VET and adult learning in Iceland Presentation for guests from Lithuania, 4 December, 2012 Ólafur Grétar Kristjánsson, adviser

Tri-partite system in VET Ministry of Education: laws, regulations and financing Schools: provide school-based education Companies: provide workbased learning Social partners´access via occupational councils and training institutions

Occupational councils in Iceland Appointed by the Minister of Education Law on Upper Secondary Schools no. 92/ members, majority from social partners Cover 12 different sectors that have education at upper secondary level

Deciding learning outcomes in VET Occupational councils develop profiles for professions, occupational standards Decide on competence requirements in the form of learning outcomes Published in national curricula Both school education and training in the workplace (integrated)

Role of social partners Social partners make up the majority of occupational councils Practical knowledge of skills requirements in the labour market Advise the Ministry of Education on competency requirements and VET curricula

Role of VET schools Enrol VET students and teach basic skills General subjects Technical subjects Basic work technique: materials, tools and machines, work security and environmental issues

Role of companies Provide students with workbased training in apprenticeships From 3 weeks to 3 years (out of 4 yrs) Many fields have developed handbooks to guide teaching in workplace State started in October 2011 to give grants to companies that offer training

Workbased training No actual curricula, but guidelines Supposed to support and further develop skills acquired in VET school Needs to overlap and take into account development of apprentice in a holistic manner Communication: workplace – school?

Common assessment Teachers assess whether goals in separate modules have been reached during school training - formative Ministry appointed examination committees assess each VET student at the completion of a course of education Sveinspróf – journeymen´s tests, summative (not for health professions)

Final assessment Ask whether the individual is fully qualified Is he/she prepared to enter the labour market and work as a fully qualified craftsperson Examination committee appointed on the basis of work experience and professional knowledge Different focus than that of a VET teacher Examinations held once or twice a year

Legal framework Status of assessment decided in law and in a regulation Is being further developed in separate rules for each profession Rules need to reflect learning outcomes and how they can be confirmed Committee knows – can it describe too?

Weaknesses Basic weakness is connection between VET schools and companies, that they approach learning of individual as a holistic process Supply of qualified VET teachers, professionals with pedagogic skills Unclear descriptors for learning outcomes

Weaknesses Question of quality: who reacts when examinations result in failure en masse? Does the “system” respond when something has gone amiss, either school education, workplace training or the final examination itself? This is a human question, not a mechanical issue

Adult learning Division of adult lerning in Ministry 2006 Division of adult learning and VET in 2010 Establishment of division reflects the ever greater emphasis laid on adult learning in Iceland and lifelong learning strategy

Act on adult learning 1992 Previously no legal framework on adult learning in Iceland New act of 1992 with provisions on goals, administration, organization and financing – but no funds! Act was repealed in 1996, perhaps because of unclear policy on adult learning

Developments the last decade Increase in activities and financing Underlined importance of legislation What where these activities? –who are the actors? –what do they do? –what is the target group?

Actors They are: –municipalities –upper secondary schools –social partners (organizations of employers and employees) –independent providers in adult learning, training organizations in crafts and trades, as well as lifelong learning centres

Activities –training courses intended to improve competencies within certain sectors –leisure courses –Icelandic for foreigners –evening classes in upper secondary schools –courses aimed at improving study competencies, tackle learning difficulties

Target group –employed in the labour market, especially –people without formal qualifications at upper secondary level – (30% of active workforce, dropouts are 28% of enrolled in study programmes (2009) –increased demands from companies –increased provision aimed at fighting learning disabilities

Target group The goal is to: –improve access to formal education –increase participation in learning –increase the percentage of people who have acquired a formal qualification –generally, to heighten the level of education in this country

Icelandic for foreigners Special effort - 7% of the labour market comes from abroad – highest in Europe Foreigners want to study Icelandic Integration, participation, quality of life Public funding went from 26 m.kr. (0,2 m. euros) in 2006 to 200 m.kr (1,6 m. euros) in 2007 – emphasis on learning in the workplace

Challenges Setting up of a National Qualifications Framework, ISQF) Referencing to the EQF Shift to learning outcomes, KSC Ensure recognition of non-formal and informal learning towards formal system Setting up of a system of validation

Validation of non-formal, informal learning Policy making since 2003 Inspired by EU Guidelines on validation of non-formal and informal learning (2004) Contract with Education and Training Service Centre 2004 (FA) Legal basis in act of 2008 act on adult learning in 2010

Financing Public funding of: –certified courses offered by providers in AL –guidance and counselling –Icelandic for foreigners (public funding covers 50% of costs) –furtner financing possible from trade unions and companies –Financial volume increased last 10 years, stands now at 6 m. euros

Thank you for your attention!