is immigration. In 2005, 105,000 registered immigrants and officially registered asylum seekers entered Belgium. More than half of them came from another EU member state, mainly the Netherlands or France. The Flemish Community is the most popular destination, followed by the Brussels-Capital Region. 3 The majority of immigrants do not speak Dutch upon arrival in Belgium. In 2009, approx 90,000 adults attended a Dutch language course in an official language centre in Flanders. In 2006, approx 2/3 of 25-64 year olds in the Flemish Community had a diploma of secondary school or a higher qualification. More than 30% of this age group had a diploma in higher education. The Flemish situation is comparable with France, Luxembourg and the UK. 1.1.3. Macro-economical developments The driving force behind the Flemish economy are mainly the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often operate in the supply sector and account for at least 40% of employment in that sector. Only 1.3% of Flanders GDP is generated by the agricultural sector. The most important industries are trade and services, which represent approx 60% of the GDP, followed by steel production (almost 10%), the chemical industry (approx 5%), and the textile industry. Flanders has felt the impact of the current global economical crisis. In comparison with the first quarter of 2 Source: vrind 2009: Vlaamse regionale indicatoren. 3 Source: Bijdrage Vlaamse administratie aan het regeerprogramma van de aantredende Vlaamse regering. Beleidsdomeinspecifieke bijdrage. Deel 3.6. Onderwijs en Vorming (Mei 2009).

2008, Belgium s GDP shrunk by 3.1% in the first quarter of 2009. The Federal planning bureau estimated that over the course of 2009, the economical activity would drop by 4% and that the year 2010 will result in 0% growth. At the end of July 2009, Flanders had 223,532 non-working jobseekers. This is a 19.8% increase compared to the previous year. November 2008 showed an increase on a year-to-year basis for the first time. The unemployment figure increased further in the subsequent months. Only in May-June 2009 did the numbers stabilise (23.2 and 23.5%). The cause for the past rise of unemployment has mostly been a loss of jobs rather than a lack of vacancies. The number of male jobseekers has risen by 32% in 2009. Unemployment among women rose by 9%. The explanation for this difference is that men work more often in sectors that are sensitive to economic fluctuations, e.g. industry, building and transport. The tertiary and government/public sectors, which employ many women, are much less sensitive to economic fluctuations. Another explanation is the use of service vouchers, a system that employs mostly women. Youth unemployment (-25y) has risen by 23% in the past year. Unemployment in the age category between 25y and 50y rose by 23%. Remarkably, unemployment in the age group of 50y+ has not risen as sharply (10%). Older employees are more often employed in stable jobs and have more years of work experience. 4 In spite of the economic crisis and the ensuing job losses, a large number of jobs remain unfilled. VDAB, the Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service, has identified 162 professions for which it is problematic to fill vacancies. 24 of these require a diploma of higher education. Primarily the professions of IT engineers, engineers and nurses face the greatest challenge to reach full employment. 88 of these professions require a diploma above secondary education but below a bachelor degree. These are mainly specialised technicians in the industry or the building sector. There are, however, 50 professions facing labour shortages that require no qualification or at the most a diploma of secondary education. Most of these are in the building industry, the transport sector and the butcher sector. These shortages show that Flanders not only needs more people with higher education qualifications, but especially that there are mismatches between demand and supply on the labour market, persisting even in times of global economic crisis. The influx in vocational education and training remains insufficient. 5 17 1.2. Scope of the report VET in Flanders VET in Flanders encompasses any educational or training programme that leads directly to the labour market. Such programmes are primarily designed to equip people with knowledge, skills and competencies that are directly employable in the labour market. VET typically takes on the form of practical training, i.e. working with realistic, job-related tasks and situations 6. 4 VDAB Ontcijfert: Werkloosheidscijfers juli 2009. 5 Environment analysis from draft coalition agreement. 6 From the Quick Survey on the Definition of Vocational Education and Training (response for Flanders) (OECD, 2009).

Although language courses can be very useful in the labour market, these are not included in VET, except for courses directly related to a profession, such as interpreter. Also not included in this report are the vocational programmes for special education and artistic education, although we do consider the vocational special education programmes as VET. 11,389 students attended the vocational programme within special education in 2007-2008. Finally, specific teacher courses will not be discussed in detail as a VET programme in the scope of this report. The scope of this review encompasses all vocational programmes provided by - educational institutions - the two public institutions providing vocational training primarily oriented towards a specific group: o SYNTRA Vlaanderen, the Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training o VDAB, the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service The data used in this report are from the school year 2007-2008, because not all data from the school year 2008-2009 are available yet. For the scope of this review, only certified vocational programmes are included. Programmes specifically designed and organised at the request of a private company or enterprise are not included, even if they are organised by an educational institution, by SYNTRA Vlaanderen or VDAB (although these programmes do match the Flemish definition of VET). 18 Vocational programmes within the educational system are provided by schools for secondary education, centres for adult education and university colleges. They are supervised by the Flemish Ministry for Education and Training, with the exception of a few vocational programmes that are the responsibility of other Ministries of the Flemish Community, e.g. vocational programmes in agriculture or shipping, which fall under the supervision of the Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries. SYNTRA Vlaanderen and VDAB fall under the supervision of the Flemish Ministry for Work and Social Economy, with the exception of one specific vocational programme, the apprenticeship programme within the dual system for vocational education. This is also offered by SYNTRA Vlaanderen but falls under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Training.

The Flemish Community Ministry of Education and Training Ministry of Work and Social Economy Vocational programmes provided by secondary schools Vocational programmes provided by SYNTRA Vlaanderen (not apprenticeship/dual system) Vocational programmes provided by centres for parttime education (dual system) VDAB 20 Apprenticeship programme provided by SYNTRA Vlaanderen (dual system) Vocational programmes provided by Special Education schools Vocational programmes provided by centres for adult education Vocational programmes provided by university colleges

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Socio-cultural adult work Vocational training aimed at the agricultural sector Courses on socio-cultural adult work 21

1.2.1. Initial and continuing VET in Flanders OECD makes a distinction between initial and continuing VET. These definitions are applicable to the VET programmes in Flanders, although the distinction between initial and continuing VET becomes increasingly blurry 7. In the table below, the associate degree programme is placed in both initial and continuing VET, since it is designed both as an initial course and as a course for people who are already working but want to gain new skills or re-train for a different job. However, programmes in continuing VET also attract young people to enter straight after leaving school. In 2007-2008, the following vocational programmes in Flanders corresponded mainly to the definition of initial VET: Table 1: Initial VET in Flanders in 2007-2008 22 Initial VET programmes Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of vocational secondary education (BSO) (Regular secondary education, 4 th stage of vocational secondary education) 1 Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (TSO) 3 rd year of 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (since 1/09/2009: Secondary after secondary education (Se-n-Se)) Organised by Schools for secondary education Schools for secondary education Schools for secondary education Schools for secondary education Dual system: Part-time education for 15-25 year olds Associate degree Professional bachelor degree Schools for part-time education SYNTRA Vlaanderen (Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training) Centres for adult education, university colleges, schools for secondary education (only nursing) University colleges The following vocational programmes correspond mainly to the definition of continuing VET: 7 Definitions of initial and continuing VET: OECD questionnaire on vocational education and training (2007).

Table 2: Continuing VET in Flanders in 2007-2008 Continuing VET programmes Secondary adult education Associate degree Vocational programmes Entrepreneurial training course and additional courses Organised by Centres for adult education Centres for adult education, university colleges, schools for secondary education (only nursing) VDAB (Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service) SYNTRA Vlaanderen (Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training) The table below attempts to situate the different Flemish VET programmes in one structure, using the 8 levels of the Flemish Qualifications Structure (FQS) as a reference. The FQS has the same levels as the European Qualifications Framework (see 2.2.2.). For education, the connection between the different programmes and the corresponding FQS levels has been adopted by the Act on the Flemish Qualifications Structure in April 2009. The connection between the vocational programmes of SYNTRA Vlaanderen and VDAB has not yet been established, hence the hatching in the table below. In this respect, the table should be interpreted with caution. ISCED levels are mentioned as well, but this classification is not straightforward. For example, the professional bachelor currently has been allocated ISCED 5B. However, similar programmes in Europe have been allocated ISCED level 5A. Efforts are being made to change the ISCED level to 5A. Also, with recent policy changes (i.e. the Act on the dual system and the Act on the associate degree), for some programmes no ISCED level has been determined yet. 23 The table below represents the situation as of 1 September 2009.

Table 3: VET programmes in Flanders according to their level in the Flemish Qualifications Structure (FQS) FQS Qualification level Vocational Education 8 Doctoral degree 7 Master Degree 6 Bachelor Degree 5 Associate degree nursing (ISCED 4C) 24 4 3 Secondary education Diploma Special education, vocational track (up to ISCED 3C) Dual system: parttime education and apprenticeship (up to ISCED 3C) 2 nd and 3 rd stage of vocational secondary education (BSO) (ISCED 3C) (4 th stage of vocational secondary education (BSO)) (up to ISCED 4C or 4A) 3 2 nd and 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (TSO) (ISCED 3A) Secondary after Secondary education (Se-n-Se) ISCED 4C) 2 (Literacy skills) 1 Primary education Schools for parttime education and SYNTRA Schools for secondary education

Vocational Training Professional Bachelor (ISCED 5B)?? Associate Degree (ISCED 5B) 2? Secondary adult education (ISCED 3C)? Programme for entrepreneurship (ISCED 4C) and other vocational programmes leading to a certificate (ISCED 2C to ISCED 4C) Vocational programmes leading to a certificate (ISCED 2C to 4C) Centres for adult education University colleges Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB)

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Policy related 27 to VET

2. Policy related to VET In this chapter, we first discuss basic principles, recent and future policy initiatives specifically related to VET within the educational system, at SYNTRA Vlaanderen and at VDAB. Subsequently, important policy initiatives regarding attempts to bring the different existing VET systems in Flanders closer together are discussed. 2.1. Basic principles, recent and future policy initiatives 2.1.1. Vocational education within the education system 2.1.1.1. Compulsory (vocational) education 2.1.1.1.1. Policy on compulsory VET education Contrary to most other European countries, education in Belgium is compulsory up to 18 years. 28 The Belgian Constitution is central to the Belgian education legislation, which guarantees freedom of education. This is a two-sided freedom: - The active freedom for every natural or legal person to organise education and to set up institutions to that end. - The freedom of choice of school for pupils and their parents. This active freedom, which in Flanders is often called pedagogical freedom, entails the rights of establishment, orientation (e.g. religion) and organisation for schools. As a consequence, the decisive power of the school boards and school management cannot be curtailed in a manner that is clearly unreasonable and/or unequal. The Constitution prohibits all preventative measures. However, these may not be confused with regulatory measures. Freedom of choice of school and right of registration means that parents and their children should have access to a school of their choice. Every pupil who meets the general admission requirements (in terms of age and capability) is entitled to register in the school selected by their parents (in consultation with the pupil aged 12 years or older). According to the type of organising body, we distinguish: - Public schools set up by public administration (Community, provinces, cities, municipalities or other statutory bodies) - Subsidised private schools set up by a natural person or an entity governed by private law.

According to the type of financial resources, we distinguish between financing and subsidising by the State: - Flemish Community education (GO!) is directly and fully funded by the Flemish Community. - Subsidised education receives subsidies from the Flemish Community, provided it complies with the programme and meets rationalisation standards and certain accreditation criteria. Since 2008, a new financing system for compulsory education ensures that the operational resources for all schools are distributed according to the same operational criteria. An educational network is a representative association of governing bodies and often takes over some of their responsibilities. E.g. they draw up their own curriculum and timetables. The governing bodies surrender some of their autonomy to the networks. The three main educational networks often include both secondary schools and centres for adult education. GO! Education of the Flemish Community is publicly run education, organised by the public body GO! Onderwijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, acting under the authority of the Flemish Community. According to the constitution, GO! Education is required to be secular. Publicly funded, publicly run education (OGO) comprises municipal education (organised by local authorities) as well as provincial education (organised by provincial authorities). The governing bodies of this education network are united in two umbrella organisations: the Educational Secretariat of the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (OVSG) and the Flemish Provincial Education (POV). Publicly funded, privately run schools (VGO) deliver education organised by a private person or a private organisation. The governing body is often a non-profit organisation (vzw). Privately run education mainly consists of Catholic schools, associated in the umbrella body Flemish Secretariat for Catholic Education (VSKO). 29 Compulsory secondary education consists of 3 stages of 2 years each, starting at age 12 until age 18. Vocational education starts mainly from the second stage, although there are a small percentage of pupils who follow the B stream, directly preparing for the 2 nd and 3 rd stage vocational programmes. This B stream does not give access to general (ASO) and technical (TSO) education in the 2 nd and 3 rd stages. Since this is a very small group of pupils, the B stream will not be discussed further in this document.

Situation of secondary education (1 September 2009) 1 st stage 1 st year A 2 nd year 1 st year B + preparatory vocational year 2 nd stage General secondary education (ASO) 1 st year ASO 2 nd year ASO Technical secondary education (TSO) 1 st year TSO 2 nd year TSO Artistic secondary education (KSO) 1 st year KSO 2 nd year KSO Vocational secondary education (BSO) 1 st year BSO 2 nd year BSO 3 rd stage 1 st year ASO 2 nd year ASO 1 st year TSO 2 nd year TSO 1 st year KSO 2 nd year KSO 1 st year BSO 2 nd year BSO 3 rd year BSO In secondary vocational education (BSO), a 3 rd year is added in the 3 rd stage. Although not compulsory, pupils in the BSO track can only receive a diploma of secondary education by following this 7 th year. After the 2 nd year of the 3 rd stage, they only receive an attestation. 30 Until September 2009, secondary technical education (TSO) also had a 3 rd year in the 3 rd stage, although pupils were not required to complete this year in order to get their diploma of secondary education. With the Act of April 2009, these programmes have been renamed into secondary after secondary programmes (Se-n-Se). 2.1.1.1.2. Recent acts that have affected compulsory VET education a. Modularisation in secondary vocational education The modularisation experiment, which started in 2000, was designed for pupils attending vocationally oriented training courses. The experiment was started in 10 out of 20 study areas in compulsory vocational education (BSO), in the dual system (only in the part-time vocational education system, not in Syntra s apprenticeship system) and the special education vocational programmes. A modular structure makes it possible for learners interim successes to be expressed in (modular) certificates, thus enhancing their chances of entering the labour market. This combats the problem of pupils leaving school without qualifications, while at the same time the experience of success gives pupils a strong motivation for lifelong learning. Vocational training courses are organised in individual study areas and are independent of stages or years of study. Within an area of study, pupils choose from the different vocational courses (learning pathways) defined by the government. The learning pathway consists of one or more modules, the contents of which are derived from the occupational profiles drawn up by the social partners (see 2.2.2.1.). For each module the pupil completes, he or she receives a modular certificate recognised by the government. Once the learner has successfully completed the training, they will be issued with a certificate.

In 2008, the experiment was adapted and implemented for all study areas in the part-time educational vocational system within the dual system. Also in BSO and in special vocational education it was made structural for study areas and schools that participated in the project. The modular system has not been generalised for all BSO programmes. One of the reasons is that the remuneration system for teachers is not adapted to the modular system. In schools were - apart from (modular) BSO programmes - teachers are also involved in the linear TSO programmes, this causes problems. b. Act on the dual system Learning and Working A recent Act on Learning and Working (July 2008) aimed at attuning two existing dual systems of learning and working to each other: the apprenticeship system provided by Syntra and the part-time education system provided by centres for part-time education. It also aims at changing students commitment from part-time to full-time. Both systems contain: - A full-time commitment - A programme leading to a profession - Qualifications to be obtained can be profession-oriented certificates or educational certificates such as a diploma of secondary education, so that the same qualifications as the full-time compulsory secondary vocational education (BSO) can be obtained. - Cooperation with the pupil guidance centres and with VDAB for study and career guidance and support - Compulsory intake/screening procedure before admission. The dual system will be discussed further below (see 3.1.1.3.). 31 c. Act on secondary after secondary education and associate degree With the Act on Se-n-Se and the associate degree, the 3 rd year of the 3 rd stage of secondary technical education (TSO) and the 4 th stage of secondary vocational education (BSO) was abandoned. Until 2009, there were 3 courses in the 4 th stage: nursing (majority of students), plastic arts and fashion design. Since September 2009, nursing has become an associate degree (although as an exception still organised by secondary schools). By 2012, the courses of plastic arts and fashion design will either have to become 3 rd years of the 3 rd stage of secondary vocational education, or secondary after secondary educational programmes. d. Paper on changing secondary education The paper Quality and opportunities for every pupil: a vision on the renewal of secondary education was published at the end of the last legislative term (May 2009). An independent commission was assigned by Minister of Education Frank Vandenbroucke (2004-2009) to outline a vision for the future of secondary education in Flanders. In contrast to primary, higher and adult education, there were a number of smaller changes to the system of secondary education in the past years, but no fundamental adjustments. A year long, the independent commission discussed and reflected with stakeholders and experts, all with direct experience in schools, policy and secondary education. The commission s report points out the strong points of secondary education in Flanders: high quality compulsory education until age 18, good transfer of knowledge, attention for pupil guidance, committed school teams, a fairly good balance between local autonomy and central steering There are also clear areas for improvement: many pupils make a wrong choice in their studies, with obvious consequences in their study career. There is a high amount of study delay, which means that pupils are not in their age group, and a high dropout rate.

Another weak point is the waterfall effect, meaning that a pupil starts in general education (ASO) but does not succeed, moves on to technical education (TSO) and if he or she does not succeed there either, goes on to vocational full-time education (BSO), and finally part-time education (dual system) which clearly shows the status of the dual system in our secondary education system. There is a limited focus on the application of knowledge, creativity, teamwork and communication, and insufficient attention is being paid to learning how to critically process the stream of information. Finally, there is a difficult transition between primary and secondary education and also from secondary to higher education. The paper contains many proposals in different areas. Only those directly related to VET are discussed here: 32 - The commission proposes a system in which pupils can gradually develop and explore their own talents and interests by getting to know broad areas of interest from the last years of primary education on, but certainly in the 1 st stage of secondary education. - The commission proposes a broad 1 st stage of secondary education in which pupils do not yet have to make choices excluding certain subjects. However, learning how to choose is central. The 1 st stage should provide a broad foundation, focusing on languages, mathematics and sciences, and providing a basis in technology, society, economy, art and culture. - This does not exclude different approaches. For the 2 nd and 3 rd stages, the commission proposes a distinction between vocational and continuing programmes, where study areas and courses are grouped in areas of interest instead of the current distinction between general, technical and vocational education. At all times, there must be structural ways to change direction by building bridges between continuing and vocational tracks. The reform of secondary education will be a priority in the current legislative term. 2.1.1.2. Adult education Adult education in Flanders consists of four levels: 1. Adult basic education, organised by centres for adult basic education (CBE) 2. Secondary adult education, organised by centres for adult education (CVO) 3. Associate degrees, organised by centres for adult education (CVO) 4. Specific teacher training programmes, organised by centres for adult education (CVO). We will only consider the last three levels as VET. In June 2007, a new Act provided the legal framework for a thorough reform of adult education, which, amongst others, resolutely opted for the following goals: - A modular structure for all programmes - All programmes should pursue competences as defined in the programme profiles, as designed by a newly established steering board for adult education. - A new support structure for adult education - The introduction of the associate degree - Elimination of the distinction between vocational and technical programmes in secondary adult education programmes - Creation of 13 regional consultation platforms or adult education consortiums.

- The tuition fee is raised to 1/hour, with a maximum of 400 per programme. These reforms were gradually introduced between 1 September 2007 and 1 September 2008. The Act on Adult education of 2007 was quickly followed by the Act on secondary after secondary education and the associate degree in April 2009. One part dealt with the secondary after secondary education (Sen-Se) programmes, provided by secondary schools but not part of compulsory education. The other (main) part regulated associate degrees or the short cycle of higher education. The aim of the Act was to attune both types of programmes better to the needs of the labour market, using the Flemish Qualifications Structure as a leading element. The Act was also used to position both programmes better. In the past, they suffered from an unclear position. Therefore they did not attract enough students and were not being valued enough on the labour market. Apart from centres for adult education, university colleges will now also be able to organise associate degrees, and stronger cooperation between university colleges and centres for adult education is encouraged. Likewise, stronger cooperation with SYNTRA Vlaanderen and VDAB is encouraged. In this decree, the associate degree is directly linked to the Flemish Qualifications Structure, i.e. at level 5 of the Flemish Qualifications Structure or the Short Cycle within the European Higher Education Area. Positioning the associate degree in the Short Cycle of higher education affected the quality assurance system for this degree in centres for adult education. It changed from the inspectorate (secondary education) to the system of quality assurance in higher education, with an accreditation procedure by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. This organisation is already responsible for quality assurance in the other higher education programmes. A consequence of linking the associate degree directly with the Flemish Qualifications Structure is the tight connection of the programmes with the job competence profiles designed by Flanders Social and Economic Council. The competences described in these profiles serve as minimum objectives in the associate degree programmes (see 2.2.2.1.). 33 2.1.1.3. Professional bachelor as part of higher education Flemish higher education consists of three levels: The bachelor programmes, which can be academic or professional The master programmes The doctoral programmes Only the professional bachelor programmes are considered VET. The signing of the Bologna Declaration in 1999 led to this new, radical reorganisation of higher education in Flanders. The implementation of the Bologna Declaration in Flanders was shaped by the Higher Education Reform Act (Structuurdecreet) of 4 April 2003, the Act on Participation (Participatiedecreet) of 19 March 2004 and the Act on Flexibilisation (flexibiliseringsdecreet) of 30 April 2004. The Higher Education Reform Act of 2003 reformed higher education into an integrated higher education system, as shown in the table below, and saw the establishment of five university associations. This means that every university college is part of one of the associations formed around the five Flemish universities.

Table 4: The structure of higher education in Flanders Organised by Associate degree 4 Bachelor degree Centres for adult education University colleges Professional Bachelor Academically oriented Bachelor Advanced Bachelor s programmes Master degree Master degree programmes Advanced Master s programmes Promotion to the title of doctor University colleges University colleges University colleges in association with a university University colleges in association with a university University colleges in association with a university Universities Universities Universities Universities 34 The Flexibilisation Act adjusted the organisation of education, i.e. the introduction of a system of study progress through the accumulation of credits, introducing a fully flexible study system. Moreover, open access to higher education was established. The Act concerning a new financing system for higher education (university colleges, universities and associations) led to an Act in the spring of 2008. It will apply in a similar way to the entire higher education system. The policy objectives of the new system are: - Promotion of participation in and a successful completion of higher education - Increasing the efficiency of learning paths and making institutions responsible for their study progress policy - Enhancing democratisation and accessibility - Improving the chances of higher education for youths from ethnic minorities - A more effective and rationalised educational provision - Financing of more flexible itineraries, with due regard for study progress and successful completion - Successfully implementing the academisation of the former two-cycle university college programmes - Stimulating the quality of scientific research. The Act on the Associate Degree of April 2009 allows university colleges to organise the associate degree besides centres for adult education as of 1 September 2009. University colleges and centres for adult education are encouraged to join forces in organising these programmes. University colleges are also required to design short-track programmes into their professional bachelor programmes if there is an occupational link between the two.

2.1.2. The Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training: SYNTRA Vlaanderen The mission of the Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) under the supervision of the Ministry of Work and Social Economy 8 - is to stimulate more and better entrepreneurship. This agency acts as a co-ordinator for entrepreneurial learning in Flanders by organising, stimulating, supporting and subsidising different activities for SMEs, self-employed people, managers and their staff. The Agency uses of a network structure consisting of - SYNTRA Vlaanderen (= the Agency itself), consisting of o The headquarters in Brussels o Five bases in the Flemish provinces - Five institutions (= SYNTRA), which are independent non-profit organisations. Together, these five SYNTRA institutions have 24 training centres in total. - External partnerships for thematic cooperation (e.g. social partners, cities, associations for immigrants ) The training centres are recognised, subsidised and monitored by SYNTRA Vlaanderen (an agency of the Flemish government). Most of the decisions are made at the Flemish level, e.g. the number of students in a class group, student selection criteria, entry criteria, curriculum in theoretical VET, content of practical training, teacher salaries This vocational training network is responsible for the following training levels: 1. Apprenticeship system: a system of alternating learning in which the apprenticeship trainee gains practical experience in a work environment under the guidance of a tutor-supervisor. This training leads to a (regulated) profession. 2. Entrepreneurial training: This training is organised (mainly in evening or weekend sessions, sometimes during the day) in the SYNTRA training centres. Two kinds of programmes are being offered: business management / business administration and technical, vocational training. This training leads to a (regulated) profession and aims at stimulating students towards entrepreneurship and self-employment. 3. Additional training or specialisation: because small and medium enterprises grow, markets develop and new techniques arise, there will always be a need for training, both for new companies and established entrepreneurs. Additional training can be organised by the SYNTRA training centres and is certified. There are short- and long-term modules about topics such as technical aspects of a profession, or new legislation. 4. Tailor-made training programmes for companies (not discussed in this review). 35 8 The apprenticeship system for youngsters is also supervised by the Ministry of Education.

Specific characteristics of these four training levels are: - Most of the trainers are fully active in their chosen profession and wish to impart their knowledge and experience to students. - Training within the company (on-the-job) is the main element; this is an alternating training system. - Courses in the SYNTRA training centres are in addition to the practical training on the job and complement the practical experience. - Lifelong training throughout the four levels. - Focus on labour market in combination with intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship - Development in the direction of competence-based curricula/programmes and flexible pathways. The network collaborates with other bodies such as VDAB, professional and inter-professional organisations, VLOR (Flemish Education Council) and SERV (Flanders Social and Economic Council). SYNTRA Vlaanderen has a management agreement with the Flemish government about its objectives. As an agency depending on the department of Work and Social Economy, with the apprenticeship system depending on the Ministry of Education and Training, SYNTRA Vlaanderen also has to give input about different policy topics regarding work and education. 36 The Act of 2008 on Learning and Working about the dual system had a big impact on SYNTRA Vlaanderen for the apprenticeship system. For this specific programme, SYNTRA Vlaanderen now falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Training. For the apprenticeship system, SYNTRA Vlaanderen is allowed to award educational qualifications (e.g. diploma of secondary education). For this, they must adhere to the qualification system in effect in secondary education, i.e. the Inspectorate. The Flemish Qualifications Structure will also impact the Syntra network, since all vocational training programmes are now placed within the Flemish Qualifications Structure (see 2.2.2.) 2.1.3. The Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service: VDAB Within the framework of Belgium s language Communities, the Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service (Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding VDAB) was established by Act in 1984. The implementation and transfer of responsibilities only took place after the 1988 revision of the constitution. Unemployment monitoring and payment of unemployment benefits remained the responsibility of the federal National Employment Service. Since 1989, the job placement service has been transferred to Belgium s regions, while vocational training falls under the authority of the Communities: - Flanders: VDAB - Walloon Region: Walloon Public Employment and Vocational Training Service (Office Wallon de la formation professionelle et de l emploi FOREM) - Brussels-Capital Region: The Brussels Regional Employment Office (Brusselse Gewestelijke Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling BGDA). VDAB became an external autonomous agency (EVA) in 2004. Its administration is ensured by the representative Flemish employers and employees organisations. VDAB comes under the authority of the

Flemish minister in charge of Work. VDAB is centrally directed. All matters of training and competence development fall under the authority of a competence centre. The regional operation of these centres is managed on provincial level. The job placement, support and vacancy services fall under the authority of the labour market management board, which is regionally established. The VDAB management agreement and the long-term business plan for 2005-2009 include a number of developments with respect to vocational training. The VDAB competence centres (formerly centres for vocational training) have been consolidated as a prominent cornerstone of the VDAB services. The development of these competence centres dovetails with the Flemish and European objectives of Lifelong Learning to guide all those active on the labour market and to provide them with opportunities to acquire competences. The familiar vocational-specific training programmes (competence development) have been supplemented by information about the labour market (information points), career guidance, specialised screening and certification of competences. With its policy on competences, VDAB wishes to see jobseekers and employees evolve with regard to prior learning, and to test their competences against the skills demanded in job descriptions. The sectorial steering and embedding of these centres must guarantee an enhanced attuning between the competence and training policy and sector developments. These are the guidelines for further development of the VDAB competence centres: A closer and more structured cooperation with the various sectors Coordinated implementation of the agreements ensuing from the sector covenants (see 9.2.6.) Involvement in the implementation of the Act on Certificates of vocational competence and in the broader EVC procedures (Recognition of prior learning) Integration of the basic ICT skills programme Attuning with other public training actors and educational institutions through DIVA Expansion of virtual services and mixed forms of learning and teaching methods to render learning pathways more flexible with regard to talent development in professional careers. 37 As a result of the existing management agreement, VDAB must reach an over-representation of the following target groups: ethnic minorities, disabled people who have difficulties finding employment, older citizens, and semi- and unskilled workers. The competence centres will adapt their methodological processes to these new clients and focus on a suitable pedagogical mix. Some of the intended innovations include creating multicultural learning environments by means of selfcoaching course participant teams, remedial programmes for adults with learning difficulties, building up expertise in culturally neutral testing and teaching materials. In view of its long-term job plan, the Flemish government invests extra resources in the guidance of longterm unemployed people suffering from serious medical, mental, psychological and/or psychiatric problems (the MMPP issue) in order to integrate them into the Mainstream Economic Circuit, the sheltered circuit or employment care. Since 2007, VDAB calls on non-commercial and commercial counselling services to achieve this guidance through Tendering Activation Guidance. The Flemish Qualifications Structure will also impact the vocational programmes of VDAB, since all vocational training programmes will be placed within the FQS (see 2.2.2.).

