Summary

1
Summary Conclusions
the continuum towards a modern
TVET system
Presentation to

TVET Conference,
Beijing

for


Ministries of Finance / Education / Labour and
Social Security

18th May 2006

• Ron Perkinson
• Principal Education Specialist
• International Finance Corporation
• World Bank Group
• www.ifc.org

2
Purpose of Case Studies

• Create awareness of international best practice
  characteristics for TVET systems
• Discuss and debate best practice characteristics
  for a modern TVET system
• Target discussion at a broad policy level

3
Towards A More Integrated Education System

• Market-led
• More flexible and learner-centered
• Blending vocational and academic education
• Responsive to a countrys future economic and
  social development needs
• Caters for lifelong learners
• Accommodates career and learning pathways

4
Sample System Characteristics

• Australia
• Industry provides direction on how and where
  knowledge and skills best learned
  school vs. workplace
• Industry skills advisory groups advise on
  competency
  standards and quality systems
  assessment, accreditation and qualifications
• Private sector provide Industry-specific
  strategic direction covering
  
  market intelligence and skills needs
  quality management

5
Sample System Characteristics

• Denmark
• Extensive involvement of employees and employer
  organizations
• System is paid for (in part) by employers through
  a national fund
• Industry drives systems and standards
  representation by employees,
  employers, providers and government (minority)
• Employers and employees responsible for
  developing programs and qualifications

6
Sample System Characteristics

• Finland
• Industry advises Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Education manages TVET system
• Providers, industry, business and unions involved
  in
  identifying skills
  requirements
  development of qualifications
• TVET viewed as prestigious as university-based
  education

7
Creating the Vision
for a
Modern TVET System
8
Few Options for Career Pathways
9
Frameworks for Career Pathways
10
Four Pillars

• Demand-driven / employer-led
• Lifelong learning opportunities
• Recognized qualifications / certified training
• Quality / accreditation / monitoring

11
Employer-led / Demand-driven

• Industry and provider collaboration
• Must reflect Industry requirements
• Should not be arbitrary view of provider or
  government
• Needs Industry advice content and standards
• Flexibility to be more entrepreneurial
• Want certified training and academic
  qualifications

12
TVET Lifelong Learning

• TVET is an important part of any lifelong
  learning system
• Helps to foster career pathways

13
Qualifications Frameworks offer
one alternative

• Integration between education and training
  between vocational and academic education
  reduces stigma/ increases prestige
• Credit transfer
  progression up
  the qualifications ladder
  career pathways
• Qualifications can be gained from schools,
  colleges, workplaces, community, training centers

14
Internationalization /
Foreign Partnerships

• Case Study Examples
• Fudan Pacific Finance Institute
• CIBT School of Business
• CIBT Automotive
• China Power Industry

15
Accreditation Quality

• Apply Industry standards for TVET
• Assuring quality for learners
• Promote provider confidence (public and private)
• A cohesive accreditation and quality system
  should
  
  integrate relevant ministries
  roles and responsibilities
  
  enable external evaluations
  
  link with social and economic goals
  set
  key preformance indicators (more about outcomes -
  less about inputs)
  
  measure
  TVET providers against Industry-led performance
  indicators
  a by
  exception only intervention policy by government
  

16
Relevance

• Industry will help policy makers enhance
  inter-dependence between theory and practice
• Industry will advocate and guide policy on
  work-based training, apprenticeships and
  internships
• Use of Industry practitioners important
  validating quality and
  accuracy of content more
  real world experience
• China seeks mainly teacher qualifications rather
  than practical / industry experience

17
Further Food For Thought
18
Use of Information Communications Technologies

• More scaleable - provide wider access
• More convenient and flexible for continuous
  updating of knowledge and skills
• Reaches lifelong learners
• Review learning at own pace
• High quality outcomes emerging

19
Examples SAC Fudan Pacific

• Upgrading vocational diplomas to degrees
• Updating knowledge and skills during employment
• Keeping up with changes in Industry requirements
• Flexible delivery
• Learner-centered
• Satellite distance delivery
• Quality education outcomes
• Lifelong learners

20
Are quota systems appropriate in
a more modern system?

• How do they meet industry, learner and provider
  needs?
• How are lifelong learners catered for?
• Can they stifle private sector growth?
• Modern systems (Quota or Non-Quota) will need to
  increase participation
  promote
  responsiveness to changing markets
  promote equity
  
  open access for worthy individuals

21
Private Sector is a
Critical Partner !!
22
Increasing Capacity in
Social Economic Development

• Mobilizing private sector resources holds greater
  promise for expanding capacity in Chinas TVET
  system
• Challenge for policy makers
• Enabling regulatory environment for private
  sector investment is essential

23
Private Investors Will Avoid . . .

• Smothering regulations that create commercial
  uncertainty
• Political instability
• Revenue controls / capping tuition fees
  can
  heighten commercial risk
  can
  jeopardize commercial objectives, including
  capability to invest in higher quality inputs
  can cause
  insufficient financial returns for servicing
  debt, or to provide fair returns to shareholders
  
  regulations limiting equity ownership
  (foreign)
• Uneven playing fields
  
  where public and private
  institutions are not treated equally
  where inconsistent / uneven
  approval processes disadvantage private investors

24
The pathway ahead
25
New System Objectives

• Achieve equitable outcomes
• Enhance labor mobility
• Acquire skills of economic relevance
• Increase private sector investment
  optimize use of both
  public and private resourcing financing
  and provision
• Possible social and economic outcomes
• More highly skilled workforce more productive
  and competitive
• More adaptable workforce
• Improved employability
• More harmonious society

26
Key Challenges for Policy Makers

• Stronger connection between demand and supply
• Improve system flexibility and adaptability to
  market needs
• Shift from provider focus to needs of industry,
  learners and employers
• Better integration of TVET in to formal education
  system - blending of vocational and academic
  education
• More equitable regulatory framework
• Increased education and training opportunities
  for learners with more diverse needs

27
Reaching Small to Medium Enterprise

• Not easy problematic
• Challenge for policy makers
• Most successful models for engagement
  
  subsidized Secretariats
  Industry training
  groups

28
Key characteristics for a modern TVET system for
China might include . . .

• Increased collaboration with industries and
  providers
• Better partnerships between providers and
  industry
• Employer-led strategies, systems and standards
• Government engages industry to assess skills
  needs and improvre decision making
• Focus more on TVET outcomes and less on inputs
• Promote valued qualifications that blend
  vocational and academic education and promote
  lifelong learning

29
Adapting policy to meet needs of a constantly
changing market

• Governments must have a willingness to adopt
  policies that promote a more demand-driven and
  employer-led system
• Policy makers need to develop strategies that
  will mobilize private sector resourcing to fill
  the demand gap

30

No change is not an option !
A time for new visionaries
31
??? . . . ???!
It doesnt matter if a cat is
black or white . . . .
as
long as it catches mice.
Deng Xiaoping