CVA's PICKS OF THE MONTH

Canada. The push to bridge the school-work gap
Work-integrated learning grows in popularity at universities across the country.
What’s WIL? Work-integrated learning has a variety of definitions. According to Co-operative Education and Work-integrated Learning Canada, WIL is “a model and process of education which formally and intentionally integrates a student’s academic studies with learning in a workplace or practice setting.”
Canada. Faciliter la transition études-emploi 
Tags : Article 2018; Canada; School-to-work transition; Source: University Affairs; WIL - Work-integrated learning; Work-integrated learning - WIL; ​

ARTICLES and PAPERS

​Canada. The transition from school to work - the not in employment, education or training (NEET) indicator for 15 to 19 year old in Canada

This fact explores the situation of 15 to 19-year-old Canadians in order to further the understanding of school and labour market transitions for youth at this age, and how this first age of transition compares to 15 to 19-year-old in other OECD countries and over time. As well, provincial comparisons will be presented.
En français. Canada. La transition de l'école au travail : indicateur ni en emploi, ni aux études, ni en formation (NEET) pour les jeunes âgés de 15 à 19 ans au Canada
Tags : Analysis - comparative; Article 2018; Canada; Comparative analysis; NEET - not in employment - education or training; School-to-work transition; Source: Government of Canada/Statistics Canada; Statistics 2016; Youth 15-19;

Nigeria. Bridging the skills gap and tackling unemployment of vocational graduates through partnerships in Nigeria
The level of skills possessed by vocational education graduates for employment has been a worrisome issue in Nigeria. The study revealed that industries and institutions partnerships will help to bridge the skills gap and reduce unemployment of vocational education graduates in Nigeria through workplace partnership like resource sharing, staff exchange and the establishment of vocational skills exhibition centres amongst others. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that industries, government and institutions should establish partnership that will help to enhance the skills and chances of employment of vocational education graduates in Nigeria.
Tags : Gap - skills; Nigeria; Paper 2016; Skills - gap; Source: Journal of Technical Education and Training; Unemployment; VET in schools;

Switzerland. Job opportunities and school-to-work transitions in occupational labour markets. Are occupational change and unskilled employment after vocational education interrelated?
For an integration of initial vocational education and training (IVET) graduates into occupationally and educationally matching positions it is crucial that the IVET programmes offered match labour demand on an occupational basis.
Tags : Paper 2016; School-to-work transition; Source: Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training; Switzerland; VET - vocational education and training;

USA. How Competency-Based Education Gets Results for Learners and Employers
Competency-based education has long been seen as an innovation that could produce better learning outcomes. But connecting those outcomes directly to workplace skills and career development is comparatively new, and evidence that competency-based degrees have an impact for working adults and their employers is just emerging.
Tags : Article 2017; Competence - based education; Education - competence-based; Source: College for America; United States of America;

Europe. Job Design and Skill Developments in the Workplace
We investigate the relationship between job complexity and the skills development of adult workers in Europe. The results suggest that challenging workplaces, workplaces in which jobs are designed to include complex tasks, and which place high demands on workers’ skills, also stimulate workers’ skills development. Increasing the degree of job complexity has positive and robust effects on the degree of skill development, and so does an increase in work experience (tenure). The analysis stresses the importance of on-the-job learning and contextual workplace characteristics for adult workers’ skills development.
Tags : Development - skills; Europe; Paper 2016; Skills - development; Source: IZA - Institute for the Study of Labor; Training - workplace; Workplace - training;

Africa. Investing in Africa’s talent
Africa will have more people joining the labor force over the next 20 years than the rest of the world combined.
Tags : Africa; Article 2018; Employment trend 2038; Source: World Bank; Trend - employment 2038;

A new measure of skill mismatch: theory and evidence from PIAAC
The measure is derived from a formal theory and combines information about skill proficiency, self-reported mismatch and skill use. The theoretical foundations underling this measure allow identifying minimum and maximum skill requirements for each occupation and to classify workers into three groups: the well-matched, the under-skilled and the over-skilled.
Tags : Mismatch training/workforce - skills; Paper 2016; PIAAC - Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies; Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies - PIAAC; Skills - mismatch training/workplace; Source: IZA – Institute of Labor Economics;

Firms' motivation for training apprentices: an Australian–German comparison
This paper looks at firms’ motivation for training apprentices in both Australia and Germany. It explores how these countries compare when dealing with their respective institutional arrangements for apprenticeship training. It then analyses Australian employer's commitment to training based on changes to incentive payments in Australia.
Tags : Analysis - comparative; Apprenticeship; Australia; Comparative analysis; Germany; Paper 2016; Source: NCVER - National Centre for Vocational Education Research;

