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Career education and guidance in initial vocational education and training in Central and Eastern Europe

Career education and guidance in initial vocational education and training in Central and Eastern Europe

Kind:
Event
Start Date:
30 Oct 2025
End Date:
04 Jun 2026
Event Location:
Online
EventType:
Language:

English

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english
Identifier
skpEng
Language Version:
--
Sources:

Other sources

Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.

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skpOSource
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other-sources
Topics:

Apprenticeships

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Quality apprenticeships based on robust social dialogue and public-private partnerships can improve employment prospects for young people while developing high level skills identified by employers as necessary for growth and increased productivity. Both informal and regulated apprenticeship systems are important learning resources enabling young people to overcome the work-inexperience trap, gain new and enhanced skills and recognized qualifications.

Upgrading informal apprenticeships and expanding regulated ones is a cost-effective way to invest in a country’s skills base, promote economic growth and enhance the employability of youth.

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skpAppren
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apprenticeships

Governance and coordination mechanisms

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Effective governance and coordination are key elements of successful skill systems. Whilst coordination is an important factor, it needs to operate alongside other key conditions to strengthen governance. When multi-level governance is supported by effective communication, sustainable financing and effective coordination, it has the best chance of supporting the establishment of a lifelong learning ecosystem that enables individuals and enterprises to more effectively navigate the world of work and learning.

Identifier
skpGovern
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governance-and-coordination-mechanisms

Youth employability

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Globally, nearly 68 million young women and men are looking for and available for work,  and an estimated 123 million young people are working but living in poverty. The number who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) stands at 267 million, a majority of whom are young women. Significantly, young people are three times as likely as adults (25 years and older) to be unemployed.

Skills development is a primary means of enabling young people to make a smooth transition to work. A comprehensive approach is required to integrate young women and men in the labour market, including relevant and quality skills training, labour market information, career guidance and employment services, recognition of prior learning, incorporating entrepreneurship with training and effective skills forecasting. Improved basic education and core work skills are particularly important to enable youth to engage in lifelong learning as well as transition to the labour market. 

Identifier
skpYoEmp
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youth-employability
Knowledge Products:

We are pleased to invite you to the upcoming webinar entitled “Career education and guidance in initial vocational education and training in Central and Eastern Europe“ which will explore current trends, challenges, and innovative practices in supporting I-VET students’ career development across the region, with a focus on the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.

Career guidance plays a key role not only in general secondary education but also in initial vocational education and training. Specialised practitioners or teachers are key factors in preparing students for further and higher education, facilitating their transition to the labour market, and strengthening their employability and commitment to lifelong learning.

The event aims to provide a platform for educators, practitioners, and researchers to exchange perspectives on contemporary approaches, challenges, and successful practices in career guidance within vocational education and training (VET). During the webinar, participants will have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth discussion on the similarities and differences in career education practices in the VET across the region.

The webinar will address the following key topics:

• The role of career education in enhancing employability and lifelong learning

• Integration of career guidance into dual training systems

• National and regional good practices in Slovakia, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Hungary

• Supporting disadvantaged and at-risk learners through targeted interventions

Time: 17:00-18:30 CET

Participation link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82017942690?pwd=qPeNCpWwMlLtbHrPPijaM6D0mImvl4.1

For more information: https://cee-guidance.eu/event/career-education-and-guidance-in-initial-vocational-education-and-training-in-central-and-eastern-europe/

Subject Tags:
Regions:
Economic groups:
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The future of vocational education and training in Europe: volume 2

The future of vocational education and training in Europe: volume 2

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Generic document
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

Information is gathered from other international organizations that promote skills development and the transition from education and training to work. The Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IAG-TVET) was established in 2009 to share research findings, coordinate joint research endeavours, and improve collaboration among organizations working at the international and national levels.

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Identifier
skpIntOrg
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international-organizations
Topics:

Training quality and relevance

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Identifier
skpTrainQR
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training-quality-and-relevance
Knowledge Products:

Case studies and good practices

Case studies that document good practices and illustrate the benefits and lessons learnt of particular approaches or methods in real practice. 

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skpCaseStdy
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case-studies-and-good-practices
Publication Date:
22 Aug 2022

This study examines the way in which institutional arrangements for the delivery of IVET have changed in response to shifts in skills demand.

Although these arrangements vary across countries, it is possible to identify common trends over time, such as institutional hybridisation, the blurring of boundaries between IVET and general education. Despite this development, IVET has been able to retain a distinct identity, which is attractive to learners and has the support of key labour market actors. This reflects IVET’s adaptability and resilience in the face of change.

