The webinar
ETF Quality Assurance Forum organised a webinar on quality assurance of work-based learning, on 16 June.
The purpose of the webinar was to explore and discuss quality assurance arrangements for work-based learning (WBL).
WBL in vocational education is an increasing priority among the ETF partner countries, as in the European Union, to improve skills and employability, and enhance economic competitiveness and social inclusion. While WBL can be a win-win-win situation providing benefits for all major stakeholders involved – the learner, the employer, and society - it poses specific questions in terms of quality assurance at the level of VET system, providers and enterprises. The webinar addressed exactly these issues:
- Stefan Thomas, ETF Work-based specialist, provided insights from the provided insights from the ETF work on the monitoring and evaluation of work-based learning,
- Anette Curth, Senior Technical Expert of EQAVET Secretariat, introduced EU tools on quality assurance of WBL developed to support VET systems, providers and enterprises: EQAVET framework, building blocks for WBL, European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships,
- Kakhaber Eradze, Deputy Director of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement of Georgia presented quality assurance system for work-based learning in Georgia,
- Brigitte Bouquet, the General manager of France Compétences, presented the quality assurance model of apprenticeships system in France
Presentations are uploaded below.
Full recording (English)
ETF Quality Assurance Forum
The ETF QA Forum is a transnational collaboration initiative between national institutions with VET quality assurance mandates in ETF’s partner countries. The aim of the Forum is to support member countries to modernise and improve quality assurance in VET. For additional information about the Forum, please contact the ETF senior expert, Mounir Baati, at mba@etf.europa.eu.
Webinars of the ETF Quality Assurance Forum
Since early 2020 the Forum has organised a series of webinars - recordings and materials can be downloaded below:
- on self-assessment of schools (LINK),
- on graduate tracking (LINK),
- on peer visits as external evaluation tool (LINK),
- on assessment of teachers’ and trainers’ performance (LINK),
I agree with Kakhaber that assessment in wbl does not necessarily be more difficult or expensive. Yet, the pre-conditon are the use of clear and transparent standards and processes. Where this does not yet exist, it might take some preparatory work to put these in place and make sure they are understood and applied.
The following should be clear and agreed between all parties from the outset:
- Which learning outcomes will the learner achieve at the work place? Is this part of the training plan/curriculum, or are these learning outcomes extracurricular?
- Are those learning outcomes going to be assessed at the work place (all of them, or a part)? In case they are part of the curriculum - will the VET school need to be nvolved in the assessment?
- Who will acrry out the assessment at the work place (e.g. the mentor in the company or an external organisation - e.g. sector organsation)?
- What assessment methods are used (e.g. observation, demonstration of skills etc.)?
- What standards are going to be used for the assessment? Are sectoral standards or training standards applied, or this upon the discretion of the assessor?
- How is the outcome of the assessment recorded? How is this communicated to the VET school (or other responsible body)?
- What to do in case of differing views on an individual learner’s achievement? Is there is an agreed process for resolving any differences?
the European Alliance for apprenticeships recently held a webinar on green and digital transitions https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1147&newsId=9914&f…
I also just came across an initiative from Spain (LaRioja Region) where a VET school (I.E.S. Rey Don Garcia) developed several dual learning schemes (NQF level 3) in the renewable energy sector. This was done in close collaboration with local employers that were concerned they would not find people with the right skills in the region.