2.2. Towards an integrated policy for education, training and work When a new Flemish government was formed in 2004, for the first time the same minister was responsible for both education and work. This allowed for a more integrated policy vision on education and vocational and entrepreneurial training. This policy is aimed at: - Encouraging lifelong and lifewide learning. This starts in compulsory education, encompasses learning throughout life and contains all forms of learning, both informal and formal and both general and vocationally oriented; - Strengthening the link between education, training and non-formal education on the one hand, and the labour market on the other hand. This comprises matters such as attuning educational, training and schooling programmes to the changing demand for competences in the business world, the possibility to acquire work experience, valorisation of competences, appreciation of vocationally oriented learning, mutual tuning of education, training and study programmes in view of a larger efficiency and effectiveness, and more proper labour market mobility. The integrated policy was shaped by means of an integrating structure in 2005. The ministerial cooperation that was set up will soon be reinforced in a mutual management committee of the ministries of Education and Training and Work and Social Economy and in a cooperation protocol. A cooperation protocol was also signed for ministerial cooperation between Education and Training and Culture, Youth and Sports. Since the elections of June 2009, however, the responsibilities for work and education no longer fall under the responsibility of the same minister. 38 Apart from structural cooperation at the level of the Flemish administrations, a number of other policy initiatives have led to a closer integration of education, training and work. These are discussed further in 2.2.1., 2.2.2. and 2.2.3. 2.2.1. The Competence Agenda for Flanders On 14 May 2007, social partners (employers and employees) and the Flemish Government agreed on the Competence Agenda. This consists of 10 priorities aimed at recognising and deploying the capacities and competences of students, jobseekers and employees. A new aspect in this approach is the extra attention for the employed. The priorities of the Competence Agenda related to VET are: 1. Developing competences in education Careers are born in education. Therefore, extra investments are made in guidance and improvement of pupils study and career choice. The Pupil Guidance Centres (see 8.1.1.5.) will play an important role here, in close collaboration with VDAB, companies and sectors. One of the concrete results of this closer collaboration is an action plan for the joint project My career. In this project every pupil will receive an electronic portfolio containing all his or her individual competences. The idea is to update this virtual file throughout the person s entire career and to use it as a tool for job applications, training or career moves. 2. Acquiring competences through learning and working Besides acquiring technical competences, pupils must develop social skills and a healthy work

attitude. The social partners commit to mobilising companies for a growth path by creating 75,000 work placements per year for pupils in technical and vocational secondary education, and 30,000 work placements over a five year period for teachers of practical and technology education. For youngsters in part-time education, efforts are being made for a full-time commitment. Training schemes for jobseekers will make more use of work placements, in order to facilitate employment. Work placement officers will be recruited to ensure a better balance between supply and demand. The quality of workplace learning will be improved as well. 3. Action plan independent entrepreneurship for education Flanders entrepreneurial spirit needs a boost. That is the objective of the entrepreneurial education action plan. As early as pre-school education, a sense of initiative should be stimulated. More information, better sensitisation, and a dialogue and partnerships with the Flemish business community are all part of the new approach. 4. Recognition of acquired competences on the labour market Highlighting all available competences and experience is essential for the labour market. In this respect, the certificate of experience 9 will be a useful instrument. More test centres for more occupations, a faster development of standards and more promotion can help improve responsiveness to the needs of the labour market. A coherent and coordinated vision will be created to make the different APEL instruments (Accreditation of prior experience and learning) from culture, education and work complementary. 5. Scaling up the approach to youth unemployment Experiments in 13 major cities prove that faster and more intensive responsiveness to unemployed youths pays off. Based on these experiences, a direct, intensive approach is developed for all young school-leavers in Flanders with a diploma of secondary education or less. A tailor-made approach and sustainable employment are key words. 39 38,000,000 are earmarked for all the actions of the Competence Agenda. The first 10,000,000 were spent in 2007, and 14,000,000 yearly in 2008 and 2009. Both the Flemish Government and the social partners endorse the importance of the Competence Agenda and explicitly commit to all priorities. In addition, they jointly invite the education sector to a constructive discussion about the agenda, in order to arrive at a mutual commitment with them as well. The actions will be thoroughly evaluated in time within VESOC (Flemish Economic and Social Consultative Committee). 2.2.2. The Flemish Qualifications Structure The Act on the Flemish Qualifications Structure (FQS, Vlaamse kwalificatiestructuur) was adopted in April 2009, simultaneously with the Act on secondary after secondary education and the Associate degree. In fact, the latter Act was the first far-reaching implementation of the Flemish Qualifications Structure in education. The FQS goes back to the recommendation of the European Parliament to adopt the European Qualification Framework and convert it into a national qualifications framework. The 2009 Act defines the National Qualifications Structure (FQS) as...a systematic classification of 9 For certain professions, one can obtain a certificate of experience in a specific assessment centre. This certificate can be obtained based on an assessment that tests the individual s professional experience and is not linked to a study programme. The certificate is linked to professional standards defined by social partners. It offers the opportunity to recognise formal, non-formal and informal learning.

recognised qualifications based on a generally adopted qualifications framework (FQS). The structure aims at making qualifications and their mutual relations transparent, so that relevant stakeholders in education (students, pupils and providers) and in the labour market (social partners)...can communicate unambiguously about qualifications and the associated competences. The Act underlines that the structure should act as a reference for quality assurance, for the development and renewal of educational and training programmes as well as for the comparison (at national and European level) of qualifications. The Act emphasises the role of the Qualifications Structure as a reference for validation of non-formal and informal learning and as an orientation point for guidance and counselling. The Qualifications Structure will ultimately organise the tremendous variety of different certificates and diplomas and will provide a common language on competences that will bridge the world of labour, cultural work, education, etc. The FQS is a joint reference for the development of a coordinated and coherent policy for the recognition of competences. 40 Like the European qualification framework, the FQS consists of eight levels. Each level is described with elements of knowledge, skills, contextual elements, autonomy and responsibility. Within this framework, two kinds of qualifications will be described below: the professional qualification (beroepskwalificatie) and the educational qualification (onderwijskwalificatie). Both are described with the same elements, but there is a distinction in the way each qualification will be formally recognised and put into a level of the FQS. The 2009 Act underlines that these two main types of Flemish qualifications are well-defined sets of competences to which a level of the Flemish Qualifications Structure is assigned. In professional qualifications, these sets of competences are to be practiced within a profession; in educational qualifications they indicate what is required to function and participate in society as well as for progressing in education and training. The Act stresses that both professional and educational qualifications can be found at all eight levels of the framework. 2.2.2.1. Professional qualifications The professional qualifications originate from the occupational profiles that the Flanders Social and Economic Council (SERV) is describing for each profession. SERV is the consultative and advisory body of the Flemish social partners. It consists of 10 employer representatives from BB (Farmers Union), Unizo (Union of self-employed business owners), Verso (Union of Social Profit enterprises) and Voka (Flanders Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and 10 representatives from the Flemish labour unions (ABVV, ACLVB, and ACV). SERV is first of all a consultative body in which the social partners gather to determine their common viewpoints and formulate recommendations and advice. Its representative composition provides SERV with a strong social anchoring. SERV focuses on the core areas and topics of socio-economic importance. Today, SERV is working intensively on employment, the environment, budget, tax law, etc, and on education. SERV s educational work focuses on the link between education and the labour market and lifelong learning. Since 1997, Flanders Social and Economic Council has described approximately 250 professions, using a scientific method and in close cooperation with the social partners and the sectors. An occupational profile is a detailed description of the competences an experienced person in a job needs to have in order to practice the profession. Since 2000, SERV has also been drawing up occupational structures. These describe how different occupations interrelate within a sector. The aim of these profiles is to gather information about occupations and competences in different

sectors. This serves as a basis for educational programmes, to help young people choose their studies and occupation, as an aid for HRM policy, career guidance and assessment. In this way, SERV supports the outline of content for education, syllabi, vocational training at VDAB and SYNTRA, career guidance for young people and acknowledgement of prior learning (APL). SERV is currently reforming its occupational profiles. In 2010 a new system, Competent, will become operational. This is a renewed ICT-supported system for developing occupational structures, occupational profiles and competence standards. Competent is based on the French ROME system and covers all occupations and professions. There will be a broader input from experts (sectorial social partners, the direct field and possibly other experts). The occupational profiles will be assigned a level in the Flemish Qualifications Structure. This will be decided in ad hoc commissions, consisting of social partners and representatives from education and training. Only then is a professional qualification formally recognised. 2.2.2.2. Educational qualifications Besides professional qualifications, there will also be educational qualifications in the FQS. These can only be obtained by education (e.g. a diploma for secondary education, a bachelor s or master s degree, an associate degree). Educational qualifications will therefore be developed exclusively by educational partners and will automatically be assigned a level in the Flemish Qualifications Structure. A vocational programme in education will lead to an educational qualification. However, the educational qualification can consist of one or more professional qualifications plus an amount of general education. In compulsory vocational and technical education, the educational qualification has to consist of at least one professional qualification, with the competences described in it serving as final objectives (to be incorporated into the curriculum). The Act on secondary after secondary education (Se-n-Se) and the associate degree is a far-reaching application of this principle. The Se-n-Se programmes and associate degree programmes lead to an educational qualification of level 4 resp level 5 of the FQS and contain at least one professional qualification of level 4 resp level 5 of the FQS. 41 As a consequence of the Act on the FQS, the final objectives of a vocational programme in Education are now determined, at least partly, by the social partners and Flanders Social and Economic Council (SERV) instead of the educational stakeholders. This has been a major turning point in the educational VET system. For the FQS, however, the implementation phase has only started now. 2.2.2.3. Flemish Agency for Quality Assurance The Act underlines that the framework should act as a reference for quality assurance. The quality assurance is being monitored through the establishment of a new Flemish Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Training (Agentschap voor Kwaliteitszorg in Onderwijs en Vorming AKOV). This agency will cover all types and levels of qualifications and is thus a key to the overall credibility and success of the overarching framework, at a national as well as a European level (in relation to the EQF). The Agency was established on 1 May 2009. It is responsible for quality assurance for all trajectories leading to recognized qualifications in education and vocational training and for trajectories towards recognising acquired competences (EVC).

The Flemish Agency for Quality Assurance has three operational targets: 1. Determining the final objectives of learning trajectories and trajectories to recognise acquired competences (EVC) 2. Assuring the quality of the institutions involved 3. Guaranteeing clear and unambiguous certification processes The quality assurance of educational qualifications from levels 6 to 8 is monitored through the NVAO (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie), the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. NVAO was established by international treaty. It independently ensures and contributes to enhancing the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders, by assessing and accrediting qualifications and programmes. NVAO contributes to the increase of quality awareness within higher education and to improving the position of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders in the national and international context. 2.2.3. Priorities in the Flemish Government Agreement (2009-2013) In June 2009, Flanders elected a new parliament. A new minister for Education and Training was appointed in July 2009: Pascal Smet (Socialist Party, sp.a). He is also in charge of Youth, Equal Opportunities and Brussels Affairs. A new minister for Work and Social Economy was also appointed: Philippe Muyters, Nationalist-Flemish Party, nva). He is also responsible for Finance, Budget, Town and Country Planning and Sport. 42 The Flemish Government Agreement, adopted in July 2009, is a continuation of the ambitious Flanders in Action project (Vlaanderen in Actie ViA), which was started up in 2006. The Flemish government and its social partners took the first step towards a new future plan for Flanders: Pact 2020. By 2020, Flanders must assume its place among the top regions in Europe economically, socially, and ecologically. To reach a breakthrough in these areas, 20 concrete goals were formulated. The Flemish government and the social partners signed the Pact 2020 and committed to executing it. The government Agreement puts forward a number of priorities concerning education. The main policies that have implications for VET are: 1. The importance of work-based learning. With a compulsory work-based learning experience (work placement), pupils in vocational and technical education are able to explore the world of working and entrepreneurship early on. The importance of work-based learning for teachers is also stressed. This will be reflected in a strong policy. 2. An important threat to the educational system is the predicted shortage of teaching staff. The government will research this problem together with the sector. Special attention is required for Flemish education in Brussels. Initiatives will be taken to ensure that people with work experience in the private sector can move to a job in education. All levels of education must aim at engaging people with higher qualifications in the educational process. The current linear career must be changed, and a wider task differentiation must be adopted and optimised. Initiatives are needed to encourage older teaching staff to continue working. All teaching staff must receive opportunities to professionalize themselves on a continuous basis. 3. The reform of secondary education (see 2.1.1.)

4. The implementation of the associate degree (see 2.1.1.2.) 5. Giving everybody the chance for lifelong learning. Possible barriers need to be lifted. Study grants must be provided for students in the associate degree and in adult education (currently only for higher and secondary education) (see also 10.2.). 6. Elder people who are no longer active on the labour market must be able to gain learning experience. 7. The assessment of competences acquired in formal, informal and non-formal learning contexts must be made possible in every learning trajectory. 8. In order to strongly reduce the number of unskilled people (without a diploma or starters qualification), more school-career guidance will be combined with optimal attuning between education and labour market. The pupil guidance centres (CLBs) will be strengthened in their tasks and every pupil must have professional study career guidance from preschool on and throughout compulsory education. Better cooperation between the policy areas of work, welfare, health, family and education must be reached. More attention needs to be given to guidance and orientation of adult students in their lifelong learning process. 9. Cooperation between the policy areas of work and education, mainly for the implementation of the Flemish Qualifications Structure, will be made structural under the form of a management committee. A task force consisting of VDAB and the pupil guidance centres will be continued. 43 10. The tasks of the Regional Technological Centres will be expanded. These are cooperation structures between education and business that take action at provincial level in the areas of infrastructure, work placements for students and in-company work placements / continuing education for teachers. The structural cooperation between the VDAB competence centres and the educational institutions will be continued. 11. A structural approach needs to be adopted for the so-called vocational track. It must be made clear which form of training leads to which qualification. This also entails a strong commitment from the sectors and the implementation of secondary after secondary education and the associate degree. 12. In secondary technical and vocational education and in the professional bachelor, vocational programmes must be created for technicians of the future with a thorough training towards green technology. 13. The culture of entrepreneurship must be encouraged, also for people from disadvantaged backgrounds and other target groups. SYNTRA Vlaanderen plays an important role in the training of entrepreneurs. Consciousness-raising of the general public, in schools, and with the unemployed is necessary in order to allow more people to become entrepreneurs. An Entrepreneurial Education and Training plan of action will be designed in order to stimulate local initiatives. Entrepreneurial competences will become a part of the life skills final objectives in schools and of the occupational profile of teachers.

44 3

Different types of 45 VET programmes and statistical information

The table below lists the number of students enrolled in different programmes, the delivery of the programme, entry requirements and the qualification received at the end of each programme. In terms of numbers of students/hours spent in VET programmes, the programmes with the largest group of VET students are to be found in compulsory secondary vocational and technical education, followed by secondary adult education. The delivery of a programme differs: modular (in meaningful blocks), linear (all separate courses, to be followed consecutively, with a limited amount of flexibility), or fully flexible (separate courses, to be chosen (but often with restrictions)), with a slight majority of students in a modular system. Below the table is a description of each programme with available information about dropout, school delay and employment. 46

Table 5: Initial VET programmes in Flanders Initial VET programmes No. of students enrolled in school year 2007-2008 Delivery of the programme Full-time/part-time Linear/ modular/ fully flexible (credit system) Total in reference to related programmes Entry requirements Qualification after completion Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of vocational secondary education (BSO) 5 75,462 Full-time (possible to follow part-time) Linear/modular 26% in the population of secondary education 2 nd, 3 rd stage 6 ISCED 2A Certificate (getuigschrift) after 2 nd year of 3 rd stage Diploma of secondary education after 3 rd year of 3 rd stage (4 th stage of vocational secondary education) 4,614 Full-time (possible to follow part-time) Modular ISCED 3 Diploma of secondary education + certificate Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (TSO) (excluding Se-n-Se) 92,115 Full-time (possible to follow part-time) Linear 32% in the population of secondary education 2 nd, 3 rd stage ISCED 2A Diploma of secondary education 3 rd year of 3 rd stage of TSO = secondary after secondary education (Se-n-Se) 1,826 Full-time Linear ISCED 3C Diploma of secondary education or assessment of competences Certificate of secondary after secondary education 47 Dual system: part-time education and apprenticeship for 15-25 year olds 6,687 (part-time education schools) 4,954 (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) Total: 11,957 Full-time Modular (part-time education) / linear 1 st stage of secondary education + age requirement (+15) Pupils can obtain educational qualifications such as the diploma for secondary education, but also separate professional qualifications, depending on the highest level achieved. Associate degree 17,823 Part-time or fulltime (mostly part-time) Modular / Fully flexible ISCED 3C Diploma of secondary education or assessment of competences) + age requirement (+18) Diploma of associate degree (graduaatsdiploma) Professional bachelor degree 80,010 Full-time or parttime (mostly fulltime) Fully flexible 76% of bachelor degrees in university colleges 47% of higher education degrees ISCED 3C Diploma of secondary education or assessement of competences + age requirement (+18) Degree of bachelor

Table 6: Continuing VET programmes in Flanders Continuing VET programmes Nr. of students enrolled in school year 2007-2008 Delivery of the programme Full-time/parttime Linear/modular/fully flexible (credit system) Entry requirements Total in reference to related programmes Secondary adult education, vocational programmes 134,426 7 Part-time Modular ISCED 1 or assessment of competences + 18 y Depending on level of achievement Certificates or diploma of secondary education Associate degree See above See above See above See above See above Vocational programmes focused on labour market (VDAB) 48,924 Part-time Modular + 18 Attestation Certificate (VDAB) Certificate (based on law, e.g. driver s licence) 48 Entrepreneurial training courses and additional courses (SYNTRA) 25,535 (vocational course) 8 6,303 (business course) 9,211 (additional training certified) Part-time or full-time, depending on the possibilities and wishes of the student Modular (exceptionally linear) +18 Commitment to obtain practical experience through employment, entrepreneurial agreement, work-based training, additional practical course After completion of vocational + business administration: diploma of entrepreneurial training Only vocational or only business administration: certificate Additional training: certificate

3.1. Initial VET programmes 3.1.1. Compulsory secondary vocational and technical education (BSO and TSO) In Flanders, a distinction is made between vocational and technical compulsory secondary education. Together, these make up nearly 60% of the total number of pupils in the 2 nd and 3 rd stage of compulsory secondary education. If a pupil successfully finishes the 3 rd stage, he or she receives a diploma of secondary education, which equals a diploma of secondary education obtained in the general educational track. However, only in the vocational education track (BSO), the 3 rd stage of secondary education lasts 3 instead of 2 years. 3.1.1.1. Compulsory secondary technical education (TSO) TSO emphasises the application of theoretical knowledge into practical skills. The objective of TSO is twofold: preparing pupils for a professional career or for higher technical education. After 2 years in the 3 rd stage, pupils obtain a diploma of secondary education. The 3 rd year of the 3 rd stage in TSO is a noncompulsory specialisation year (now called Se-n-Se ). TSO has 22 study areas. In Flanders, there is a significant difference in the number of pupils with a school delay in different forms of secondary education. School delay means that a pupil is delayed in his or her study career, compared to pupils of the same age. In the 2 nd year of the 3 rd stage of TSO, 41.2% of the pupils have a school delay (59.6% male, 40.4% female), compared to 13.3 % in general education. 49 School-leavers: Approx 13,421 pupils successfully completed the 3 rd stage of TSO in 2008. Less than 1/10 of them are still looking for a job after one year (8.4% male, 10,4% female). 2% of all school-leavers did not yet have any work experience after one year, which is considered a good result. Between June 2008 and February 2009, the number of male jobseekers graduated in the study areas of Construction, Wood and Cars has doubled. Also in Tourism and Nutrition, male school-leavers suffer in times of recession, while females in these study areas, surprisingly, do better, despite the deteriorating economic situation. The school-leavers study from 2006-2007 clearly shows that TSO pupils who follow an extra specialisation year (now called Se-n-Se) increase their chances of finding employment within the year (see also 5.). 3.1.1.2. Compulsory vocational education (BSO) Compulsory Vocational secondary education is a practice-based form of education in which youngsters receive a general education and simultaneously are trained for a specific vocation. Full-time vocational education is not only attended by youngsters with practical talents who want to train in a specific vocation, but also by pupils whose previous school career often as far back as primary education has been marked by failures or learning difficulties.

BSO has 19 study areas. School delay is even more striking in BSO than in TSO. 57.6% of the pupils have a delay in their school career in the 2 nd year of the 3 rd stage of BSO. This is 61.7% of male pupils and 52.9% female (compared to 13.3% in general education) School-leavers: Approx 14,756 pupils successfully completed the 3 rd and 4 th stages of BSO in 2009. 10 The number of school-leavers who did not gain any work experience within the year declined sharply (from 3.1% in 2008 to 1.9%). The most popular study area for male pupils is Office and data management, for female pupils Care. In this area too, the economic crisis has hit male pupils harder than female pupils. 3.1.1.3. Dual System: Apprenticeship and Centres for Part-time Education With the Act of 2008 about the dual system, two existing systems for combining learning and working in compulsory secondary education were attuned. A full-time commitment of the students was implemented (vs part-time previously). Yet, there still remain differences. 3.1.1.3.1. Apprenticeship 50 From the age of 15 (+ after successful completion of the 1 st stage of secondary education) or 16 on, pupils can conclude an apprenticeship contract with an employer-instructor/supervisor. This system complies with (part-time) compulsory education in Belgium (until the age of 18). For the majority of professions to be learned in the apprenticeship system, the only requirement is the minimum age. There are a few exceptions: professions for which higher standards are set as to level or age, e.g. dental technician, optician (successful completion of 3 rd year of secondary level or 4 th year of vocational secondary level (BSO) required), Students are allowed to enter and stay in this system between the ages of 15 and 25. After succeeding in the general education part and the professional part (practice in company and courses), the apprentice can obtain different certificates. He or she can then opt for a job in the company, become an employer, or go on to the entrepreneurial training or further education. Since a few years, apprentices who have ended a contract because of a problematic situation are allowed to follow a preparatory trajectory (voortraject). This pathway is organised by an external partner and focuses on finding a job, developing a work attitude, etc. The pupils have to follow this programme for 12 hours a week (besides their courses at SYNTRA). The maximum duration of this programme is 6 months. The main purpose is to re-enter the dual system. Preparatory trajectories are only followed in case of temporary default of an apprenticeship contract, i.e. rarely. 10 Before the Act of April 2009 on the Associate degree, the degree of nursing was called 4 th stage of BSO. The total percentage will therefore not be completely accurate for the 3 rd stage only. The data of this programme will be discussed under the associate degree (see 3.1.3).

In SYNTRA s apprenticeship system, the apprentice gets the opportunity to learn the profession in the day-to-day practice of a company, 4 days a week (5 days a week during school holidays). This work-based training is compulsory for all participants in this system. The apprentice spends a fifth day in a SYNTRA training centre. (19 of the 24 SYNTRA training centres organise the courses for the apprenticeship system.) There they get an additional vocational training and a general education course. These courses are strongly oriented towards practice. If necessary, pupils can follow extra lessons in a smaller class group. Learning a profession in this system takes 1 to 3 years, depending on prior knowledge. The employer is the main instructor of the youngster during the apprenticeship period. Another very important person is the apprenticeship secretary/counsellor. He or she guides the apprentice and keeps contact with all parties involved. The apprenticeship contract must be concluded in writing through an apprenticeship counsellor. The apprenticeship counsellor: - Was previously a self-employed agent with important responsibilities, recognized by the Practice Commission of SYNTRA Vlaanderen, but is since 2005 an employee of SYNTRA Vlaanderen. - Acts as a mediator between the pupil, the parents or guardian and the employer/instructor concluding the apprenticeship contract. - Monitors the administrative part of the contract. - Is responsible for moral and social guidance for the pupil. - Mediates in disputes between the employer/instructor and the pupil. - Keeps in close contact with the pupil, the parents or guardian, the employer/instructor, the SYNTRA centres and their instructors, the pedagogic consultants of SYNTRA Vlaanderen, the regional pupil guidance centres (CLB) and other services and organisations in the region the pupil is in contact with. 51 The apprentice has the status of pupil. He or she complies with compulsory education and is still entitled to child allowance. However, the apprentice is entitled to a fixed apprenticeship allowance from the employer. SYNTRA Vlaanderen examined the dropout rate of apprentices in 2009. Only 40 to 45% of pupils starting in the apprenticeship system complete this pathway. 30% drop out in the first three months of training. 33% drop out after one year of training. The most frequently mentioned reasons for dropout were: - A bad relationship with the employer; - Too low payment, working as an employee (even without qualification) pays more. - Decision to go back to full-time education. Recommendations made by the researchers: - Improve the screening system, the selection and monitoring of apprentices in their training, and the evaluation of the work-based coach. - Present a realistic image to future pupils and stress the fact that they have better chances to find work if they finish the pathway. - Raise the training allowance.

Employment results: - 5 years after ending apprenticeship, 3% is unemployed. - 1 year after ending apprenticeship, 90% has a job. Self-employment - 18% is self-employed after 5 years (10% as their main occupation, 32% has the intention to become self-employed) - 38% of the self-employed already employ other people. Determined and satisfied choice - Pupils who enter the system do so with a positive motivation and attitude. - 67% has a job in line with the followed education. - Satisfaction about the followed education: o Average: 7.47/10 o 82% rates 7/10 or more o 77% would choose for the same profession and education system again. Studie Significant (2008-2009) and VDAB (April 2009) Most pupils in the apprenticeship come from either secondary vocational or technical education. 6% comes from special education. Apprentices are mainly boys (70%). Only 4% are immigrants. 52 Most pupils get a work place position in an SME. 3.1.1.3.2. Learning and working in a centre for part-time education (CDO) In a centre for part-time education (often part of a school for secondary education) pupils can follow the part-time vocational education programme. This includes 15 hours (normally 2 days) of class and 3 days of work-based training. This can comprise: - A real work experience (through different contract types) - An introduction to work experience through a bridging project - An introduction to work experience through modules aimed at attitude and social skills training. The school-based component or work component can be replaced by a personal development trajectory that addresses specific problems. Students have different options for the period not spent in school. The percentages below indicate the percentage of students who attended each type of activity in the school year 2008-2009. Labour participation (36.40%) - Every form of regular labour, paid or not, based on a legal contract - Sports-related training within part-time secondary education, resulting in a vocational qualification related to the chosen sport, organised in agreement with a recognised sports federation - Officially organised voluntary work

- Additional training, formation or courses outside the school for part-time education, specifically aimed at enhancing the opportunities of finding a job - Cultural, social or sports activities organised by a public authority Bridging projects for youngsters who lack certain employability competences: under close guidance, in public services or social workshops (11.90%) Preliminary trajectories for youngsters lacking interest in working: training modules aimed at enhancing employability (13.00%) Personal Development Trajectories for vulnerable youngsters in problematic situations: promotion of self-support and social competences through intensive individual guidance, aimed at a further trajectory towards employability (7.81%) Since 1 September 2009, the courses followed in a centre for part-time education and the work experience have to be fully integrated in order to achieve the targets set for the professional programme. This is a very important step in turning part-time education into a system of alternance training. The data from VDAB show that 75% of the pupils coming from the part-time education system are employed after 1 year (compared to 90% in the apprenticeship system). In the apprenticeship system, only 0.6% did not gain any work experience in this period, compared to 4.4% of pupils having left the part-time educational system. The difference in employment results between the apprenticeship system and the part-time education system in 2007-2008 is substantial. When evaluating this, one has to keep in mind that youngsters can only enter the apprenticeship system once they have a signed contract with an employer. It remains to be seen whether the new Act will change this difference. 53 3.1.2. Non-compulsory secondary after secondary education (previously 3rd year of 3rd stage of secondary technical education (TSO)) Until 1 September 2009, this specialisation programme offered by schools for secondary education was called 7 th year of TSO or 3 rd year of the 3 rd stage of TSO. The programmes are a specialisation of a secondary technical vocational course. The entry requirement for students is a diploma of secondary education. These programmes only attracted approx 1,800 students in 2007-2008, divided over 46 courses. This amounts to no more than 40 students on average per programme. Taking into account that about half of the programmes are being organised by two or more schools, these programmes are scarcely populated. With the Act on secondary after secondary education and the associate degree, a number of changes, apart from the name, were introduced to make the Se-n-Se programmes more flexible and more tuned towards the needs of the labour market. In order to organise a new Se-n-Se programme, Flanders Social and Economic Council (SERV) needs to describe a job competence profile, which needs to be put in the 4 th level in the qualification structure. Then, a secondary school can apply to program the specific course. Strict rules in terms of rationalisation apply for these courses. Finally, a relevant amount of work-based training needs to be incorporated in the programme, like for the associate degree. The obligation to use work-based training is not mentioned in any other Act concerning vocational education.

