Summary document

SPAIN

Comparison of education system, the job market, formal, non-formal and informal curricula in each country, exchange information

Introduction.

The EU is facing unparallel demographic changes that will have an impact in society and globalize economy.

 In this context, Life Long Learning is getting of crucial importance as:

• It contributes to personal development and satisfaction.
• Its effect improves the economy and society if:

• It helps to increase the qualified workforce
• It fits the labour market needs.

       -  Besides, it reinforces social abilities and personal self confidence.

Education and training is the key factor to be competitive in a globalize society full of countries with much lower labour costs.  

To reach those goals Andalusian govern needs:  

• To promote vocational training and lifelong learning   activities under flexible curricula, learning paths and organisation.

• Reinforce the flexibility of VET systems.        
• Promote the recognition of adquired professional competence and non-formal learning.
• Improve ICT and foreign language skills.
• Promote entrepreneurship.

e-learning in VET

Today we are involved in a integration process the three training system, in line with the EQF (European Qualifications Framework), further of recognition of the informal learning

Andalusian Educational System has done a big effort in the use of e-learning in last years. So, Andalusian is working on several lines:

• Developing of a new catalogue of professional qualifications updated and contrasted with the labour market
• Making more flexible the training system of VET and Adult Education. For example, using e-learning applied to adult training, recognition of non formal and informal learning, etc
• Increasing relationship with the companies for practice and incorporation into the labour market
• Facilitating access to university of graduates in VET, validating the learning of VET training
•  Spreading the entrepreneurial culture among youth
•  Making marketing campaigns to promote and value VET among families, youth and society in general.

TRAINING OFFER FOR ADULTS LIFE LONG LEARNING

The Department of Education of the Government of Andalusia has worked for 25 years in the field of Life Long Learning.

Currently the range of training offered to the citizen is divided into 6 steps:

• Education Plans for Basic Training that promote the acquisition of basic skills necessary for access to compulsory secondary education and personal and professional development of adults.
• Education Plans for Non-Formal Education whose aims are preparing for obtaining basic diplomas, access to other levels of education, access to the society of knowledge and practice of active citizenship.
• Secondary Education for Adults, which is based on flexible criteria and seeks to meet the interests and needs of the adult population. It considers the possibility of partial registration and three learning modalities: face-to-face, blended learning and long distance learning (via the Internet).
• The High School for Adults, which came into force in the 2008-2009 academic year and just as lessons for compulsory secondary education, is governed by flexible criteria to allow greater participation of the population still in post-compulsory education.
• VET. You can have access to specific vocational training by partial enrollment that allows you to take a particular module, self-preparation for tests in order to obtain degrees and modules and you will be able to study in certain long distance professional training courses.
• That's English.  It is the only program that allows you access to the Advanced Level of the Official Language School.

PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES FOR EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Educational guidance is carried out through the tutor for each group of students, who advises students on various academic, vocational and professional aspects.

In schools where secondary education and vocational training are taught, there is a specific teacher dedicated to this type of advising.

Guidance and advice on Life Long Learning, training life and job search. Training programs for unemployed.

Andalusian Employment Service is responsible for active employment policies in Spain.

ACTIVE EMPLOYMENT POLICIES

• Income (employment offices)
• Orientation (Andalucía Orienta)
• Collaborating centers:
• Training for Employment
• Actions for Training and Employment: Training Workshops, Trade and Employment Workshops

EMPLOYMENT OFFICES

• REGISTRATION

• Looking for  employment (unemployed)
• Improving Employment (employed)
• Other services (under 18 years and other groups)

• CLASSIFICATION

• Desired occupations
• Required Services
• Employment training
• Training and Employment Shares
• Other

ANDALUCIA “ORIENTA”

1. Initial Diagnostic Interview
2. Design and development of a Personalized Route Insertion.

(Vocational Guidance, Motivation for Training and Employment, Training Job Search Techniques)

3. Resend to other Employment Policies

Spreading entrepreneurship spirit

The Department of Education in Andalusia has been increasing his effort in developing programs to spread the entrepreneurship spirit among the students involved in all levels in educational system. The reason is quite clear: Spain needs more people wishing to begin on creative and innovative activities, and education can contribute greatly to the creation of a more entrepreneurial culture, starting from the earliest ages. Fostering entrepreneurship from people, especially young people, will be a benefit to society in general.

