CVA's PICKS OF THE MONTH

Canada. Informal Learning and the Older Professional Worker: Learning Practices, Challenges and Supports
This document outlines a study designed to examine the informal learning practices of older professional workers, defined as those aged 50 and older.
Tags : Adult education; Canada; Informal education; Learning - informal; Learning - lifelong; Lifelong learning; Source: CCL - Canadian Council on Learning; Study; Target group: Adults 50+; Target group: CMA - Certified Management Accountants;

Canada. Peak Campus: 6 Converging Trends
Six predictable and long-term demographic, economic, technological and political trends mean that the majority of Canadian universities will face a challenging phenomenon called “peak campus” within the next ten to fifteen years.
Tags : Analysis - trends; Article; Canada; Education - higher; Higher education; Source: Eduvation; Trend - analysis;

Ethiopia. Technical, Vocational Training a Last Resort
Despite the government's insistence that TVET programmes are essential in launching the country's industrialisation, research shows that technical and vocational education has historically been considered a path for students who fail to meet the mark for more 'intellectual' learning. This attitude is seen both in students and the larger community. The prejudice developed against the sector not only creates challenges for those already learning in the schools, but also keeps grade 10 students like Michael from enrolling.
Tags : Analysis; Article; Ethiopia; Source: Addis Fortune; VET - vocational education and training;

Malawi. Gender differences in the effects of vocational training : constraints on women and drop-out behavior
This paper provides experimental evidence on the effects of vocational and entrepreneurial training for Malawian youth, in an environment where access to schooling and formal sector employment is extremely low. It tracks a large fraction of program drop-outs -- a common phenomenon in the training evaluation literature -- and examines the determinants and consequences of dropping out and how it mediates the effects of such programs. The analysis finds that women make decisions in a more constrained environment, and their participation is affected by family obligations. Participation is more expensive for them, resulting in worse training experience. The training results in skills development, continued investment in human capital, and improved well-being, with more positive effects for men, but no improvements in labor market outcomes in the short run.0
Tags : Analysis; Employability - youth; Gender - equity; Lower-income countries; Malawi; Paper; Source: World Bank; VET - competence-based vocational education; Youth - employability;

USA. Why Jobs Go Unfilled Even in Times of High Unemployment
Companies say too many applicants just don't have the right skills. Partnerships between employers and community colleges are looking to fix that.
Tags : Article; Gap - skills; School-to-work transition; Skills - shortage; Source: The Atlantic; United States of America;

Europe. Adult and continuing education in Europe: Using public policy to secure a growth in skills
Public policies must respond to two strategic challenges: to encourage the propensity to invest in adult and continuing education and to guarantee the reduction of educational exclusion. Therefore, investing appropriately in adult education will contribute to overcoming the economic crisis and to meeting the Europe 2020 targets on employment, poverty reduction, education, sustainability and innovation. The conclusions of the research projects propose a number of policy priorities to support adult and continuing education and to harvest the potential of existing scientific production. This paper surveys these conclusions and guides policy-makers in developing policy interventions which both t the growth of adult and continuing education and exploit the wealth of research and research tools available.
Tags : Analysis; Continuing education; Education - continuing; Europe; Paper; Source: European Commission;

Europe. New skills and jobs: Mind the gap
Matching workers' skills with the demands of employers is seen as crucial to boosting employment rates, restoring growth and tackle looming labour shortages in sectors like health care, science and the green economy.
Tags : 2015 February Newsletter; Europe; Gap - skills; Overview; Resources; Skills - shortage; Source: EurActiv;

European Union. Labour market outcomes of vocational education in Europe
Relative to medium-level general education, there is evidence that vocational graduates enjoy a faster transition to work and are more likely to have a permanent first job in line with their qualifications. But there are substantial differences between countries. Benefits for vocational graduates are most prominent in countries with strong vocational education and training systems with a close connection between school- and work-based learning. However, as people age and gain experience, differences between medium-level general education and vocational graduates diminish. This report aims to improve our understanding of labour market outcomes for vocational education graduates. A real need if we are to respond effectively to the current challenges of high unemployment.
Tags : Analysis; European Union; Labour market; Research paper; Source: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training; VET - vocational education and training;