The main challenges for the secondary after secondary programmes are to make them more attractive for adults and to shorten the procedure for programming. 3.1.3. Associate degree (90 or 120 ECTS) Before the Bologna process in higher education, a distinction was made in non-university higher education between: Short type Higher Education (Hoger Onderwijs van het Korte Type HOKT), comprising studies of 2 or 3 years Long type Higher Education (Hoger Onderwijs van het Lange Type HOLT), comprising studies of 4 or 5 years. The short type higher education programmes could be followed full-time in university colleges and parttime in centres for adult education. With the Bologna reform, all full-time short-type higher education programmes became bachelor degrees. The part-time short-time programmes were not taken up as bachelor degrees. These programmes could only be organised by centres for adult education and students received a diploma of gegradueerde (graduate). The position of these programmes, however, was unclear: they were neither higher education nor secondary education, the qualification students received was unclear etc. 54 With the Act on adult education in 2007, it was necessary to clearly reposition these programmes. They were renamed as associate degree, officially positioned in higher education (non-bachelor) and the qualification became a diploma. In 2009, a separate Act on the associate degree followed. The associate degree is in high demand on the labour market, where many sectors are in need of skilled people with a qualification higher than secondary education but where a bachelor degree would be overqualified. With the Act of 2009, the programmes were further positioned as the short cycle in higher education or the 5 th level of the Flemish and European qualification framework. Every associate degree has to be based on a professional qualification. The programming procedure was shortened and the quality assurance system of higher education was applied to these programmes. The importance of work-based learning was stressed. Apart from centres for adult education, university colleges were also enabled to program the associate degree, and a close cooperation between these two types of institutions is encouraged. 63 existing programmes currently organised by centres for adult education are to be reformed by 2012 to fit into the new associate degree system. The nursing programme, which is now being organised by schools for secondary education, was until 1 September 2009 part of the 4 th degree of Secondary vocational education (BSO). It will now become an associate degree programme, although, as an exception, it will still be organised by schools for secondary education, for historical reasons. Only 1.5% of school-leavers with an associate degree in nursing from 2008 did not have a job after one year and.01% did not gain any work experience during that year. There is a high demand for nurses in Flanders. For the rest of the associate degree (as in the rest of adult education), there is a lack of data. These programmes are not included in the VDAB study on school-leavers. Therefore, no information about the labour market outcomes is available, except for the nursing degree.

3.1.4. Professional bachelor degree (180 ECTS) The professional bachelor courses are only provided by university colleges of higher education. These courses are oriented towards professional practice. They comprise general and specific knowledge courses and competencies that are necessary to autonomously practice one specific profession or a group of professions. The professional bachelor is trained to immediately enter the labour market. With a bridging programme, students can also continue in a master programme. There are currently 57 professional bachelor programmes in 22 university colleges, divided into 10 study areas. The VDAB school-leavers study shows that professional bachelor programmes are very successful with regard to labour market entry. 15,886 students successfully completed a professional bachelor degree. One year after graduation, 5.4% of the students are still looking for work. Only 0.5% hasn t had any work experience, which is the best result in its history. 3.1.5. Pupil flow in initial VET 3.1.5.1. Pupil flow from one track to another Exact data of the last school years on the numbers of pupils who move from one track to another are not yet available, nor on the number of pupils who are told they cannot continue in the next grade of their track. However, below are numbers on the flow of pupils from track to track from 2004-2007 and on the origin of pupils in the school year 2008-2009. 55 Flow from track to track 2004-2007 Table 7 shows the number (and percentage) of pupils who moved from one track to another between 2004 and 2007. 17% of the pupils enrolled in ASO in 2004 were enrolled in TSO in 2007. 26% of the pupils enrolled in TSO in 2004 were no longer enrolled in TSO in 2007 (18% in BSO, 1% in DBSO (part-time BSO), 7% left school). Almost 1 out of 4 pupils (24%) starting in BSO in 2004 was no longer enrolled in any track in 2007. Table 7: Flow from track to track (2004-2007) Track in 2004 ASO KSO TSO Track in 2007 Total 2004 ASO KSO TSO BSO DBSO BUSO left school (100%) 26,029 513 5,635 289 51 9 753 33,279 78% 2% 17% 1% 0% 0% 2% 29 827 138 134 4 144 1,276 2% 65% 11% 11% 0% - 11% 74 257 16,436 4,060 274 21 1,542 22,664 0% 1% 73% 18% 1% 0% 7%

3 10 68 11.340 839 118 3,908 16,286 BSO 0% 0% 0% 70% 5% 1% 24% Source: Ministry of Education and Training Origin of the pupils in school year 2008-2009 The table below indicates per educational track, stage and year where pupils came from in the previous year. Note that there is also upstream transfer (from TSO to ASO and from BSO to TSO). The main transfers happen in the 2 nd and 3 rd stage in TSO, probably pupils coming from ASO. The table also indicates the repeaters; most of them are within the TSO track. In this track there are also many repeaters coming from another track. Table 8: Origin of pupils in school year 2008-2009 56 Track Stage School year Inflow during school year Irregular transfer 9 Transferee from same track and programme Transferee coming from another track 10 Transferee from another programme within the same track Repeater from the same track and programme Repeater from another track 2 nd stage 1 st year 755 418 30,032 823 34 260 2 nd stage ASO 2 nd year 545 369 26,774 66 1,649 801 36 210 3 rd stage 1 st year 1,162 354 3,800 69 21,220 989 35 378 3 rd stage 2 nd year 66 368 25,370 113 449 1 19 2 nd stage 1 st year 1,591 213 17,403 1,328 522 529 2 nd stage TSO 2 nd year 946 180 16,558 1,826 1,292 1,323 387 358 3 rd stage 1 st year 1,240 272 10,181 2,193 8,186 2,098 478 776 3 rd stage 2 nd year 87 79 20,199 14 48 1,037 4 17 2 nd stage 1 st year 1,466 543 12,301 858 332 384 2 nd stage 2nd year 892 407 11,447 1,406 734 684 192 162 BSO 3 rd stage 1 st year 917 503 4,953 1,081 7,741 830 233 243 3 rd stage 2 nd year 227 195 12,868 403 49 684 16 21 3 rd stage 3 rd year 195 358 6 212 9.621 218 5 122 Source: Ministry of Education and Training Repeater from another programme within the same track

3.1.5.2. Data on year repetition, broken down by grade and programme The table below shows that 5.71% of the pupils from school year 2007-2008 had to repeat their year. Most of them repeated a year from the 2 nd or 3 rd grade and came from KSO or TSO. ASO has the lowest percentage in year repetition. Table 9: Data on year repetition from school year 2007-2008 Year repetition Total % of total number of pupils Total number of pupils 1 st stage A stream 3,939 3.42% 115,259 B stream 1,143 5.27% 21,672 Total 5,082 3.71% 136,931 2 nd stage ASO 2,090 3.33% 62,772 TSO 4,515 10.16% 44,455 KSO 483 16.32% 2,960 BSO 11 2,736 8.60% 31,803 Total 9,824 6.92% 141,990 3 rd stage ASO 1,870 3.44% 54,393 TSO 4,454 9.50% 46,906 KSO 335 10.78% 3,109 BSO 2,090 6.75% 30,953 Total 8,749 6.46% 135,361 Overall total 23,655 5.71% 414,282 Source: Ministry of Education and Training 57 3.1.5.3. Dropout/completion rate in tertiary education for students coming from different secondary education tracks The table below gives an overview of the completion rate in tertiary education of a cohort of students who started in 2003-2004. Pupils from ASO have the highest completion rate: 60% of them complete tertiary education. Only 19% of the pupils from BSO who started with tertiary education completed their study. Table 10: Completion rate in tertiary education (professional bachelor) from a cohort of generation students started in 2003-2004 Secondary education track Students professional bachelor 2003-2004 Graduated in 2005-2006 Graduated in 2006-2007 Graduated in 2007-2008 Diplomas granted KSO 318 89 44 12 145 46% TSO 11,119 2,924 1,297 460 4,681 42% ASO 6,996 3,077 859 284 4,220 60% BSO 12 1,297 140 76 24 240 19% Other 877 175 63 18 256 29% Total 20,607 6,405 2,339 798 9,542 46% Source: Ministry of Education and Training Completion rate

In order to get a picture of the dropout rate, a group of generation students from 2007-2008 is currently being followed, and the Ministry of Education and Training is monitoring those who are still enrolled in the same course the following year. Students who are not enrolled in the same course the following year are considered as dropouts. Table 11 shows that the dropout percentage is highest for BSO students (56%) and lowest for ASO students (29%). Table 11: Dropout rate in tertiary education (professional bachelor) from a generation of students 2007-2008 Secondary Education Track Students 2007-2008 Students 2007-2008 still in the same course Dropped out ASO 23,251 16,517 29% BSO 1,906 831 56% KSO 1,055 699 34% TSO 13,743 9,130 34% Other 2,953 1,821 38% Total 42,908 28,998 32% Source: Ministry of Education and Training 58 3.2 Continuing VET 3.2.1. Secondary adult education With the Act of 2 March 1999, secondary adult education took on the structure of secondary education and was placed in the 2 nd and 3 rd stage of secondary education, and to some extent also in the 4 th stage. Language education received its own orientation stage classification. With the Act of 15 June 2007 about adult education, a modular training structure was adopted for all courses and the distinction between technical and vocational education was abandoned. However, a distinction was maintained between vocational modules and modules for general education. The modules for general education follow the same final objectives as the objectives in secondary general education. For the vocational models, basic competences are being described at a Flemish level. Together, the modules form programme profiles, oriented towards a certain profession. In secondary adult education, vocational modules combined with modules for general education lead to a diploma of secondary education. Vocational modules can also be followed separately, each leading to a certificate. In time, the basic competences for the vocational modules will be determined by the professional qualifications of the Flemish Qualifications Structure. There are currently 107 different programmes in secondary adult education. There is no information about the labour market outcomes.

3.2.2. Entrepreneurial training and Additional training (SYNTRA) The main part of SYNTRA s VET programmes focused on adults consists of the entrepreneurial training programme (ondernemersopleiding). Entrepreneurial training varies in length between 1 and 4 years and is organised in the SYNTRA training centres. It is aimed at those who wish to set up their own business and at their employees. The training mainly takes place during evening sessions, but is also offered during the day or in weekends. The course is open to participants from age 18 onwards, who have complied with the compulsory school attendance. For some professions, e.g. real-estate agent, stricter entrance qualifications are held. The training possibilities and the course curricula are closely related to concrete labour market needs. Each year the courses are actualised and new courses are added. A complete entrepreneurial training consists of 8 hours of class per week 4 hours of business administration, 4 hours of additional vocational technical courses during 32 weeks per year at SYNTRA. Most of the educational programmes are modular, meaning that students can shorten the typical duration, depending on their prior knowledge and/or experience. The emphasis is on the practical component, both in vocational training and business training. The student population can be divided into two subgroups: - Experienced participants (employed in the profession): these participants mainly want to follow a business management or vocational technical course. They don t need extra practical experience because they already work in the profession being taught or in a similar job. - Non-experienced participants, who also need extra support with practical experience. For this group there are different solutions to promote practical training: o A vocational course for additional practice (separate module) o An entrepreneurial agreement with an employer-instructor, comparable with the apprenticeship contract, concluded and monitored by the apprenticeship counsellor o Practical training in a company (unpaid apprenticeship) with standardised tasks described in the curriculum and monitored by SYNTRA. 59 SYNTRA offers the following types of courses: - Business administration: all aspects of management concerning SMEs (general, administrative, financial aspects, tax law, personnel management, ICT, ) - Vocational technical course (= entrepreneurial training and additional training): aimed at acquiring the vocational skills needed to practice a specific profession as self-employed, as an employer or as an employee. This course cannot replace practical training; it is intended as a complement to it. - Vocational course for additional practice: these modules are organised in order to involve jobseeking students and students with a lack of professional practice in the regular vocational training courses. The practical training programmes are intended for highly motivated candidates who want to take courses in the entrepreneurial training in various professions, but who cannot comply with the normal admission requirements with regard to practical experience or simultaneous employment in the profession or a related profession. Practical training programmes are composed of separate modules that can be combined up to a maximum of 128 hours per student. The training programme corresponds with the practical part of the recognised programme for the profession concerned. - Adaptation courses in business administration and vocational skills for specific target groups.

To assess labour market outcomes of the vocational training programmes, SYNTRA cooperates with an external agency, Significant. Since 2009, SYNTRA Vlaanderen has set up its own project to assess the efficiency of its trainings. Because of the recent start-up, only partial data are available at this time. In December 2006, 17.1% of all participants in the entrepreneurial training programme were registered as self-employed. In December 2007, 23.2% of the course participants were self-employed. This suggests a rise with 5%. 11 In the additional training courses, 32.5% of the participants were registered as self-employed in December 2006. In December 2007, 36.9% of this group are self-employed. This means an increase of 4.5%. The increase for these types of training is not as high because a larger number of participants are already selfemployed when they start the training. They take the courses as a specialisation course. 3.2.3. Vocational programmes of the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) VDAB has 87 competence centres, grouped into 40 campuses. It organises programmes independently, often on a full-time basis (40 hours per week), but exceptions are possible. 60 VDAB offers training in different professions, grouped in the following sectors: Building (bricklaying, roofing, plumbing ) Graphics (desktop publishing, offset printing ) Computers/PC training (word processing ) Metal (welding/piping, CAD mechanics, turning/milling ) Industrial automation (PLC techniques, telematics ) Environment (waste, noise/odour ) Transport (bus, forklift, warehousing ) Social profit (nursing, family and geriatric assistance ) Textiles & industrial knitting (weaving techniques, CAD ) Business management (sales/marketing ) Maritime studies and navigation (GMDSS ) Languages (Commercial telephony ) VDAB has three kinds of programmes: Vocational programmes aimed at a profession The aim of these programmes is to fully train or retrain jobseekers into a (new) profession. The programmes content is based on the job competence profiles. After the training, the jobseekers receive an individual competence report. Function-specific trainings The aim of these programmes is to upgrade specific technical competences, for a number of reasons: o A full-time programme is not necessary because the jobseeker already has a number of relevant competences. o The training is aimed at a specific function within a profession. Additional (supporting) training 11 A number of participants were still in training after one year. Syntra therefore expects a rise in the number of self-employed business owners.

The aim of these programmes is to increase key competences in order to function better on the labour market: e.g. languages, mathematics, social skills, literacy Students can choose between five methods of learning: - Group learning The jobseeker follows a trajectory in a group, with a fixed starting date and a common curriculum. He or she is coached by a trainer/coach. - Open learning The jobseeker follows a tailored programme with a personal trajectory. He or she is coached by a trainer/coach. - Distance learning After determining a personal trajectory, the jobseeker collects the necessary course materials in a competence centre and studies at home or at work. He or she is coached by a trainer/ coach, in a mutually agreed form of communication. - Web learning The student studies online. The course material is accessible 24/7. The student s progress is monitored by a coach. The communicating is conducted online. - Blended learning A combination of different forms: classroom study combined with online study. Data about the labour market outcome of VDAB programmes are available for June 2009. The exit from unemployment after 6 months is 67% for the VDAB vocational programmes. (This means that the jobseeker is no longer registered as a non-working jobseeker after the end of the 6 th month.) 61 The exit to employment is determined by the presence of a job. VDAB gets these data from DIMONA 12, the Ministry of Education and Training and from entrepreneurs. If the client is at work at the end of the 6 th month after the end of the training programme, the result is considered positive. The exit to employment was 56.44% in June 2009 for the vocational programmes organised by VDAB. 12 DIMONA stands for Déclaration Immédiate Onmiddellijke Aangifte. Since 2003, employers are obliged to declare immediately when a vacancy is filled to the National service for social security (RSZ).

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Pupil performance and literacy 63 in secondary education

4.1. Tools for promoting and controlling the quality of learning outcomes in secondary education The quality of the curriculum in Flemish education is assured by a core curriculum that is compulsory for each school. It is laid down by the Flemish Parliament. Depending on the education level and population, the core curriculum consists of: - Final objectives - Developmental aims - Specific final objectives - Basic competences. Schools have the responsibility to submit a curriculum which is in accordance with these final objectives and they have to guarantee that these final objectives are aimed for. The schools inspectorate accredits the curriculum. The schools inspectorate periodically evaluates schools and centres for adult education. The topics assessed are based on a risk assessment, but minimally schools are inspected every ten year. All inspection results are publicly available. Each year, the inspectorate makes a global evaluation of the quality of schools and centres for adult education and their learning outcomes. The annual report of the inspectorate describes the situation of the field of education (the quality of the different systems) and defines a number of suggestions, generally as well as at school level. This annual report is publicly available. However, it contains no VET-specific information. 64 Through a periodic reference survey/analysis the government aims at getting an overview of the achievement of final objectives in the Flemish educational system. The information collected in these surveys can be used to evaluate and possibly adapt the final objectives or to get an idea of the need for support and refresher courses for teachers. However, this reference survey is only about basic education, not specifically about VET-related competences. Flemish education also participates in international comparative research: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (see 4.4.). Besides these, there is also specific scientific research on the evaluation of the educational system, like the OBPWO research (Educational Policy and Practice-oriented Scientific Research), the foundation for policy relevant research in the interest of the educational field, and the university research groups, working on vocational education and training.

4.1.1. Final objectives of compulsory secondary education 4.1.1.1. Initial secondary education Final objectives Final objectives are minimum objectives the educational authorities consider necessary and feasible for a particular part of the pupil population. Final objectives apply to a minimum set of knowledge, skills and attitudes for this part of the pupil population. Final objectives are established for the subjects of compulsory basic schooling. These are compulsory for all pupils of the same educational track (ASO, TSO, BSO and KSO) and in the same stage. Final objectives can be subject-bound or cross-curricular. They have been established for 13 : - the 1 st stage of mainstream secondary education, A stream - the 2 nd stage of mainstream secondary education - the 3 rd stage of mainstream secondary education Specific final objectives Specific final objectives are objectives with regard to specific skills, knowledge and attitudes, which are necessary to start further/higher education and/or a professional career and/or are needed for social functioning. Specific final objectives are established for specific subjects or modules, e.g. science, construction or childcare. Specific final objectives based on educational profiles have been developed and established in ASO for the following subjects: economics, humanities, Greek and Latin, modern languages, sports, science and mathematics. In TSO, specific final objectives have been established for the Top-class sports study branch. For other courses in TSO and for BSO, no specific final objectives have been determined. However, through the establishment of the Flemish Qualifications Structure, professional qualifications within an educational qualification will replace the notion of specific final objectives. 65 Cross-curricular final objectives For cross-curricular objectives there is an obligation for schools to perform to the best of their ability. The cross-curricular part of the core curriculum has recently been revised. The changes will be implemented from September 2010 onwards. The new cross-curricular framework is based on the idea that education should focus on personal development in relation to others and on the ability to participate in a multicultural, democratic society. This educational focus is first of all elaborated in a set of context-free, rather broad objectives that can be applied to all subjects and contexts, e.g. critical thinking, creativity, empathy, etc. Secondly, this starting point is used to develop final objectives for a number of contexts: 13 Final objectives with regard to knowledge and skills must be attained; the final objectives around attitudes must be aimed for.

Personal development: Physical health and safety Mental development Social-relational development In a multicultural, democratic society: Environment and sustainable development Political-legal society Socio-economic society Socio-cultural society Objectives for arts and cultural development are integrated throughout these contexts. Objectives for learning to learn, ICT (1 st stage) and technical-technological education (2 nd and 3 rd stage of secondary education) will not be integrated into this new framework and are presented separately in this report. Table 12: Overview of the final objectives in initial secondary education Initial secondary education 1 st stage 2 nd stage 3 rd stage 66 A stream (1 st year A) Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives B stream (1 st year B) 14 Subject-bound developmental aims for basic education Cross-curricular developmental aims Source: Ministry of Education and Training ASO Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives Agreed targets for the specific final objectives. 13 BSO/DBSO/apprenticeship Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives TSO/KSO Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives ASO Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives Specific final objectives BSO/DBSO/apprenticeship Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives TSO/KSO Subject-bound final objectives for basic education Cross-curricular final objectives Specific final objectives for topclass sports (TSO) 4.1.1.2. Secondary adult education For the courses of study in general education within secondary adult education, the same final or specific final objectives apply as for the corresponding courses of study offered by full-time secondary education. For courses of study that have not been harmonized with corresponding full-time secondary education and for those for which no specific final objectives have been specified, basic competences have been laid down. The final objectives, specific final objectives or basic competences regarding knowledge, understanding and skills must be achieved for all course participants. Final objectives, specific final objectives or basic competences regarding attitudes must be aspired to by all the centres for adult education.

4.2. Standardised assessments of literacy and numeracy in Flanders There are different methods of assessment of literacy and numeracy in Flanders. 4.2.1. International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) Flanders participated in the first cycle of the IALS. This is a large-scale comparative assessment of adult literacy. IALS defines literacy as the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work and in the community, to achieve one s goals, and to develop one s knowledge and potential. The skills are measured according to three domains: prose literacy, document literacy and quantitative literacy. The results are reported on five levels of proficiency. Adults performing on the lowest level (level 1) have very poor literacy skills and will have difficulties in coping with the skill demands in everyday life and at work. Therefore, level 1 has been used as a benchmark for defining adults with low literacy skills. The data were collected in 1996 and resulted in the national report Hoe geletterd/gecijferd is Vlaanderen? Functionele taal- en rekenvaardigheden van Vlamingen in internationaal perspectief (Van Damme e.a., 1997) [ How literate is Flanders? The functional reading and math skills of Flemish people in an international context.] The IALS data showed that in Flanders 18% of adults are not functionally literate (i.e. they do not have the knowledge and skills needed to understand and use information from texts) and approximately the same number of people (16.7%) has problems with numeracy. When it comes to locating and using information contained in various formats (document literacy), Flemish adults perform slightly better: the percentage of adults at the lowest level on this domain is approx 15%. Taking all this information into account, 21.9% of Flemish adults perform on the first level of at least one of the IALS literacy domains. Women tend to be more represented in this group than men. Finally, the IALS data showed that Flemish adults with literacy skills deficits tend to underestimate their problems and report to encounter very few problems caused by inappropriate skills levels. It is possible that they are unaware of their poor skills or, even if they are aware of them, they do not consider this a problem. The IALS data show that in Flanders the respondent s education, home language, age and extent of reading at home are the major determinants of literacy proficiency. These factors together explain 43% of the total variance in literacy proficiency. 67 4.2.2. OECD s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) OECD s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assesses the educational performance of 15-year-old pupils. The three-yearly survey covers literacy in three cognitive domains: mathematics, reading and science. Within each cycle of the survey the focus is on one assessment area, while the other two are regarded as minor domains. In PISA 2000, the focus was on reading literacy, in 2003 on mathematical literacy. The PISA approach to measuring literacy skills is primarily concerned with the extent to which pupils can apply their knowledge to real world issues. The emphasis is on mastering processes, understanding concepts and the ability to apply skills in a variety of situations. Therefore the PISA definitions of literacy are very broad. Reading literacy is defined as understanding, using and reflecting on written texts in order to achieve one s goals, to develop one s knowledge and potential and to participate in society. The PISA definition of mathematical literacy is an individual s capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded judgements and to use and engage with mathematics in ways that meet the needs of that individual s life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen.

As in IALS, the PISA literacy scores are grouped into different proficiency levels. For mathematical literacy, six levels are distinguished, for reading literacy, five. The skills of pupils performing on the lowest levels are considered barely developed, making this group a high-risk group regarding participation in tertiary education and life-long learning. They also have a higher chance of ending up in adult basic skills education. For both the mathematics and reading domains of PISA, level 2 is used as an international benchmark: pupils performing below this level (at level 1 or below) are considered not to possess the baseline skills necessary to cope with the demands of modern society. In this report we will consider this group of pupils a high-risk group. Taking both the PISA reading and mathematics literacy domain results into account, 13.9% of the Flemish 15 year olds perform on or below the first level of at least one of the domains. This group is at risk of becoming adults with basic skills needs. As compared to the IALS results, the PISA results show that at the age of 15 there is no significant gender difference in the group of pupils with low literacy skills. The PISA data show that in Flanders, the major determinants of literacy proficiency in 15-year-olds are the pupils gender, the language spoken at home, the family structure, the occupational status of the parents and the number of books at home. Together, these factors explain 25% of the total variance in literacy proficiency. 4.2.3. Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competences (PIAAC) 68 PIAAC is a new OECD initiative, largely based on the same principles as the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). It will be administered for the first time in 2011. PIAAC will assess the level and distribution of knowledge, skills and attitudes in a coherent and consistent way across countries. The programme will focus on the key cognitive and workplace skills that are required for successful participation in the economy and in society. Four areas of competence will be assessed: problem-solving in a technology-rich environment, reading literacy, numeracy, and mastery of the basic building blocks of literacy. Data from PIAAC will allow investigation of the links between key cognitive skills and a range of demographic variables, economic and other outcomes as well as the use of skills in the workplace and other settings. It is expected to provide a rich evidence base for policy-relevant analysis. In particular, data from PIAAC should facilitate a better understanding of labour-market returns to education, identify the role of cognitive skills in improving the labour-market prospects of at-risk populations, and examine the efficiency of educational systems. As Flanders participated in the IALS ten years ago, it also participates in the PIAAC. The research will take place in 2010 (trial survey of 1,500 adults) and the main study (survey of 5,000 adults) in 2011. The results will be analysed in 2012 and will be available in 2013. 4.2.4. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) (2006) PIRLS is an international research project with more than 40 participating countries worldwide. PIRLS is designed to assess the reading literacy of 10 year olds and to measure factors influencing reading literacy at home and at school. In Flanders, a reading comprehension test has been administered to 4 th grade pupils in a sample of 150 Flemish schools. These pupils, their parents, the teachers and schools principals have also been administered a questionnaire. PIRLS provides important information about the impact of the home environment on reading achievement and how parents can foster reading achievement. Additionally, the gathered information enables a comparison of the educational systems, curricula and approaches of the different countries involved in the study.

