This chapter describes the delivery of higher technical education (HTE) programmes in OECD countries, focusing on a selected group of case study countries. It analyses the institutional landscape in the higher technical sector, as well as the role of employers in providing higher technical training. In addition to detailing the international case studies, the chapter also sheds light on these aspects of HTE in England (United Kingdom) and provides lessons learnt from the international experience that can provide valuable insights for the further development of the English higher technical education sector.
Higher Technical Education in England, United Kingdom
Insights from Selected International Experience
Abstract
Countries differ widely in the number and type of HTE providers and how the network of providers is organised and co‑ordinated. England has a relatively high total number of HTE providers, a diversity in provider type, and providers typically do not have a narrowly-defined focus. For example, universities typically focus on higher level (ISCED 6 to 8) qualifications, but also deliver a small amount of HTE. Meanwhile further education (FE) colleges deliver secondary education alongside HTE education, and for HTE this may be designed and delivered by them, or it may be awarded through a university or other higher education institution. This complexity makes it harder for all institutions to focus directly on HTE, and to achieve a reputation as centres for excellence in particular fields.
Delivery of vocational programmes in institutions is typically complemented by work-based learning elements. Many countries have legislation which requires a minimum threshold of work-based learning in HTE, standardising the extent of such placements across courses and institutions to ensure that all students are party to similar work-focussed experiences. By contrast, in England it is difficult to determine the extent to which work-based learning is systematically applied in HTE.
Other OECD countries provide valuable insights on the design of the HTE provider landscape and the use of work-based learning:
In Ontario (Canada), colleges have a well-defined focus on post-secondary education, that was intended to deliver a separate but equivalent vocational counterpart to the academic offerings of universities. This clear mandate has allowed Ontario to retain a burgeoning HTE sector that is clearly separated and catered for by its public-owned colleges. There is close collaboration between the colleges, facilitated by its umbrella organisation, Colleges Ontario.
By contrast, Austria groups its HTE providers by specialisation, which means it can offer a more seamless transition between upper- and post-secondary education, such that offering the two together can enhance participation. This permits agglomeration of teaching specialisations within institutions and also reduces friction between secondary and post-secondary education. Austria and Ontario show that transparency is important for learners and employers alike.
Sweden and France both pose minimum requirements on work-based learning in (parts of) their HTE programmes. In Sweden scheduling work-based learning at the end of HTE helps to ensure that links with employers are made close to the point that students are seeking jobs, and indeed a large proportion of students end up continuing employment directly with their placement employer. France also incorporates apprenticeships directly into its system of HTE as a parallel route to the school-based training (unlike in England where apprenticeship sits outside of HTE), and work-based learning is co‑ordinated using national skills-bodies which are organised along sectoral lines. This ensures consistency of approach and guidelines across different institutional providers in the same subject areas and is supported through quality requirements on providers to guarantee high educational standards.
The institutions that deliver higher technical education (HTE) are as important as the teachers and the students themselves. The make-up and governance of institutions can affect the way that teachers are hired, that students are selected and that education programmes are designed and offered, alongside a wealth of other important elements which affect the landscape of HTE provision. This chapter considers how these institutions are organised in England and look towards other countries – Canada (Ontario) and Austria in particular- to juxtapose and illuminate different institutional systems and the impacts these might have.
One of the aspects of the delivery of HTE that is explicitly discussed is the extent to which work-based learning is incorporated into education. Work-based learning can serve several important functions. On the one hand, it gives students an opportunity to develop skills in a workplace alongside experienced professionals. On the other hand, it provides direct links between students and employers. This may help to make direct connections in the labour market, and it may also help to increase the awareness of employers of HTE, its importance and the skills it confers to individuals. Countries differ widely in their use of work-based learning in HTE, and this chapter highlights practices in France and Sweden.
This section considers the different institutional set-ups that countries have in delivering their HTE. As described in Chapter 1, the overarching institutional set-up for HTE in England is fairly typical, relative to the other countries described in this report. The three main provider types of HTE in England are further education colleges and universities, and, to a lesser extent, independent training providers. This set-up is similar to that of Denmark, in which HTE provision is delivered by university colleges and business academies, and Sweden where it is delivered by universities and university colleges. Ontario’s (Canada) system stands out as being particularly streamlined, with HTE delivered solely through its system of colleges. On the other hand, Austria has a multitude of different providers, including different VET colleges, schools offering VET, universities and other higher education institutions.
Alongside England, the remainder of this section focuses on institutions in Ontario and Austria, providing insight on two systems with different underlying philosophies to the one found in England. Ontario has a streamlined system, with generalist public colleges each offering a range of two-year college diploma courses. Meanwhile, Austria has several different HTE institutions. At first this appears closer to the system in England, but digging beneath the surface reveals that it possesses a relative focus on specialisation across different educational types. This relates closely to its different qualification types (see Chapter 2) and means that institutions are more likely to cater to different, discrete, student audiences. England similarly has a diversity of providers, though these are more generalist in nature relative to their Austrian counterparts. In talking through the composition of institutions and their structures, the section will shed light upon its impact on the landscape of HTE provision in the respective jurisdictions.
HTE delivery in England is implemented by a wide range of providers
In England HTE is delivered by three broad categories of providers: Further education providers, universities, and independent training providers. Data from England for HTE providers in 2016/17 show that sitting beneath this high-level categorisation there are seven types of institutions that deliver HTE courses (Figure 3.1). Further education (FE) colleges comprise around a third of the providers in the market (35%), whilst independent education providers comprise a quarter (26%) and higher education institutions (HEI) a sixth (16%). The other four provider types each account for fewer than 10% of the total number of HTE providers. The level of complexity in terms of the multitude of providers is high, when compared to other higher education in England (such as under- and post-graduate degree programmes) (Parry, Saraswat and Thompson, 2017[1]).
However, due to their size, the FE colleges and HEIs account for substantially more of the total population of students than they comprise providers. Together they account for around 85% of total student numbers. Conversely, the small-scale nature of the private providers means that they only account for 2% of total student numbers.
HTE provider types by their respective share of HTE learners and number of institutions
Note: 2016/17 academic year. Total number of institutions shown by figure above the provider series.
Source: Adapted from Figure 4 in DfE (2019[2]) Review of the Level 4-5 qualification and provider market, www.gov.uk/government/publications/level-4-and-5-qualifications-and-provider-market.
The HTE providers in England are, by and large, not specialist vocational institutions and offer a mixture of academic and vocational provision. For ease of exposition, FE colleges and HEIs shall be explicitly considered, given the high proportion of learners that they cover. The mainstay of universities (the overwhelming majority of HEIs) is teaching academic degree courses. Indeed, students taking HTE courses at universities in England in 2021/22 comprised only 4.1% (74 515) of the total student body, with the overwhelming majority of students undertaking academic Bachelors and Masters courses (DfE, 2024[3]).