How vocational training can save Arab countries their $50 billion unemployment bill
Arab countries are facing a shortage of vocational labour as the market is facing an oversupply of university graduates in the tertiary sector.
Tags : Arab countries; Article; Gap - skills; Higher education; Skills - shortage; Source: Al Bawaba; Trend - VET; VET - trend;

Canada. Financial information of community colleges and vocational schools, 2012/2013
The Financial Information of Community Colleges and Vocational Schools Survey provides financial information (income and expenditures) on all community colleges and vocational schools in Canada. This information provides a better understanding of the financial position, how spending takes place and the nature and extent of government support in this sector.
En français. Canada. Information financière des collèges communautaires et des écoles de formation professionnelle, 2012-2013
Tags : Annual report 2012-2013; Canada; Colleges and Universities; Education - spending; Source: Government of Canada/Statistics Canada; Vocational schools;

Canada. Labour Shortages in Skilled Trades – The Best Guestimate?
Labour shortages continue to exist across Canada, but they are sporadic and short-lived. The report explores skilled labour shortages in five trades in five Canadian provinces – Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Québec, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Tags : Analysis; Canada/Alberta; Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador; Canada/Ontario; Canada/Québec; Canada/Saskatchewan; Shortage - skills; Shortage - workforce; Skills - shortage; Source: CGA - Certified General Accountants Association of Canada; Workforce - shortage;

Canada/Ontario. People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People: Ontario's Labour Market Future
With the emergence of our knowledge economy, the proportion of the labour force requiring some form of education or training beyond high school will increase dramatically. Using a variety of Canadian and U. S. estimates, it is concluded that by 2031 we will need 77% of our workforce to have post-secondary credentials (apprenticeship, university, college, industry, professional). Overall, we now stand at about 60%, with our younger population (25 to 34 years of age) at just over 66%.
Tags : Analysis - trends; Canada/Ontario; Employment trend 2031; Gap - skills; Report; Shortage - workforce; Skills - shortage; Source: Colleges Ontario; Trend - analysis; Trend - employment 2031; Workforce - shortage;

Canada/Ontario’s skills mismatch must be addressed
Good jobs can’t be filled because the people seeking work don’t have the right education and skills.
Related report. Canada/Ontario. The Need to Make Skills Work: The Cost of Ontario’s Skills Gap
Ontario is losing out on as much as $24.3 billion in economic activity and $3.7 billion in provincial tax revenues annually because employers cannot find people with the skills they need to innovate and grow in today’s economy.
* Needs a one-time free registration to download the report
Tags : Analysis; Article; Canada/Ontario; Gap - skills; Mismatch training/workforce - skills; Report; Skills - mismatch training/workplace; Skills - shortage; Source: Conference Board of Canada; Source: The Star;

UK. Understanding Occupational Regulation
Understanding Occupational Regulation deepens our understanding of a policy lever which can raise skill levels via the introduction of minimum prescribed skills standards into an occupation or an aspect of it. Taking a predominantly qualitative approach, this report explores the design, implementation and impact of voluntary and mandatory occupational regulation in the UK.
Tags : Occupational regulation; Regulation - occupational; Report - evidence; Skills - standards; Source: UK Commission for Employment and Skills; United Kingdom;

European Union. Benefits of vocational education and training in Europe for people, organisations and countries
Some of VET’s most important benefits are difficult to express in monetary terms. Organisations, individuals and governments, consequently, may not take full account of VET’s benefits when deciding to invest in it. A better understanding all of its benefits may not only influence the likelihood of investing in VET, but is important for organisations competing on the basis of high quality goods and services where skills and attitudes need to combine to bring success.
Tags : Analysis; Document; European Union; Source: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training; VET - vocational education and training;

