Vocational Practice and Vocational Educationbridging the gap

Erik Kats, Jaap van Lakerveld, Hemmo SmitPLATO, Leiden University, the Netherlands

Expertise Centres

In modern society vocational practice and vocational education tend to grow apart. In the Netherlands Expertise Centres for Vocational Education and Business have developed, that restore relationships between the two.

We studied the changing role of these Expertise Centres, that originate from cooperation of the social partners. Nowadays they intervene in different ways in the relationships concerned (see the next poster):

* They try to improve professional relations, for instance through the promotion of circles of teachers and supervisors.

* They support companies and organizations in improving themselves as a learning environment (‘upward’).

* They translate qualification needs to vocational education (‘downward’).

* They contribute to regional economic progress by promoting the quality of employment and education (structural conditions).

Educational Advisora new role

In the past the task of the Expertise Centres was the provision of vocational training. This task was carried out by trainers who mostly had their background in vocational practice itself.

The new role of the Expertise Centres is accomplished by ‘educational advisors’ who mostly have their background in higher education. They are to be considered typical examples of modern ‘learning experts’ or ‘HRD experts’. In the qualifications and competences of these experts knowledge of the labour market, organizational and political sensitivity, advisory and consultancy competences, networking, acquisition and seeking opportunities are more prominent than traditional teacher and trainer qualifications.

In a knowledge economy many jobs carry ever broader responsibilities, require an ever deeper insight and ask for an ever higher level of competence. For that kind of jobs traditional training and instruction grow obsolete and are replaced by the creation of fruitful learning environments. The new role of the educational advisors expresses this social change.

PLATO is the Centre for Research and Development in Education and Lifelong Learning of Leiden University, the Netherlands (www.plato.leidenuniv.nl)More information about our study: kats@plato.leidenuniv.nl

EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

VOCATIONAL PRACTICE

teachers - teaching subjects - coaching pupils

- keeping in touch with vocational practice

professional relations

supervisors - demonstrating craftsmanship

- mentoring apprentices - communication with teachers

‘downward’

adjustment between education and vocational practice

- translation between job profiles and competences

- methodological support of guidance - looking after training companies expertise centres/ educational

advisors - advancing demand and supply in the

labour market - facilitating mobility and employment

- sustaining networks of regional actors

‘upward’

support of the learning potential of organizations

schools - developing learning

trajectories - systems for the monitoring of

pupils - cooperation with companies

structural conditions

companies - organization development

- human resource development - cooperation with training

schools

The mediating role of Expertise Centres and educational advisors