VET Partnership between Schools and Companies – the Role of Teachers and Trainers

05 March 2007 to 08 March 2007
Vienna, Austria

Peer Learning Cluster or other group

Teachers and Trainers in Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Background

The PLA was proposed by the Thematic Cluster on Teachers and Trainers in VET with the purpose of creating a cooperative learning space for policy makers and social partners on the issue: ‘Cooperation between VET schools and companies’.

The Austrian Ministries of Education and Labour, the WKÖ (Wirtschaftskammern Österreichs) and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber all contributed to the PLA. The practical arrangements were undertaken by IBW, Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft, a research institute with close links to WKÖ.

Description

The PLA lasted 3 days. Each day was structured around one of the elements of the partnership between schools and companies – the trainers, the teachers and the preconditions necessary for establishing and maintaining good partnerships.

The below preliminary questions were identified as particularly central:

  1. What are key elements to ensure an active partnership between schools and companies and a good coherence between school-based and work-based learning?
  2. How can schools and companies effectively cooperate in the translation of curricula guidelines into the planning of teaching and learning processes?
  3. What are the key competencies that teachers and trainers need in order to ensure good cooperation and partnership between the world of school and the world of work?
  4. How can trainees be enabled to function as linking pins between schools and companies?

Several issues were raised during the 3 days. Amongst other items, they stressed that follows:

  • The first precondition for partnership is that companies agree to contribute;
  • Cooperation at national, regional and school management level is another prerequisite for cooperation at teacher / trainer level;
  • Company size is a main factor influencing the situation of trainers vis-à-vis schools;
  • VET teachers education can be planned with a view to strengthen partnership;
  • It takes time to establish and maintain the relations which lead to effective cooperation.

On the basis of the discussions and conclusions of the last day, a number of recommendations were furthermore drafted (see the full version of the PLA report for further details).

They focus more particularly the following actors and/or policy initiatives:

  • Teachers
  • Company trainers
  • School managements
  • Social partners
  • VET policy makers in the member states
  • European VET policy initiatives.
Knowledge System for Lifelong Learning