4.2.5. Other literacy screenings tools VDAB and VOCB (henceforth the Flemish Support Centre for Adult Education (Vlaams Ondersteuningscentrum voor het Volwassenenonderwijs - VOCVO) developed a quick-scan instrument to swiftly check whether a jobseeker has any literacy problems. In such a case, VDAB immediately refers the jobseeker to a centre for adult basic education so that he or she can get adequate training. Likewise, course participants in centres for adult basic education looking for work are immediately referred to VDAB. To enhance cooperation, a common registration system has been introduced. Moreover, a feasibility study has been conducted about the use of broader screening tools to detect literacy skills 14. In this study, existing examples of screening instruments in Belgium and abroad were evaluated and the modalities for the use of screening tools for literacy were identified. The conclusions of the feasibility study permitted to develop a new screening instrument. The Centre for Language and Education 15 also did some literacy research (BELGA, 2008). It conducted a reading and writing test for 1,700 pupils in the 3 rd and 6 th year of BSO. This test showed that pupils in the 6 th year performed hardly any better than those in the 3 rd year in terms of reading and writing skills. In 2008, the test results showed that more than half of the pupils who passed the final objectives in vocational education were not good at reading and writing. These pupils were insufficiently literate to develop themselves on the labour market, in social life and higher education. 4.3. Support for secondary students with literacy and numeracy problems Identification of potential problems 69 4.3.1. Initial secondary education Primary support for pupils in initial secondary education is obtained through the schools. Since 2009, a support unit on equal education opportunities has set up intensive theme oriented coaching trajectories, so-called focus trajectories. These concentrate on aspects of education that have a strong effect on equal education opportunities, at school level, teacher level and pupil level. The trajectories particularly focus on key competences that are vitally important for the participation of socially vulnerable pupils in secondary education, their integration in society and their functioning on the labour market 16. The focus trajectories are considered as coaching trajectories, in which school teams and pedagogical counsellors cooperate intensively with the support unit on equal education opportunities on a particular focus subject. One of the three focus subjects is literacy in vocational secondary education (BSO). The focus trajectories consist of five different stages. 1. Intake stage Ten trajectory schools are selected by the pedagogical counsellors. Primarily, BSO schools are selected, but the schools can also include part-time education and TSO schools offering vocational training courses. The criteria for selection can include: a strong willingness to be engaged in an innovative 14 Studie naar de haalbaarheid van een doelmatig gebruik van een screeninginstrument voor geletterdheid (Feasibility study for an efficient use of a screening tool for literacy). HIVA, CTO & VOCB, 2007. 15 The Centre for Language and Learning is a research centre and part of the University of Leuven. The centre has been appointed by the Flemish government to support primary schools, secondary schools and schools for adult education in developing and implementing an efficient approach to language teaching and learning for L2 learners and L1 learners at risk. 16 This does not count for the apprenticeship.

development trajectory on literacy, a strong willingness to engage teachers and pupils to co-operate constructively and test new tools, etc. In the selected schools, an intake procedure is set up in which the parties involved inform each other as much as possible and prepare for the coaching trajectory. The trajectory starts from the existing initiatives on literacy promotion in the schools involved. The intake leads to clear agreements and mutual engagement by a (support unit) coach, the school team and the pedagogical counsellors. 2. Working on literacy Ideally, the coaching is set up in the ten schools from the 1 st year of the 2 nd stage until the 3 rd year of the 3 rd stage of BSO, so that continuous learning and development trajectories for literacy can be integrated and different teachers can be involved. There is direct communication between a coach, the school team and the pedagogical support team from the educational network. The coaching can take on different forms: 1. Mutual course preparation 2. Mutual improvement of existing teaching materials 3. Team meetings about literacy incentives 4. Observation of teaching activities, etc. 70 3. Continuous evaluation The trajectory is evaluated on the impact of - Pupils attitudes towards literacy - Teachers attitudes towards literacy and literacy promotion - Pupils literacy levels. 4. Development activities Throughout the focus trajectory, a number of development activities are developed in order to anticipate the needs of school teams (e.g. development of course activities, observation tools...) Once these activities are used and tested by the school teams, they are disseminated to a greater group of BSO schools. 5. Dissemination Even though the focus is on coaching the ten school teams and their pedagogical counsellors, it is important that insights, tools, counselling practices and output can be distributed quickly to a larger group of pedagogical counsellors as well as to a larger group of schools. To reach pedagogical counsellors, the website of the support unit for equal education opportunities can be used. For schools, the support unit will include literacy as an annual recurring theme in the courses offered. Additionally, a workshop on literacy will be organised, to which all BSO schools (as well as DBSO and BUSO schools) are invited. 4.3.2. Secondary adult education The support for secondary students in adult education should be seen in the structure and organisation

of adult education in Flanders. Two important actions should be seen in the light of the implementation of the Strategic Plan to increase literacy (adopted by the Flemish government in June 2005): 1. Cooperation agreement between VDAB and the Centres for adult education This cooperation agreement states that both partners refer to each other. VDAB registers jobseekers and will refer them to the Centre for Basic Education (CBE) in case they are presumed to be illiterate. In addition, VDAB can ask CBE professors to come to their classrooms to work with a jobseeker. Both organisations participate in the optimisation of illiteracy screening and will contribute to the development of the screening instrument. 2. Development of a screening instrument for illiteracy The Ministry of Education and Training has commissioned the development of a screening instrument for illiteracy. This should consist of an indicator (for the first detection) and a sub-screening (for further monitoring and support). This instrument will be used in the domains of language, numerical literacy and ICT. 4.3.3. Apprenticeship system at SYNTRA Before starting their apprenticeship, pupils are tested on their level of language and mathematical (calculation) skills. Some educational institutions work together with the pupil guidance centres (CLBs) for this purpose; others use a test developed by a higher education institution, still others use their own tests. Based on the test results and taking previous schooling into account, the testing institution verifies whether the pupils need any remedial action. Pupils needing remedial action are brought together in small classes and coached individually. The teaching materials for languages and mathematics (calculating) are drawn up on several levels of difficulty. 71 In the past two years, extra teaching hours were added to the apprenticeship programme to allow pupils with special needs to catch up. In addition, the new Act about the apprenticeship (13 February 2009) has lowered the norms for division of classes. This should lead to smaller class groups and increased pedagogical comfort for teachers. 4.3.4. Higher education Higher education institutions also organise specific programmes for students flowing in. Universities and university colleges provide numerous preparatory courses for students at the start of the 1 st year bachelor programmes to remedy all kinds of skills. Students with insufficient knowledge or skills can attend extra classes in order to be able to attend the programme, e.g. mathematics, statistics, writing texts. These classes are not compulsory.

4.4. PISA data on pupil performance in reading, mathematics and science in secondary education in Flanders The table below illustrates the division of the pupils (15 year old) tested in PISA per educational track. Most of them come from ASO, 30% from TSO or KSO and 20% from BSO. The PISA data contain no information on apprenticeship. Table 13: Division of the PISA pupils per educational track 1 st stage (GSO) PISA 2003 PISA 2006 Unweighted Unweighted Weighted % N % N % Weighted % 103 2,0 2,0 (0.27) 78 1,5 1,5 (0.32) ASO 2247 44.4 46.1 (1.27) 2296 44.8 44.3 (1.22) TSO 1486 29.4 27.8 (1.26) 1540 30.1 29.7 (1.16) BSO 977 19.3 19.0 (0.92) 1008 19.7 19.8 (1.20 DBSO 70 1.4 1.6 (1.04) 32 0.6 1,1 (1.28) Total 5059 100 5124 100 4.4.1. Pupil performance per educational track 72 In Flanders, the average PISA performances vary significantly, depending on the educational track. For mathematics, the difference between the average score of ASO and BSO pupils was 176 points in PISA 2003 and 165 point in PISA 2006. A similar trend is found in the two other PISA domains. In Flanders, ASO pupils perform (on average) 2 levels higher than BSO pupils (a difference of 160 points). TSO pupils perform (on average) on an intermediate level. Table 14: Average pupil performance per educational track for mathematics, reading and science 1 st stage PISA 2003 PISA 2006 Mathematics Reading Science Mathematics Reading Science score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. 413.2 (9.9) 395.1 (10.8) 394.6 (10.3) 431.3 (17.5) 407.7 (24.9) 422.7 (15.3) ASO 624.0 (2.1) 594.7 (2.0) 593.9 (2.3) 607.8 (2.7) 489.4 (2.8) 593.0 (2.3) TSO 546.1 (2.8) 524.0 (2.5) 520.7 (2.5) 542.2 (3.7) 521.5 (3.4) 525.2 (2.7) BSO 447.7 (4.0) 435.2 (4.2) 428.8 (4.5) 443.0 (3.3) 422.4 (4.5) 433.2 (3.0) DBSO 407.0 (13.0) 372.4 (26.6) 392.4 (18.9) 354.7 (34.2) 280.5 (42.0) 339.0 (40.9) Source: PISA 2003 and PISA 2006 As the average performance does not show important differences within groups, the underlying figures illustrate the dispersion of scores for mathematics and science per educational track (PISA 2003 for mathematics, PISA 2006 for science). Figure 1: Dispersion of scores for mathematics within the Flemish educational tracks (PISA 2003)

750 700 650 600 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 ASO TSO KSO BSO DBSO BUSO VLAANDEREN Source: PISA 2003 Figure 2: Dispersion of scores for science within the Flemish educational tracks (PISA 2006) 750 700 650 600 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 73 ASO TSO KSO BSO DBSO BUSO VLAANDEREN Source: PISA 2006 Based on these PISA results, we may not state that ASO pupils perform better than TSO pupils, who perform better than BSO pupils. On the contrary, the 10% best performing BSO pupils perform on an even higher level than the less performing ASO pupils on both domains. Pupil performances can also be compared by looking at the division of pupils on different skills levels. The PISA domains of mathematics and science are divided into 6 skills levels. Level 1 is the lowest, containing the lowest score and the most easy tasks, whereas level 6 is the highest, with the highest scores and most difficult tasks. Internationally, level 2 is proposed as a base level 17. In Flanders, 11 to 12% does not reach the 2 nd level (see figures below). In ASO, almost all pupils reach this minimum level. 17 From this level on, pupils master the mathematical and scientific skills needed to actively perform sufficiently in situations calling for mathematics, science and technology.

Figure 3: Percentage of pupils by their highest level for mathematics within the Flemish educational tracks (PISA 2003) Niveau 1 Onder niv. 1 Niveau 2 Niveau 3 Niveau 4 Niveau 5 Niveau 6 BUSO 69,0 26,7 4.3 DBSO 33,8 23,1 23.2 12.2 6.8 2.3 BSO 10,3 22,3 35.9 24.0 6.7 0.8 KSO 3,8 7.0 33.2 41.3 13.6 2.3 TSO 3 14.8 31.2 30.6 16.4 3.5 ASO 10.1 26.0 36.9 24.8 Vlaanderen 4.8 6.6 13.0 18.7 22.5 21.9 12.4 Source: PISA 2003 Figure 4: Percentage of pupils by their highest level for science within the Flemish educational track (PISA 2006) Niveau 1 Onder niv. 1 Niveau 2 Niveau 3 Niveau 4 Niveau 5 Niveau 6 BUSO 31,2 46,1 20.6 2.2 74 DBSO 52,1 32,5 12.8 2 BSO 5 30,6 44.7 18.2 1.6 KSO 4 10 44.3 38.4 0.8 TSO 3 21.5 46.8 24.9 0.1 ASO 4 23.9 46.9 22.8 2.4 Vlaanderen 3 9,0 18,4 28,8 28,9 11.2 1.1 Source: PISA2006 Approximately one third of the BSO pupils perform under level 2 for mathematics as well as for sciences. Pupils in the dual system (DBSO) seem to have more difficulties with scientific questions. Conclusions: performances per educational track Although there is a big difference in average pupil performance in different educational tracks, this does not appear from the distribution within the tracks. The Flemish educational system groups pupils into different educational tracks, but the difference in performance within these tracks is still significant.

4.5. PISA data on the relationship between socio-economic background and student performance for each secondary education programme 4.5.1. Influence of pupils characteristics on their performance The PISA results reveal that characteristics of pupils greatly influence their performance. The table below shows data from a number of these characteristics (country of birth, language spoken at home and socioeconomic background) per educational track. Table 15: Features of pupils per educational track (PISA 2006) 1 st stage ASO TSO BSO DBSO score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. score S.E. Score on the PISA index for ESCS* % autochthonous pupils ** -0.16 (.14) 0.61 (.03) 0.12 (.02) -0.31 (.04) -0.54 (.00) 61.4 (5.48) 95.9 (0.50) 95.0 (1.09) 88.3 (2.42) 84.2 (1.18) % foreign pupils 20.2 (5.16) 2.0 (0.28) 1.6 (0.51) 6.9 (1.79) 5.9 (1.61) % second generation pupils 18.4 (5.15) 2.2 (0.45) 3.4 (0.92) 4.8 (1.22) 9.9 (0.44) 75 % pupils speaking Dutch or another official language % pupils speaking a foreign language 54.0 (7.04) 94.0 (0.60) 91.1 (0.96) 82.5 (1.80) 67.4 (2.57) 21.7 (4.81) 1.9 (0.31) 1.6 (0.53) 4.4 (0.93) 14.7 (1.69) * Socio-economic background is expressed in an index score. The ESCS combines economical, social and cultural background variables and is standardised so that the average across the OECD countries is equal to 0 and the deviation is 1. ** PISA defines the immigration background of pupils based on the country of birth of the pupil and of both their parents. Three groups are distinguished: autochthonous pupils, (first-generation) foreign pupils, second generation foreign pupils. The first row in the table above shows a relation between socio-economic background and educational track. Pupils from ASO score highest (on average) on the ESCS, but TSO pupils also get a positive index. BSO and DBSO pupils have a low score (and so a low socio-economic background). The table also illustrates that the overall profiles of ASO and TSO pupils are in line. Next to the positive score on the ESCS, approximately 95% of the pupils have an autochthonous background. In addition, more than 90% of them speak Dutch or another official Belgian language at home. This profile is different in BSO and in the dual system.

4.5.2. Relationship between pupil performance and socio-economic background, per educational track The PISA results clearly show that socio-economic background greatly influences performances. Within the international comparison, Flanders belongs to the group of countries where pupil performance is strongly related to socio-economic background and where there is more inequality between pupils. 4.5.3. Relation between pupils socio-economic background and educational track PISA uses a division in four equal groups based on the index cores: every quarter (ESCS group) contains 25% of the total group of pupils and is described as follows: Bottom quarter: pupils with the 25% lowest scores on the index Second quarter: pupils with a score above the group with the lowest scores Third quarter: pupils with a score below the group with the highest scores Top quarter: pupils with the 25% highest scores on the index The table below illustrates the division of pupils from every ESCS group throughout the Flemish educational tracks (PISA 2006). Almost 3/4 of the pupils from the group with the highest ESCS scores come from ASO. This percentage decreases systematically along with the ESCS score: in the group with the lowest ESCS scores, only 22% comes from ASO. An opposite evolution is found in BSO and DBSO. 76 Table 16: Division of pupils (%) across the Flemish educational tracks per quarter of the ESCS index (2006) PISA index for socio-economic background (ESCS) 1st stage ASO TSO BSO DBSO % S.E. % S.E. % S.E. % S.E. % S.E. Bottom quarter 2.2 (0.6) 21.6 (1.8) 29.6 (1.5) 35.5 (2.6) 2.2 (2.6) Second quarter 1.2 (0.4) 31.9 (1.7) 36.9 (1.7) 24.7 (2.0) 1.2 (1.0) Third quarter 2.0 (0.5) 51.5 (2.1) 30.5 (1.9) 13.4 (1.0) 1.0 (1.4) Top quarter 0.5 (0.2) 73.0 (1.7) 20.6 (1.5) 5.0 (0.8) 0.2 (0.2) Source: PISA 2006 Table 17 shows that 41% of the 15 year olds from ASO come from the highest ESCS group. In TSO, 40% comes from a family within the 2 highest ESCS groups. As from BSO, there is a clear shift in this balance. Table 17: Division of pupils (%) across the 4 ESCS groups per educational track (2006) Bottom quarter Second quarter Third quarter Top quarter % S.E. % S.E. % S.E. % S.E. 1 st stage 37.2 (7.14) 21.1 (4.58) 33.9 (6.24) 7.8 (3.43) ASO 12.1 (1.14) 17.9 (0.76) 28.9 (1.22) 41.0 (1.68) TSO 25.0 (1.22) 31.9 (1.28) 25.7 (1.38) 17.3 (0.94) BSO 45.2 (2.26) 31.4 (1.67) 17.0 (1.28) 6.4 (1.01) DBSO 47.7 (1.07) 26.1 (13.93) 22.5 (11.05) 3.7 (1.81) Source: PISA 2006

The two tables above show a clear relationship between socio-economic background and educational track. The correlation between the ESCS score and the educational track is 0.47. This relationship is also reflected in the composition of the groups of pupils in the different educational tracks. 4.5.4. Relationship between mathematics and socio-economic background per educational track The relationship between performances and socio-economic background is presented by socio-economic gradients. The length, slope and height of these gradients are determined by the scores on the ESCS index on the one hand and by the average pupil performance on the other hand. Figure 5 shows the gradients for mathematics for Flanders as a whole and specified for ASO, TSO and BSO. Figure 5: The gradients for mathematics for the Flemish educational tracks compared with the Flemish gradient for mathematics (PISA 2003) Niveau 6 668 Vlaanderen Niveau 5 606 ASO Score voor wiskundige geletterdheid Niveau 4 544 482 TSO Niveau 3 77 Niveau 2 420 BSO Niveau 1 358 Onder niveau 1-3 -2-1 0 1 2 3 PISA-index van sociaal-economische status Source: PISA 2003 The following aspects are notable: A very steep gradient for Flanders as a whole. Within the educational tracks, the lines are less steep. This implicates that the impact of the socio-economic background on performances is much smaller within the different educational tracks than on the level of Flanders. As the height of the gradients is determined by the average performance within the pupil group, the position of the different lines is very straight: the gradient for ASO is the highest, for BSO the lowest and for TSO in between. The ASO gradient is situated completely within the 5 th skills level: even the 5% of ASO pupils with the lowest score on socio-economic background (on average) score very high on mathematics.

The length of the lines of ASO and TSO gradients is equal, but the starting point and end point of the ASO gradient is approx 0.5 points higher. The differences in socio-economic background of the pupils are equally large, but the spread in the ASO group is concentrated in a higher social class than within the TSO group. 4.5.5. Relationship between science skills and socio-economic background per educational track Figure 6: The gradients for scientific skills for the Flemish educational track compared with the Flemish gradient for science skills (PISA 2006) Niveau 6 707.9 Niveau 5 633.3 Vlaanderen Niveau 4 ASO Score 558.7 voor wetenschappelijke geletterdheid Niveau 3 TSO 484.1 78 409.5 BSO Niveau 2 Niveau 1 334.9 Onder niveau 1-3 -2-1 0 1 2 3 PISA-index van sociaal-economische status Source: PISA 2006 Again, the impact of socio-economic background on performances within the educational tracks is much smaller than the same impact on the level of Flanders as a whole, but the difference in points is still significant. The conclusions are very similar to those of the mathematical gradients.

4.5.6. General conclusion The Flemish PISA results are marked by a great variety in average performance per educational track. This variety is in line with the findings from literature that countries which start early with stratification or which differentiate a lot within groups of pupils show significantly more inequalities within their PISA results (Wössmann, 2005 18 ; Werfhorst & Mijs, 2007 19 ). The large differences within the Flemish group of pupils are caused by the differences in average performance between the educational tracks, but the analysis also shows that the differences within the educational tracks are still significant. The spread of performances within the educational track is still significantly large, so that no assessments can be made about significant differences in performance between different educational tracks. In addition, the division of pupils according to their highest level within each educational track is very heterogeneous. In each track, there are pupils who do not attain the basic level, while others reach a higher skills level. Part of the differences within the educational tracks can be explained by the pupils difference in background. Not only socio-economic background, but also other characteristics have an impact. The percentage of autochthonous pupils is significantly lower in the 1 st stage in DBSO, so the percentage of pupils with a different mother tongue significantly differs as well. The relationship between pupils socio-economic background and their educational track makes the impact of socio-economic background on the performance level within educational tracks much smaller than the average impact on the level of Flanders. The Flemish gradients are very steep, representing a strong relationship between socio-economic background and PISA performances and thus illustrating a large inequality between pupils. These Flemish lines are clearly explained by the gradients of the educational track. Within educational tracks there is a positive relationship between socio-economic background and performance level (ascending line) but the strength of this relationship is significantly lower (less steep lines). 79 18 Wößmann, Ludger (2005). The Effect Heterogeneity of Central Exams: Evidence from TIMSS, TIMSS-Repeat and PISA. Education Economics 13 (2): forthcoming (CESifo Working Paper 1330). 19 Werfhorst, H.G. van de & J.J.B. Mijs. 2007. Onderwijsdifferentiatie en ongelijkheid. Nederland in vergelijkend perspectief (Educational tracking and inequality. The Netherlands in Comparative Perspective). Report for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences. Amsterdam: Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies. 61 pp.

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Labour market outcomes 81

There are different sources available for information about the labour market outcomes of school-leavers. The information below is listed according to the source. 5.1. The VDAB school-leavers study VDAB produces annual statistics on school-leavers and their efforts to find their first job. Every year on 1 February the Ministry of Education performs a count of the number of pupils and students. To determine the number of school-leavers in 2007, VDAB compared the census of 2007 with that of 2008. Students who are included in the 2007 census but not in the 2008 census are considered as school-leavers. However, this reasoning is not quite right. School-leavers who follow an apprenticeship at SYNTRA or study abroad or in an educational institution not under the supervision of the Ministry of Education are not included in the count of the Ministry of Education. However, since SYNTRA Flanders refers the succeeded and non-succeeded school-leavers (pupils ending their apprenticeship) to VDAB, the apprenticeship results are included in the study. For all school-leavers it is determined who is registered as unemployed 1 year after leaving school. A small group of school-leavers does not fully answer to this definition. Either they quit their studies before 30 June 2007 and are monitored by VDAB for a period longer than 1 year or they stopped their studies before January 2008 and are monitored for a period shorter than 1 year. However, this group is limited to approx 6 to 7% of school-leavers. 82 In June 2008, the number of school-leavers who still had no job a year after leaving full-time education was 9.8%, or 7,600 people. By February, this rate went up to 11.2%. Most of the increase consisted of males with lower educational qualifications. This does not mean that the remaining group of school-leavers are employed. It is possible that some of them pursue their studies abroad or in an educational institution not under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, or are inactive Approximately 2% of all school-leavers are still unemployed after one year and have not had any work experience during this year. According to VDAB, these young people have completely missed the connection with the labour market and merit special attention before they risk disappearing into longterm unemployment. The level of education makes the biggest difference in finding a job, as the table below shows.

Table 18: School-leavers who are unemployed or who have no work experience at all 1 year after finishing their studies, by level of education (June 2008) Level of education % of unemployed % without any school-leavers work experience Max secondary education of the 1 st degree 25.1% 3.2% Apprenticeship (SYNTRA) 10.6% 0.6% Part-time vocational secondary education 26.5% 4.4% General secondary education of the 2 nd degree 13.2% 2.5% Professional education of the 2 nd degree 25.5% 6.0% Technical secondary education of the 2 nd degree 17.0% 3.1% Artistic secondary education of the 2 nd degree 18.2% 7.8% General secondary education of the 3 rd degree 9.7% 2.5% Professional education of the 3 rd and 4 th degree 9.5% 1.9% Technical secondary education of the 3 rd degree 9.4% 2.1% Artistic secondary education of the 3 rd degree 17.4% 2.9% Professional Bachelor 5.4% 0.5% Academic Bachelor 8.5% 2.8% Master 4.7% 0.9% Source: VDAB School-leavers survey 2008 5.2. Labour Force Survey (LFS) Information about the labour market outcomes of school-leavers is also provided by the Labour Force Survey (2007). School-leavers are defined as respondents between 15 and 24 years old who indicated in the survey of 2006 that they were still students, but who are no longer students in the survey of 2007. The table below provides information about the labour market outcome of school-leavers by level of education. Respondents are considered low-skilled if they have not achieved upper secondary education, middle educated if they have achieved upper secondary education or post-secondary non-higher education, and highly educated if they have completed higher education. 83 Table 19: Labour market outcomes of school-leavers based on LFS 2007 Level of education Number of schoolleavers 1 year later year later % of workers % of non-workers 1 Total 71,800 67.6% 32.4% Low-skilled 11,600 48.9% 51.1% Middle educated 33,400 67.0% 33.0% Highly educated 26,800 76.3% 23.7% Source: LFS 2007 As shown in table 19, one year after finishing their studies, a large majority of the school-leavers in Flanders where working (67.6% or 48,500 people). 55.8% of the school-leavers who were not working one year after finishing their studies were unemployed (13,000 people) and 44.2% were non-professionally active (10,300 people). Considering the level of education, it appears that low-skilled people have more difficulties on the labour market: only half (48.9%) of them has found work, while the proportion of middle and highly skilled school-leavers at work one year later is much higher.

Table 20 provides information about the type of work found by school-leavers at work one year after finishing their studies. Some data are not available, since some breakdowns provide too small cell frequencies. This table shows that middle educated school-leavers are mainly at work in the tertiary sector, while highly educated school-leavers are more strongly present in the quaternary sector. These differences are partly specific to the qualification requirements of jobs in the different key sectors. Moreover, middle educated school-leavers are more often employed with temporary contracts (41%) than their highly educated peers (36.6%). The numbers for low-skilled school-leavers are too small and are therefore not included in the table, but it can be assumed that low-skilled school-leavers are more frequently employed with temporary contracts. Table 20: Type of work of school-leavers at work 1 year after having finished their studies Sector Type of contract Source: LFS 2007 Total Low-skilled Middle educated Highly educated Primary sector n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Secondary sector 23.0% n.a. 27.5% n.a. Tertiary sector 45.2% n.a. 51.8% 39.1% Quaternary sector 30.9% n.a. n.a. 45.3% Temporary 41.0% n.a. 41.0% 36.6% Permanent 59.0% n.a. 59.0% 63.4% 84 5.3. Results for apprenticeship and entrepreneurial training at SYNTRA (Vlaanderen) (2008-2009)20 5.3.1. Apprenticeship Employment - 5 years after ending apprenticeship, 3% of the population is unemployed. - 1 year after ending apprenticeship (30 June, succeeded as well as non-succeeded youngsters), 90% has a job. - The 10% with no job on 30 June had gained work experience during the previous 12 months. Self-employment - The results reveal that 18% is self-employed after 5 years (10% as a main profession, 32% has the intention to become self-employed). - In addition, 38% of the self-employed people already have employees. 5.3.2. Entrepreneurial training Ex-participants in the business management course - Immediately after finishing the course, 14% of the participants were fully self-employed (as a main occupation), 15% were self-employed as a secondary occupation. - Five years later, 27% of them were fully self-employed (main occupation) and 25% were self-employed as a secondary occupation. 20 Study Significant (2008-2009).

- 48% of the students who were not self-employed at the moment of the survey, state that they intend to become self-employed in the future. 50% of them want to achieve this within the following 2 years. - 29% of the self-employed people (main occupation) have employees. Ex-participants in the professional knowledge course - Immediately after the course, 20% of the participants were fully self-employed (main occupation) and 14% were self-employed as a secondary occupation. - Five years later, 26% of them were fully self-employed (main occupation) and 14% were self-employed as a secondary occupation. - 32% of the students who were not self-employed at the moment of the survey state that they intend to become self-employed in the future. 40% of them want to achieve this within the following 2 years. - 39% of the self-employed people (main occupation) have employees. - 54% are active in a profession in line with the course of study followed 5.4. SONAR survey From education to labour market (Van Onderwijs Naar Arbeidsmarkt) SONAR is a longitudinal survey that registers the transition from school to work of Flemish youngsters. 3,010 Flemish youngsters, born in 1976, 1978 and 1980, have been interviewed face-to-face about their educational and labour market career over different periods of time. The table below describes the period of questioning of the different cohorts. Table 21: Period of questioning different cohorts SONAR survey 85 Year Cohort 1 Born in 1976 Cohort 2 Born in 1978 Cohort 3 Born in 1980 1999 At 23 years 2000 2001 At 23 years 2002 At 26 years 2003 At 23 years 2004 At 26 years 2005 At 29 years Source: SONAR

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The provision 87 of VET

Table 22: Different types of VET institution and statistical information 21 Type of institution Number of institutions Number of VET students Total number of students Coordinating bodies and umbrella organisations Schools for secondary education 939 517 schools organised vocational and/or technical secondary education programmes 221,894 1 5 438,315 Educational networks: - 24% institutions of GO! Education of the Flemish Community - 68% publicly funded, privately run schools - mostly catholic - 8% municipal or provincial schools Centres for adult education 117 107 (secondary adult education) 61 (associate degree) 149,641 293,577 Educational networks (see 2.1.1.1.1.) 13 consortiums: regional cooperation networks for centres for adult education 1 steering group for adult education (expert and knowledge development) 1 Flemish Support Centre for Adult Education (VOCVO; support) University colleges 22 80,010 107,187 5 associations, each connected to a university Flemish Council for University Colleges (VLHORA) 1 6 88 Centres for part-time education 47 (46 are part of a school for secondary education) 6,687 6,687 See schools for secondary education Flemish Agency for entrepreneurial training (SYNTRA) 5 SYNTRA institutions, comprising 24 training centres in total (19 for apprenticeship) - Apprenticeship 5,270 - Entrepreneurial training vocational course 25,535 - Entrepreneurial training business administration course 6303 - Additional training 9,211 The Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) is the coordinating governmental body. Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) 87 competence centres, grouped into 40 campuses 48,924 Central (Flanders) and decentralised management (5 provinces and Brussels region) 21 Data for the school year 2007-2008.