Similarly, even in the FE colleges, despite HTE making up a much larger share of the teaching load, there is a mixture of teaching level and vocational orientation. Alongside offering HTE and other vocationally-oriented programmes, in 2023 there were some 126 000 students undertaking academic A-Level (ISCED 3) awards and another 179 000 re-taking academic lower-secondary GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) (ISCED 2/3) awards (AoC, 2023[4]). This compares to around 67 000 students studying HTE in colleges (DfE, 2023[5]). This dynamic also exists in the (quantitatively smaller) specialist and sixth form colleges. Therefore, the set-up of these institutions is by their nature generalist- both sets must cater to the two types of education. This adds an extra dimension of complexity for planning and pedagogical development, given the different focus of each.
In Ontario state colleges are the sole providers of HTE and focus almost exclusively on HTE delivery
In contrast to England, Canada (Ontario) has a limited number of specialist post-secondary colleges that provide its technical higher education. There are 24 state colleges that cater to students of HTE (a crude adjustment based on overall populations would equate this to roughly 90 colleges for a population the size of England’s). The relative number of providers in Ontario is therefore significantly lower than in England, and closer to that seen in Denmark (discussed in Chapter 2).
The colleges are regulated by the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act (Ontario, 2002[6]). The act defines the objectives of colleges as offering a comprehensive programme of career-oriented, post-secondary education and training to assist individuals in employment. Alongside students, they should have due regard to meeting the needs of employers and the changing work environment, and to support the economic and social needs of their local and diverse communities (MTCU, 2010[7]). As previously mentioned, this focus solely on post-secondary education marks them apart from provision in England, where there is often a conflation of secondary and post-secondary learners. Moreover, their focus on career-oriented programmes is another point of difference compared to England – where providers often deliver both vocational/professional and academic/general programmes.
The colleges are required by the legislation to produce a number of management plans related to their governance. A strategic plan should be publicly available, providing a minimum of a three-year strategic overview for the college. This is supplemented by an annual business plan, to set out college finances over the forthcoming year and an annual report which provides accountability and audited financial statements for the preceding year. Performance measurement is required, by which colleges will collect and publish information relating to their objectives.
The genesis behind the establishment of the public Ontario colleges in the 1960s was the desire to offer an educational pathway that was distinct from the university sector but which also offered separate three-year programmes as part of a career-orientated approach. These three-year programmes are called advanced diplomas (ISCED level 6) and sit alongside the two-year diplomas (ISCED level 5) offered by colleges. The two-year diplomas are more popular and have roughly double the number of students compared to the three-year advanced diplomas. This emphasis on the two-year programmes over and above the three-year programmes has been prevalent since the formation of the public colleges in the 1960s and owes something to their relative specialisation on their inception (Skolnik, 2023[8]).
It has been suggested that among OECD countries, the institutional landscape in Ontario after the introduction of the colleges was closest in approach to England, with its colleges of advanced technology offering technical education (Skolnik, 2016[9]). However, whilst England started a process of aligning its technical education providers more closely to universities via the establishment of polytechnics (which later became universities), Ontario stuck to its original model1. The ability of colleges to offer a three-year non-degree programme was designed to induce a “parity of esteem” between Ontario’s universities and its colleges, even where their educational offerings differed. A post-secondary commission in 1972 suggested that this parity of esteem should be supplemented by offering them the ability to award academic degrees alongside professional diplomas. However, it was not until 2000 that colleges were first granted these powers. As of the 2021/22 school year, degrees still comprised a relatively small proportion of colleges’ provision, comprising only 9% of student enrolments. This compares to just under half (46%) enrolled in two‑year diplomas. The proportion of degree study has remained relatively stable since around 2015/16, increasing slightly from its level in 2012/13 (when degrees accounted 7% of college provision) (Ontario, 2024[10]).
The prevalence of short-cycle HTE in Ontario is said to have increased rates of return of education to participants. Both male and female college diploma participants are estimated to enjoy returns to education around one third higher compared to bachelor’s degree students (Boothby and Rowe, 2002[11]). This is owing to the fact of the shorter timeframe and therefore reduced costs of the two-year diploma programmes, relative to their three-year counterparts.
Colleges collaborate closely on a range of cross-cutting and strategic issues
The network of collaboration for Ontario colleges is extensive and covers a lot of different ground across course quality and enhancement, student admissions and course advertising. It has evolved over the years, via a mixture of informal and formal mechanisms. Some collaboration, like the college-owned quality assurance function (the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service, OCQAS), is mandatory via legislation laid down at a provincial level. Others, like the online learning portal Ontario Learn, have been borne out of collaborations between sub-sets of colleges which have expanded over time. In addition to close collaboration between colleges, the colleges also collaborate with external stakeholders - including employers (see Box 3.1 for more details). Supporting all of this collaboration and providing a broader strategic oversight that can link up the different areas is the college association, Colleges Ontario.
OntarioLearn provides a college-led online education experience to expand short-course access
In 1995, seven Ontario colleges saw the need to make high-quality online education available to as many learners as possible. Out of this ambition OntarioLearn was borne. By pooling resources, they wanted to extend their reach, offering online courses and programmes to students who would not otherwise have access to them.
OntarioLearn helps to expand opportunities for those who live in rural and remote areas, those with different learning styles or disabilities, and those with work or care responsibilities, by offering:
Convenient start dates (up to 14 times per year).
Flexible study times.
Accessible help desk support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
OntarioLearn has adopted a continuous improvement model, working with member colleges to review course design and delivery. OntarioLearn boasts a 90% retention rate and a student success rate of 87%, both higher than student achievement rates across the sector.
OntarioLearn has grown to include all 24 of Ontario’s publicly-funded colleges with almost 1 500 shared online courses, over 650 online programmes and on average, 100 000 student registrations each year.
Colleges collaborate closely with employers and key stakeholders
Every college has an advisory committee with employers playing a central role. The boards of governors of colleges in Ontario are bound by legislation to establish advisory committees for each programme, or cluster of programmes that they offer. Although the specific composition of these committees is not outlined, they should contain a cross-section of external individuals with expertise, experience and interest in the subject area. Colleges are then left to decide the terms of reference, membership and procedures for each of their committees, giving them the flexibility to design them in a manner which suits their particular circumstances the best. In practice colleges select a range of private-sector industry figures to advise on these panels, to ensure that the committees have a strong industry voice to them.
Source: OntarioLean (n.d.[12]), Our Story, www.ontariolearn.com/about/about; MTCU (2009[13]), Framework for Programs of Instructions, www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/documents/FrameworkforPrograms.pdf.
