The notion of "Bildung" has been booming in several European countries for almost twenty years now, but it has attracted little attention in vocational education. One reason for this is that "Bildung," the process of becoming human as a goal in itself, is understood in opposition to vocational education, which task would be to…

The world is undergoing a major transformation that requires new skills and qualifications, new ways for people to know about skills and qualifications, and new ways to acquire skills and qualifications. This toolkit is about skills and qualifications, and the benefits they provide for people in a changing environment. It focuses specifically on…

In the post-Communist Eastern Europe, the scope and nature of vocational education are determined by labor demand, academic/general education is considered suitable for all ability levels, and responsibility for and financing of education has been privatized. Advantages of the new model--well-educated youth labor force and customized vocational…

Countries of Central and Eastern Europe already developing model standards in the framework of restructuring their education systems have been chosen to develop model standards for other countries. To compare the standards being developed in these countries, a system of indicators must be developed. The most important indicators are as follows:…

This document provides materials prepared for and discussed at a workshop to analyze the problems facing Central and Eastern European countries in the management of the vocational education and training (VET) system. Part I gives an outline of the major research findings and reflects the discussions of the workshop. "Management of Vocational…

Six observers studied both school-to-work transition programs for youth and retraining programs for adult workers in three Western European countries--West Germany, Sweden, and England. They identified European solutions to a pressing problem in the United States: youth and adult workers whose skills are inadequate for today's and tomorrow's jobs.…

In comparison with the context in which reforms usually occur, the current vocational education and training (VET) reforms in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and New Independent States (NIS) have these two unusual aspects: breadth, range, and depth of VET reforms are extremely large; and the reform process is exceptionally rapid. The European…

For the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, financing schemes of vocational education and training (VET) of other industrialized countries are possible prototypes. These "Partner Countries of the European Training Foundation (ETF)" should focus on the balance of responsibilities between central and local bodies and…

This report presents statistical information on the vocational education and training systems of 10 countries in Central and Eastern Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia. These materials precede the body of the report: introduction, guide to reading the report, and…

Subgroup B of the European Training Foundation's (ETF) Advisory Forum analyzed the role of the private sector in vocational education and training (VET) and focused on the role of the social partners in the transition process. A questionnaire on the role of social partners in the development of training in market economy was sent to 110…

The economic upswing in Central and Eastern Europe can be achieved only with a skilled work force. In view of the traditional exemplary reputation of its dual system of vocational training, attention is being directed toward Germany. The dual system differs from that of other countries in that not only the state determines which qualifications may…

A study to compare vocational education and training (VET) systems examined nine countries across these three large geographical regions: Europe, East Asia, and the Americas. It explored variables that most define and influence characteristics, behavior, and apparent success of VET systems and the impact of change. The nine systems were chosen on…

This is the third publication in the European Training Foundation's (ETF's) series of manuals designed to support development of vocational education and training (VET) standards. This volume looks at ways in which VET standards are linked to labor market demands and how relevant VET standards are to the needs of employment in a market economy.…

The role of social partner organizations in vocational education and training (VET) has been compared for Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia. In these countries, a system of industrial relations comparable to those existing in western Europe is emerging gradually.…

This report outlines changes in training and education that have taken place in the 1960s and the first years of the 1970s in three countries of Eastern Europe--the German Democratic Republic, Poland, and the USSR. Compiled in the report is information from legal and assimilated texts, as well as from studies and reports, articles, and…