For the provision of VET, a distinction is made between the different types of VET providers: educational institutions, SYNTRA and VDAB. 6.1. Educational institutions The government sets out the frameworks within which educational institutions can organise their programmes. Within the boundaries of this framework, competition between educational institutions is possible. The frameworks for the provision of VET are set out in different Acts, per educational level: secondary education, adult education and higher education. Schools for secondary education or centres for adult education follow a programming procedure that involves the consultation of advisory bodies and the Ministry of Education and Training, and ultimately a decision by the Minister of Education and Training. Moreover, the number of places in each programme is determined by the school that has successfully applied to organise the programme. Professional bachelors and associate degrees have to follow an initial accreditation procedure consisting of four consecutive steps: a macro efficiency check, a programme proposal, an external assessment and an initial accreditation. 1. The macro efficiency check concerns the question whether a proposed new programme should be funded by the national authorities. The following aspects are taken into account in this procedure: Is the same or a similar programme already being offered in the country, region or city? Is there a demand from the professional field to offer this programme? Is there a demand in the labour market for additional graduates from this programme? Several other elements are of course also taken into consideration. 89 2. The programme proposal is written by the organising institute. It contains a full description of the programme and indicates and substantiates its level and orientation. 3. NVAO (Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders) convenes an assessment panel that is responsible for the external assessment of the programme. The panel assesses the potential quality of the proposed programme and whether it fulfils the criteria of the initial accreditation framework. The assessment panel follows the assessment framework (containing all the standards) and rules as laid down in the initial accreditation framework. The external assessment focuses on learning outcomes. The panel writes down their (objective) findings, (subjective) considerations and conclusions in an assessment report. This contains an explicit proposal to NVAO to take either a positive or a negative initial accreditation decision. 4. The final step is initial accreditation itself. NVAO evaluates the assessment report and its overall conclusions. NVAO verifies whether the programme has the potential to offer generic quality. Subsequently, NVAO takes an initial accreditation decision and lays down its findings in an initial accreditation report. Finally, the panel s assessment report and NVAO s initial accreditation report (including the initial accreditation decision) are published by NVAO. If the initial accreditation decision is positive, the programme is initially accredited. It is included in the relevant official register (i.e. CROHO or Higher Education Register), which means that the degree awarded by the programme is recognised by the national authorities.

Besides these basic frameworks, more procedures are in place to rationalise the provision of VET within educational institutions: - In compulsory secondary education, all programmes that form part of a field of study are systematically being reviewed (screened) in terms of their relevance to the labour market. This results in a proposition by the administration and an advice by the Flemish Educational Council to stop a number of programmes and/or organise new programmes. This screening process is very elaborate. - For secondary adult education, a steering board revises the programmes offered by the centres for adult education. The board can propose new modular programme profiles. These are evaluated by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Flemish Educational Council based on objective criteria. - The new procedure for the development of the associate degree programme and for secondary after secondary education programmes are immediately connected to the Flemish Qualifications Structure (FQS). In order to program a new course, a job competence programme has to be scaled in at level 5 resp level 4 and the newly established Flemish Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and training will determine how many times an associate degree course can be programmed. 90 - For the associate degree: in the commission within the Ministry of Education and Training that evaluates new programme proposals, one member is an expert on the non-educational VET sectors, i.e. VDAB and SYNTRA, in order to guard overlapping VET programmes. - For the professional bachelor, measures for rationalising the provision of programmes were implemented by the Act of March 2008 on restructuring the financing system for higher education. Meanwhile, a special committee proposed a number of additional measures in February 2008 to rationalise the provision of higher education programmes. 6.2. Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training: SYNTRA Vlaanderen SYNTRA Vlaanderen coordinates, supports and stimulates the supply of training courses by SYNTRA in Flanders. This is a comprehensive responsibility, in which the quality and flexibility of training are a priority. SYNTRA Vlaanderen is active in the development, adaptation and implementation of products and in the guidance and supervision of ongoing projects. Prospecting the market and planning in stages are important in order to respond to new demands.syntra Vlaanderen works with sectorial, professional and apprenticeship commissions to keep in touch with the world of self-employed business owners and companies. There are 28 sectors. Each sector belongs to a sector commission, which represents a cluster of professions. Its members, who are delegated by the professional organisations and by SYNTRA, see to it that the programmes are and remain oriented to the reality of self-employed business owners and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. The sector commissions determine a sector strategy and plan the development of products and activities. They also advise the practice commission and the board of directors of SYNTRA Vlaanderen about new opportunities. The development of curricula is in the hands of professional commissions, which are responsible for one profession.

For the professions in the apprenticeship system, there are a number of apprenticeship commissions (electro, food, car engineering) with employer and union representatives. These have different tasks, such as curriculum/content development, determining exam standards, monitoring the practical component of the apprenticeship system. For the apprenticeship system only, there is a new procedure since 10 July 2008. The existing and new professions have to be screened by a Screening Commission of the Ministry of Education and Training, according to certain criteria. The commission members are representatives of the Ministry of Education and Training and of sector organisations. The screening commission determines a list of professions and their standards (references and learning outcomes). The Board of Directors of SYNTRA Vlaanderen may advise about the list of professions, the references (job competence profiles or other) and the learning outcomes, but is no longer entitled to take the final decision. It is the Minister of Education who takes a decision about the allowed professions and training subjects. This means that there are different processes and procedures for recognising training programmes for the apprenticeship system on the one hand and for the entrepreneurial training and additional training on the other hand. For the latter, the Board of Directors of SYNTRA Vlaanderen decides (for example list of professions, curricula, exam requirements ). 6.3. Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service: VDAB VDAB uses a long-term business plan and annual business plans. In the annual business plan, an instrument is used for planning, coordination, communication and partnership. It provides an overview of the concrete actions and targets VDAB proposes for the upcoming year. This plan is tuned with the Minister of Work s policy priorities and with VDAB s own long-term business plan. It is based on bottom-up proposals and research on labour market evolutions. 91 In order to draft the annual business plan, a context analysis is made. This consists of a labour market analysis and an analysis of the stakeholders needs. The first analysis provides insight into the current labour market situation and contains a prognosis of labour market evolutions and trends. The second analysis shows stakeholders needs towards VDAB. Stakeholders can advise VDAB based on the labour market analysis or based on a first report on the VDAB outcomes of the previous year. In 2009, input for the stakeholders needs analysis was provided by the sectors, the members of the forum for stakeholders and the Regional Socio-Economic Consultation Committees (RESOCs). For the vocational programmes, the annual business plan results in a proposal to organise new programmes, stop existing programmes and add additional modules to existing programmes. The VDAB competence centres base their provision of VET on the annual business plan. 6.4. Conclusion on the provision of VET It is clear that there is currently not enough cooperation between the different levels of education in deciding about the provision and update of VET programmes. The Ministry of Education and Training has proposed measures to the new minister to tune the different existing screening programmes to each other, with the Flemish Qualifications Structure as a tool to make the field of VET programmes (within and outside education) more transparent. With the use of the eight levels of the FQS and the description of jobs in terms of competences, it will become more clear which programmes lead to the same

qualification level and to the same job. The framework can also be used as a tool to rationalise the provision of VET, since the process of converting a professional qualification into an educational qualification will automatically start up a screening process to determine whether that professional qualification should indeed be converted into an educational VET programme or not, and which providers are best suited to organise the course. Although not much cooperation exists on the overall provision of VET in Flanders, there is increasing cooperation between the different VET institutions: Between educational institutions: o Between secondary schools o Between secondary schools and university colleges or centres for adult education o Between university colleges and centres for adult education. When a school for secondary education is involved, the cooperation can entail e.g. sharing infrastructure or teaching staff. Sharing infrastructure mainly happens within the framework of the Regional Technological Centres (RTC). Between secondary schools and VDAB: e.g. the 72 hours measure, which allows pupils from TSO and BSO to practice with VDAB equipment under the guidance of a VDAB instructor for 72 hours. Simulation equipment from VDAB can also be used by secondary schools, through the RTC network or through direct contact with a VDAB competence centre. Between secondary schools and SYNTRA: sharing infrastructure often happens in the softer sectors, e.g. wellness and fitness. 92 6.5. Curricular content of VET programmes The table below shows a brief overview of the curricular content per programme: duration, proportion of theory versus practice, and who determines the curricular content. The table shows the direct commitment of sector partners in the curriculum design of Syntra and VDAB. These curricula are more designed at the central level. Schools, university colleges and centres for adult education are fairly free in designing their curricula. However, with the introduction of the Flemish Qualifications Structure, in the long run all vocational programmes, also in education, will be based on professional qualifications, based on SERV s occupational profiles (see 2.2.2.1.). How these competences are being converted into educational programmes will remain part of every institution s freedom of education. In general, the school timetables do not need to be approved by the government. However, the government does provide minimum requirements for the timetables, defined as basic schooling. The educational institutions decide autonomously on the specific completion of the time schedules. Some details are provided for the specific programmes. Link between curricula and labour market For the apprenticeship and the entrepreneurial training at SYNTRA Vlaanderen, if the labour market has no demand for certain profiles, this would be reflected in the provision of courses, because SYNTRA s system is very market-oriented. The sectors support the creation of curricula and examinations; they provide infrastructure, training for trainers, participation in juries for (practical) exams, etc. This support makes it easier to align education with the labour market.

In higher education, new courses can only be established if their labour market relevance is demonstrated. Sectors can propose new structural divisions. In the future, with the Flemish Qualifications Structure, schools and centres for adult education will not be able to offer VET courses if there are no occupational profiles that have been confirmed by the sector. 93

Table 23: Curricular content of VET programmes Initial VET programmes Programme duration General vs practical courses Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of vocational secondary education (BSO) Min 28 weeks max 36 weeks full-time 2 years in 2 nd stage 3 years in 3 rd stage Schools can choose how many hours are spent on general and on practical courses. Only for the 3 rd year of the 3 rd stage, a minimum of 12 hours/week has to be spent on general courses and min 14h/week on practical courses. Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (TSO) Secondary after secondary education (Se-n-Se) Min 28 weeks max 36 weeks full-time 2 years in 2 nd stage 2 years in 3 rd stage Min 28 weeks max 36 weeks full-time Min 1 semester, max 1 year Schools can choose how many hours are spent on general and on practical courses. Schools can choose how many hours are spent on general and on practical courses. 94 Dual system: part-time education and apprenticeship for 15-25 year olds Part-time secondary education: 15 hours/week (general and vocational education and training) and min 13 hours/week, preferably workbased training. Apprenticeship: hours determined by in-company training 8 class hours, 1 day/week Overall duration: 1-3 years for finishing a pathway towards a profession Associate degree 90 or 120 ECTS credits Differs among programmes, not specified Professional bachelor degree 180 ECTS credits Not specified

Theory vs practice (e.g. work-based training) Curriculum content determined by Not determined Differs among programmes and schools Final objectives are set by the government for the general education as part of the programme and for the key competences. The vocational-specific objectives are not set by the government. With the Act on the Flemish Qualifications Structure, these will now be determined by the professional qualifications, based on occupational profiles of Flanders Social and Economic Council (SERV). The final objectives specify which competences pupils should minimally learn, but do not elaborate on how this should be achieved. Schools enjoy complete freedom in this regard. In practice, it is the educational networks that develop the curriculum a particular school uses. Not determined Differs among programmes and schools Same as for BSO Differs among programmes and schools All programmes should have a relevant amount of work-based training (Act of April 2009) Since the Act on Se-n-Se and the associate degree of April 2009, a curriculum has to contain at least one level 4 educational qualification of the Flemish Qualifications Structure (FQS), based on at least one level 4 professional qualification as determined by SERV. The competences described in these qualifications serve as final objectives. Since 2006, the screening commission of the Ministry of Education and Training determines a list of professions and their standards. 95 40/60 (centre for part-time education) Apprenticeship: 20/80 (4 days in-company training, 1 day in a SYNTRA training centre) Part-time education system: Schools or educational networks develop the curriculum. Apprenticeship: Sector commissions, professional commissions and apprenticeship commissions (electro, food, car engineering) with representatives of employers and unions. Tasks: curriculum/content development, determining exam standards, monitoring the practical component. All courses should have a relevant amount of work-based training (Act of April 2009) Since the Act on Se-n-Se and the associate degree of April 2009, a curriculum has to contain at least one level 5 educational qualification of the Flemish Qualifications Structure, based on at least one level 5 professional qualification as determined by SERV. The competences described in these qualifications serve as final objectives. Educational institutions will determine the detailed curriculum. Not specified Practical training in real-life working conditions forms an essential part of each programme. University colleges are free to draw up their own curriculum. The board of institution sets out a programme for each degree study, which consists of a coherent unit of programme components and corresponds with the awardtype descriptors for the bachelor degree. Since the Act on the Flemish Qualifications Structure, the Flemish Council of University colleges (VLHORA) determines an educational qualification that describes the competences that should minimally be included in the curriculum. This educational qualification is ratified by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).

Continuing VET programmes Programme duration General vs practical courses Secondary adult education, vocational programmes Varies among programmes Differs among programmes: vocational modules can be combined with modules for general education, together leading to a diploma of secondary education. The vocational modules can also be followed separately, leading to a certificate. Associate degree See above 96 Vocational programmes focused on the labour market (VDAB) Varies among programmes Practical training is at the basis of each curriculum. Theoretical courses are always related to the development of competences needed for a specific task or job, but key competences do form part of the curriculum. Entrepreneurial training and additional courses (SYNTRA) Varies among programmes Entrepreneurial training: between 1-4 years Additional training: between a few weeks up to 1 year Courses are practically oriented and competence based.

Theory vs practice (e.g. work-based training) Curriculum content determined by Differs among programmes Programme profiles are designed by the steering board of adult education. This means that competences are divided over modules and a duration per module is proposed. The programme profile has to be based on a reference framework (e.g. a job competence profile, if at hand). The Flemish Educational Council (VLOR) and the administration of Education advise about the proposed programme profile. The minister ultimately decides. If approved, centres for adult education (or the educational network) can develop the programme further into a course. 97 Differs among programmes Practical training in a company: max. 50% of the total programme The curriculum is based on the occupational profiles of SERV and converted into modules. For each module, the preferred length is determined at Flemish level. If no job competence profile is at hand, VDAB and the sector together determine the necessary competences. All curricula are built up in a modular way. The detailed curriculum is coordinated by experts at the organisational level, resulting in a curriculum used by all VDAB competence centres. To this end, the experts discuss their proposals with the trainers. For entrepreneurial training course: - 20/80 (80% practice) if someone already works or has an entrepreneurial agreement. - If the student doesn t work in the profession of the training subject, he has various possibilities to obtain practical experience (vocational course for additional practice, unpaid work-based training) Additional training: the student works in the profession of the additional training. SYNTRA Vlaanderen works with sector commissions and professional commissions to keep in touch with the world of self-employed business owners and companies. These commissions actualise and develop training programmes based on market needs and economic developments. Each new training or actualisation is developed by a sector commission or a professional commission and recognised by the Board of Directors of SYNTRA Vlaanderen. The reference for the development of curricula are the occupational profiles of SERV. The Board of Directors of SYNTRA Vlaanderen decides on most training-related topics (e.g. list of professions, curricula, exam requirements.) The Board asks the SYNTRA centre for advice before taking a decision (through a special SYNTRA management network commission).

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Content and organisation of practical training vs general academic VET: same as no 2, Modular BSO 2 nd and 3 rd stage Apart from vocational training in compulsory education, there are a growing number of projects for organising training on the work floor, e.g. explorative traineeship, pioneer companies or cooperation between schools and companies for writing a report or thesis. These actions, however, are not obligatory as part of a curriculum. The duration of workplace training in secondary education can differ between the types of training providers and even schools. Although the government promotes workplace training, it does not regulate the duration of it. During the school year 2007-2008, there were 114,548 pupils in secondary education 22 who participated in Organisation of work- workplace training. Beyond these figures, there exist workplace-training projects, so-called extra-mural practices, which are not registered by the Flemish Ministry of Education, e.g. workplace training at Profel, LAG, Hanssen Transmissions, etc. Regional Technological Centres are often involved in the organisation of these kinds of innovating programmes. Table 24: Number of schools, pupils and internships in secondary education (2007-2008) Number Schools asking for internships 509 Pupils asking for internships 99,585 Pupils attending internships 55,637 based Reported internships (irrespective of the internship duration) lear- 114,548 Source: Ministry of Education and Training 99 7.1.2. Work-based learning in professional bachelor University colleges are completely free to organise in practical training, although VET it is always considered to be a vital part of the programme. There are no data about the organisation of practical training in the professional bachelor programme. There is no legal obligation to organise work-based training, but the organisation of practical training is an essential element of the accreditation framework of professional bachelor programmes. 7.1.3. Work-based learning in centres for adult education Work-based training necessary to reach the final objectives (the same as in secondary education), vocational final objectives, professional qualifications or competences is described in the educational profiles and is therefore determined at a central level. Apart from this, centres for adult education can choose to organise the modules as work-based learning. This needs to be made clear in the curriculum, which is drawn up by the educational network. 7.1.4. Work-based learning in SYNTRA VlaandereN Entrepreneurial training: see 3.2.2. 22 Excluding pupils from BuSO (Special education)

7.1. How is work-based learning organised in VET? Below, we discuss the organisation of practical training according to the VET providers. In the past legislative term, a number of initiatives were taken to enhance practical training. In the Competence Agenda (see 2.2.1.), a number of initiatives were taken to establish a better link between education and the labour market. Some examples are: - Rethinking part-time education to establish a full-time activity for all pupils - Creating more opportunities for work experience in the private, public and social profit sectors, by means of covenants with certain professional sectors. - Publication of the guide Qualitative Learning On the Workplace (2008) with practical tips on a general level, applicable to all forms of qualitative learning in a workplace, in all sectors, for any possible subject. These guidelines were formulated in close cooperation with the social partners. 100 The Ministry of Education and Training, in cooperation with Work and Social Economy, has proposed the following priorities for work-based training for the current legislative term: - Expanding work-based training in adult education - Making work-based training in Flanders more visible in all VET institutions and with companies, by providing good practices - Expanding the role of the regional technological centres from secondary to adult and higher education - Implementing the guidelines on qualitative learning on the workplace and incorporating them into the quality assurance systems for education - Certifying work-placed learning - Stimulating training for coaches in the workplace - Bringing more clarity in the multitude of legal arrangements for work-based training - Expanding the database of work-based training places to adult and higher education (now only secondary education).

7.1.1. Work-based learning in compulsory education in VET When defining a VET programme, the vocational and technical content must comprise at least 25%. In this way, six different programmes can be distinguished. 1. Regular secondary education BSO, 2 nd stage + 1 st & 2 nd year of 3 rd stage (= vocational secondary education) The Flemish government does not determine the proportion of practical training versus general academic VET. The government does set goals (qualifications) to be reached by the students. Apart from practical training in schools, work placements and other forms of practical training are included in most of the curricula. Depending on the curriculum, practical training is organised on a block release basis or alternating with theoretical learning. 2. Modular secondary education BSO, 2 nd and 3 rd stage A modular programme is separated into learning modules/units, each associated with a certain amount of learning and leading to some kind of qualification (credits, partial qualifications). Modular courses allow people to choose between different course options and can provide some freedom in the sequencing and speed at which the modules required for a qualification can be completed. Within the framework defined for each qualification, pupils can compose their own profiles rather than completing a fully prescribed set of courses according to a prescribed schedule. Proportion and organisation of practical training vs general academic VET: same as no 1, regular BSO. 3. Part-time vocational secondary education for 15 to 18 year olds In an educational institution, pupils can have lessons 6000 hours each year or two days a week. This programme was modularised in 2008-2009. The aim is to supplement this training with a job corresponding to the training experience in the centre for part-time education. With this type of education it is possible to gain a qualification certificate. In part-time education centres, the focus is especially on personal development and individual guidance. This system is oriented towards young people for whom education or work are not suitable for the time being. 101 4. Apprenticeship training courses organised by SYNTRA Vlaanderen The apprentice learns a profession in the day-to-day practice of a company, 4 days a week (5 days a week during school holidays). The apprentice spends a 5 th day in a SYNTRA training centre where he or she gets an additional vocational training and a general education course. These courses are also strongly practice oriented. (See also 3.1.1.3.1.) 5. Regular Secondary Education TSO, 2 nd stage and 1 st + 2 nd year of 3 rd stage (= technical secondary education) Pupils can start in this full-time programme from the age of 14 on, for a theoretical duration of 4 years. Successful completion of this programme leads to a qualification (diploma of secondary education). Proportion and organisation of practical training vs general academic VET: same as no 1, regular BSO. 6. Modular secondary education BSO, 4 th stage (incl associate degree nursing) Pupils can start in this full-time programme when they are 17-18 years old.

7.1.5. Work-based learning in the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) Work-based learning is organised in the following ways: - Practical training in the competence centre Most centres are organised in a way that stimulates practical training. For a number of courses, simulators or practice companies are at hand. - Mobile training places For a number of programmes, external places are visited. - Workplace learning in companies In all vocational programmes oriented towards a profession, work-based training in a company is compulsory. For the other programme types, this is optional. This means that training periods in a competence centre are alternated with work placement experience in a company. The period of work placement can go up to maximum 50% of the total duration of the programme. During the work placement, the student is still officially registered as a jobseeker and receives the social benefits derived from this status. Companies are not obliged to employ the jobseeker afterwards. The company does not have to pay for the work placement. Apart from these three types of practical training, there are two other important special arrangements for practical training: 102 - Individual vocational training (individuele beroepsopleiding IBO) This type of training takes place entirely in a company, always in the context of a specific vacancy. The duration is 1 month up to maximum 6 months. For specific target groups, the duration can go up to maximum 12 months. The employer is obliged to hire the trainee afterwards. - Collective training in the work place This type of practical training (min. 5 people) takes place entirely in a company. The duration is maximum 12 months. There is no obligation to hire the trainee afterwards. For all forms of practical training organised by VDAB, a contract between three parties is drawn up: the jobseeker, the company and VDAB. 29.5% of the jobseekers in professional trainings organised by VDAB followed an internship in 2006. In 2007, this number amounted to 27.6% and in 2008 to 32.8%. Taking into account the number of students who quit the training because they found a job, this percentage increases. For 2008, the percentage of jobseekers following training at VDAB amounts to 42.8%. The duration of internships within the VDAB trainings (for jobseekers) ranges between a few half days (e.g. in clothing manufacture) and 6 weeks (e.g. in printing). The share of the internship within a specific training differs from 10 to 60% of the total duration of the training.

7.2. Legal arrangements for students in workplace training There is a multitude of different legal arrangements for workplace training. A few examples are discussed in the table below. There is a great diversity in types of salaries, in types of contract and in the legal basis. Some of the legal arrangements are based on federal law, some on Flemish legislation, which will make the process of harmonising the different systems for Flanders a complex process, as negotiations at different levels are required. 103

Table 25: Legal arrangements for students in workplace training Legal basis Target group What Used in which VET programme Work placement contract (stagecontract) Flemish/federal Pupils, students in educational VET programmes/ jobseekers Standard agreement Compulsory secondary education (TSO & BSO), associate degree, professional bachelor Employee apprenticeship contract (Werknemersleercontract - ILW) Federal 15-25y Contract with 2 parts: 3 days in-company training, 2 days theory in centre for part-time education Part-time secondary education 104 Apprenticeship contract (leerovereenkomst leertijd) Flemish Federal (social legislation, employment legislation) 15-25y Standard contract with 2 parts: in-company training (4days) and training (1 day) Apprenticeship with Syntra Entrepreneurial agreement (stageoveenkomst ondernemersopleiding) Flemish Federal (social legislation, employment legislation) +18y Standard contract with 2 parts: in-company training (4days) and training (1 day) Entrepreneurial training at Syntra Part-time employment contract (deeltijds arbeidscontract) Federal From end of compulsory education on Employment contract, no training aspect, usually 3/5 employed Individual vocational training (individuele beroepsopleiding IBO) Flemish Unemployed, jobseekers and dual system Training agreement 3 days/week VDAB programmes

Parties Duration Remuneration - Educational institution - Student - Employer Variable, according to VET programme None, possibility for refund of travel expenses by company (not obligatory) - Youngster (Minor: legal representative required) - Employer Pre-fixed term (agreed in sectorial learning agreement) No shorter than 6 months, usually 1 to 2 years According to age, calculated 1/2 or 1/3 of average guaranteed monthly salary (GGMI = 1234.2) Sector bonuses possible after successful completion ESF bonus - Youngster (under 18: also parents or legal representative) - Employer 1-3 years (12 months) - Minimum allowance between 291.49 and 480.47/month, depending on age and year of education. - If started under period of compulsory education and succeeded, a starting bonus is awarded (= federal). - Student allowance (under certain conditions) 105 - Student - Employer 6 months end of entrepreneurial training Minimum allowance between 480.47 and 808.99/month, depending on year of education and educational background - Jobseeker - VDAB 1 to 6 months (possibility to prolong to 12 months) Afterwards: permanent contract Remuneration + progressive bonus

7.3. Mechanisms for assuring the quality of workplace training 7.3.1. Part-time secondary education For regular and paid labour under a legal contract, bridging projects as well as preliminary projects, there are ESF subsidised programmes. Each year the Service for Vocational Training (Dienst Beroepsopleiding - DBO) launches a call in which good practice parameters prevail. Project proposals that do not meet these parameters are banned. For each programme a set of conditional guidelines is published. Findings of related studies and experiments add to the content of these guidelines. A team of six DBO commissioners supports and controls the implementation in the field and reports on the progress in each project. Annual reports according to quality standards by each project organiser are conditional for financing. In order to monitor the quality of workplace training, a guideline is developed. It is published on the Ministry of Education and Training s 23 website and contains the most important points of interest for training and educational institutions, companies, counsellors and mentors. The government and the social partners support this guideline as a starting point in order to promote the quality of workplace training at all levels. 7.3.2. Apprenticeship system (SYNTRA) 106 Workplace training is set up in a fixed-term agreement in which the employer commits to teaching the pupil the profession through providing general and technical training. In order to be acknowledged by SYNTRA Vlaanderen, the employer/monitor and the place where the training takes place should meet several conditions. The employer and the monitor need to meet certain requirements concerning their experience in the profession. New employers and monitors also need to attend training on leadership, motivating and coaching young people. The workplace has to offer sufficient guarantees on the level of organisation and equipment in order to make the practice feasible. This assessment is made by SYNTRA s apprenticeship counsellors. The monitors receive training, learn how to work with profession-specific tools and are supported by sector counsellors. More and more frequently, a practical exam is organised at the end of the training year. The pupil s progress in the classroom as well as at the workplace is continuously monitored as well. This occurs through a supporting team consisting of a pupil guidance centre (CLB) and a pedagogical advisor, the apprenticeship counsellor and the teachers in the training centre. Through this counselling team, shortcomings in the pupil s workplace training can be spotted and remedied where necessary. SYNTRA has a management agreement with the Flemish Government including three strategic objectives for apprenticeships. Within the operational objectives, attention is given to quality improvement in vocational education through the development of curricula, job sheets, evaluation forms, training for entrepreneurial trainers, etc. 23 http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/werkplekleren/leidraad/

7.3.3. Entrepreneurial training (SYNTRA) Under the entrepreneurial training, workplace training can take on two forms: 7.3.3.1. The internship This can be compulsory in the curriculum and is unpaid. An internship is included in an increasing number of curricula. Its compulsory nature is sometimes based on a legal framework (e.g. the Royal Decree explicating a 6 week compulsory internship as part of training for a specific profession). This type of workplace training includes counselling for the trainee during a fixed amount of counselling hours. This is done either by the training coordinator or the teacher at SYNTRA. SYNTRA collects a number of administrative data on the internship for registrations purposes in a government database. 7.3.3.2. The internship agreement In terms of the counselling aspect, the internship agreement can be compared with the apprenticeship agreement. All elements mentioned before with respect to the apprenticeship agreement also hold for the internship agreement. There is, however, an important difference regarding the counselling team and the cooperation with the CLBs. The trainee s counselling network is not formalised in a counselling team and is restricted to an apprenticeship counsellor and a pedagogical advisor. 107 7.3.4. Inspectorate of Education and Training In the future the quality control of workplace learning will also fall within the scope of the Inspectorate of Education and Training. 7.3.5. Higher education In higher education, workplace training mainly takes the form of an internship. The educational institute is responsible for the quality of those internships. The quality assurance of workplace training is guaranteed by the programme s internal and external quality assurance system. Every 8 years, the programme s quality is investigated through a commission of independent experts. Besides the professionalism of the programme, the reviews or examinations (also of the internships), the internal quality assurance and the involvement of stakeholders, special attention is being paid to internships. Discussions with the student (trainee), the trainee s supervisor and the workplace representatives determine whether the internship is meeting the postulated objectives.