Colleges Ontario (CO) provides strategic co‑ordination for colleges
CO works to provide system-wide guidance, advocacy and promotion services to strengthen the quality of programmes available to students, and in doing so strengthens the economy by providing firms with graduates with the appropriate professional qualifications and expertise to thrive. In its mandate conferred by its members, it acts as a co‑ordinating force, bringing together stakeholders from different aspects of the Ontario college system.
CO discharges its responsibilities through a range of activities. These include developing new research and policy proposals, implementing province-wide marketing and communications campaigns; advocating for legislation and policy measures to strengthen post-secondary education; providing professional development programmes for college leaders; and organising events to bring stakeholders together and share knowledge.
It partners specifically with the OCQAS and Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) to ensure that issues across quality and enhancement and admissions are discussed at a strategic level and responses are co‑ordinated across the different actors and the colleges (Colleges Ontario, 2023[14]). CO organises an annual Higher Education Summit, on post-secondary education and ensures that students are brought into these discussions (for example, including an awards gala for outstanding college graduates).
A three-year strategic planning cycle provides a joint foundation for near-term system-level planning for colleges, with all 24 colleges providing signatories to the commitments (Colleges Ontario, 2021[15]). The strategic plan for the years 2021-24 coalesces around three central priorities. The first is to drive college flexibility and innovation. The second focuses on ensuring learning is available to all and that it enhances employment. The third provides a higher-level objective to “unleash the full potential” of the colleges.
To drive flexibility and innovation, CO supports colleges to acquire the flexibility to develop new programmes, pathways and credentials (for example via offering three-year degrees and applied master’s degrees). It wants to position colleges as leaders in offering digital and virtual learning (one example is its support for the digital campaign lead by eCampusOntario- see Box 3.2 for more details). Through better connection of the provision of education to the requirements of skilled trades, it is hoped that colleges can enhance support for businesses to increase their productivity via the supply of a highly skilled and in‑demand labour force. CO also wants to ensure that colleges provide more applied research to support business innovation.
Increasing participation and enhancing support to students is central in CO’s mission to widening learning that supports employability. Colleges will advance an integrated strategy for mental health and wellness via partnerships with student groups, health-care providers and others. They will widen inclusion via partnership with Indigenous leaders, and with the implementation of federal initiatives on education parity between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. Efforts will also be focused on reducing the digital divide through enhancing access to broadband and technology for students without such access.
Partnerships are central to CO notion of unleashing potential of the colleges. It engages with government to advocate for increased investment to enhance “high-quality, market-responsive” education (Colleges Ontario, 2021[15]). The aim of partnerships with government and industry is to create more pathways to lifelong learning and increasing college entrepreneurship to identify and exploit emerging market opportunities.
eCampusOntario is a provincially-funded non-profit organisation that leads a consortium of the province’s publicly-funded colleges, universities and indigenous institutes to develop and test online learning tools to advance the use of education technology and digital learning environments.
A virtual learning strategy sought to expand the capacity and quality of learning
In 2022-23 eCampusOntario led the distribution of the Ontario government’s CAD 8 million of second round funding for the province’s virtual learning strategy for post-secondary education. Twenty-three out of the 24 state colleges participated in at least one of the funded projects.
The programme of work supported over 50 individual projects supporting virtual education courses, online courses and micro-credential, and simulations and games with virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) technologies. The projects included:
Creation of new multidisciplinary, game-based simulations (Centennial College, Conestoga College and Northern College).
Development of virtual learning materials and the expansion of the digital capacity at colleges (Algonquin, Cambrian, Conestoga, Confederation, Fanshawe, Georgian, La Cité, Loyalist, Northern, Niagara and St. Clair).
The development of digital tools and resources that help support students’ academic success at colleges (Durham, George Brown and Seneca).
Industry engagement was also paramount with seven direct partner companies in the tech and IT sectors supporting project design and implementation.
However, promotion of these activities will be crucial to embed utilisation. A learner survey indicated that 61% of respondents did not know about the tools that had been created and were available to them.
In 2024 the focus will be shifting towards increasing system flexibility
A series of participatory workshops with educators will be convened to understand how flexibility relates to their role and the factors driving the need for it. This will consider areas such as expanding participation and integration, digital learning content, developing pedagogy utilising technology, alternative credential validation such as blockchain and considering broader labour and market expectations.
Source: eCampusOntario (2023[16])The Impacts of the Second Round of the Virtual Learning Strategy https://vls.ecampusontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-eCO-Focus-Report-Q4-EN.pdf; eCampusOntario (2023[17]), 2024 Foresight Report: Flexibility Brief 1: Making the Case, www.ecampusontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Flexibility-Brief-1_EN_2023.pdf.
Colleges implemented a co‑ordinated and streamlined application system
OCAS was established by Ontario’s public colleges in 1991 to manage the domestic college application process, recently expanding to manage international applications. Over the years and as technology progressed, it utilised advancements in data and technology to provide improved analytics for the colleges and a seamless and efficient application interface for prospective students. This service is separate from the admissions service for universities, which allows colleges to preserve a distinct admissions service, which can be tailored to the specific needs of the sector.
OCAS offers the opportunity for colleges to apply their own branding materials to online applications so that they are able to tailor application webpages to resemble their own websites, and can protect their own individual property rights and branding. In this respect, OCAS is able to offer institutions and students a consist and integrated service, whilst allowing institutions to tailor their individual applications webpages to their own brand identity.
The OCAS International Application Service (IAS) was launched in 2017 to streamline and centralise international application and admissions processes, using input from admissions and recruitment teams. The service leverages a modern and flexible technology framework. In 2022, OCAS processed 270 000 international applications thanks to reaching 14 post-secondary institutions using its international application service (contrasting to the 190 000 domestic applications processed).
The use of different portals for users means all needs are catered for. One portal supports admissions and recruitment staff to efficiently review and manage applications, documents and offers for international learners. Another portal supports agents working on behalf of learners, whilst a third enables international students themselves to apply directly for courses.
A bespoke identity verification service streamlines the visa processes for potential international students. OCAS Verify is a web-based tool that helps Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials to quickly and easily authenticate an international student's offer letter (Letter of Acceptance), and payment status when trying to enter the country on a Canadian study permit.Data are leveraged to provide strategic insights to colleges.
The creation of a data warehouse enabled storage of application data from the admissions system and facilitated OCAS to provide data analysis to support colleges make strategic decisions around recruitment, enrolment and course development. For example, information on student retention and geographic mapping to post code level can be effortlessly compiled into accessible reports for colleges that permit development of better admissions systems and criteria.
