More than 100 participants attended the EQAVET’s Annual Forum in Vienna from 40 countries. The Forum, organised by the European Commission, the EQAVET Secretariat and the Austrian National Reference Point (ARQA-VET) was part of the European Vocational Skills Week.

The discussions focused on the voice of learners and the importance of their role in strengthening the quality of VET. The Forum was an opportunity to discuss the experiences of current and former VET learners from AT, FI, RO and UK (Wales); and the ways in which providers and the national systems in these countries support and encourage learners to participate in quality assurance processes.

The learners presented their experiences of VET; described their motivation for taking a VET programme; and explained how they are encouraged to contribute to improvements in the quality of provision. Their stories illustrated the many ways in which VET provision benefits from the learners’ perspective and why it should inform the quality assurance processes put in place.

The Forum was orgainsed into four panel sessions which focused

 

• Franz Gramlinger, ARQA-VET
• Florian Heimhilcher, leaner at Tourism School Wassermanngasse - Austria Jenifer Bayer and Emma Heidenreich, leaners at the Vocational School Mollardgasse, Berufsschule für Elektrotechnik und Mechatronik - Austria
• Leena Koski, Finnish National Agency for Education
• Bicca Olia, learner, OBESSU representative - Finland
• Tiina Immonen, Principal Mercuria Business College - Finland

SESSION 2 - Panel discussion and testimony – Romanian and OBESSU experience - Engagement with student groups and the utilisation of role models　

• Serban Iosifescu, National Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Development
• Oprea Mihai, Entrepreneur and former VET student, Optiela, Romania
• Alinna-Mihaela Predeţeanu and Ruxandra Stănescu, learners from Kretzulescu Superior Commercial School in Bucharest, Romania
• Giuseppe Lipari, Elected Obessu Board Member

SESSION 3 - Panel discussion and testimony - Welsh and EU social partners’ experience - Designing and delivering work-based learning - engagement with learners　

• Phil Whitney, ColegauCymru/CollegeWales
• Michelle Simmonds, Essential Skills Wales Coordinator, work-based learning Department, Coleg y Cymoedd - Wales
• Jordan Lawrence and Jacob Morrissey, learners studying Engineering, Coleg y Cymoedd - Wales
• Agnes Roman, ETUC, EU representative of trade unions
• Sabine Tritscher-Archan, IBW, UEAPME, EU representative of employers

SESSION 4 - Panel discussion and testimony – Dutch and the Erasmus project Tracktion’s experience - Tracking VET graduates - benefits and challenges of developing a common approach to tracking VET graduates

• Alie Kamphuis, CINOP
• Ivan Diego and Mar Romero, Tracktion project coordinators, Valnalón, Spain
• Elnaz Kashefpakdel, Education & Employers, UK
• Tim van der Ploeg, Policy advisor service unit Education & Quality Control, Alfa College, The Netherlands
• Koen Bois d'Enghien, European Commmission, DG EMPL Koen Bois d'Enghien

Download brochure on Tracktion project