1. Erasmus+ Strategic partnership project
VET for Employment
Erasmus+ Strategic partnership project
Project partner: Association of Mechanical Engineering and Metalworking Industries of Latvia

2. Context
In Latvia, VET reforms have started in Major components of the reform so far included:
optimisation of the network of VET institutions and learning programmes,
differentiation of the VET institutions by creating competence centres,
improving infrastructure,
facilitating social partner involvement through 12 tripartite sectoral expert councils (developing national qualification framework for VET, elaboration of new professional standarts, implementation of the newly developed system of recognition of prior learning, quality assurance procedures of VET programmes and learning outcomes, as well as career guidance activities especially when it comes to informing young people about employment opportunities in different sectors).
In 2013, several VET institutions developed work based learning pilot projects in cooperation with their partners from business sector.
Although good progress has been achieved in terms of employer involvement, VET system in Latvia is still largely based in VET institutions. New tools have to be developed on the national level which would allow social partners to support VET-business cooperation in very practical way.
Latvia was among the six EU countries that signed a memorandum with Germany on 11 December 2012, committing to cooperate in reforming their systems of vocational training and education. Further transfer of experience from countries with dual VET traditions would be useful to develop and implement elements of work based learning into Latvian VET system.

3. Project duration: 1 September 2014
31 August 2017
Project budget: EUR
Project goals:
To improve availability of qualified workforce and to strengthen the involvement of the social partners, especially the employer organisations, in professional education.
To promote availability of quality traineeships and work based learning.
To develop e-tools for the use by the employers and schools to promote work based learning in VET system.

4. Partners Project coordinator
The Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK)
Latvian partners
Youth career portal prakse.lv
Metalworking industry:
MASOC (employers)
RTK (VETI)
Chemical industry: LAKIFA (employers)
OMTK (VETI)
LBAS (Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia)
International partners
IBW (Austria)
ABB Training Centre ATC (Germany)
Lithuanian Business Employers' Confederation (Lietuvos verslo darbdavių konfederacija)
Associate/ strategic partners
Riga City Council
Ministry of Education and Science (TBC)
National Centre for Education

5. Activities Research, preparation
Internship availability and quality; Cost benefit analysis; Needed improvements
Researching traineeships in Latvia:
Learning from international experience:
Study visit in Austria and Germany
Develping new tools to support traineeships and WBL
Testing and implementation
1) The Metalworking industry & 2) the Chemical industry
WBL Pilot projects in sectors:
Intersectorial initiatives (case studies , events, mini-pilotprojects) organised by the Sectorial Expert Councils
Valorisation, dissemination, incl. International Conference

6. Project’s added value from the MASOC perspective
Research on internship availability and quality in the sector;
Promotion of discussions on cost-benefit analysis of work based learning among the companies
Regarding involvement of the social partners - practical knowledge from existing systems in Austria and Germany
Together with Rīgas Tehniskā koledža – series of smaller as well as more in-depth pilot projects with a number of companies during next 2 years
Youth attraction to the sector, industry promotion
Succesful cooperation with all involved entities and foreign partners, especially Employer’s Confederation of Latvia. As a result – minimum administrative burden

7. Association of Mechanical Engineering and Metalworking Industries of Latvia Ezermalas 6 k Rīga, LV Andris Sekacis Advisor International Cooperation