Austria’s educational institutions are grouped around specialism
In Austria, schools and colleges offer HTE in a number of different programmes designed for different target audiences (see Chapter 2). In terms of the number of institutions, its landscape is more like that of England with multiple HTE providers. The number of schools and colleges delivering HTE in 2018/9 was almost 400 (Figure 3.1). The incorporation of different levels of students (secondary and post-secondary) and also of different target populations (for example, add-on courses for individuals returning to education, alongside initial VET students) means that institutions are able to achieve a critical mass of students, despite their numeracy.
VET schools and colleges are organised along subject lines, so that schools tend to specialise on a relatively narrow sub-set of subject areas. The VET schools and colleges are administered by two government ministries. The Ministry for Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) administers the large majority of the VET schools and colleges, with the following specialisation areas:
technical and commercial
fashion
tourism
arts and crafts
commercial
business
elementary education
social education.
Schools and colleges of agriculture and forestry are administered separately by the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management.
In addition to these VET schools and colleges, there are also special schools offering the industrial master programme (Werkmeisterschule) and the building craftsperson programme (Bauhandwerkerschule), while preparation for the master craftsperson examination (Meisterprüfung) is offered by master craftsperson schools (Meisterschulen)2. However, these institutions represent a very small part of the total HTE provider landscape.
Part of this specialisation of VET schools and colleges means that rather than focussing on specific educational levels (like the post-secondary focus of the Ontario colleges), schools include students studying at secondary level alongside those studying HTE within the same area of specialisation. To this end, there is more general integration with secondary-level education and HTE than there is in England and in many other OECD countries. For example, as was detailed in chapter two, there is a possibility to study an upper secondary vocational programme that continues for an additional two years and ends with HTE at ISCED level 5, without any breaks in education. This setup contributes to a close integration of the different educational levels, alongside programme design.
This integration of HTE into institutions delivering secondary-level VET studies facilities the retention of students to commence HTE studies, even where they had not started initially on the five-year HTE course. School specialisation also facilitates this, such that when students wish to continue studies in the same subject area, they do not have to look for a course at an alternative school offering this education.
Despite the different specialisms of the schools, there is a uniformity of education that runs through the type of course offered and the core subjects which students must study. Alongside the technical education, all five-year courses have embedded general education in subjects such as German, mathematics, history and biology, and at least one foreign language (English most commonly). This ensures that students participating in VET continue to get a grounding in core transversal subjects, alongside their technical education.
Schools are organised such that they all offer a three-year (or in some cases four-year) course that ends with a school certificate (at upper-secondary level), or the five-year HTE course which ends with a school leaving certificate and a diploma, and which permits entry to further study at universities and universities of applied sciences. Adults returning to education are able to join programmes such that they end up with the same HTE diploma as those individuals pursuing the five-year higher offer.
School autonomy reforms permit schools to innovate and improve their education
In 2017 Austria introduced a principle of school autonomy, that allows all schools and colleges more freedom to deviate from established pedagogical and organisational practices, grounded in a student and location-centred approach. The aim of school autonomy is to re-focus school objectives around the students, their talents and their needs. Inherent within this concept is inclusivity, such that students should be able to shine regardless of social background, gender, language, ethnic/cultural origin, religious affiliation and impairment. This concept of autonomy revolves around three core concepts, focussing on:
the needs of the students
the training and strengths of the educators
doing justice to the particular regional features of the school.
Schools now have greater flexibility in curricular design, teaching organisation, class and group formation, and management of teaching time. Specifically, they can adapt curricula to local needs, decide on class sizes and groupings, and adjust lesson durations beyond the traditional 50-minute format. These changes aim to tailor educational offerings more closely to the needs of students and the pedagogical concepts of individual schools, enhancing the ability to implement project-oriented teaching, cross-class groups, and interdisciplinary projects (BMBWF, 2018[18]).
Work-based learning in VET means that classroom-based learning is integrated with practical workplace experience. This fosters a practical learning experience that bridges theoretical knowledge with real-world application. It can enhance employability by equipping students with industry-relevant skills and strengthens the link between education providers and employers. It helps to ensure that vocational training is closely aligned with labour market needs. This section discusses work-based learning in Sweden and France as means to shine light on good practices and policies which may help policymakers in England further develop these elements in their own HTE.
Work-based learning can serve many purposes. Practical experience may improve students’ prospective CVs such that they are already able to demonstrate practical application of their skills to future employers. More directly, it create links between those placement companies and their potential future workforce by virtue of the job placements themselves. Alongside equipping students with practical knowledge, it can enable students to derive practical experience of the aspects of different jobs which they may or may not enjoy. In this sense it can help with better labour market matching post-education, such that individuals are more selective in job applications and are more likely to apply for positions in companies suited to their preferences. Having a strong link between employers and education providers may also provide institutions with more direct feedback loops into how well their education is tailored to specific labour market needs. This can help to ensure that curriculum are monitored with a view to ensuring they reflect the current demands of business.
The nature and extent of work-based learning in HTE varies from country to country, with different approaches on format, duration and minimum thresholds. Some countries (like Denmark, France and Sweden) have systems in which there is a requirement for a minimum threshold of work-based learning. Others like England, Austria and Ontario have no such requirements (Table 3.1). This diversity in approach means that there is considerable scope for a divergence in the amount of work-based learning in HTE programmes across countries.
Work-based learning requirements in ISCED level 5 programmes
Source: OECD (2022[19]), Pathways to Professions: Understanding Higher Vocational and Professional Tertiary Education Systems, OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/a81152f4-en.
The following sections will provide an overview of work-based learning in HTE in England, before going on to provide examples from Sweden and France. The focus of the discussion is on programmes that are predominantly delivered in a school/provider-based setting, because in England a separation is made between classroom-based HTE on the one hand, and apprenticeships on the other. These programmes function differently and are regulated by different processes in England. For France, apprenticeships are directly incorporated into HTE and are therefore included in the discussion. This permits an analysis of a contrasting policy choice with more direct incorporation of apprenticeships into HTE. Sweden does not offer apprenticeships at this level.
Work-based learning in HTE in England is not well-defined or summarised
It is not easy to provide a pithy summary of the functioning of work-based learning in England, owing to the diversity of qualification types and the lack of any stringent criteria for their application in different courses. For reasons of focus and brevity, this report does not explicitly cover apprenticeships. Apprenticeships have been the main route in England for government to encourage more work-based learning, but their development has taken place separately to that of work-based learning in HTE. Following on from the previous discussion, it can be helpful to consider work-based learning as it applies to the main qualifications studied at the HTE level (disregarding apprenticeships). The two primary groups of qualifications in this domain are foundation degrees and the HNC/HNDs which are licenced via Pearson.
