Latvia: labour market and education system Gundars Ignats Senior Expert Labour Market Policy Department Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia

Latvia: correlation between labour market and education system 2 1.Identifying labour market needs 2.Vocational education quality issues 3.Role of life-long learning 4.Role of Public Employment service (PES)

1.Identifying labour market needs 3 Identifying labour market needs? Rapidly changing world – increased globalisation and rapid technological change, demographic, migration and labour market developments altered the structure of skill requirements Mid/long term vs short-term forecasts: Future (structural) vs Current (cyclical) shortages/mismatches Integration of outcomes of forecasting exercises are not easily integrated into policy and practice Policy interventions: immediate policy intervention (e.g. develop short-term worker training schemes) mid/long-term policy orientations (e.g. develop higher education programmes in certain fields).

Attractiveness – modernisation of infrastructure (ERDF) Optimization and differentiation of VET institution network (ERDF) inter alia development of the Vocational Competence centers Flexibility - short-term programmes, modular approach, assessment of competences acquired outside formal education Content – content revision, national qualification framework, sector analysis, professions standards Work-based learning elements – continuation of the pilot project 2. Vocational education quality issues: on-going reforms

2. Vocational education quality issues: Work-based learning (WBL) One of the policy priorities for – Education Development Guidelines In 2013, the first WBL pilot project started in six VET schools in cooperation with 29 enterprises involving 146 learners in 17 programmes Project continued in 2014/2015 with parallel discussions with social partners aiming at more systemic approaches Provisionally around 30 VET institutions could be involved in WBL in co-operation with around 200 entrepreneurs to implement around 40 different programs and by involving around 500 learners Development of the support measures for the enterprises involvement into the WBL provision (fiscal incentives)

3. Role of life-long learning 6 Participation rate in education and training (last 4 weeks), EUROSTAT Low participation LV target 15% by ,8 thsd employed to be supported within ESF program Particular focus on low-skilled

4. Role of Public employment service 7 1)Key actor in linking jobs with job seekers -> how to increase PES market share? 2)Cooperates with employers in providing services for job- seekers -> how to encourage employers participation? 3)Through active labour market policy skills mismatches are reduced -> how to improve skills anticipation excercises?

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