Measuring STEM in vocational education and training
This paper explores ways to measure how the vocational education and training (VET) sector is contributing to the development of STEM-related skills. Better measurement of STEM in VET can help to identify supply and demand for education and training, assess (and improve) outcomes and efficiency, direct funding and resources, and properly inform students’ choices.
Tags : Paper 2016; Source: NCVER - National Centre for Vocational Education Research; STEM - Science_technology_engineering_and mathematics; VET - vocational education and training;

Skills or jobs: Which comes first?
Foundational skills, both cognitive and social, are essential for productive employment, and these require investment in early learning and education systems. They are also necessary for the development of more specialized skills, particularly for countries seeking to move up the “value-added” ladder of production. Such highly specialized skills can stimulate innovation, enhance learning and, in turn, create more jobs. However, providing technical and vocational training is not always the answer. Work experience in itself can encourage learning and help shape skills, especially for young people.
Tags : Paper 2017; Skills; Source: IZA World of Labor Policy; VET - vocational education and training;

Adapting skills : a challenge digital companies have to meet
Innovation is a key factor in growth in the digital sector. In order to foster innovation, digital companies must, to a greater extent than elsewhere in the economy, recruit skilled personnel and ensure that their employees’ skills are maintained and updated. Considerable use is made of initial education, continuing training in its various forms and block-release programmes in a continuum that might prefigure a more general tendency.
Tags : Article 2017; Development - skills; Digital skills;Skills - development; Skills - digital; Source: Céreq - Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications;

DOCUMENTS

Australia. Uptake and utility of VET qualifications
Training packages and accredited courses are the core training products of the nationally accredited vocational education and training (VET) system in Australia. This report considers the use of these training packages and the qualifications contained within them. It also examines the pattern of enrolments in qualifications to determine how extensively the qualifications in the training package system are being used and whether enrolments are evenly spread amongst qualifications or concentrated in particular qualifications and training packages.
Tags : Annual report 2016; Australia; Source: NCVER - National Centre for Vocational Education Research; VET - vocational education and training;

USA. Foundational Skills in the Service Sector: Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Limited Math, Reading, and Technology Proficiency on Workers and Employers
The report is designed to inform business leaders, policymakers, and advocates who are addressing challenges faced by workers with skill gaps and their employers. It provides a detailed data profile of workers, examples of employer interventions that support skill-building, and recommendations for state and federal policymakers. The report focuses on retail, hospitality, and healthcare workers.
Tags : Annual report 2017; Competences - development; Source: National Skills Coalition; United States of America;

Europe. Tertiary vocational education in Europe – examples from six education systems
The tertiary education sector has observably been developing comparatively dynamically in recent years. On the basis of examples from England, France, Ireland, Norway, Austria and Poland, the understanding of “tertiary education”, its structures and the relevance of work-based learning programmes are described.
Tags : Analysis - comparative; Austria; Comparative analysis; England; France; Norway; Poland; Report 2016; Source: BIBB - Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training; VET - vocational education and training;

Latin America and the Caribbean. Apprenticeships for the XXI Century: A Model for Latin America and the Caribbean?
This study intends to decompose apprenticeships: - it proposes a formal definition of apprenticeships that differentiates this type of training modality from other types of skills training - it explores core elements and principles in depth that are central to apprenticeship programs- both in terms of their design and delivery - it assesses the status of apprenticeship-type programs in LAC and provides an overview of the specific challenges these programs face in the region - finally, in an attempt to close the gap between the theoretical and the practical, it provides a hands-on tool kit for policy makers and employers to ask pertinent questions when considering the design of new programs or the revamping of existing ones.
Tags : Apprenticeship; Document 2016; Education - trend; Latin America and the Caribbean; Source: IADB - Inter-American Development Bank; Trend - education;

OTHER

Canada. Earn while you learn
A trade apprenticeship is how you gain the knowledge and skills you need for a career in your trade. Most apprenticeships take about four years to complete. You’ll spend approximately six to eight weeks per year in the classroom or shop learning from an instructor. The rest of the year, you’ll earn while you learn, working on a job site alongside experienced tradespeople and getting paid to do it.
Tags : Apprenticeship - programs; Canada; Program - apprenticeship; Resources; Source: ITA - Industry Training Authority; Youth;
 

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