The design and delivery of foundation degrees should include work-based learning as an integral component, but there are no specific requirements. Foundation degree content is advised by the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) quality code for higher education. In regard to work-based learning, this is delivered primarily through two documents, the benchmark statement that outlines the structure of foundation degrees, and the accompanying work-based learning statement of the quality code.
The quality code says that foundation degrees should integrate academic and work-based learning, and the design of the work-based learning should explicitly consider the needs of the employers in that sector. The learning can be diverse. It could be full-time or part-time, via integrated work-placements (delivered within the educational institution) or in real workplace environments. It may or may not be paid. Working in and of itself is not sufficient and due regard should be paid to the learning element from this work. It is the concept of inclusion of work-based learning that is said to be one of the distinctive characteristics of a foundation degree (relative to, say, other higher education) (QAA, 2020[20]).
The advice and guidance for work-based learning then provides a more in-depth set of practical instructions on how to ensure that work-based learning is suitable for both students and the demands of the specific courses. This includes guidance on how institutions should work with work-based learning providers and how work-based learning should be focussed on the work objectives in the course and structured appropriately. Roles, responsibilities and expectations should be clearly set out and monitoring of all of these aspects should be co‑ordinated in partnership with employers (QAA, 2018[21]).
Despite this general notion of the inclusion of work-based learning in foundation degrees, it is difficult to gain a practical sense of how this is actually delivered via different institutions and courses. There are no central statistics or published documentation on their application. The university and college admissions service provides guidance to prospective students on the structure of foundation degrees. Here it details that students can be employed and do much of their learning in the workplace, or could be based at a university with annual work placements or one or more work-based modules (UCAS, 2011[22]).
Some programmes are delivered exclusively via work-place participation. For example, Network Rail offered a Startrack trainee foundation degree programme that was designed to train and develop track design engineers, delivered in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University and the Permanent Way Institution. Students in that programme spent all of their time training in the workplace.
For other institutional-based courses it can be more difficult to determine the amount of work-based participation. Many do not provide any information on the extent of work-based learning in their courses. But there are some examples of good practice, where these parameters are explicitly laid out. For example, the University of Worcester provides guidance on the principles of its foundation degrees, where is specifies that typically one quarter of its programmes are work-based (at least 30 credit points from each annual 120 credits). Their foundation degrees normally aim for a minimum of 200 hours (at least one day a week) of placement in each of the two years of the foundation degree (University of Worcester, 2023[23]).
Turning to the Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Diplomas (HNDs) administered by Pearson, it becomes even more opaque on the extent to which work-based learning features as a component of these qualifications. An institution delivering an HNC/HND should specify any learning methods that are to be delivered via work-based learning in its programme specification, and it is permissible for unsupervised and supervised work-based learning to be part of regulated learning hours prescribed for the courses (Pearson, 2022[24]). However, although an institution may include work-based learning there is no requirement that it has to. For example, reviewing an HND course on business management (Regent College London, 2024[25]) and another on computing (cyber security) (Solihull College, 2024[26]) reveals that neither course has a prescribed element of work-place learning embedded in the course delivery. This does not comprise a representative description of the totality of HNC/HND delivery, but it does speak to the uncertainty in the extent to which work-based learning is embedded within this ecosystem. At the very least, it confirms that it is not routine across all courses.
A landscape of work-based learning in HTE is depicted that is opaque, ill-understood at a system-level and fragmented. The introduction of foundation degrees served to increase the emphasis on work-based learning as an integral component to HTE, though even here it is difficult to synthesise a general overview as to how this is applied. The current reform of HTE via the introduction of higher technical qualifications (HTQs) places the employer as central to design of course standards, yet it too says little about work‑based learning. Although around half of provision of vocational training at level 4/5 is work-based by virtue of apprenticeships, for the remaining half that includes foundation degrees and HNC/HNDs there is room for greater standardisation and efforts to elucidate what work-based learning means in practice and how it is routinely applied.
Work-based learning is a key success factor in Higher Vocational Education (HVE) in Sweden
As depicted in Table 3.1, Sweden has minimum requirements for work-based learning in parts of its HTE and in recent years has dedicated itself to an ambitious reform programme to increase the provision of work-based learning. Swedish Higher Vocational Education (HVE) programmes blend work-based and school-based learning, to ensure a collaborative effort between education providers, employers and other social partners. Representatives of the workplace play an active role in the planning, organisation, and implementation of work-based learning in Sweden (Skolverket, ReferNet Sweden, 2019[27]).
The goal of work-based learning is to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical real-world application
Work-based learning in Sweden is known as Learning on the Job (Lärande i arbete, LIA) and one of its principal goals is to ensure students are immediately employable after graduation. Students gain hands‑on experience in authentic work settings, providing them with insight into their future professional role during their training. This exposure ensures they acquire substantial knowledge and practical skills in their professional field before graduation. Additionally, during the LIA training periods, students have the chance to further enhance their theoretical learning from the classroom. The work-based learning is usually placed at the end of the programmes, so that students can capitalise on their acquired school-based experience and make links with employers which can then shortly be transformed into jobs.
Compulsory work-based learning is a requirement for HVE programmes lasting at least two years (400 HVE credits), leading to the advanced diploma in higher vocational education. These placements are organised by the educational institutions, who usually partner with employers to provide places. In these programmes, work-based learning makes up at least one quarter of the total education time. In the case of HVE programmes that do not lead to the advanced diploma in higher vocational education, it is not mandatory to include work-based learning but remains an option for those providers who chose to incorporate it (see Box 3.3 for examples of shorter HVE programmes that include LIA).
The requirement for longer courses to directly incorporate work-based learning may help providers to build links with employers, such that it is then easier (and part of their normal educational routine) to negotiate and offer work-based learning in shorter courses that have no formal requirement for it. Efforts are ongoing to further reinforce work-based learning in HVE, with a recent national enquiry recommending that compulsory work-based learning is extended to programmes of six months (100 HVE credits) or longer (SOU, 2023[28]).
Training providers offering HVE programmes lasting one year (200 HVE-credits) or courses of six months (100 HVE-credits), for instance, can chose to incorporate work-based learning. Below are a couple of examples of shorter HVE programmes that include LIA as part of the course and credit structure:
3D visualiser in fashion and ready-to-wear (100 HVE-credits, 20 weeks)
The HVE training programme “3D visualiser in fashion and ready-made clothing” equips students with advanced skills in 2D and 3D visualisation as well as pattern management software. This training is suitable for individuals with experience in pattern design and sewing who seek to expand their digital skills and delve into 3D. The aim of the training is for students to be able to create realistic 3D visualised garments or products. The student is expected to master the entire workflow, from sketching garments to creating digital prototypes and sales samples. The focus is on computerised pattern management and the students work with advanced pattern management in the latest versions of Adobe Illustrator and CLO 3D.
