Vocational Training

WHAT IS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION?

Vocational education is education within vocational

schools that prepares people for a specific trade. It

directly develops expertise in techniques related to
technology, skill and scientific technique to extend all
aspects of the trade. Vocational education is classified
as using procedural knowledge.

WHAT ARE VOCATIONAL COURSES?

Vocational courses are typically more practical and

skills-based than academic degrees, but they are often

taught at universities, trade schools, career colleges as
well as colleges and technical institutes Vocational
training courses are specific classes offered to learners
to train for a particular job or career. Also these courses
are offered to people working in various career fields to
improve their skills.
Vocational courses are designed to help you learn in a
practical way about a specific job area. They can help
you get the skills you need to start a job, progress in a
career or go on to higher levels of education.

Vocational qualifications include:

Vocational subjects that are related to a broad

employment area such as business, engineering, IT,

health and social care
Practical Vocational Courses (often now
called
technical
or
professional
programs) that lead to specific jobs such as
hairdressing, plumbing, or engineering.
Apprenticeships where a student is based with a
employer where you will be trained for a job role and
get paid as you learn

What is the meaning of vocational skills?

Vocational

skills are empirical skills that individuals

acquire in a specific area of interest. Vocational skills are
more practical than theoretical skills.
Instruction in vocational skills offers hands-on training in a
specific trade or job industry. The training takes place
outside the traditional classroom setting. Students are
placed in manual labor intern positions that coincide with
their vocational career choice. Training allows individuals to
work in their areas of interest while obtaining first-hand
knowledge and experience, while possibly earning a
paycheck.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AT EU LEVEL

Education and training is the responsibility of member

states, but the single European labor market makes some

cooperation on education imperative, including on
vocational education and training. The 'Copenhagen
process', based on the open method of cooperation between
Member States, was launched in 2002 in order to help make
vocational education and training better and more attractive
to learners throughout Europe. The process is based on
mutually agreed priorities that are reviewed periodically.
Much of the activity is monitored by Cedefop, the
European Centre for the Development of Vocational Trainin
g
.

Case study, Romania Choosing a

vocational pathway
In 2011-2012 Romania introduced a new initial VET(Vocational

education and training) pathway for EQF(European Qualifications

Framework) Level 3 qualifications- the professional school. This is
a two year school-based learning pathway which includes
significant periods of work-based learning (60% of the first year
and 75% of the second year). Learners enroll in the professional
school after the student (or parent), the school and the employer
sign an agreement outlining the responsibilities of each party.
As this is a new initiative, it is important that it is promoted to both
students and companies. It is also important that the promotional
materials help to align the students options, the offers made by the
schools and the needs of the companies. This is a difficult task in
Romania as, due to the cultural context, parents see an academic
pathway as a better option than the VET pathway for their children.

A national campaign Choose your pathway was developed, with a

web-site (http://www.alegetidrumul.edu.ro/) based on four
sections:
the first section includes an interactive map, which guides the student

towards the qualification that best suits their interests;

the second section presents the details of the application process, the
student enrolment system and the program content;
the third section includes information for employers and how they can be
involved in the program;
the fourth section explains the new pathway and this ensures all the
schools, stakeholders and employers organizations are aware of the national
initiative.
The promotional campaign was extremely successful and led to more than
11,000 students enrolling in the first year. Student enrollment increased to
more than 12,500 in the 2013/2014 school year. In the 2012/2013 school year,
schools and employers signed almost 1,500 partnerships for work-based
learning this increased to more than 1,700 in the 2013/2014 school year.

The end