a Craft and SME perspective Ralf Drachenberg Advisor for Education and Training Policy

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1 Expectations for the ECVET from a Craft and SME perspective p Ralf Drachenberg Advisor for Education and Training Policy Thessaloniki, February 2007

2 Introduction UEAPME Why SMEs need a credit transfer system Expectation of the ECVET UEAPME s work on the ECVET consultation: Process Content Key concerns y Where to go from here

3 UEAPME European Association of Crafts, Small and Medium- sized Enterprises 99% of all companies in the EU are SMEs, and 92% are micro enterprises with less that 10 employees. UEAPME is European Social Partner UEAPME negotiates and signs independently all EU agreements

4 Why are SME s interested in a credit system for VET There is a need for transparency and enhanced mobility The ECVET strengthens the shift to a learning outcome approach This can contribute to the creation of a European labour market It can be useful for the management of competences within the company It gives all the actors the possibility to reshape the education and training systems

5 What do SMEs expect of ECVET To motivate people to participate in continuous training To enhance the mobility of apprentices and young people in initial VET To involve the company as a key actor in the process of evaluation, recognition and validation To contribute to providing skills, adapted to the needs of the labour market

6 UEAPME work on the ECVET consultation: Process UEAPME was involved from the beginning in the various discussions at European level Creation of an ad hoc working group within UEAPME Initial discussion i and regular meetings on ECVET with feedback from the ongoing national discussions Drafting gof ape preliminary ayresponse seand dsending it to the Members for comments Adoption in the UEAPME Training Committee UEAPME s response to the consultation ti is still a draft Additionally, several national members of UEAPME will contribute directly to the open consultation process

7 Draft UEAPME response to the consultation: Content UEAPME supports the process of creating a European credit transfer system in VET For UEAPME, ECVET is essentially a TRANSFER PROCESS ECVET communication should be seen only as the start of a process Sector approach is welcomed, at national & European level One of the main benefits would be to attract more people to the learning context

8 Draft UEAPME response to the consultation: Content ECVET should be based one two main pillars: Recognition and Units Units are the core of the system One of the difficulties will be to decide on the units at national level. A common European definition of terms of references are needed to help the national level to define workable units

9 Draft UEAPME response to the consultation: Content UEAPME supports the process of creating a European credit transfer system in VET For UEAPME ECVET is first of all a TRANSFER PROCESS, which does not exist so far. ECVET Communication should be seen only as the start of a process Sector approach is welcomed, at national and European level One of the main benefits would be to attract more people to the learning context

10 Draft UEAPME response to the consultation: Key concerns In some countries (eg. Austria), the involvement in the process (assessment, validation, recognition transfer) would be seen rather as an administrative burden on the company than a benefit. In other countries (such as France) this is already the daily activity of companies

11 Draft UEAPME response to the consultation: Key concerns Credit points Generally this is seen as one of the weaknesses of the ECVET proposal p and the main source for misunderstandings The current credit point idea is vague and even contradictory to other elements The credit point proposal as it stands creates uncertainties The credit points are only a secondary element of the ECVET. It has no absolute value and should be only a source of information Further work on this aspects is imperative

12 Where to go from here The results of the pilot projects on ECVET should be steered by the Commission i More clarification is needed on the language The close relationship between EQF and ECVET is not shown enough In order for ECVET to work there are two conditions: Competent bodies need to have the processes of assessment, validation and recognition installed They have to have a common language

13 Conclusion European craft, small and medium sized enterprises fully support the aims and objectives of the ECVET The focus needs to be on recognition and units We are only at the beginning of a long process Certain issues need to be addressed before continuing such as: more clearness of concepts, more work on the credit points

14 Ralf Drachenberg Policy Advisor for Education and Training com Tel: +32-(0) Fax:+32 (0)