Building on a Europe-wide survey of VET providers and in-depth national case studies, the study delivers a timely update of, and insight into, the continually changing IVET landscape. Results show increasing similarities in how countries configure their IVET systems. This is evident in the broadening of IVET curricula, the prominence given to the work-based learning pathway, as well as the growing importance attached to local and regional autonomy.

SABER Workforce Development Romania Country Report 2017

SABER Workforce Development Romania Country Report 2017

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Project documentation
Language:

Romanian

Slug
romanian
Identifier
skpro
Sources:

Information is gathered from other international organizations that promote skills development and the transition from education and training to work. The Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IAG-TVET) was established in 2009 to share research findings, coordinate joint research endeavours, and improve collaboration among organizations working at the international and national levels.

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Identifier
skpIntOrg
Slug
international-organizations
Topics:
Knowledge Products:

Evaluation reports

Analytical assessments of technical cooperation programmes and national skills and employment policies, identifying success factors of different interventions in response to particular challenges in different circumstances.

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Identifier
skpEvalRep
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evaluation-reports
Publication Date:
10 Sep 2021

The  global  financial  crisis  from  2008  affected  the  Romanian  economy  and  led  to  severe  austerity measures  being launched  by  the  government  in  2010.  Romania  then  began  a  relatively  slow  but  steady  economic  recovery.  In  2015 Romania recorded the highest investment rate in the EU with 24.7 percent of GDP and real GDP growth in 2016 was 4.9 percent. Despite the economic growth and agreements with the EU to support this trend further, Romania continues to have at‐risk‐of‐poverty and social exclusion rates that are among the highest in the EU, recording in 2015 a rate of 37 percent  compared  to an EU average  of  23.5  percent. Of  particular  concern  for a  continued economic growth are  the aging of the population, the low participation of the Roma population in the labor market and the high emigration rate, especially among youth. To combat poverty and support economic growth, the design and implementation of policies to  improve the quality of the workforce is essential.

Subject Tags:

Workers participation

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workers-participation
Identifier
89
Regions:
Countries and territories:

SABER Workforce Development Romania Country Report 2017 (Romanian)

SABER Workforce Development Romania Country Report 2017 (Romanian)

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Project documentation
Language:

Romanian

Slug
romanian
Identifier
skpro
Sources:

Information is gathered from other international organizations that promote skills development and the transition from education and training to work. The Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IAG-TVET) was established in 2009 to share research findings, coordinate joint research endeavours, and improve collaboration among organizations working at the international and national levels.

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Identifier
skpIntOrg
Slug
international-organizations
Topics:
Knowledge Products:

Evaluation reports

Analytical assessments of technical cooperation programmes and national skills and employment policies, identifying success factors of different interventions in response to particular challenges in different circumstances.

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Identifier
skpEvalRep
Slug
evaluation-reports
Publication Date:
10 Sep 2021

Liderii din sectorul public şi din cel privat susţin puternic dezvoltarea
forței de muncă (DFM), dar, în anumite privințe, susţinerea este
fragmentată. În ciuda eforturilor semnificative de a identifica nevoia
de competenţe în sectoarele economice prioritare, implicarea
angajatorilor în stabilirea priorităţilor de DFM şi de creştere a nivelului
de calificare a forţei de muncă existente este destul de redusă.
Mandatele părţilor implicate în DFM sunt bine definite, dar continuă
să existe provocări legate de coordonare.

Subject Tags:

Workers participation

Slug
workers-participation
Identifier
89
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Education and lifelong learning watch 2015

Education and lifelong learning watch 2015

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Education and lifelong learning watch 2015
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

Other sources

Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOSource
Slug
other-sources
Topics:

Lifelong learning

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There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.

Identifier
skpPSLLL
Slug
lifelong-learning

Youth employability

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Globally, nearly 68 million young women and men are looking for and available for work,  and an estimated 123 million young people are working but living in poverty. The number who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) stands at 267 million, a majority of whom are young women. Significantly, young people are three times as likely as adults (25 years and older) to be unemployed.

Skills development is a primary means of enabling young people to make a smooth transition to work. A comprehensive approach is required to integrate young women and men in the labour market, including relevant and quality skills training, labour market information, career guidance and employment services, recognition of prior learning, incorporating entrepreneurship with training and effective skills forecasting. Improved basic education and core work skills are particularly important to enable youth to engage in lifelong learning as well as transition to the labour market. 

Identifier
skpYoEmp
Slug
youth-employability
Knowledge Products:

Research papers

Working papers, reports, and other publications from international organizations, academic institutions and bilateral agencies. Research findings to stimulate informed debate on skills, employment and productivity issues. 

