Quality assurance in Vocational Education and Training (VET)

EESC opinion: Quality assurance in Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Key points

The EESC strongly supports the Commission's proposal to create a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training, as quality vocational education and training (VET) is a key and integral aspect of the revised Lisbon strategy.

It would help strengthen the European dimension of VET and enhance the mobility of learners and workers as well as contribute to transparency, and mutual trust between and within national VET systems.

The EQARF is useful as it gives a particular emphasis to the improvement and evaluation of the "outputs" and "outcomes" of VET in terms of: increasing employability, improving the match between supply and demand for training, and promoting better access to lifelong training (especially for vulnerable groups).

The EESC considers it vital to provide consistency between the EQARF and the other European initiatives based on mutual trust such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) , and the European Credit System for VET (ECVET).

The EESC urges all stakeholders – institutions, employers, trade unions, sector organisations, chambers of commerce, industrial and professional bodies, providers of employment services, regional bodies, organisations of social economy, etc. – to assume their particular responsibilities and contribute to the achievement of the joint objectives.

The EESC calls for more active involvement of organised civil society and of the social partners, who should have an important role in reaching the four main objectives in VET (mobility, accessibility, attractiveness and social inclusion), and play a central role in defining and controlling the quality of VET systems at all levels.