Europe. Aiming Higher: Policies to get Immigrants into Middle-Skilled Work in Europe
Against a backdrop of aging populations and persistently low economic growth, few European governments are doing enough to help recent immigrants move from low-skilled precarious jobs and into decent work, says a new report by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and International Labour Organization (ILO).
Related report. Aiming Higher: Policies to get Immigrants into Middle-Skilled Work in Europe 
Tags : Employment - policy; Europe; Policy - immigration; Report; Source: ILO - International Labour Organization;

Education Policy Outlook 2015. Making Reforms Happen
Given different national contexts, individual countries’ reform challenges cannot be simply transposed into a different country or system. Nevertheless, countries face many similar challenges and implement reforms in similar areas. The 2015 edition of the Education Policy Outlook provides a comparative review of policy trends. It explores specific reforms adopted across the OECD over the past seven years to help countries learn from one another and choose the reforms best adapted to their needs and context.
En français. Perspectives des politiques de l'éducation 2015: Les réformes en marche
Tags : Annual report; Educational policy; Educational reform; Policy - educational; Reform - educational; Source: OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;

The World Development Report on Jobs, 2013
Jobs stresses the role of strong private sector led growth in creating jobs and outlines how jobs that do the most for development can spur a virtuous cycle. The report finds that poverty falls as people work their way out of hardship and as jobs empower women to invest more in their children. Efficiency increases as workers get better at what they do, as more productive jobs appear, and as less productive ones disappear. Societies flourish as jobs foster diversity and provide alternatives to conflict. Read here (50mb) or here
Tags : Annual report 2013; Source: World Bank;

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education: A Meta-Analysis of Programs That Provide Education to Incarcerated Adults
Inmates who participate in correctional education programs have a 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison than those who do not. Employment after release is 13 percent higher among prisoners who participated in either academic or vocational education programs than those who did not.
Tags : Analysis; Document; Prison population; Rehabilitation; Source: Rand Corporation; Target group: Prison population; VET - vocational education and training;

Building Effective Employment Programs for Unemployed Youth in the Middle East and North Africa
This book first surveys international best practices for the delivery of employment services and then reviews the provision of those services in a selected group of countries in the MENA region, with a focus on public provision through existing public employment agencies. Findings indicate that public agencies in the region face many challenges to the effective delivery of employment programs-namely insufficient administrative capacity, system fragmentation, lack of governance and accountability, regulation bottlenecks, and flaws in program design.
Tags : Analysis; Best practice; Book; Employment - services; Employment - youth; Field: Employment services; MENA - Middle East and North Africa; Middle East; North Africa; Source: World Bank; Youth - employment;

Canada. Effective Journeyperson Apprentice Mentoring On-the-job: Tips, Strategies, and Resources
The skill and ability of the next generation of skilled trades professionals rely in large part on the mentors who teach them. Apprentices in the skilled trades need strong workplace supports to become certified, making journeyperson mentors crucial to apprenticeship success. This report provides fresh insights into the important role of mentors to apprenticeship completion across Canada.
* Needs a one-time free registration to view the document
Tags : Apprenticeship; Canada; Mentoring; Report; Resources; Source: CAF - Canadian Apprenticeship Forum; Training - apprenticeship; Training - workplace; Workplace - training;

Webinar. DECLARE: Online Instructional Design for Everyone
The DECLARE methodology of instructional design was developed with both the program and course in mind. DECLARE is a set of practical recommendations and content reminders used when creating training programs and courses.
* Needs a one-time free registration to view the recording
Tags : DECLARE methodology; Instructional design; Methodology - DECLARE; Source: Training magazine; Webinar;

Record, Organise and Maintain Workplace Information
Skills and knowledge developed will ensure the ability to record, organise and maintain workplace information is appropriate to the workplace and industry sector. Resources and activities provided are designed to develop skills and provide formative assessments to monitor progress.
Tags : Guide - interactive; Information and knowledge management; Information and knowledge managers; Interactive guide; Source: Regional Skills Training; Target group: Information and knowledge managers; Workplace;