Employer Engagement in Design and Development of VET

Europe is experiencing a rising wave of unemployment. As a result, a greater emphasis is being placed on the development of VET to meet industry needs, so learners can access and gain qualifications in their chosen vocations that are trusted and recognised both within their own and other EU countries, thereby supporting labour mobility. The European VET system must be capable of providing learners the knowledge and skills needed to become productive and valued members of the European workforce within their chosen sector. Implicit within this challenge is the need for effective employer involvement in the design and development of VET. This will ensure that VET is “fit for purpose”, future proof and addresses the technical, green and digital skills relevant to employers, as defined by each industry sector through its representatives. The project “Employer Engagement in Design and Development of VET (ED2-VET)” therefore set out to investigate the factors that determine the extent and impact of employer involvement in VET design and identify good practices for sharing. The project resulted in tangible outputs that have been disseminated to support relevant organisations and individuals, leading to improvements to employer-led VET development within the EU. Project outputs comprise an evaluative report on employer involvement in VET design and development, including the influence of nationality, the nature of each sector and company type and size. Any issues to be resolved, as well as benefits and successes, have furthermore been identified, analysed and presented. An online portfolio of good practices has also been published, which includes 18 case studies, based on questionnaires and interviews with stakeholders. This portfolio was designed to present transferable models of good practice and includes tips for employer involvement in the design and development of sector-relevant VET programmes. The project, completed by the partners UK NARIC (ECCTIS Ltd), Pisces Learning Innovations, the Bulgarian Development Agency and DIMITRA, focused on the target groups of employers, and VET qualification / programme designers. In order to adequately provide a comprehensive set of results and address the complexity of the VET systems and the issues surrounding the possible contexts for employer involvements in VET development, the project followed a methodological approach incorporating staged data collection and analysis, developed from both primary and secondary sources, preceded by an initial research phase enabling the opportunity to frame the questions, definitions and other background information necessary for clear and consistent results. Interviews with stakeholders, supplemented by short-term joint staff training in each partner country, ensured the best results were achieved. The approach enabled the elaboration of in-depth case studies for the online portfolio, highlighting tips for replicating these examples of good practice in other contexts. Final multiplier events ensured the project outcomes were shared with relevant bodies, including VET qualification designers, employers, employer associations and sector bodies, and policy-makers. Expected impacts, both short- and long-term, include improved engagement by employers in the process of designing and developing sector-relevant VET programmes in cooperation with qualification awarding bodies, ministries of education, and other educational sector organisations; improved understanding by all parties of the challenges to engaging with employers, and the possibilities for fostering improved cooperation and engagement; improved policy and regulation with regard to employer involvement in the qualification and programme development process; the development of new VET programmes which have been developed with employer and industry support and involvement. Ultimately, these improvements may lead to a reduction in skills mismatches, greater satisfaction among employers regarding the skills which VET learners have upon programme completion, and greater mobility for VET learners in Europe.