The course plan includes work-based learning for 30 of the 100 total credit points. 3D visualisation comprises 50 credits, garment sketches 5 credits, prototypes sewing 5 credits, and the degree project 10 credits.
Account manager – Sustainable sales (210 HVE-credits, 1 year)
The HVE training programme “account manager– sustainable sales” provides a foundation in environmental and climate issues alongside fundamental sales and marketing principles. The student learns the classic sales cycle and various sales techniques while focusing on the most sustainable option regarding the product or service. The student also learns to review and ensure that the underlying chain (raw material production, manufacturing and logistics) is sustainable, fair and environmentally smart.
The training is carried out remotely, and includes a LIA period where the student gets to practice the theoretical knowledge in a workplace. The LIA placement constitutes 20 of the 210 HVE credits.
Source: Hermods (n.d.[29]), Account Manager – Sustainable Sales, https://hermods.se/utbildningar/account-manager-hallbar-forsaljning/; Tillskärarakademin (n.d.[30]), 3D visualizer in fashion and ready-to-wear, www.tillskararakademin.com/vuxenutbildningar/heltidsutbildningar/3d-visualiserare-inom-mode-och-konfektion/.
Despite the policy that work-based learning is compulsory in some learning, this is not universal and policy choices actively limit its application in short courses. For HVE programmes with fewer than 99 HVE-credits, the government agency for HVE (MYH) can choose to de-prioritise applications for training that includes work-based learning during the selection process. In the application round for 2024, MYH operates on the assumption that the students participating in the programmes with fewer than 99 HVE-credits already possess professional experience, and that the education does not require dedicated time for them to practice their professional role. In this way a distinction is made between work-based learning that it deemed to add to the variety and content of longer-format training, versus where it can potentially substitute from technical classroom-based learning in shorter courses.
Although LIA is universal across the longer HVE programmes, there is a large variation in the learning content of LIA within them. The learning content is mostly determined by the different working methods and procedures employed in different professional fields. Different vocations comprise a set of different practices and work-based learning predominantly revolves around routines and tasks inherent to the professional role. The learning content in LIA is deeply intertwined with the nature of work itself, the individual workplace as well as organisational management practices (Gustafsson and Thång, 2017[31]).
LIA is governed by a syllabus where concrete learning goals are specified
LIA is directly integrated in HVE programmes and is governed by a specific syllabus and training goals. The syllabus outlines the objectives that students are expected to achieve during the work placement and details how the educational provider shall assess their knowledge, skills, and competences. The syllabus is discussed and approved by the management team for that programme in the respective institution. The educational provider is expected to have a management board where labour market representatives compose the majority of the team (see Chapter 2 for further information on the composition and tasks of the management team). This helps to ensure that work-based learning goals are directly intertwined with business needs.
The practicalities of LIA in a programme are determined by a joint agreement which is made directly by the student and their placement supervisor, also referred to as in-company trainer. Thereafter, the agreement undergoes approval from both the education provider and programme director. The LIA agreement covers the following areas:
confirms the location of the work-based learning
clarifies the core values and activities of the placement
manages confidentiality
state the rights to anything produced or developed in connection with the LIA.
Additional details, such as remuneration and other workplace-related rules and policies, can be included in the appendices of the agreement. The LIA agreement must adhere to Swedish labour law, with regular daytime working hours of maximum 40 hours per week, from Monday to Friday. Placements can include remuneration, but there is no requirement to do so and it is dependent on the specific employer to agree to any such remuneration. The student normally follows their supervisor’s working hours. Any specific expectations for the student’s role at the workplace that deviate from these norms must be explicitly stated in the LIA agreement.
The MYH provides advice and guidance to education providers on the practical implementation of work‑based learning to ensure that there is a high quality of placements and there is some standardisation in how different institutions approach these placements (see Box 3.4 for details).
Work-based learning is an excellent opportunity to connect and build networks with professionals in the field
The employment trends among recent graduates in Sweden reveal that a significant portion of employed HVE graduates continued working for their LIA employer. In the year following graduation, around 53% cent of the graduates who were employed had finished their work-based learning with their current employer. This figure remained consistent with the previous year 2021, which also stood at 52%. Conversely, 15% of the graduates returned to their pre-education employer, a decrease from 18% in 2021 (MYH, 2023[32]).
For students, this approach to work-based learning ensures they are well equipped to apply their acquired knowledge in real workplace situations upon completion of their courses. Additionally, the training serves as an excellent opportunity to develop a network of contacts with potential employers, providing a significant advantage when embarking on a job search.
Employers, on the other hand, benefit from a qualified workforce that addresses their immediate needs and demands. The training period also serves as an opportunity for employers to assess potential employees without necessarily incurring direct salary cost or significant financial risk. Employers often find that students from these programmes are highly skilled, thanks to their exposure to workplace training, resulting in a shortened introductory period and increased productivity from day one (MYH, 2013[33]).
Effective work-based learning is marked by a clearly defined supervisory role
The role of the supervisor is central to ensure that work-based learning contains appropriate learning content. A collaborative work environment among colleagues, alongside consistent feedback from supervisors, and ongoing communication between the programme director and the supervisor are necessary to plan and co‑ordinate effective work-based learning in the HVE programmes.
The role of the supervisor in LIA is crucial to ensure high-quality work-based learning. Supervisors are tasked with providing students support and guidance tailored to their needs and objectives. The supervisor must ensure that the student receives information that corresponds to the requirements of their course objectives. To ensure a successful LIA experience, the education provider should keep the supervisor well informed about their responsibilities and duties during the LIA course. A direct and constructive dialogue with the training provider is important for LIA to be implemented in a significant way.
Supervisors also play an essential role in providing feedback and reporting information on student learning outcomes to the programme director. In work-based learning, the process of providing accurate feedback is essential for knowledge development. It should be noted that the workplace is not responsible for formally assessing the LIA course; instead, the education provider assumes this responsibility. The supervisor should therefore provide thorough documentation regarding students’ performance of their duties to inform the formal assessment by the provider (Littke and Thång, 2015[34]).
The supervisor receives information and support from the training provider, including:
information about the form of education of HVE
description of the content structure of the training
contracts and other agreements
instructions or equivalents for tutorial
insurance information.
The MYH has also developed a short online course aimed at LIA supervisors within HVE. The course is intended as a support tool and is based on voluntary participation. The course aims to provide LIA supervisors with knowledge about what characterises HVE and what the LIA entails, the role of the supervisor within LIA and basic information on the implementation of LIA. The online course takes about ten minutes to complete and the link to the course is open to everyone.
