Advocacy for high-quality apprenticeships

This is the third article in the series of articles initiated by the Working Group on Vocational Education and Training (VET). The Working Group has decided to include at least one VET-related article on the OBESSU website per month. Previous articles have been about the “dual education system” and about internationalisation of VET. Just as we stated in the previous articles, the Working Group would be happy to get suggestions for future articles. If you have any ideas, do not hesitate to contact vet@obessu.org.

In this month’s article we will look at a very interesting concept: apprenticeships. But first, let’s have a look at the definitions. What is an apprenticeship? And how does that differ from traineeships?

First of all, both of the terms are used when talking about on-the-job training included in the school curricula. Sometimes apprenticeships are also used when talking about training that takes place only in schools and not at all in working place. However the term traineeship is sometimes also used in broader sense. Both terms can refer to secondary as well as tertiary education.

Why are apprenticeships important?

On the European level, where OBESSU is involved in many discussions, the topic of apprenticeships is very important and widely discussed. A few examples can be mentioned:

• In the Education and Training 2020 strategy, better known as ET2020, it says that “Apprenticeships and dual VET schemes are particularly important as they ensure relevant skills which facilitate transitions to the labour market”. This document is a very important one, since it will be the EU’s overall strategy in the field of education until the year 2020.
• In the ET2020 strategy there are several Working Groups. OBESSU has earlier been involved in a similar group on Early School Leaving. In 2016-2017 there will be a new Working Group on VET, and one of its activities will be to “Support Member States in enhancing apprenticeships”.
• The Erasmus+ Programme, which among other things also supports many of OBESSU’s activities (not related to VET), has funding specifically dedicated to supporting companies which engage in apprenticeships.
• One of the biggest initiatives on European level in the last years is the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA).

Advocacy for better apprenticeships

While apprenticeships can be very beneficial for the learner under the right conditions, it is important to point out that they have to be done with the learner in the centre. As explained in OBESSU’s Political Platform, “the apprentice must never be exploited as cheap workforce, but be given tasks that develop his or her professional skills and elevate his or her capacity to perform them”.

A very important tool in the work for better apprenticeships is the European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships. OBESSU was very involved in the drafting of this document. The Charter is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the “Quality Charter on Internships”, which neglects the apprenticeship part. Much of the advocacy on this topic is done by OBESSU’s partner organisation European Youth Forum and since the Charter was written many organisations, policy-makers and employers have signed it.

European Alliance for Apprenticeships

The last of the four points mentioned above should be explained a bit further. In 2013, the European Commission launched this initiative, which basically is a platform which, according to its website “brings together governments with other key stakeholders, like businesses, social partners, chambers, vocational education and training (VET) providers, regions, youth representatives or think tanks”. The goal of EAfA is “to strengthen the quality, supply and image of apprenticeships in Europe”.

OBESSU was first hesitating whether or not to join the Alliance, since the focus of many other EAfA partners seemed to have a different focus than OBESSU. However, OBESSU decided to join EAfA and made a pledge with the promise to:

• defending and advocating for rights of VET students, students under work based learning process and apprenticeships;
• improving and fostering the attractiveness of vocational education and training as a valuable choice and a quality path giving both skills for work and for life, that should never be discriminated as a less serious and important educational path;
• promoting an holistic approach to VET and apprenticeships, meaning the full personal development;
• building the capacity of its member organisations which will then be responsible for advocating for quality VET and for promoting work based learning as an equal and valuable educational choice.

This will be done through different ways, for example within the Working Group on VET, through the 2016 event Education and Work and through our partnership with the European Youth Forum.

OBESSU, having many member organisations working with secondary school VET students, has an important role to play on the European level. OBESSU will keep advocating for apprenticeships which are fair, of high quality and with the learner in the centre.