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Identifier
skpRPS
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research-papers
Publication Date:
24 Aug 2016
This report presents the main findings and general recommendations of the 2015 SOLIDAR Foundation Education and Lifelong Learning Watch. Based on an extensive consultation with SOLIDAR members and partners, this initiative evaluates progress towards the achievement of the educational objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy and Education and Training 2020 strategic framework for Member States. The report assesses the policy actions dedicated to fight youth unemployment and support young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) in 13 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom).
Subject Tags:

Lifelong learning

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lifelong-learning
Identifier
400

Skills and training policy

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skills-and-training-policy
Identifier
666

Youth

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youth
Identifier
319

Youth unemployment

Slug
youth-unemployment
Identifier
622
Regions:

A routine transition? Causes and consequences of the changing content of jobs in Central and Eastern Europe

A routine transition? Causes and consequences of the changing content of jobs in Central and Eastern Europe

Type:
Document
Content Type:
A routine transition? Causes and consequences of the changing content of jobs in Central and Eastern Europe
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

Academic institutions

Research papers, synthesis reports, country and programme studies are collected from many academic institutions and national, regional and international professional associations.

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Identifier
skpAcaInst
Slug
academic-institutions

Other sources

Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOSource
Slug
other-sources
Topics:

Access to training

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Access for all to good quality education, vocational training and workplace learning is a fundamental principle of social cohesion and economic growth. Some groups of people may require targeted attention if they are to benefit from education, training and employment opportunities.  

This is particularly the case for disadvantaged youth, lower skilled workers, people with disabilities, and people in rural communities. The attractiveness of vocational education and training is enhanced when combined with entrepreneurship training and when public policies encourage utilization of higher skills by business. 
 

Identifier
skpATSU
Slug
access-to-training
Knowledge Products:

Other knowledge products

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Identifier
skpOProduct
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other-knowledge-products
Publication Date:
13 Jul 2016
This paper studies the shift from manual to cognitive work in 10 economies of Central and Eastern Europe. It highlights the growth in the non-routine cognitive component of jobs, but pay particular attention to the increase in routine cognitive tasks, a trend that is pronounced in the CEE economies but absent in the most advanced economies. It shows that workforce upgrading and structural change were the main factors behind the increase in all cognitive tasks, but that the growth in routine cognitive tasks is partly attributable to rising shares of routine-intensive occupations. It identifies two groups of workers whose jobs depend most on performing routine cognitive tasks: middle-skilled men in the manufacturing sectors and middle-skilled women in the service sectors, who jointly represent 33% of workers in CEE. It finds that robust employment and wage growth among routine cognitive workers has so far prevented job polarisation in CEE. However, the relative prices of routine cognitive tasks are already higher than those of other tasks. If the prices of routine cognitive tasks rise further while technological progress continues, routine intensive employment may gradually decline. It concludes with policy implications of the findings.

Monitoring ECVET implementation strategies in Europe in 2013

Monitoring ECVET implementation strategies in Europe in 2013

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Monitoring ECVET implementation strategies in Europe in 2013
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

Other sources

Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOSource
Slug
other-sources
Topics:

Training quality and relevance

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpTrainQR
Slug
training-quality-and-relevance
Knowledge Products:

Research papers

Working papers, reports, and other publications from international organizations, academic institutions and bilateral agencies. Research findings to stimulate informed debate on skills, employment and productivity issues. 

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Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
18 Mar 2014
Working Paper No. 22 The aim of the European credit system for vocational education and training (ECVET) is to allow individuals to gain a full vocational education and training (VET) qualification, or to update/upgrade their VET qualifications in a flexible way, by use of credits.

ECVET requires qualifications to be described in terms of learning outcomes that will be then defined as units that might translate into credits. Learning outcomes recognised in form of credits may be transferred between education and training institutions, whether in the same country or abroad, and accumulated towards achieving a full or a partial qualification. If the VET system allows it, learning acquired in non-formal and informal settings may be assessed and validated as credits to be used for transfer and accumulation purposes. In this context, ECVET is more likely to reach its full potential if linked to the European qualifications framework (EQF)/national qualifications framework (NQF) developments that support the description of qualifications in terms of learning outcomes, as well as with national arrangements and practices for validating non-formal and informal learning.

This report covers ECVET developments in 38 countries and regions up to September 2013; it is the fourth since 2010, when Cedefop started its regular ECVET analysis in relation to national VET reforms. The deadlines of the ECVET recommendation set 2013 as the year for ECVET’s gradual application to VET qualifications at all levels of the EQF, following more than three years of testing and development.