However, despite the theory, supervisors often poorly integrate classroom learning and hands-on experiences in practice
Whilst the guidance for the role of a supervisor in HVE is clear and well-documented, in reality the functioning of these supervisors may not always perfectly align with these requirements. Supervisors should have a comprehensive understanding of HVE as their role goes beyond giving instructions to students. This extends to exposing students to real-world scenarios, challenges, and industry practices, facilitating the student to use previously acquired knowledge, skills or experiences in a new situation. However, research has shown that the majority of supervisors possess only a fragmented understanding of HVE often unaware of the entirety of the educational content. While they provide instruction, they fail to stimulate students to engage in theoretical reflections on what they learned during LIA. This results in limited integration between classroom learning and real-world work experiences (Littke and Thång, 2015[35]).
The interpretation of the supervisors’ roles is crucial for ensuring a well-functioning work placement. Nevertheless, it is reported that there is a large degree of variation in the interpretation of the supervisor’s role across HVE. It is noteworthy that most supervisors minimise the importance of their own role in ensuring the quality of LIA. While some emphasise the significance of workplace preparation, planning, and clear learning objectives, the majority overlooked their role in the educational process. Furthermore, the role of the supervisor is not always clear to students. They perceived their supervisor to be a knowledgeable professional, although not always a true expert (Littke and Thång, 2015[35]).
Issues of co‑operation and collaboration highlight that there can be a lack of regular communication between educational providers and supervisors. While some feedback exchanges occur, research also shows that consistent communication is lacking.
This research demonstrates that even in a system with a comprehensive and integrated system of work placements, important emphasis needs to be given to ensuring that the practical application of these placements is closely managed to ensure that businesses, supervisors and students know what is expected of them and can work closely together to ensure the placements add good value to the educational experience.
Ensuring quality of work-based learning is of paramount importance in HVE in Sweden. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (MYH) is responsible for overseeing the quality of HVE programmes. The MYH suggests that education providers take the following actions for ensuring the quality of work-based learning:
Before the workplace training period:
Early coaching and student support: Providing information about workplace training, course content or specific objectives to students. Coaching and student support may also include suggesting workplace training providers, setting up meetings with workplace training representatives or supporting students in the process of writing their CV.
Ensuring the quality of selected workplaces through written agreements. A good strategy to ensure high-quality standards in workplace training involves establishing written agreements with companies. The agreements can specify the objectives to be achieved during the training and the various responsibilities.
Appointing placement co‑ordinators and offering training for potential supervisors. Many education providers choose to appoint a placement co‑ordinator within their organisation to facilitate the process. Additionally, it can be beneficial to offer a half-day course for potential tutors, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of student needs and expectations.
During the workplace training period:
Monitoring and assuring quality through personal contacts, site visits, and assessment of student performance.
The most common approach to monitor and assure quality during the workplace training is through personal contact between education providers, students and tutors. Many education providers strive to incorporate on-site visits as a regular practice in their work. Visits typically serve the dual purpose of tracking and evaluating the performance of students as well as the content of the training.
Utilising tools like study guides, weekly reports, logbooks, and assessment forms for support and quality assurance.
After the workplace training period:
Following-up through course evaluation forms. After the workplace training, most education providers choose to follow up through a course evaluation form addressed to students. The objective is to evaluate the overall process, course effectiveness, content and the tutor’s teaching ability. In addition, it is relatively common that students are given an opportunity to report on the training period in written or oral presentations. A report within the whole group of students provides an opportunity to reflect together and to compare experiences of the workplace training periods.
Conducting questionnaires addressed to tutors.
Source: MYH (2013[33]), Skills beyond school Sweden: OECD Review of Postsecondary Vocational Education and Training Background Report from Sweden.
In France work-based learning is a mandatory part of HTE and is co‑ordinated through national skills operators
Work-based learning in France is directly embedded within its HTE system and is overseen by sectoral-based co‑ordinating skills bodies. This ensures a direct link between skills acquired in the classroom and those demonstrated through practical placements.
The Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) is a two-year professional course leading to the higher technician certificate in France. The BTS provides specialised teaching and is accompanied by one or more internships in a company, or is carried out as an apprenticeship (see below). It is accessible after a general, professional or technological baccalaureate (the final upper-secondary qualification) or equivalent level 4 training. Similarly, the demonstration of equivalent professional expertise or other studies can confer eligibility.
The BTS can be prepared in public, private and under-contract high schools, apprentice training centres (Centre de formation des apprentis, CFA), continuing professional training centres and distance learning establishments. The BTS enables graduates to assume managerial responsibilities as managers of engineers, or departmental heads. The BTS offers specialisations across various fields, catering to diverse professional sectors. These specialisations are categorised into two primary domains: production (such as car mechanics, metallurgy, and hides and skins) and services (including journalism and communication, healthcare, commerce, and sales). While the BTS is primarily designed for immediate entry into the workforce, it can also give a route to obtaining further qualifications. These include:
Scientific preparatory class for the grandes écoles (ATS).
Professional license in a field of training compatible with the obtained diploma.
Certain engineering schools, after a special competition or an interview and/or an assessment of the file.
Work-based learning in BTS is divided into two specific employment pathways
BTS can be pursued through either the traditional school-based pathway or the apprenticeship route, known as "en alternance”. While the school route focuses on classroom instruction and in-depth theoretical training, the apprenticeship route emphasises work-based practice. Apprenticeship has seen spectacular growth in France in recent years, especially at the post-secondary level (Dares, 2024[36]). However, even in the school-based pathway, there is significant work-based learning. Work-based learning in the school setting constitutes approximately 30% of the curriculum provision. The main learning forms include theoretical vocational education, practical training through courses, workshops, and project work, as well as internships in companies, typically one or two.
On the other hand, in the apprenticeship routes, work-based learning comprises around 67% of the educational framework. Students engage in theoretical vocational education and practical training through courses, workshops, and project work, like in the school-based pathway. The distinguishing feature n apprenticeships is the significant emphasis on practical workplace experience, where students gain significant hands-on experience directly within companies.
Work-based learning in apprenticeships in BTS is based on alternating periods of theoretical teaching and practical training in companies. The learner is in immediate contact with the professional world and acquires an understanding of their future professional responsibilities. Work-based learning is also designed to be beneficial for the company, serving as the preferred avenue for acquiring new skills and tailored profiles that align with the company’s unique requirements.