108 8

Career guidance for (potential) 109 VET students

8.1. Career guidance for VET students 8.1.1. Career guidance in educational institutions 8.1.1.1. Legal framework and national objectives Educational and vocational guidance is integrated and defined in the legislation of the Flemish Community in a general manner. It is included in policies in the area of education, training and employment, and it is the object of different measures according to the target public. The Act on equal access to education of 28 June 2002 guarantees additional resources for the provision of guidance to specific target groups (e.g. pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, non-native Dutch speakers) during the school years. The Act about the functioning of pupil guidance centres (CLB) of 1 December 1998 requires these centres to adhere to a quality policy regarding the efficiency of services and respect for others (protection of privacy, access to information, etc.), as well as rapid intervention and cooperation between the different stakeholders involved. The order of the Flemish Government of 3 May 2009 on settlement of the CLBs operational goals elucidates among other things what exactly the CLBs assignments are in the context of educational and vocational guidance. 110 Educational and vocational guidance is one of the priorities of the Competence Agenda (see 2.2.1.). First of all, all talents should be discovered and developed at different ages. In this respect, new tools are developed and projects are being initiated. Secondly, actions are being taken to broaden the knowledge about educational possibilities in secondary and higher education as well as on the labour market. Pupil guidance centres, VDAB and the school advisory services are brought together in a Task Force in order to work out an integrated vision on guidance, including the implementation in schools, and clarification of the responsibilities of the stakeholders involved. Thirdly, actions are being initiated to implement an integrated vision on portfolio, i.e. an instrument that accompanies people from their school life into and throughout their careers. The policies also attribute great importance to the relationship between education and the labour market. In 2006, the Ministries of Education and Training, and Work and Social Economy together with the Ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation launched an Entrepreneurial Education action plan with the objective to give children an entrepreneurial attitude and to get them interested in setting up their own professional activity. 8.1.1.2. Responsibilities The responsibility for the establishment of initiatives in the area of vocational guidance is shared between different ministries, in particular the Ministries of Education and Training and of Work and Social Economy and the Ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation. This responsibility also concerns different administrative levels and partners.

The pupil guidance centres (CLB) are the main bodies responsible for guidance provided to pupils in compulsory education. In cooperation with schools, they conclude agreements consisting of the establishment of services and other measures related to educational and vocational guidance for pupils. The services under the Ministry of Work (such as VDAB) are not aimed at youngsters in compulsory education. 8.1.1.3. Vocational guidance education in the curriculum Learning to learn is a crosscutting theme as part of the compulsory education curriculum. In primary education there is no real guidance education. Therefore the objectives for learning to learn are limited to different approaches to studying and searching information. In secondary education a section with objectives about study choices and vocational guidance is included in learning to learn. These objectives have been drawn up alongside the gradually expanding structure of secondary education in 3 grades of 2 years. The first grade of 2 years has a common curriculum, in the next 2 years a choice has to be made between a general or vocationally oriented study area, followed by 2 further specialised years. By way of illustration, below is one of the four objectives from the section learning to choose for each stage in secondary education: - 1st stage: Pupils can assess their interests and possibilities in order to make a choice of study in the 2 nd grade. - 2 nd stage: Pupils acquire a sensible overview of study and vocational options. - 3 rd stage: Pupils take into account their interests and possibilities when making a study or vocational choice. 111 Schools are free to decide on how learning to learn will be integrated in the curriculum. In practice, the school advisory services provide support for crosscutting integration of this theme into the curricula. The pupil guidance centre (CLB) can also support the school. This crosscutting approach to guidance is brought about and controlled in various ways: the obligation for schools to ensure the coordination between the programmes offered and guidance is included in the legislation pertaining to education. This coordination is one of the quality criteria taken into account by the school inspectorate in the evaluation of schools. This approach is now so important in the definition of guidance that schools see to its adoption and it is sometimes the object of development projects and research on school curricula. 8.1.1.4. Contacts with the professional world The Entrepreneurial Education action plan is aimed at stimulating a sense of entrepreneurship in children at primary and secondary level. For this purpose, different projects are supported by the government or other bodies such as the King Baudouin Foundation. Examples are joint ventures between schools and companies, a special course on entrepreneurship, and sharing of experience between schools and companies.

8.1.1.5. Guidance services for pupils in compulsory education: Pupil Guidance Centre (CLB) The school is the primary responsible actor for guiding pupils in their choice of study and educational track, e.g. transition to secondary education, choice of branch of studies, transition to the labour market and/or higher education. The school and the teachers are closest to the pupils regarding decisions about the evolution of their school career. The school is supported in its guidance activities for pupils by a pupil guidance centre (Centrum voor Leerlingenbegeleiding CLB). There are 73 CLB centres in Flanders. These centres support teacher teams in the guidance of pupils throughout their educational trajectory by providing information and tools for guidance. 112 In the operations of CLBs, pupils are always at the centre stage. CLBs offer pupil-oriented services but can also support schools and parents in optimising the pupils wellbeing and their way of functioning within the school environment. CLBs provide care that is complementary to the care provided by schools in four areas: 1. Learning and studying: reading and spelling, speech, language, dyslexia 2. School career: monitoring compulsory education, study choice guidance, information about education and the link to the labour market, certification in special education 3. Preventative health care: medical check-ups, vaccinations, nutrition, contagious conditions and substance abuse 4. Socio-emotional development: behavioural problems, social skills, emotional problems. Priority must be given, among others, to guidance for pupils during key moments in their education (such as the transition between the first and second cycles of secondary education), to special education (development of operational plans, lowering the number of young people at risk, etc.) and to the appropriateness and quality of transfers of pupils between mainstream and special schooling. Guidance is multidisciplinary. A CLB employs, among others, doctors, social workers, educators, psychologists, psychological assistants and nursing staff. Each of them can contribute to the pupils optimal functioning within the school environment from their own expertise. Counsellors and other staff form specialised teams. They provide their services free of charge and may also submit proposals to schools in the area of guidance. Every CLB offers a basic package consisting of: - Demand-oriented, pupil-related assistance, offering support to both parents and pupils in case of emotional problems, or advice about learning disabilities. Specific support is also available for pupils switching to part-time education. - Services dealing with truancy and pupil participation. These services are open to parents, pupils and school teams. - School support for teachers and school teams. They can seek advice from the CLB on how to deal with specific social or psychological problems that pupils may encounter. In conjunction with the schools, the CLBs will also launch actions on study choice for pupils going from primary to secondary school, from the 1 st to the 2 nd stage and from secondary to higher education.

- Medical check-ups and preventative measures to monitor and safeguard the pupils physical development. The CLB informs and supports pupils, teachers and parents in the pupils study choice process. The CLB helps teachers and school teams develop a general study choice policy. It provides support in school career guidance through group activities, study information and tools, individual interviews and consultations (with pupils, parents and teachers). The CLB is obliged to provide information to pupils, parents and schools on: The structure and organisation of education in Flanders The entire range of education available in Flanders The connection between education and employment. The school and the CLB keep multidisciplinary consultations (by means of class councils, parents evenings, information sessions) to evaluate the pupils school maturity and their ability to follow a certain branch of study. Several CLBs have developed step-by-step plans with schools for the school career guidance of pupils. Quality control within the CLBs is ensured by means of inspections, carried out by the CLB inspectorate. Self-assessment is taken into account during the inspectorate s full inspections as a valuable part of quality assurance. CLBs also received funds to improve their own self-assessment tools. The CLB survey 24 conducted as part of a study within the framework of the Education Policy and Practical Scientific Research (Onderwijskundig Beleids- en Praktijkgericht Onderzoek OBPWO) showed that pupils, parents and teaching staff were very satisfied with the guidance provided by the CLBs, but also highlighted that there is quite some confusion about the CLBs tasks and assignments. There is a lack of clarity, both in the schools and in the CLBs, concerning the CLBs role and position. By decree, the CLBs are explicitly positioned in second line, after the school. However, in reality it is often difficult to stipulate where the first line ends and where the second line begins. In many cases this has to be determined ad hoc. There are no criteria to evaluate whether or not the CLB s mission has been accomplished. The decree of 1 December 1998 imposes obligations on the CLB but not on schools. However, the CLB can only fulfil its tasks optimally if a number of conditions have been met on the part of the schools as well. There is insufficient understanding about the CLBs mission and work. The results of the survey show that satisfaction about guidance is directly related to the level of knowledge about the service. The CLBs organisation does not allow implementing a central CLB consultant in each school, due to the fact that some schools (small schools and ASO schools) have not enough guidance hours. One CLB consultant can be assigned to different schools. Therefore, it is difficult to create a real collaboration between the schools and the CLB. In large schools, it is difficult to have a stable central CLB consultant, due to frequent staff rotation within the CLB and the fact that many CLB consultants work part-time. 113 24 OBPWO 04.02 Tevredenheid van cliënten in de Centra voor leerlingenbegeleiding: ontwikkeling van een instrumentarium (Client Satisfaction in the Pupil Guidance Centres: Development of a Set of Instruments)

CLBs and schools are not neutral organisations working completely independently. Both are related to a specific educational network, which directly influences their choices. On request by a school, the CLB can provide a supervision service in cooperation with the school. This guidance service only starts when a pupil or parent has taken an initiative in this respect. If a school asks the CLB to supervise a pupil, the centre will first explicitly ask for the parents consent (for a pupil under the age of 14), or the pupil s consent (from the age of 14). The supervision provided by the CLB has a multidisciplinary character and focuses particularly on pupils with learning difficulties due to their social background and situation. This is a guidance service outside the school. 8.1.1.6. Access to information on vocational guidance CLBs have the obligation to provide information related to educational and vocational guidance for pupils. The centres contain information rooms equipped with display shelves and pertinent information in printed and digital format. The CLB website is also accessible to pupils and parents and provides useful information. 114 The CLB sector has put a cross-network school-career guidance support team in place, consisting of at least one career guidance expert in each CLB. Together with VDAB, this support team forms a task force that combines the expertise and efforts of both services. The aim is to enhance young people s study choice orientation by providing more integrated vocational and educational guidance and more information about labour market professions. Together, the CLBs and VDAB have made an inventory of materials, visions and concepts available in CLBs, in schools and at VDAB 25. They also share good practices and are looking for partnerships. They intend to develop guidelines for teachers on how to integrate activities about educational/vocational choice in their lessons. This will allow teachers to furnish their pupils with more comprehensive advice on follow-up programmes for further education and on career opportunities. The CLB-VDAB task force has recently been enlarged to also include the educational networks pedagogical guidance services, which support schools in pedagogical-didactical matters. In this way, steps are being taken to facilitate and reinforce the common responsibility of schools, CLBs and VDAB. A virtual knowledge centre for entrepreneurial skills was set up within the framework of the Entrepreneurial Education action plan. The websites of the Ministry of Work and of VDAB provide complete information on careers and available assistance in the search for employment, IQ tests, etc. It also provides links to other related sites (private bodies, projects ) This information is also available on CD-ROM. As a result of the regulations in the sector agreements/covenants, the sectors also come up with many initiatives to raise consciousness about the labour market possibilities in the different sectors. They make tool kits, brochures and educational material for use in classrooms and they are present with stands on educational information fairs. 25 http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/proeftuinen/studie_en_beroepskeuze/default.htm

8.1.1.7. Guidance services at university colleges Each university college provides guidance activities throughout the students educational pathway. This guidance can be practical, psychological, medical, social, or study related. The working of the guidance services is part of the accreditation framework of the university colleges programmes. Guidance to facilitate students entry into the labour market comes in many forms. The majority of university colleges have placement services, even though their workings tend to vary. There are no official guidelines in this area. Some university colleges merely collect vacancies or compile employment statistics, while others keep elaborate employment files on the individual graduates, provide job application training and/ or organise preparatory seminars on employment... Often a successful internship may lead to employment once the student has graduated. 8.1.2. Guidance in SYNTRA programmes 8.1.2.1. Apprenticeship Potential and actual VET students are guided in first line by the apprenticeship counsellor, the SYNTRA apprenticeship director, and their teachers. In second line they can be guided/coached by a CLB (pupil guidance centre) or by VDAB (focus on finding a job at the end of the apprenticeship period). Each SYNTRA centre has the obligation to conclude an agreement with at least two CLBs. Within the apprenticeship system there are official team meetings with SYNTRA Vlaanderen s pedagogic apprenticeship counsellor, the apprenticeship counsellor, SYNTRA s apprenticeship director, the teachers and the CLB. They discuss problem students and the students further career. 115 SYNTRA and the apprenticeship counsellor (for the entrepreneurial agreement) help students determine their pathway within the SYNTRA training. 8.1.2.2. Other VET courses offered by SYNTRA Adults are responsible for their own career guidance. If necessary, they can use the services of VDAB, professional organisations, unions, employer organisations or private career guidance organisations. Students with an entrepreneurial agreement are guided by the apprenticeship counsellor. Students with an unpaid practical training (work placement) are guided by SYNTRA. There are also language and learning coaches for students with specific needs. 8.2. Career guidance for employees Everybody, whether employed or looking for a job, can register as a jobseeker on the website of the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB). This website offers numerous tools (e.g. publishing a resume online, tailored provision of vacancies) to support citizens in their career. Besides this online guidance, there is also face-to-face guidance. In the past, VDAB was more oriented towards jobseekers. Now it takes a holistic approach to career guidance: VDAB aims at facilitating and supporting all citizens in their career transitions and choices.

This implies amongst other things that more basic services will be given to working people. It is a form of career guidance in which clients are being stimulated to develop their competences, deliberately search for transition opportunities, self-steer their own career, etc. Career guidance for employees focuses on: - Clarifying employees questions about their own career in order to provide the right information - A coaching approach, centred around the client s self-steering potential - A neutral approach in referring to other services. This career guidance system has been structurally implemented in the 26 VDAB job centres across Flanders since 1 September 2009. Apart from career guidance provided by VDAB through job centres, since 2008 career guidance centres may also offer candidates a short guidance of 6 hours. The Flemish Government has recognised 18 career guidance centres. These are financed by the European Social Fund in cooperation with the Flemish Government. They may charge employees a maximum contribution of 150 euro for career guidance. Groups at risk pay a lower contribution of maximum 25 euro. Employees can use training and guidance vouchers (see 10.2.2.1.) to pay their own contribution. Additionally, after minimum 6 months and maximum 15 months, candidates can come back to the centre for a follow-up and a possible modification of their personal development plan. 8.3. Career guidance for jobseekers 116 Basic guidance for jobseekers includes: - Organising practical matters about registering as a jobseeker and learning how to search for a job in the database. - Orientation phase: supporting jobseekers in their process to find out what they want to do and which skills they have. - Individual process guidance. After screening the jobseeker s possibilities and expectations, a trajectory is laid out and a trajectory tutor will guide the jobseeker through the process. This can include job interview training, a vocational training programme, individual job training, or social skills training. - Job coaching: support and guidance on the job. - During the training programme, a trajectory will be set up by a team of the VDAB competence centre to guide the jobseeker towards a job. The jobseeker is guided by the programme s educational team. The guidance during the training is always focussed on a (future) job. During the training, there are a number of consultations, which at the minimum address the following topics: - Progress made during the training (technical and personal competences) - The jobseeker s functioning in the competence centre. - Motivation and support in applying for jobs The consultations can lead to an adjustment of the training programme.

118 9

VET teacher and trainer 119 workforce

9.1. Initial training of teachers in education, including VET teachers There is no specific training track for VET teachers. It is the same as for teachers in general education. In 2006, teacher training in Flanders was thoroughly reformed. Since 1 September 2007, a distinction is made between two clusters of teacher training programmes: The integrated teacher-training programmes, organised by university colleges, which integrate subjectspecific and pedagogical teaching components throughout the entire 180 ECTS bachelor programme. The training programme takes 3 years and comprises 180 credits, including 45 for teaching practice. The admission requirements for integrated teacher training programmes are the exact same as those for the professional bachelor programmes hosted by the university colleges. Only students who have followed a specific teacher-training programme can qualify for an LIO position (Trainee Teacher see below), provided they meet the other skills certificate condition. The required proofs of study or general levels of training are specified per individual level by the Flemish government decisions concerning skills certificates. 120 Students who have already obtained another diploma of higher education or adult education or who have relevant professional experience and only need to get additional pedagogical/teaching training can follow a specific teacher-training programme. This training programme involves a 60-credit study load of which 30 credits are specifically allocated to teaching practice. These programmes are organised by universities, university colleges and Centres for Adult Education (CVO). They may be organised to dovetail with a subject-related programme, or as a built-in programme or even an autonomous programme for people who wish to embark on a teaching career. The practical component can not only be acquired through pre-service training, i.e. teaching practice, but also through in-service training, as a Trainee Teacher (Leraar-in-Opleiding LIO), which is a 500 hour a year teaching assignment. The trainee teacher receives a salary (that of a teacher without a pedagogical skills certificate) and is supported by a staff member of the centre, the institution or the school where he or she is employed and which is in charge of mentoring, and also receives support from the teacher training college. All the different teacher-training programmes will be equivalent and will be based on the same basic teaching competences. Prior qualifications (eerder verworven kwalificaties EVK) and accreditation of prior learning (erkennen van verworven competenties EVC) will also be taken into account, and will all lead to the same diploma of teacher. Moreover, the same quality assurance system, i.e. external assessments, will apply to all the various routes. Tutors, experienced teachers, will be in charge of guidance and support for trainees, trainee teachers and beginning teachers. Tutors will also be able to follow a training programme. As all the programmes are equivalent, it goes without saying that all the institutions providing teacher training will work together. To boost cooperation between the institutions even further, the government finances the expansion of Networks of Excellence (expertisenetwerken ENW) (created within an association of a university and university colleges, cf. 2.1.1.3.) and regional platforms (operating in a cross-association fashion).

The admission requirements for the specific teacher-training programme differ according to the institution (for further details, see Eurydice 26 ). 9.1.1. Entry to the profession in secondary education The Flemish government specifies the skills certificates (entry requirements for teaching) per subject, stage, education form (general secondary education (ASO), technical secondary education (TSO), vocational secondary education (BSO), artistic secondary education (KSO)) and per level of education. A skills certificate consists of a basic qualification, a certificate of teaching competence (teacher training) and/or useful experience. There are three types of qualifications, i.e. required, acceptable and other qualifications. Teachers with a required qualification have followed a specific form of previous education for the subject they teach. The diploma requirements in relation to the level depend on the type of subject, the stage and the branch of education. An acceptable qualification means that one has a basic qualification of the same level as the required qualification, but not in the same specific field. A certificate of teaching competence (teacher training) is a prerequisite for either a required or an acceptable qualification. The organising bodies are free to choose between candidates with a required or an acceptable qualification when recruiting new staff. In principle, schools should always give priority to people with a required or an acceptable qualification. However, schools may exceptionally deviate from this general rule and appoint someone with an other qualification. In that case the candidate holds a basic qualification of a certain (minimum) level. For certain subjects three years of useful experience are sufficient. 121 9.1.2. Professional status In subsidised private educational institutions teachers are employees, whereas in public educational institutions teachers are civil servants. In its capacity of financier, the Flemish government has laid down the terms for recruitment, appointment, evaluation, promotion, dismissal etc. There is a specific status for teachers in public education and one for teachers in subsidised education. This differs from the normal status of staff in the public and private sector, due to the specific nature and special needs of the field of education. Based on the type of contract, a distinction can be made between contractual appointments, temporary appointments and permanent appointments. - Subsidised contract staff (gesubsidieerde contractuelen - GECOs) are appointed under conventions between the Flemish Minister for Education and the Flemish Minister for Employment. GECOs are appointed based on individual conventions between the organising body and the minister in charge of employment. - Contractual staff appointed based on the school s operational resources (contractuelen aangesteld op basis van werkingsmiddelen van de school - COWEs). - Contractual staff members to the account of the Ministry of Education and Training (contractuele personeelsleden ten laste van het department Onderwijs en Vorming - CODOs). 26 Euridyce, Educational Structures and Education Systems for Vocational Training and Adult Education in Europe. Belgium - Flemish Community 2009.

These people have an open-ended contract and can build up permanent appointment rights. There are different categories of CODOs, depending on the office, the educational network or the branch of education in which they are employed. Conditions have been drawn up for GECOs, CODOs and COWEs under which they can acquire service and office seniority basis on their earlier performances. There are different types of contractual appointments for which specific regulations have been established. A temporary appointment may be for a fixed or a continuous duration. A fixed-duration appointment is valid for a maximum of one year. However, a temporary appointment of continuous duration (TADD) is valid throughout the school years. The benefits of a permanent versus a temporary appointment are the guarantee of a steady position and salary, a place on the reserve list in the event of redundancy and the subsequent right to reassignment and re-employment, the access to a number of leave systems, and the right to a state pension. Permanently appointed staff members who have lost their position or whose duties have been reduced for reasons beyond their control, come under the system of reserve list, reassignment and re-employment. This means that they are placed on a reserve list if they lose their position and get preferential treatment when vacancies arise; schools must give priority to these teachers. Reassignment takes place within the same position. If this is impossible, the organising body or the reassignment committee can re-employ the teacher in question. Re-employment means appointment to a different position, such as principal to the position of teacher, and teacher to the position of educator or of teacher for subjects for which they have not obtained any required qualification. 122 For schools belonging to a school community, the reassignment and re-employment obligations fall to the school community. When staff members are placed on the reserve list, they receive a redundancy payment. In certain cases, staff members on the reserve list are obliged to accept their reassignment or reemployment. In some cases they may also be required to be available to carry out pedagogical tasks. For these reassignments and re-employments, various reassignment committees were established per educational sector (secondary / adult / higher education), per school group and per school community. Since the school year 2005, regional committees have been abolished and the inter-provincial committees have been suspended for an indefinite period of time. The Flemish Reassignment Committee within the Ministry of Education and Training has the authority to take decisions, but also acts as an appeal body that deals with notices of objection. This committee consists of a chamber for GO! public education, and a chamber for subsidised education. 9.2. Teachers and trainers in continuing VET 9.2.1. Adult education The teaching staff in centres for adult education (secondary adult education and associate degree) are governed by the Act concerning legal status (27 March 1991). Their legal status and qualifications are similar to those required in mainstream secondary and university college education. Legislation about staff in centres for adult education only changed in a minor way in the Act on Adult Education of 2007, and was mainly adapted to the modular education system. Salary scales were simplified

and function differentiation was facilitated. As agreed in a collective labour agreement (cao VIII), adult education will also be given extra administrative staff. In January 2008, 5,423 management and teaching staff were appointed for secondary adult education (for 4,147 full-time equivalents. 27 56% of management and teaching staff have a fixed contract. 44% have a temporary contract. 63% of the staff are female. 1,262 management and teaching staff were appointed for the associate degree programmes in centres for adult education (for a total of 723 full-time equivalents). 36% have a fixed contract, 64% have a temporary contract. 39% are female, 61% are male. 9.2.1.1. Evaluation of teaching staff The Act of 27 March 1991 on the legal status of staff introduced an evaluation system that also provides for job descriptions. The decree of 13 July 2007 reformed the evaluation system and linked evaluation to the introduction of individualised job descriptions. Schools for secondary education and the centres for adult education have been using job descriptions since 1 September 2004, the pupil guidance centres since 1 September 2005. Evaluations according to the new system started in these sectors on 1 September 2007. The evaluation process must be a constructive and positive process, not a means to pursue a repressive staff policy; it cannot be a snapshot in time but should be an all-encompassing process. Reception and guidance of teachers is a very important aspect of this. The evaluation and support process is based on individualised job descriptions. These are mandatory for each member of staff who is appointed for 104 days or more, but may also be drawn up for staff appointed for a shorter period of time. Job descriptions must be drawn up by the institution employing the member of staff in question, and for every position the person holds. Consequently, members of staff can have several job descriptions. The organising body or the school community (subsidised education) and the board of principals (GO!, public education) negotiate the general arrangements for job descriptions within the local committee responsible for the institution. The subject-specific aspects featuring in the job descriptions for teachers teaching philosophy of life must also be approved by the competent body. Evaluations are only valid for four school years at the most. After that, a new evaluation must be performed. Each member of staff has two evaluators who work in the same institution (or institution appertaining to the same organising body, in the case of subsidised education). The role of the first evaluator is essential, since he or she is in charge of guidance and coaching. Therefore, they should have a higher hierarchical ranking than the member of staff being evaluated. In GO! (public education), evaluators are appointed by the school principal, whereas in subsidised education, they are appointed by the organising body. Training for evaluators is recommended and the government specifically provides funding for this. The subjectspecific aspects of philosophy of life education are evaluated by the competent body of the ideology in question. All other aspects are assessed by the regular evaluator. Any evaluation process starts off with the appointment of evaluators, followed by drafting the job description, and the evaluation process itself, including the staff member s coaching and guidance. This results in an evaluation report and any consequences that might ensue. Normally, the job description is drafted by the first evaluator in consultation with the member of staff concerned. 123 27 In secondary adult education, the general education courses and language courses, a substantial proportion of secondary adult education, are not considered as VET.

If no consensus can be reached, the organising body takes the final decision. The first evaluator signs the individualised job description and the member of staff signs for acknowledgement. The performance interview, in which the evaluator and the member of staff are on an equal footing, features within individual staff guidance. During the evaluation interview with which any evaluation period is always rounded off the performance of the member of staff is discussed based on the preset job description. This always results in a descriptive and conclusive evaluation report. If the evaluation report should exceptionally produce the score insufficient, the member of staff in question can lodge an appeal with the evaluation appeal board. Appeals have a suspensive effect. If the ultimate insufficient does not lead to dismissal, the member of staff must be re-evaluated after a minimum of 12 months of active service. Dismissal only applies to that particular office at that particular institution. The terms depend on the position held, and on whether the appointment was temporary or permanent. Temporary members of staff, who are appointed for a definite period of time, are dismissed when they have received insufficient on their evaluation report. Permanently appointed staff members are dismissed when they have received two consecutive insufficient final markings or if they have scored insufficient three times during their career. The evaluation appeal board has been established alongside the appeal bodies for disciplinary matters. 9.2.2. Professional bachelor 124 There are no specific initial teacher-training programmes for the teaching staff at university colleges or universities. The legal framework for the labour conditions of teaching staff at university colleges is regulated by the Decree of 13 July 1994. The positions of junior practical lecturer and senior practical lecturer require a diploma of 1-cycle higher education. For the positions of lecturer, senior lecturer, assistant and senior research assistant, a university diploma or a diploma of a 2-cycle higher education programme is needed. A Ph D is the prerequisite for the positions of doctor-assistant, lecturer, senior lecturer, professor and professor ordinarius. The teaching staff at university colleges are, from a contractual point of view, employees (in subsidised education) or civil servants (in funded education). University-college staff are paid by the Flemish government. Although the legal status of teaching staff in subsidised and funded university colleges are not quite the same, there are only minor differences. The Executive Board or the University College Board may assign vacancies to candidates either on a temporary or a permanent basis. Only assistants are always appointed on a temporary basis. Permanent appointments take place through recruitment, promotion or job changes. The evaluation regulations are laid down by the university college board (Act of 13 July 1994). Evaluation is compulsory for each member of staff and is carried out at least every five years. However, there are exceptions: When a member of staff is given an insufficient evaluation, a new evaluation must take place after one year. As a deviation from the five-year rule, the first evaluation of the staff member takes place at the latest three years after he or she has been initially appointed, permanently appointed or promoted. If an insufficient evaluation is given, the member of staff can appeal against this decision to the evaluation appeal board within a period of 15 calendar days. Evaluations marked insufficient are considered to be

final if the term provided to lodge an appeal has expired or once a final decision has been taken during the appeal procedure. Moreover, the staff member in question is entitled to comment in writing on any evaluation that did not result in a final insufficient. This written response is then added to the evaluation file. In 2008, 9,745 management and teaching staff were appointed in university colleges (for 7,637 FTE s). 28 55% have a fixed contract, 45% have a temporary contract (51% male, 49% female). 9.2.3. Trainers at SYNTRA Vlaanderen Apprenticeship instructors are expected to have teaching qualifications. If this is not the case, they attend an initial additional course (120 hours), organised by SYNTRA Vlaanderen, for didactic training. This basic training is later refreshed and completed with periodic additional training sessions on various topics. The other instructors (in entrepreneurial and additional training) can attend the additional training voluntarily. The range of courses also includes additional courses in the field of professional knowledge. These can be organised either by SYNTRA Vlaanderen or by the SYNTRA centres. Every SYNTRA centre also organises a welcome package for instructors. The instructors too are trained on a permanent basis. This is a guarantee for quality. The teachers receive internal follow-up and support (by a SYNTRA coach) and external evaluation (student satisfaction = customer satisfaction). Employers who provide 4 days/week apprenticeship training within the SYNTRA network are given a sequential training of 12 hours, called Estafette. This training programme is organised by a SYNTRA trainer and an apprenticeship counsellor. The training is focused on welcoming apprentices, issuing instructions to them, coaching (feedback and evaluation), conflict management, etc. This training is compulsory for all new employers and monitors, for all existing employers who request a deviation from a certain clause in the regulation, and for all existing employers who experience problems in their contact with youngsters or apprentices. Only the entrepreneurs coaching adult apprentices within the entrepreneurial training programme are not obliged to follow the Estafette programme. The entrepreneurs also get support in different ways: an intake consultation with the counsellor, an overview of the competences that the apprentice has to acquire, company visits by the apprenticeship counsellor, information and welcome meeting at SYNTRA, etc. For the apprentices, parent meetings are organised to discuss the apprentices progress. The entrepreneur/ trainer is also welcome on these meetings. 125 The whole SYNTRA network has more than 4,000 teachers. Some of them only give a few hours of training per year, depending on their time and specialisation. Most of them get a payment per teaching hour. When they attend additional teaching training, SYNTRA has to pay them for their attendance to that training/ additional schooling. 9.2.4. Trainers in the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) Although VDAB has its own training service, which ensures the instructors initial and continuing teacher training (usually professionals from the world of business), it also recruits trainers who have attended a teacher-training programme. 28 It is not possible to make a distinction between staff appointed for the professional bachelor and for the academic-oriented bachelor.

