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Education

Cross-national equivalence of vocational skills and qualifications

Mon, 15 June 2009

This two year project led by Christopher Winch, King's College London and Linda Clarke and Michaela Brockmann, University of Westminster, analysed how key concepts related to Vocational Education and Training (VET) are understood and applied within different national contexts in England, the Netherlands, Germany and France, through case studies drawn from four sectors (lCT, construction, health and logistics) and occupations (software engineering, bricklaying, nursing and lorry driving). A particular focus was to assess the value and difficulties of applying a European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in these contexts.

The most important finding of the project was that particular definitions and interpretations of key terms underpinning VET are deeply embedded within national education, labour market and industrial relation systems. Any attempt, such as the EQF, to establish equivalence between skills and qualifications has to take account of this and to develop transnational categories facilitating comparison. However, the investigation of the four occupations across the categories developed (governance, education, qualification, knowledge, competence, utilization of labour, and labour market currency) revealed simillarities and differences both between and within countries, indicating the relevance of establishing Zones of Mutual Trust as a means of implementing the EQF.

The project has aroused much interest within and beyond the UK. A summary of the project is available here. Further details of the project and downloadable publications are available via http: //www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/education/research/projects/eurvoc.htm

Last Updated Mon, 15 June 2009