Work-based learning within the higher technician training in France offers the possibility for two specific employment contract formulas – which are also used in other types of vocational programmes (beyond HTE):
1. The apprenticeship contract: It is classified as initial professional training. It allows the alternating acquisition of theoretical and practical training with a view to a professional qualification registered in the national directory of professional certifications (RNCP). The apprenticeship contract requires a period of training provided in an apprentice training center (Centre de formation d’apprentis, CFA) of at least 400 hours per academic year. The duration of the professional training increases proportionally with the higher level of the diploma. For example, it is 675 hours for a BTS. The agreement for the CFA determines the total duration of each training and the distribution of the teaching hours by subject and by academic year. The pace of the alternation between the CFA and the company training is determined by the CFA. The time spent at the CFA is also considered working time as the apprentice remains employed.
2. The professionalisation contract: It is classified as continuing professional training. It is a specific type of employment contract including alternating periods of general, technological and professional education in an apprenticeship training centre (CFA). It offers training certified either by a diploma registered with the RNCP, a professional qualification certificate (CQP) or a qualification recognised by the national sector collective agreement. The duration of the training provided by the training organisation must exceed the minimum threshold of 150 hours per year as well as reach between 15 and 25% of the total duration of the contract. Each higher education establishment (university or private training establishment) is free to set the number of hours applicable to each training course placed under its responsibility.
Despite the overall content for the apprenticeship and professionalisation contract being quite similar, there exist some important differences. The main ones are in relation to the entry criteria for the programmes and the required minimum study hours. An apprenticeship is open to all individuals between 16 and 30 years of age, whilst the upper-age limit for a professionalisation contract is 25, unless an individual is unemployed or a recipient of certain state social benefits. Therefore, whilst the professionalisation contract is more restrictive on age in general, it permits individuals to participate with no upper age limit as long as they have requisite benefit eligibility.
The professional contracts are also more flexible in terms of their expected duration. They may be completed with a minimum of 150 hours of training in a CFA per year, in contrast to the apprenticeship contract which requires 675 hours. In both types of contract, the student has an employee status and remuneration is set proportionally to the minimum wage according to age and the diploma obtained.
Through its increased focus on work-based learning compared to the school-based pathways, the apprenticeship route (through the two types of contracts) provides for closer ties between the learner and the workplace. According to a study by Céreq (2021[37]), 46% of graduates from post-secondary vocational programmes3 who went through the apprenticeship route find their first job with the training company, compared to only 28% for those from the school-based route.
The employer formalises the work-based learning contract through skills operators (OPCO)
The Opérateurs de Competence (OPCO) are state-approved skills operators that are tasked with ensuring the financial backing of apprenticeship and professionalisation contracts, in line with the expected standards established within professional sectors. They co‑ordinate the hiring of apprentices for companies, working with companies and individuals. Additionally, they offer technical assistance to these sectors. This aids the formulation of forward-looking employment and skills management strategies, and determines support levels for apprenticeship and professionalisation contracts, and supporting certification efforts. OPCOs also provide localised services aimed at enhancing access to professional training for employees of SMEs, whilst aiding these enterprises in analysing and defining their training needs regarding current economic and technical shifts.
OPCOs are organised into groups based on the various professional sectors, and each company is allocated to an OPCO according its corresponding specialisation. The grouping of professional sectors under specific OPCOs is guided by various criteria such as coherence of professions and skills, common skill issues, and local service requirements. Nearly 329 branches are distributed across 11 OPCOs. This grouping of 11 OPCOs represents a rationalisation from the 20 that had existed previously. The approval and governance of OPCOs is overseen by the Ministry of Labour, which aims to ensure coherence, financial capacity, and diversity within the boards of OPCOs.
For the recruitment of an apprentice or employee, the employer can contact the OPCO to which they are designated. Once the company has selected a candidate for an apprenticeship or professionalisation contract, they can formalise the contract and send it to the OPCO. The company will be guided in this process. The following documentation should be provided to formalise the contract:
Information about the company: the registration number of the employer, its supplementary pension fund, and the total number of employees.
Information on the apprentice supervisor or tutor: diplomas, professional experience, the number of apprentices and employees under supervision.
The graduate’s CV.
The training agreement.
The supervisor ensures consistency in the training across the training centre and the company
The supervisor plays a pivotal role in the success of work-based learning by providing essential resources for the student's practical training. The arrival of a student in the company requires the appointment of an apprenticeship supervisor or tutor, depending on the contract route, who will support the student in their practical and theoretical training. The apprenticeship supervisor or tutor ensures consistency in the apprentice's training across both the training organisation and the company.
1. Supervisor in the apprenticeship contract: The role of the apprentice supervisor, in collaboration with the CFA, is to facilitate the apprentice's acquisition of the skills necessary to attain the targeted diploma or professional title. The apprenticeship supervisor can be the company manager or an employee of the company. Essential to this role is possessing the requisite professional expertise to effectively guide the apprentice's training. The criteria for professional competence to serve as an apprentice supervisor are outlined in training agreements or collective sector agreements. Additionally, the number of apprentices under the supervision of one supervisor is typically restricted to two.
2. The tutor in the professionalisation contract: For every employee enrolled in a professionalisation contract, the employer must designate a tutor to provide assistance. The tutor must be a qualified employee within the company, willing to volunteer for the role and possessing professional experience of at least two years relevant to the qualification sought. Alternatively, the company manager may serve as the tutor if they meet the qualification and experience criteria. The tutor's responsibilities encompass welcoming, helping, informing, guiding, and ensuring the employee's adherence to their schedule. They also act as a liaison with the training centre or relevant service overseeing professionalisation activities and contributing to the assessment of training progress. When serving as an employee, the tutor is limited to supporting a maximum of three employees concurrently under professionalisation or apprenticeship contracts. If the company manager takes on the role, they can only tutor up to two employees simultaneously.
There is a requirement for regular dialogue between the company and the training centre throughout the apprentice's training period. The company must be informed of the teaching methods implemented by the training centre and the progress made by the student, in accordance with the specified objectives. In addition to that, the company must be informed of the training schedule and the examination periods. One of the missions of the training centre to ensure co‑operation between trainers and supervisors.
To facilitate dialogue between the company and the training centre the apprenticeship supervisor or tutor must be clearly identified in the placement documentation. In the case of the apprenticeship contract, this information is formalised in the apprenticeship booklet, a mandatory document provided to the apprentice by the CFA. In the case of the professionalisation contract, this information is formalised in the educational agreement drawn up and signed when submitting the contract to the skills operator.
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← 1. Although it should be noted that a few colleges similarly changed to universities, but this was the exception, unlike in England. For example, the Ryerson Institute of Technology later becoming Toronto Metropolitan university.
← 2. Master craftsperson schools (Meisterschulen) offer preparation for the master craftsperson examination (Meisterprüfung) within the formal education system. Adult learning centres, which are not considered to be part of the formal system, provide similar preparatory training. They are outside the scope of this report.
← 3. This includes the BTS but also 3-year programmes.