VDAB hires trainers by means of comparative recruiting exams. They are organised inter-regionally, on the initiative of one or more regions or of the central organisation of VDAB. The recruiting exams include: - Theoretical and general knowledge required for the position - One or more practical tests that are relevant for the function - An interview with the examination board related to psychological tests. In 2008, VDAB had 1,008 trainers (562 male and 446 female). VDAB has its own training service (Spoor 21). For all teaching staff, a yearly evaluation is held, linked to the competences required for the job. In this evaluation, training plans for the next year are discussed. 9.2.5. Training programme for trainers of adults 126 In September 2007, an OOV (Opleidingen voor Opleiders van Volwassenen) training programme for trainers of adults was launched in five Centres for Adult Education. This programme offered professional training (consisting of 280 teaching periods, 120 of which were dedicated to practical training) to VDAB and SYNTRA trainers and to other organisers of continuing education and adult education. The programme led to a Training for Trainers of Adults certificate (OOV certificate). The projects were evaluated in 2009. In the upcoming legislative term, an occupational profile will be made. This will describe the specific competences needed as a trainer in adult training programmes and will serve as a basis for designing the curriculum. 9.2.6. Pedagogical preparation for employers offering other types of workplace training The Flemish Government has made a Competence Agenda together with the social partners (see 2.2.1.) in order to contribute to sustainable and innovative growth. One of the ten action programmes on this agenda aims at more and better workplace learning, another one at the improvement and development of a sense of entrepreneurship. Through sector covenants, many sectors organise training and education for employees/employers who provide assistance to pupils, trainers, jobseekers and new employees. These sector covenants contain a clause about the support for more and better workplace learning. In this clause, sectors make a commitment about the quantity and quality of workplace learning, for all pupils including those in the dual learning system, BSO and TSO teachers, jobseekers and employees. No overall pedagogical requirements are set up, but a number of sectors take initiatives to coach and train workplace counsellors. Often, a system of godfathers and godmothers is set up in order to provide a proper welcome and support on the workplace. Approximately half of the 28 sectors with a sector covenant have ever organised or offered a godparent training (short-term or long-term). Some small sectors even organise this training jointly so that they have sufficient trainees. In this case, they partly rely on the professional profile of instructor/counsellor that is developed by SERV. However, this differs from sector to sector. The transport and logistics sector, for example, has developed godparent training specifically for truck drivers, combined with a certificate recognised by the sector. This training is free and is set up as an open offer: drivers of different companies participate in this two-day training. The training can also be provided in-house, on demand, for a company with sufficient

participants. It is a highly interactive trainin, focused on the pedagogical aspect, not at all on the technical aspect. It is the responsibility of the employer to appoint technically competent drivers. Moreover, the technically most competent person is not always the best godfather, because other capacities are necessary. This training was first organised in 2003. Since then, almost 400 godfathers have been trained. The sector advises schools and VDAB to offer students/jobseekers workplace training in companies with these trained godfathers. A number of sectors also cooperate in the development of the certificate of experience of trainers/ counsellors. In the long run, sectors will mobilise the holders of this certificate of experience in order to guarantee the quality of workplace training. Moreover, a number of sectors (together with the Ministry of Education and Training) cooperate in the development and implementation of quality tools like WELP, train-the-trainer programmes, and other projects. Finally, many companies submit ESF proposals in order to finance projects about vocational education and training, e.g. for first line manager. VDAB does not have a separate training programme for mentors in companies. The VDAB website offers a manual for workplace learning with practical tips about guidance for apprentices. 127

10.1. Financing educational and training institutions 10.1.1. Educational institutions Between 2007 and 2009, three Acts on financing educational institutions were passed: - Act on adult education (June 2007) - Act on changing the operational resources in compulsory education (July 2008) - Act on financing the operation of university colleges and universities (March 2008) The basic principles are briefly discussed below. 10.1.1.1. Secondary education The distribution of resources across the educational networks has always featured on the political agenda, as it is linked to two basic principles of educational legislation: freedom of choice of school, and compulsory education. Determining the objectively ascertainable differences between the schools (and networks) proved to be extremely difficult and was a political minefield. Operational resources For the school year 2007-2008 the (old) financing model remained in place, i.e. compulsory education resources were distributed between the schools of the Flemish Community and the subsidised schools at a ratio of 100/76 per pupil. 128 The Act of April 2008 on a new financing model for operational resources has 4 sub-budgets: one for mainstream elementary education, one for special elementary education, one for mainstream secondary education and one for special secondary education. Under the new financing system, part of the operational resources education budget will first of all be used to fund the objective differences between the schools. Subsequently, another part will be distributed based on the pupils social characteristics (see below). In secondary education the share for 2008-2009 amounted to 10%. This will gradually be increased to 11% in 2017. This portion of the budget is distributed among the qualifying schools in the form of an overall amount in proportion to the number of pupils who fall under each of the following indicators: Pre-set budget for several philosophy of life courses To facilitate the organisation of philosophy of life courses (and to provide both non-confessional ethics and religious education) public schools will receive an extra 4.5% per pupil. Since preschool children do not receive any philosophy of life education, this will not apply to preprimary education. Pre-set budget for freedom of choice of schools The GO! schools of the Flemish Community also receive an extra 3% per pupil to guarantee the freedom of choice of schools for pupils and parents. After all, the network of public schools is less extensive, which means that the economy of scale factor operates in reverse here. Pre-set budget for operational resources based on pupil characteristics Part of the budget will be distributed based on four social indicators that play an important role in pupils school careers: the mother s level of education, whether the pupil qualifies for a grant, the language spoken at home and the living environment.

The remaining main part of the operational resources (about 80%) will be distributed among the schools based on the pupils place in the educational order (pre-primary, primary, secondary, general secondary (ASO), vocational secondary (BSO), artistic secondary (KSO), technical secondary (TSO), part-time vocational education (DBSO) The pupils place will generate a number of points, which will be used in the distribution of resources. Henceforth, educational networks will no longer have any impact. One of the reasons why this historic agreement could be reached was the increase in operational resources for education. In 2008-2009, these were increased by 85,000,000 for elementary education and by 40,000,000 for secondary education. In secondary education, operational resources will rise with 34% ( 104,000,000). 10.1.1.2. Adult education Centres for adult education (staff and operations) are fully financed by the Ministry of Education and Training. The centres are being subsidised based on teaching hours. To determine the number of teaching hours, different criteria are being used: e.g. the amount of hours a student spends in a course, the average group size The students registration fees are the only operational budget for the centres for adult education. To ensure that all centres receive an equal operational budget, a system of solidarity is used. This way, centres with many students who are exempted from paying a registration fee still get enough operational budget. The registration fee for students is limited to max. 1/hour, with a maximum of 400 per course. To qualify for subsidies or financing, any adult education centre affiliated to an adult education consortium must have attained at least 120,000 teaching periods - course participants 29 /year (in the Brussels-Capital region, 60,000 teaching periods - course participants/year). However, if a centre is not affiliated with an adult education consortium, the minimum number is 720,000 teaching periods - course participants/year. This new form of financing will be assessed by the Flemish government in 2012, in conjunction with the adult education consortiums, though an interim evaluation was organised in 2009. 129 All together, the adult education consortiums will receive a subsidy for staff expenses, operational expenses and investments of no less than 3,600,000. Of this, 650,000 will have to be allocated to the support and coordination of the development of an educational and training policy for detainees, for pinpointing their educational and training needs and their educational itinerary guidance. The remaining principal amount of the subsidy will be divided between the consortiums, based on the total volume of teaching periodscourse participants generated by the centres affiliated to the consortium. VOCVO, the Flemish Support Centre for Adult Education (Vlaams Ondersteuningscentrum voor het Volwassenonderwijs), receives an annual subsidy for staff cost, operational expenses and investments. VOCVO is in charge of support and guidance for the Centres for Adult Basic Education and the Centres for Adult Education that do not rely on a pedagogical counselling service. A similar amount will be distributed amongst the pedagogical counselling services for support and guidance of the affiliated Centres for Adult Education. 29 Teaching period course participant = the number of subsidizable course participants multiplied by the total amount of teaching periods in the teaching module.

130 10

VET funding 131

10.1.1.3. Higher education University colleges and universities are fully subsidised by the Ministry of Education and Training. They decide entirely autonomously how to spend their funding: wages, infrastructure The amount of the budget is partly based on the principle of input financing and partly on the principle of output financing. Input financing means that the budget is based on the number of ECTS credit points for which a student registers. Output financing means that the budget is also partly calculated on the basis of the amount of actual credits the students obtain. University colleges also receive registration fees from their students. These are determined by the Flemish government and are always maximum fees. There is one registration fee for regular students and one for students with a student grant. Both fees can be lowered if the student s socio-economic situation requires this. Only for post-initial programmes (e.g. a specialised master), a higher registration fee is allowed. 10.1.2. The Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) VDAB is an external autonomous agency (see 2.1.3.). The VDAB operations are financed by the Flemish government. Within this framework, VDAB concludes a management agreement with the Flemish government. Besides the contributions from the Flemish Community, VDAB also derives an income from the European Union and from invoicing employers for training their employees. 132 10.1.3. Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) The SYNTRA training centres are private organisations, but they are eligible for public funding. Direct public cost for the Flemish Government: - SYNTRA Vlaanderen: Salary and overhead costs for apprenticeship counsellors, pedagogic counsellors, staff for coordination and judicial support, secretaries - SYNTRA envelope: o Teachers salary (70% of the envelope) o Subsidies for SYNTRA training centres to organise the courses. 10.1.3.1. Apprenticeship funding SYNTRA For the apprenticeship system, a modified output-oriented system is in place since 2008: - The teachers salary is guaranteed (there is a separate envelope/budget, which is limited). - Output-oriented funding based on: o Participation in exam and recognized courses: if the apprentice takes an exam, the SYNTRA centre is subsidized for the number of hours the apprentice attended the course ( 2.5 x course hours x number of participants) o 1.5/ course hour extra for apprentices with a certificate of apprenticeship (mostly after 3 years) - Extra budget (for organizing 5,660 hours) for refresher courses (small classes for vocational training, Dutch language support, support for learning problems)

10.1.3.2. Entrepreneurial training and additional training funding SYNTRA Funding is allocated according to funding formulas, based on a set of predetermined criteria that are output-oriented, i.e. participation in exams and recognised courses: if the student takes the exam, the SYNTRA training centre is subsidised for the number of hours of the course. 133

10.1.4. Public cost per student of different types of training at upper secondary level For the school year 2008-2009, no data are available on the public cost per student. The table below shows data from the OECD questionnaire submitted for Learning for Jobs in 2007. Table 26: Annual cost per student in VET (data from 2007) Programme Direct public cost Initial VET Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of BSO 134 Regular secondary education, 4 th stage of vocational secondary education 17 Dual system: Part-time education for 15 to 25 year olds within schools for part-time education Dual system: Part-time education for 15 to 15 year olds: apprenticeship training courses by SYNTRA Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of TSO 3 rd year of 3 rd stage TSO and BSO (since 1 September 2009: secondary after secondary education) Associate degree Professional Bachelor Degree Continuing VET Vocational programmes organised by VDAB Entrepreneurial training course and additional courses (organised by SYNTRA) M* Apprenticeship & starting bonus: 500-750 euro Subsidies approx 1,412/apprentice** M* No information No information For jobseekers the cost is 7.44 per hour per person. Subsidies: approx 600 euro per student** Secondary adult education For each student: 0.39/h euro Source: Questionnaire on VET, Ministry of Education and Training, 2007 * The direct public cost for all courses except for those at SYNTRA generally entails a government envelope for staff, operating budget, capital costs. This information is not standard available and differs according to the area of study. ** The direct public costs for the courses at SYNTRA (apprenticeship and entrepreneurial training course) include: - Salary of teachers / trainers - Subsidies for the centres organising the courses - Start and apprenticeship bonus: a grant for the employer (apprenticeship bonus) and for apprentices (start bonus) from the federal government. - The total envelope for the apprenticeship in 2006 (calendar year) was approx 7,000,000 for 5,016 apprentices in the school year 2006/2007. - The total envelope for the entrepreneurial training in 2006 (calendar year) was approx 17,000,000 for 28,039 students in 2006/2007.

- The envelope for apprenticeship as well as for entrepreneurial courses consists for approx 70% of teachers /trainers wages. This means that the subsidy for guidance and working costs in the centres are approx 400 per apprentice and 200 per entrepreneurial student. Direct company costs for courses at SYNTRA These costs consist solely of the allowances for the apprentice / entrepreneurial student, paid to them by the employer. 10.2 Funding individuals 10.2.1. Student grants For initial VET, funding individuals is possible through grants in schools for secondary education and university colleges. Study financing is regulated in an integrated way and for all levels of education (except adult education) by the Act of 8 June 2007. Students in centres for adult education are still not eligible for student grants. This will be a priority for the next Minister of Education. Apart from grants, in all educational institutions students can obtain a reduction in registration fee, although the criteria differ according to the type of educational institution. 10.2.2. Other financial incentives to stimulate lifelong learning 135 10.2.2.1. Training and guidance vouchers Since 2003, the Flemish government has been contributing to the direct training costs of employees by means of training and guidance vouchers for employees with a maximum of 250. Extra contributions are possible under certain conditions for employees without a diploma of secondary and/or higher education, and for employees who start training after having participated in career guidance. The scheme has been growing constantly over the last four years: - 2005: 214,150 vouchers (total value 25,266,860) - 2006: 233,953 vouchers (total value 28,885,450) - 2007: 250,205 vouchers (total value 34,070,205) - 2008: 256,142 vouchers (total value 36.878.625). In times of economic recession, a temporary measure has been constructed to support the employees of companies in difficulties. Employees of companies that are restructuring receive an additional amount on top of their bridging premium if they attend training during the extra time obtained because of their diminished working hours. After the decrease of working hours, the employee needs to work at least 50% to obtain this premium. Employees are entitled to this premium for maximum 6 months for a decrease in working hours. The premium is only available until 31 December 2010. 10.2.2.2. Paid training leave Paid training leave or educational leave is a regulation through which employees in the private sector

have the right to engage in education while being absent from their jobs, without a decrease in their wages. They keep receiving a salary during their absence. The employer cannot refuse this right, but has to agree with the timing of the leave. A link between the training and the employee s profession is not important, but the duration of the training has to be minimum 32 hours a year. This system implies that employees either receive extra educational leave if they attend training after working hours or receive educational leave if they attend training during working hours, in order to be able to follow classes. After completing the training employees can reclaim (part of) their costs. The number of hours employees may be absent from work is the number of hours they received actual training. For vocational training the maximum number of hours per year is 100. 10.2.2.3. Encouragement premium for training credit To facilitate a flexible career plan, the Flemish Government provides an encouragement premium for training credit for people who already use time credit or who have interrupted their career. On top of the maintenance for time credit or a career interruption, people receive an extra premium if they attend training. The amount of the premium depends on the sector. 10.2.2.4. Compensation for social promotion 136 Compensation for social promotion can be provided to employees in the private sector and selfemployed people for certain courses. The amount of the compensation is limited and the list of courses that are considered for this compensation is dated. Employees in the private sector cannot combine this compensation with paid training leave. The use of this measure is not very extended. 10.2.2.5. Refund of VDAB training fee The Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) has stimulated individual employees since a long time. When a company is in economical hardship, when employees are threatened with collective resignation or become medically unfit, and on a number of other conditions, the training with VDAB is refunded 100%. Under other circumstances, the training fee is refunded 50%, e.g. for employees whose company is in a phase of restructuring, etc. Specifically as a response to the current economical crisis, the following measures are in place for employees who request a training themselves: - People who are temporarily unemployed because of economical reasons can attend free training at VDAB. This action was intended to end on 31 December 2009, but has been prolonged. - From 1 April 2009 until 31 March 2010, all employees with a training request at their own initiative can take a free course through web-learning (distance learning). 10.2.2.6. Incentives for pupils in the dual system

10.2.2.6.1. Apprenticeship For apprentices, a limited payment is provided. Apart from yearly holidays and a standard insurance for industrial accidents, apprentices receive the following minimum wages (for 2009): -18 year +18 year First-year apprentice 291.49 euro / month 388.66 euro / month Second-year apprentice 388.66 euro / month 437.24 euro / month Third-year apprentice 480.47 euro / month 480.47 euro / month This is a minimum allowance; an employer may pay more. This income provision and its amount are determined at a regional (Flemish) level. The allowance is 25-40% of the minimum wage for the occupation. In the graphic sector, there is a sector level that is much higher than the minimum apprenticeship allowance. As a result, it is difficult to conclude apprenticeship contracts in this sector. The employer-instructor also contributes in the costs for training equipment, materials and travel expenses. A training contract is concluded between the employer and the apprentice (parents for minors) and recognised by the apprenticeship counsellor. The employer also pays social security contribution. Apprentices receive tax relief based on the amount of their income. Since 2009, apprentices can according to certain criteria (age, family income, not being absent) receive a grant from the Ministry of Education. Apprentices don t have to pay a tuition fee, but sometimes they have to contribute in the costs of personal equipment for courses (maximum 100). 137 If an apprentice started their education as part of (part-time) compulsory education and succeeds, he or she receives a start bonus (federal public funding) of 500 500 750 (a grant for the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd year of apprenticeship). 10.2.2.6.2. Part-time education Pupils in the part-time education system can also receive a sector bonus and a bonus from the European Social Fund (ESF), apart from the start-up bonus and the study grant. 10.2.2.7. Incentives for students in the entrepreneurial system (SYNTRA) For the entrepreneurial training at SYNTRA Vlaanderen, the employer-instructor contributes in costs of training equipment, materials and travel expenses. The employer also pays social security contribution. Students with an entrepreneurial agreement receive tax relief based on the amount of their income. There is no possibility to receive grants. 10.2.2.8. Individual in-company training: IBO For unemployed people, there is individual in-company (vocational) training (IBO) and IBO interim (see 7.1.5.). The employer pays a productivity bonus. The trainee also receives a bonus from the government. During the IBO, the trainee has the status of jobseeker. The bonus (the difference between the replacement income and the normal wage) is progressive: 100% in the last month, 95%, 90%, 85%, 80% and 75% in the

preceding months. In the case of an IBO interim, the IBO period is preceded by a period of temporary/ interim work. 10.2.3. Statistics on participation in education and training among employees In 2006, 9.3% of all employees in Flanders participated in training and education. Slightly more women than men did so. Table 27: percentage of employees who participated in training and education in Flanders in 2000-2006 (%) Age category 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total 25-64 8.3 8.8 7.8 8.7 11.4 10.1 9.3 45-49 8.0 7.9 7.9 8.2 10.4 10.3 8.1 50-54 6.3 6.8 5.9 7.9 10.2 8.7 8.0 55-64 4.1 4.7 4.5 6.0 7.6 7.7 6.0 Men 25-64 8.3 9.0 7.2 8.3 11.0 9.6 8.8 45-49 8.5 8.1 7.7 7.6 9.6 10.2 7.5 50-54 6.6 6.7 5.5 6.6 9.5 8.0 8.3 55-64 n.a. 5.0 n.a. 6.1 8.3 7.7 5.9 Women 25-64 8.3 8.6 8.6 9.2 11.9 10.8 9.8 45-49 7.2 7.6 8.1 8.9 11.5 10.5 8.8 50-54 n.a. 6.8 6.7 9.9 11.3 9.7 7.4 55-64 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 7.6 n.a. 138 Source: WSE, 2009 10.3. Financial incentives for companies To encourage companies and organisations to organise training for their employees, the Flemish government, in cooperation with the European Social Fund, finances certain trainings for employees if they fulfil different conditions: - The training must be general, not company-specific. - The training must be embedded in a strategic training programme of the company or organisation. - 80% of the participants belong to a group at risk, i.e. people over 50, low-skilled people, disabled people or immigrants. In 2007 and 2008, there was a budget of 18,000,000 for these training projects. 10.3.1. The SME Portfolio Since 2009, BEA (Budget for Economic Advice) has been replaced by the SME Portfolio scheme (KMOportefeuille). The SME Portfolio is a very accessible integrated subsidy scheme for purchasing services with regard to entrepreneurship, innovation and internationalisation. It is a support measure which allows SMEs and self-employed business owners to claim subsidies of up to 15,000 per year. Four different types of measures can be financed through the new SME Portfolio: training, business advice, technological assessment and international business advice. In addition to these, support is also available for strategic advice.

Training Business advice Technological assessment International business advice Strategic advice Subsidy (%) 50% 50% 75% 50% 50% Max. subsidy 2,500 euro 5,000 euro 10,000 euro 5,000 euro 25,000 euro Max. per period 15,000 euro 25,000 euro Period 1 year 10.3.2. Sector agreements Since 2001, the Flemish Government has been concluding sector agreements with different sectors, based on the Flemish Employment Agreements. A sector agreement is a protocol of cooperation for two years between a sector (sectorial social partners) and the Flemish Government concerning important labour market topics. By means of sector agreements, sectors also agree on the priorities for the labour market policy. The general goals of the sector agreements are on the one hand employing people and keeping them employed, and on the other hand the recognition, development and use of skills and talents. Until now, the Flemish Government and the sectorial social partners have started from a model agreement from which they negotiate a sector agreement with specific accents for each sector. The latest model agreement focuses on challenges like the cooperation between sectors/companies and schools, more and better workplace trainings, places for apprenticeships for pupils, trainers and jobseekers, and the development of (strategic) competences. The final agreement contains quantitative as well as qualitative obligations for the sector. To help achieve the goals formulated in the sector agreements, the government appoints sector consultants. They work for the sector but are financed by the Flemish Government through the sector agreements. The sectors try to meet their challenges and achieve their commitments in partnership with VDAB, Syntra Vlaanderen and the Ministry of Education and Training. 139 For the period 2007-2009, 28 sector agreements were signed. All the sectors agreed to work on a better transition from education to the labour market and on the development of competences of employees and jobseekers in their sector. They try to stimulate more diversity in their sector and in their companies. Sector consultants achieve these actions in the actual field. As a result of the regulations in the sector agreements, the sectors come up with initiatives to raise awareness of the possibilities on the labour market in the different sectors. They make tool kits, brochures and educational material for use in classrooms, and they are present on educational information fairs. An exchange of experience takes place through networks, organised by SERV. Since 2008, the Ministry of Work and Social Economy publishes figures and numbers of the sectors with a sector agreement. This is useful for policy makers as well as for the sectors themselves. In 2009, the Flemish Government decided to invest an extra 10,000,000 for supporting 26 sectors to continue to invest in competence development. This decision was part of a larger plan to reinforce the economy in response to the economic crisis. With this financial support, sectors can maintain or even reinforce their training policy. All the different actions are clustered in an addendum that was added to the current sector agreement.

10.3.3. Sector funds in Flanders Companies transfer a certain amount of money to a fund of their sector. A sector fund promotes the common interests of a sector in different areas and assures certain social advantages for companies (and their employees) in that sector. The fund is led by employers and employees. They define the optimal policy for their sector. Through a sector s collective labour agreement (CAO), firms and organisations are covered by a sector fund. Sector funds operate with different financial sources. The majority of the income is a compulsory contribution by companies and employees. The amount of the contribution is agreed upon in the sector s collective labour agreements. The employers also pay a contribution of minimum 0.10% of the gross wages. This is used for employment and training of groups at risk. Every sector can define the criteria for groups at risk according to their sector s specific character and they can even agree (in a CAO) to contribute more than 0.10% of the gross wages. In addition, the sector funds indirectly receive subsidies from the government. This can happen through European Social Fund approved projects and through the government assigning sector consultants to a sector with a sector agreement. The available amount of resources is used by the sector fund for collective needs in their sector. 140 The advantages and activities of the sector funds may differ from sector to sector. The minimum activity of a fund is a financial intervention for companies when they offer training to their employees. In this way companies are stimulated to encourage their employees to engage in training. Additional tasks of the sector funds are: referring companies and employees to training, organising training themselves, cooperating with other funds to offer training The most comprehensive mission of a sector fund consists of consultancy, meaning that sector funds implement and support companies with a competence policy. A small part of the sectors already do this. Offering consulting corresponds with a priority of the Competence Agenda (see 2.2.1.), in which sectors are seen as the driving force in the renewal process it seeks to develop. With the support of the European Social Fund, sectors are encouraged to develop into centres of expertise for competence policy within their field. The expertise will be made available to pupils as well as jobseekers, employees and companies. Certain sectors are also bound by a sector agreement, which formalises among other things the importance of training for employees. Sector funds strive for more training, employability and mobility of current and potential employees. In this way they are involved in the VET system. Besides their mission for companies and employees, sector funds are also involved in communication with schools and students to promote technical and vocational education, which leads to jobs in the sector. The sector funds also fulfil a supporting role for providing qualitative training places for students in companies. Sectors are represented in the Board of Directors of VDAB and in sector commissions of SYNTRA Vlaanderen. This makes it possible to make VET programmes responsive to the needs of the labour market. Training and Education funds provide subsidies to their members or sometimes provide training themselves.

10.3.4. VDAB incentives for companies At VDAB, incentives for companies include reduction of fees, depending on the size of the company: < 10 employers = 50% reduction Between 10 and 25 employers = 25% reduction For companies experiencing difficulties (100%) For companies in a restructuring phase (50%) For companies with collective lay-offs (100%) 10.3.5. Incentives for employers to provide workplace training to VET students The VET student takes on part of the employer s workload. The employer pays limited social security contributions and the wage to be paid is zero to very limited. 10.3.5.1. Compulsory secondary education Pupils from compulsory secondary education (TSO & BSO) do not have to be remunerated for their work. 10.3.5.2. Apprenticeship Employers can receive a (federal) apprenticeship bonus if they provide a contract for at least 4 months (this only counts for the apprenticeship and for pupils in DBSO). The bonus amounts to 500 in the 1 st year, 500 in the 2 nd year and 750 in the 3 rd year of apprenticeship. 141 Employers can also apply for ESF subsidy. The ESF resources for a company amount to up to 1.25 per youngster per performed working hour. (This only counts for pupils in DBSO and under the condition that the training is linked with the profession). The company is allowed under certain conditions to make use of payroll tax deduction (tewerkstellingsmaatregelen inzake RSZ-vermindering). The level of this allocated funding is based on the number of training places and the theoretical duration of the practical training. The apprenticeship system is strongly regulated by Flemish decrees and resolutions concerning the courses and the practical component in the company. The apprenticeship system is affected by many labour and social security rules. 10.3.5.3. Entrepreneurial training at SYNTRA Vlaanderen For the company there is a direct cost between 480.40 and 808.99 per month. The company is allowed under certain conditions to make use of payroll tax deduction. The level of this allocated funding is based on the number of training places and the theoretical duration of the practical training.