In Andalusia, we think, that entrepreneurship is a general attitude that can be useful in all activities, work, social and daily life. It is therefore a key competence, and one of the goals of the educational system should be to encourage people in the personal qualities that are the basis for entrepreneurship: creativity, initiative, responsibility, the ability to cope with risks and independence.

Inside the Department of Education, the area responsible of this topic is the Long Life Learn and Vocational Education and Training area, although some programs are designed to be applied in the compulsory education (primary and secondary). A very complete information about all programs can be obtained in the web site: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/averroes/cultura_emprendedora (in Spanish language).

Next, you can read a brief description of each program:

• Proyecto Carabelas: “Carabelas Project” aims to encourage primary school students of entrepreneurship, which is needed to transform ideas into action and to know how to solve problems and needs of their environment.
• Jóvenes Emprendedores Solidarios: “Young entrepreneurs with solidarity” is designed for students in a wide range of studies, from compulsory to VET. In this program, students are aimed build and manage an association in order to perform work in their environment to finance a project of social interest developed by some selected NGOs.
• Emprendejoven: In this case the target is the students of VET and the objective is focused in the development of a business plan.
• Gente Emprendedora y Solidaria: “Entrepreneur people with solidarity” has the same structure and objetives that “Young entrepreneurs with solidarity”, but is targeted to adult people in LLL centres.
• Concurso de empresas virtuales: “Virtual enterprises contest”, is a call for business ideas from students with prizes in several categories.

Nevertheless, at this moment, a new experimental project is being developed in 16 selected centres around Andalusia. The idea is to launch a new program that involve all the other in a coordinated way. It is projected to develop it in all centres in Andalusia next academic course (2011/2012).

National Institute Of Qualifications

The National Institute of Qualifications was created by Royal Decree 375/1999 of 5 March 1999. It is the technical instrument, endowed with capacity and independence, which supports the Spanish General Council of Vocational Education and Training in order to attain the objectives of the National System for Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training (known in Spanish as SNCFP).

The Organic Act 5/2002 of 19 June 2002 on Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training confers on the National Institute of Qualifications the responsibility for defining, creating and updating the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications and the corresponding Modular Catalogue of Vocational Education and Training.

The governing body of the National Institute of Qualifications  is the General Council of Vocational Education and Training though the National Institute of Qualifications is placed under the control of the Secretary General of Education (Ministry of Education and Science), as laid down in Royal Decree 1553/2004 of 20 June 2004.

RECOGNITION, ASSESSEMENT AND ACCREDITATION OF QUALIFICATIONS

It is a set of procedures to recognize, assess and accredit the professional competences acquired through work experience or any other type of non-formal learning. This assessment and accreditation of professional competences will be developed following principles that guarantee the assessments reliability, objectiveness and technical rigour. The National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications serves as an objective reference in this procedure.

When the professional competences of an employee are assessed and they are not sufficient to complete the qualifications included in a diploma of vocational education and training or an Occupational Aptitude Certificate, a partial cumulative accreditation is awarded. Thus, if the employee wishes to do so, he/she will be able to complete the training in order to obtain the relevant diploma or certificate.

The Minister of Labour and Immigration and the Minister of Education will develop, with the collaboration of de administrations belonging to the Autonomous Community, a Committee for Information and Guidance, which allows getting information related to the accreditation and assessment procedure, the official announcements and the training offers. Also, the necessary tools to make the self-evaluation and the path training election easier, will be included.

In Spain, over sixty per cent of working population does not hold a recognized accreditation of their professional qualification. Besides, there is a great amount of non-formal learning whose lack of recognition, especially for population groups like women, immigrants and unemployed, can cause situations of inappropriate mobility in the labour market with the resulting exclusion risk.

The European Union established in May 2004 the Common European Principles for the identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning, necessary to promote comparison and acceptance of differences among Member States as well as the transfer and acceptance of educational and training results in different environments.

The Technical Committee for Qualifications is made up of the persons in charge of the Institutes, Agencies and Centres of Qualifications of the Autonomous Communities.

The members of this Committee participate actively in the process of making the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications and cooperate with the National Institute of Qualifications in the development of its functions within the scope of their competences.

Andalucía: Institute Andalusian of qualifications.

The Institute aims to establish a system of professional qualifications in Andalusia, to integrate the training professional ruled, occupational and continuous, with criteria of quality and commitment to continuous improvement.