142 11

Labour market 143 context

11.1. Data on unemployment by educational background In August 2009, 226,899 people in Flanders were unemployed. Almost half of them (47%) were unskilled. About one fifth were highly skilled. Table 28: Unemployment in Flanders August 2008 and August 2009 August 2009 August 2008 Men Women Total Men Women Total Unemployed people 115,669 111,230 226,899 86,371 100,698 187,069 Unskilled 59,664 48,484 108,148 91,052 46,071 44,981 (47%) (49%) Semi-skilled 37,978 38,183 76,161 61,022 27,030 33,992 (34%) (32%) Highly skilled 18,027 24,563 42,590 (19%) 13,270 21,725 34,995 (19%) Source: VDAB (*) non-working jobseekers 11.2. Data on youth unemployment (by educational background) In August 2009, 59,961 youngsters under the age of 25 were unemployed. This is roughly one fourth (26.4%) of total unemployment. Most of them were unskilled or semi-skilled. Table 29: Youth unemployment in Flanders by educational background, August 2008 and August 2009 144 August 2009 August 2008 Men Women Total Men Women Total Youth unemployment (youngsters <25y) 32,537 27,424 59,961 23,252 24,680 47,932 Youth unemployment in % of total unemployment 28.1% 24.7% 26.4% 26.9% 24.5% 25.6% Educational background Unskilled 15,728 9,435 25,163 11,246 7,992 19,238 Semi-skilled 12,165 9,518 21,683 8,504 8,500 17,004 Highly skilled 4,644 8,471 13,115 3,502 8,188 11,690 Duration of unemployment < 1 year 26,600 23,700 50,300 19,536 21,448 40,984 1 to 2 years 4,226 2,743 6,969 2,478 2,203 4,681 >= 2 years 1,711 981 2,692 1,238 1,029 2,267 Source: VDAB (*) non-working jobseekers 11.3. Specific incentives for employers to employ young people Employers who employ (low-skilled) youngsters up until the age of 26 get a reduction in employers contribution. Employers who employ youngsters until the end of the year in which they turn 18 get a reduction in employers contribution. Due to an agreement between the social partners, these specific reductions for employers will be modified in order to strengthen the structural reductions. The reductions for the most vulnerable group (< 19) will

remain in place and will probably be increased for employers recruiting young people in 2010 and 2011 (1 euro employers contribution until the end of 2012). It is not clear yet when these modifications will be applied. In addition, youngsters can start work: Under a part-time employment contract entitling them to a minimum income; With an industrial apprenticeship contract (see 3.1.1.3.1.) under which they are trained directly by the employer on the shop floor. The apprentice is entitled to an apprenticeship allowance. Under a starting-job agreement (ACTIVA START), if they start working before 1 January of the year in which they turn 19. The ACTIVA START programme promotes the reintegration of young low-skilled jobseekers in the labour market through activated unemployment benefits (the job allowance ). The employer can deduct this job allowance amount from the net remuneration. The National Employment Office (RVA) pays this allowance to the employer. As a family-business assistant, in which case they must be related to the manager Under a training contract with VDAB for individual vocational training (IBO see 7.1.5.) in which VDAB outsources its training assignment to a company in which the jobseeker will be taught their chosen vocation on the shop floor Under a temping contract with a temping agency Under a vocational immersion agreement (beroepsinlevingsovereenkomst BIO) with the Flemish, provincial and local authorities Young people working under a training contract in the compulsory system can receive a start bonus for each year they successfully complete their training ( 500 in the 1 st and 2 nd year, 750 in the 3 rd year). Employers receive an apprenticeship bonus. 145 11.4. Indicators on job-to-job mobility (movement from one employer to another, from one year to the next) 6% of all employees changed employer in 2006. This is most common for youngsters aged 15-24. Men seem to be slightly more mobile than women. Table 30 is showing more detailed data on this. Most people (51%) move from temporary to regular work. Table 30: Data on job-to-job mobility in Flanders in 2006 Number of employees who changed employer in 2006 Number of employees who remained with their employer in 2006 % of transitions between employers Total 112,654 1,877,759 6.0% Gender Male 64,530 1,026,045 6.3% Female 48,124 851,714 5.7% 15-24 22,835 154,641 14.8% Age 25-49 82,754 1,349,834 6.1% 50-64 7,065 373,284 1.9% Source: Steunpunt WSE (Centre for Work and Social Economy)

Table 31: Detailed data on job-to-job mobility in Flanders in 2006 146 Total Men Women Age 15-24 Age 25-49 Age 50-64 From employee to self-employed (N) 17,237 11,406 5,831 2,371 12,942 1,924 Total number of employees on 31/12/2005 (N) 2,134,933 1,158,288 976,645 224,728 1,490,043 420,162 % of transition from employee to selfemployed 0.8% 1.0% 0.6% 1.1% 0.9% 0.5% From self-employed to employee (N) 12,920 7,343 5,577 1,415 9,788 1,717 Total number of self-employed people on 31/12/2005 (N) 410,818 262,569 148,249 12,114 268,842 129,862 % of transition from self-employed to employee 3.1% 2.8% 3.8% 11.7% 3.6% 1.3% From full-time to part-time (N) 60,472 20,450 40,022 6,015 42,778 11,681 Total full-time on 31/12/2005 (N) 1,472,201 1,006,805 465,396 142,091 1,058,328 271,783 % transition from full-time to parttime 4.1% 2.0% 8.6% 4.2% 4.0% 4.3% From part-time to full-time (N) 48,138 14,415 33,723 9,676 33,459 5,004 Total part-time on 31/12/2005 (N) 601,321 118,040 483,281 55,166 401,701 144,455 % of transition from part-time to fulltime 8.0% 12.2% 7.0% 17.5% 8.3% 3.5% From secondary sector to service sectors (N) 213,80 14,809 6,571 4,657 15,339 1,384 Total number of employees in secondary sectors on 31/12/2005 (N) 532,928 423,293 109,635 53,106 381,208 98,614 % of transition from secondary sectors to service sectors 4.0% 3.5% 6.0% 8.8% 4.0% 1.4% From service sectors to secondary sectors (N) 22,920 16,424 6,496 7,831 14,134 955 Total number of employees in service sectors on 31/12/2005 (N) 1,586,807 725,061 861,746 169,094 1,098,604 319,109 % of transition from service sectors to secondary sectors 1.4% 2.3% 0.8% 4.6% 1.3% 0.3% From regular to temporary work (N) 15,196 8,517 6,679 5,712 8,905 579 Total number of employees in regular work on 31/12/2005 (N) 2,084,084 1,129,431 954,653 202,889 1,463,435 417,760 % of transition from regular to temporary work 0.7% 0.8% 0.7% 2.8% 0.6% 0.1% From temporary to regular employment (N) 26,106 15,207 10,899 11,991 13,369 746 Total number of employees in temporary work on 31/12/2005 (N) 50,849 28,857 21,992 21,839 26,608 2,402 Proportion of broadcasting for regular work 51.3% 52.7% 49.6% 54.9% 50.2% 31.1% From blue-collar to white-collar (N) 173,76 9,398 7,978 6,230 10,535 611 Total number of blue-collars on 31/12/2005 (N) 795,475 550,501 244,974 111,003 541,831 14,2641 % of transition from blue-collar to white-collar 2.2% 1.7% 3.3% 5.6% 1.9% 0.4% From white-collar to blue-collar (N) 10,029 4,414 5,615 3,891 5,734 404 Total number of white-collars on 31/12/2005 (N) 996,246 424,510 571,736 108,760 737,906 149,580 % of transition from white-collar to blue-collar 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 3.6% 0.8% 0.3% Source: Steunpunt WSE

11.5. Data on the share of employees in different types of employment (regular, temporary, part-time, etc.), broken down by educational background The tables below provide information about the percentage of employees in Flanders in 2008 in full-time or part-time employment and in permanent or temporary employment, by level of education. Unskilled workers are more likely to be employed with a part-time (31.6%) and temporary (9.7%) contract than semi-skilled (resp 26.3% and 5.9%) and highly skilled (resp 21.9% and 6.6%) employees. In addition, Table 33 shows that a greater percentage of unskilled people have temporary work than semi-skilled and highly skilled people. Table 32: Share of employees in full-time or part-time employment in Flanders in 2008 by level of education % of full-time work % of part-time work Unskilled 68.4% 31.6% Semi-skilled 73.7% 26.3% Highly skilled 78.1% 21.9% Total 74.2% 25.8% Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) Table 33: Share of employees in permanent or temporary employment in Flanders in 2008 by level of education % of permanent work % of temporary work Unskilled 90.3% 9.7% Semi-skilled 94.1% 5.9% Highly-skilled 93.4% 6.6% Total 93.1% 6.9% Source: LFS 147 11.6. Licensed occupations (i.e. which cannot be exercised without a particular qualification) 11.6.1. Regulated on the federal level 11.6.1.1. Based on the general requirements to set up as self-employed In order to set up as self-employed, several conditions need to be met: being 18 years old and having a basic knowledge of general business management or knowledge of a specific profession. Moreover, there are some administrative requirements to fulfil. Some examples of professions: - Architectural professions: architect, interior architect, land surveyor expert - Economic professions: accountant, auditor, tax specialist, bookkeeper, real-estate agent, insurance broker, exchange broker - Legal professions: lawyers, process server, notary - Medical and paramedical professions: pharmacist, bandager, veterinarian, dietician, occupational therapist, doctor, physiotherapist, speech therapist, orthopaedist, prosthetician, dentist, nurse, midwife - Other categories of self-employed service professions: psychologist, journalist, translatorinterpreter.

11.6.1.2. Based on the degree controlling the establishment of new trade businesses of 1998 Independent activities without specific requirements for professional skills: people who want to set up as self-employed are required to have a basic knowledge of business management (courses can be followed e.g. at SYNTRA). For certain self-employed activities, there are specific requirements for professional skills, which are described in specific Royal Decrees. This is the case for: (building) contractor, carpenter, funeral director, beautician, bakery, roofer, dental technician, dry-cleaner, electrician, etc. For several self-employed activities it is required, apart from having a certificate in business management, to have a licence, recognition or a record in a register. 11.6.1.3. Other professions regulated on the federal level - Government: government officer - Transport (seagoing personnel, driving school instructors) - Uniformed professions (military, police officers, firemen) 11.6.2. Regulated professions under the responsibility of the Flemish Government 11.6.2.1. Professions in the Flemish educational system 148 Examples are: - Teachers in primary and secondary education (regular and special) - Religion or art education teacher - CLB staff - Higher education and university staff 11.6.2.2. Professions in the Flemish tourist sector (travel agency manager), in the healthcare system and in the sports and cultural sector Entering these professions is regulated in Flanders, therefore these professions are categorised under the general system of the EU Directive 2005/36. Due to federal regulations (e.g. concerning safety legislation) occupations in the field of chemistry, transportation, etc. cannot be practiced without particular qualifications, e.g. driving licence needed. 11.6.3. Regulated professions under the responsibility of the regional or local government E.g. the profession of coast lifeguard is regulated by the province of West-Flanders 30. 11.6.4. Regulated by the sectors The sectors determine the entrance to certain professions (e.g. VCA 31 certificate, international welding certificates). 30 For certain professions an additional certificate is required, e.g. the VCA-certificate in the construction sector. 31 VCA stands for Safety, Health and Environment

11.7. Minimum wage The national minimum wage in Belgium is determined during negotiations between the social partners. It applies to all blue-collar and white-collar workers in the private sector. Sector unions and employers can also agree to impose higher minimum wages for their sector. For part-time work, the minimum wage is a proportion of the number of hours worked. Table 34: The gross national minimum wage in Belgium since 1 October 2008 Age Gross monthly salary 16 years 971.24 euro 17 years 1,054.50 euro 18 years 1,137.74 euro 19 years 1,220.99 euro 20 years 1,304.24 euro 21 years 1,387.49 euro 21,5 years + 6 month experience 1,424.31 euro >= 22 years + 12 month experience 1,440.67 euro Source: Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue Information on the percentage of workers receiving the national minimum wage is not available. However, based on Eurostat data, in 2002 the national minimum wage in Belgium represented 46.4% of average monthly earnings in the industry and service sector in Belgium. 11.8. Conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefits In Flanders RVA, the National Employment Office, decides whether a person is entitled to unemployment benefits. Applicants have to meet the following conditions: 149 Being registered with VDAB as a jobseeker Having been employed for a minimum number of days in the period before unemployment (= the reference period), depending on age: - Younger than 36: 312 days of employment in a reference period of 18 months - Age 36-49, 468 days of employment in a reference period of 27 months - Age 50 or over, 624 days of employment in a reference period of 36 months Being able to work, i.e. one cannot simultaneously receive health care or disability benefits from the health care funds. Being involuntary unemployed, i.e. it is not one s own choice to be unemployed. In the case of resignation, a person loses the right to receive unemployment benefits. Not receiving any other kind of income. This chapter will discuss the involvement of social partners in VET, more specifically in the establishment of VET programmes. The table below shows the involvement of social partners in the design of each VET programme. In all VET programmes, there are mechanisms in place for the involvement of social partners. In those of SYNTRA and VDAB however, the involvement is more direct and more on a decision making level than in education. An important mechanism for the involvement of social partners at the Flemish level are the sector agreements/covenants (see 10.3.2.) between the Minister of Work and the social partners from industry and services. Part of the agreements concern educational issues (e.g. about organising practical training in companies). For a number of sectors, specific educational agreements with more detailed commitments were set up between the sector and the educational networks, social partners and individual schools

Table 35: Involvement of social partners in VET 1 Programme At which levels are social partners involved? Regular secondary education 2 nd and 3 rd stage of vocational secondary education (BSO) Regular secondary education 4 th stage of vocational secondary education 18 Regular secondary education, 2 nd and 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (TSO) 3 rd year of 3 rd stage of technical secondary education (since 1/09/2009: Secondary after secondary education) At Flemish level there is involvement through: Sector covenants Flemish Education Council (VLOR) In the future: professional qualifications in FQS (based on job competence profiles of Flanders Economic Council (SERV)) Dual system: Part-time education for 15-25 year olds Part-time education At Flemish level there is involvement through: Sector covenants Flemish Educational Council (VLOR) In the future: professional qualifications in FQS (based on job competence profiles of SERV) Apprenticeship (SYNTRA) Board of Directors Practice Commission Sector commissions Professional commissions Apprenticeship commissions 150 Associate degree At Flemish level there is involvement through: Sector covenants Flemish Education Council (VLOR) Flemish Council for Higher Education Colleges In the future: professional qualifications in FQS Professional bachelor degree At Flemish level there is involvement through: Flemish Council for Higher Education Colleges 19 Sector covenants Secondary adult education At Flemish level there is involvement through: Flemish Education Council (VLOR) Sector covenants In the future: professional qualifications in FQS Entrepreneurial programme and additional programmes (SYNTRA) Board of Directors Practice Commission Sector commissions Professional commissions VDAB Regional: Regional Socio-Economic Consultation Committees (RESOCs) and sectors Flemish: Board of Directors

2 Role of the social partners in deciding on different elements of VET programmes Decision making Advisory role s of Flanders Social and Curriculum Practical training content Duration of practical training Competences acquired in programme Examination requirements Qualifications delivered to participants Part-time education The Flemish Government decides on the list of competences to be achieved at the end of a professional training programme. This list should at least contain the competences described in the occupational profile developed by SERV. Before deciding, the Flemish Government asks the advice of VLOR. Part-time vocational education Practical training content Duration of practical training Competences acquired in the programme Examination requirements Qualifications delivered to participants f SERV) Apprenticeship The Board of Directors decides on: Curricula Competences acquired in the programme Examination requirements. The Practice Commission decides on: Practical training content Duration of practical training Number of places in practical training Accreditation delivered to companies providing vocational training. Board of Directors decides on: List of acknowledged programmes Curricula Competences acquired in the programme Examination requirements Apprenticeship Practice Commission and Board of Directors advise on: List of programmes, job competence profiles used, and learning outcomes Curricula Competences acquired in the programme Examination requirements Curriculum Practical training content Duration of practical training Number of places in practical training Competences acquired in programme Sectors/occupations in which practical vocational training is available Qualifications delivered to participants Curriculum Practical training content Duration of practical training Number of places in practical training Competences acquired in programme Sectors/occupations in which practical vocational training is available Qualifications delivered to participants Curriculum Practical training content Duration of practical training Competences acquired in programme Examination requirements Qualifications delivered to participants 151 For the entrepreneurial agreement, the Practice Commission decides on: Practical training content Duration of practical training Number of places in practical training Accreditation delivered to companies providing vocational training Number of students in VET Competences acquired in the programme Sectors/occupations in which practical vocational training is available

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Involvement of social 153 partners in VET

12.1. Educational VET 12.1.1. Flemish Education Council (VLOR) In educational VET, most involvement of the social partners is organised via the Flemish Education Council (VLOR). The Flemish Education Council consists of a General Council and separate councils for the various levels of education, with sub-committees: - Elementary Education Council - Secondary Education Council - Higher Education Council - Lifelong-and-Lifewide-Learning Council. In addition, there are special consultation platforms, thematic committees and sector committees that consult with the representatives of the different socio-economic sectors. 154 The councils consist of representatives from: The organising bodies, including o Pupil guidance centres o Umbrella organisations: 1. GO! (Public education) 2. OVSG (Municipal education) 3. POV (Provincial Education) 4. VSKO (Subsidised private Catholic Education) 5. OKO (Forum of Small Education Providers) 6. VCLB (Association of Centres for Pupil Support and Consultation) o For higher education the heads of institutions (united in VLHORA (Flemish Council of University Colleges) and VLIR (Flemish Interuniversity Council)) fulfil the role of organisers of education. o Representatives of VDAB (Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service), SYNTRA Vlaanderen (Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial training) and SoCiuS (Support point for Socio-Cultural Adult Work) also sit on the Lifelong-and-Lifewide- Learning Council. Staff (teachers unions ACOD (General Federation of Public Services), COV (Christian Teachers Federation), COC (Christian Education Federation), VSOA (Liberal Syndicate for Public Services) Parents: umbrella organisations of parent associations o VCOV (Flemish association of parents and parent associations) o KOOGO (umbrella association for parental involvement in subsidised public education) o GO! Ouders (parent umbrella association of public education); Students, pupils and users: o VSK (Flemish Pupil Umbrella Organisation) o VVS (National Union of Students in Flanders) o Continuing education (course participants)

The socio-economic world (Flanders Social and Economic Council SERV) and socio-cultural organisations (States General of Civil Society) Hands-on experts Principals directly elected of BaO (elementary education), SO (secondary education), DKO (part-time artistic education), CBEs (centres for adult basic education) and CVOs (centres for adult education). 12.1.2. Weight of employers in the Education Council All social partners are appointed by SERV, Flanders Social and Economic Council. SERV has decided that every delegation in the Education Council consists of the same number of representatives of employers and labour unions. On important matters, the social partners discuss their points of view in advance. The percentage of social partners in every Council is as follows: - General council: 4/39 = 10.3% - Council for Secondary Education: 4/31 = 12.9% - Council for Lifelong Learning: 4/32 = 12.5% - Council for Higher Education: 4/26 = 17.4% The delegation of social partners in the Education, Training and Labour market commission is more important than in the councils: 6/26 (23.1%). The representation of social partners and educational providers is equal in the 13 sector committees: 4 members each + 2 government representatives. 12.1.3. Role of VLOR in VET policy making 155 As a strategic advisory board, VLOR (the Flemish Education Council) is responsible for advice, consultation and study on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister for Education and Training on all matters of education for which the Flemish Community is responsible. The government has to ask VLOR for advice on all preliminary draft acts concerning education (except for the education budget) and on policy reports and papers to be presented to the Flemish Parliament, but can also issue an advice. The VLOR Education, Training and Labour Market commission is responsible for all matters on the transition between education and the labour market. The commission works for the General council of VLOR and is responsible for the sector committees. Recently, the Education, Training and Labour Market commission prepared advice on the Flemish Qualifications Structure and external certification in education. The commission published a report on the role of education in sector covenants and was responsible for a pilot study on the implementation of the Flemish Qualifications Structure. Sector committees prepare advice on: - New programmes in secondary education - Review of a field of study in secondary education - Modularisation of the dual system (part-time education) - Programme profiles for adult education. On the other hand the sector committees can take initiatives to review certain fields of study, prepare negotiations on the sector, covenants, etc. In the future, VLOR has to advise on the further implementation of the Flemish Qualifications Structure and new educational qualifications. It has extra advisory responsibilities for associate degree programmes.

12.2. Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen) Social partners employers and trade unions are involved in a systematic way at all training levels of the SYNTRA network. 12.2.1. Board of Directors The Board of Directors of SYNTRA Vlaanderen consists of representatives of the Flemish government, employers and trade unions. This board meets on a mandatory basis (= legal obligation). It has a decision making role (curricula, competences acquired in the programme and examination requirements) and an advisory role (curricula and competences acquired in the apprenticeship system programme). 12.2.2. Practice Commission 156 The Practice Commission of SYNTRA Vlaanderen is responsible for the supervision of apprenticeship contracts and entrepreneurial agreements. This commission meets on a mandatory basis. It consists of representatives of the Flemish government, employers and trade unions. The Practice Commission has a decision making role about the practical training component, the duration of practical training, the number of places in practical training, qualifications delivered to participants (determining which pathway leads to an apprenticeship certificate), accreditation delivered to companies providing practical vocational training. The Practice Commission has an advisory role about curricula, competences acquired in the programme and examination requirements. The commission supervises the apprenticeship contracts and the apprenticeship counsellor. 12.2.3. Sectors covenants and commissions Apprenticeship and additional training are concluded in sector covenants. With a number of sectors there is a more intensive cooperation and there are projects ongoing such as developing curricula and sector certificates, promoting the system, granting quality labels to companies In the sector commissions and the professional commissions the professional organisations and employers are involved (for product development). In the apprenticeship commissions the unions are also involved. 12.3. Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) The board of directors of VDAB has an equal number of representatives from employers and trade unions. The board closely monitors the VDAB management cycle and approves the annual business plan. Per sector, sectorial operational plans are made and sector agreements are concluded about the plans for training and other services. Unions and employers are equally represented in the sectorial partner organisations. In this way, the social partners have an impact on the action plans and therefore also on the cooperation with VDAB.

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Existing knowledge sources on VET,the availability 159 and quality of research and data on VET

13.1. Flemish Ministry of Education & Training The Flemish Ministry of Education & Training (more specifically the Agency for Educational Services and the Agency for Higher Education, Adult Education and Study Grants) collects, among other things, data on enrolments and awarded degrees/certificates. These administrative data sources include detailed information about the exact track a student is in. Since the school year 2001-2002, the administrative data are being used to build a longitudinal database that offers possibilities to analyse the student s school career. These data collections cover all pupils and students in the Flemish education system, including all those enrolled in vocational tracks (school-based or workplace-based). Since 2006-2007 there is a specific data collection on pupils in full-time secondary education who do internships. This includes information on duration, sector and employer. There is an important data gap for adult education. For example, there is no information on labour market outcomes. 13.2. Labour Force Survey 160 Data from large-scale surveys can also be used, mainly the Labour Force Survey. The LFS includes questions on both the educational career (level and field of study of highest level attained or for the current education, if still enrolled) and the labour market situation. However, it appears difficult for respondents and/or interviewers to correctly distinguish between vocational and general education, especially regarding field of study. Administrative data are superior because of the complexity of the issue, but offer no link with characteristics of the labour market position. This link is partly established in the VDAB School-leavers Study. The possibilities offered by the Adult Education Survey are yet to be explored. 13.3. Flemish Ministry of Work and Social Economy The Flemish Ministry of Work and Social Economy (WSE) keeps track of a wide variety of indicators concerning Vocational and Educational Training (VET) and education in general. The Ministry of WSE monitors the structural indicators of the Lisbon Strategy for the Flemish region (but with no specific VET indicators): early school leaving, the youth education attainment level and lifelong learning (all by gender). All of these indicators are gathered through the well-established Labour Force Survey, to ensure full comparability with results in the other Belgian regions and the rest of Europe. Apart from these structural indicators, the Ministry of WSE gathers information on the relation between education and the labour market through administrative data, which allows a much greater level of detail. While the exploration of the available administrative data is still in its early stages, the Ministry of WSE has already begun publishing a series of indicators that take a sector approach to VET.

These indicators include: - Formal training and education in companies 32 : o Companies organising formal training and education for employees o Share of employees participating in this training and education o Investment in education and training a) as a share of total personnel cost b) in /hour o Hours of education and training a) as a share of total working hours b) in hours per participant - Internships in full-time education: o Total number of interns per sector - Students in part-time education: o Total number of part-time students per sector of employment - SYNTRA 33 arrangements: o Total number of SYNTRA interns per sector. - Individual Vocational Training (IVT) 34 : o Total number of IVTs per sector. All of these indicators are brought together in sector photos, giving an overview per sector. The facts and figures in these sector photos support the sector covenants, in which the Flemish government and a sector agree to take certain steps to improve VET (among other things) in the sector. Many interesting data are yet to be explored or made available. In general, the biggest hindrance to the availability of data is the linking between students or participants in VET and the company in which they learn their trade. In the future, more data linking will become possible as computerisation continues. This does leave one large information gap, i.e. informal training and education, like on-the-job training. While informal training has now been included in the annual accounts, it remains to be seen whether these will yield reliable and complete results. 161 For Apprenticeship and entrepreneurial training, the data of all students are collected at registration in a day-to-day follow-up system. During the year, class attendance and exam results are also monitored. Students with an apprenticeship contract or an entrepreneurial agreement are also monitored on their learning on the job during the year. 32 Data gathered from the compulsory annual accounts that all enterprises with employees register with the National Bank of Belgium. 33 SYNTRA offers practice-based training and education, and education towards self-employment. 34 The Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) arranges these IVTs. A jobseeker may work up to 6 months in a company, during which he or she learns the trade. During this time, the jobseeker retains their employment benefits while the employer pays a moderate fee, which combines to an average wage for this job. At the end of the IVT, the employer must offer the applicant an employment contract.

The Ministry of Work and Social Economy has answers on different indicators/parameters concerning the objectives in the management agreement between the Flemish government and SYNTRA Vlaanderen. External studies have been made about: - Client satisfaction - Effects of education (work, self-employed) - Drop-out in the apprenticeship system For additional training, there are only data about the certified trainings. 13.4 Flemish Public Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB) At VDAB, every jobseeker has an electronic file that they can manage themselves. The underlying client monitoring system can also be used by third parties, with the client s permission. All relevant data leading to work can be stored in the system. The VDAB research service publishes an annual report on employment results and school-leavers (see 5.1). On www.vdab.be there are sector analyses available on the provision of job vacancies. 162

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Glossary 165

AKOV ASO BSO BUSO CBE CDO CLB CVO DBO DBSO IALS KSO NVAO PIAAC PIRLS PISA RVA SERV SYNTRA (Vlaanderen) TSO VDAB VET VLOR VOCVO Flemish Agency for Quality assurance General Secondary Education Vocational Secondary Education Special Needs Education Centre for Basic Education Centre for Part-time Education Pupil Guidance Centre Centre for Adult Education Service for Vocational Training Part-time Vocational Secondary Education International Adult Literacy Survey Artistic Secondary Education Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competences Progress in International Reading Literacy Study Programme for International Student Assessment National Employment Office Flanders Social and Economic Council Flemish Agency for Entrepreneurial Training Technical Secondary Education Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service Vocational Education and Training Flemish Education Council Flemish Support Centre for Adult Education 166 (Footnotes tables) 1 By 2012, the 4 th stage of BSO will no longer exist. 2 ISCED level not yet officially determined. 3 Programmes will remain in place until 2012. After 2012, these programmes will either become 3 rd stage of secondary vocational education (BSO) or secondary after secondary education (Se-n- Se). 4 Added in the higher education system by the decree on adult education (2007) and the decree on the associate degree (2009). 5 The 4 th stage of BSO, including 3 courses: fashion design (2 years, 78 students), plastic art (2 years, 149 students) and nursing (3 years, 4,387 students). The nursing course is part of the associate degree since 1 September 2009. 6 The total includes the Se-n-Se programmes. 7 Excluding general education programmes and language programmes. 8 Statistisch jaarboek 2007-2008 (statistical yearbook). 9 The pupil comes from the same or a lower year (inflow from basic education, from a higher year...). 10 The pupil comes from another track in the previous year. This can be from a higher or lower educational track. There is also upward flow to ASO, from pupils coming from TSO or KSO (66 pupils in the 2 nd stage, 2 nd year). 11 DBSO (Part-time Vocational Secondary Education) is not taken up in this table because the number of students repeating a year is almost negligible. 12 DBSO is not included since DBSO students hardly flow through to the professional bachelor.

13 The agreed targets are not ratified in an Act, but are agreed upon in a protocol between the government and the educational networks. 14 For some groups of pupils the final objectives need not be attained (for instance in pre-school education). The schools must make visible efforts to work on these objectives and to aim for them. In that case the objectives are called developmental objectives. Developmental aims have been established e.g. for the 1 st stage of the mainstream secondary education stream - B. 15 This includes the VET programmes, the 2 nd and 3 rd stage of BSO and TSO, and the 4 th stage of BSO. 16 VLHORA is the official consultative and advisory body of the university colleges in Flanders. It advises the Flemish government on higher education issues and organises an inter-university college board. 17 By 2012, the 4 th stage of BSO will no longer exist. 18 By 2012, the 4th stage of BSO will no longer exist. 19 In the Flemish Council for Higher Education Colleges social partners are only part of evaluation committees as external experts. They are not part of the council itself. 167

COLOPHON

Text Flemish Public Administration Flemish Ministry of Education and Training Flemish Ministry of Work and Social Economy In association with IDEA Consult Editing Mia Verstraete (Tekstchirurg) Responsible editor Micheline Scheys Strategic Policy Support Division Ministry of Education and Training Graphic Design 169 Kim Baele Management Support Services Ministry of Education and Training Printing Sparks Date of publishing January 2011 Legal registration D/2010/3241/492