Skills Challenges in Europe: Food for Thought from North Carolina Community Colleges: Presentation for UNC Center for European Studies Fall Lecture Series 2012, Beyond the Euro Crisis

1. Skills challenges in
Europe
Food for thought from
North Carolina
Community Colleges
Risto Raivio
Chapel Hill 28.09.2012

2. Schedule of the presentation
• 1. Skills challenges in Europe
• 2. Vocational training (VET) in European
education systems
• 3. Why to study community colleges in North
Carolina?
• 4. Key lessons learned
• 5. Use of the findings?
• 6. And other way round: what to learn from
Europe?
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3. Skills challenges in Europe
• - Skills as a major element in the recovery
strategy (Europe 2020)
 Innovation, sustainable development and inclusive society
all require investment in education and training
• - Growth is expected in skills intensive sectors
 Challenge to identify the growth sectors and to respond to
that within the education and training systems
- Geographic mismatch
 Labour force mobility
 Combining territorial and sector approaches (smart
specialisation)
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4. Skills challenges in Europe
• - High youth unemployment rates in some
European countries is an alarming issue
 Difficulties in transition from learning to work
 Labour market relevance of education and training
 Specific attention to vocational training, notably to "dual"
models, combining learning in colleges and at work place
• -Changing skills needs
 Importance of continuing training
 New profiles: mix of academic and job specific skills.
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5. Skills challenges in Europe – current
framework conditions
• Limits of public financing
 Importance of efficient and smart systems
Evolving EU governance
 More country specific policy guidance
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6. VET in Europe
 Upper secondary level (15-19 years old)
 50 % of young people (CY 14 %, AT 77%)
 Occupation specific – targeted to provide
qualified access to jobs
 Attractive and respected in some countries (AT,
DE, FI, DK, NL) lagging behind in many others
 Two models, companies engagement crucial in
both:
 Dual systems
 School based models
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7. Vocational training (VET) in Europe
 Strongest VET programs at the level of
associate or bachelor degrees
 Variable articulation with overall education
system, notably between VET and degree
programs at Universities
 Need to develop World excellence in VET
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8. Work based learning facilitates
transition from learning to work
Share of students in Youth unemployment rate
ISCED 3 level programmes
including at least 25 % of
work-based learning
Below 15 % 15-25 % Above 25 %
More than 30 %
DK, DE, AT CZ
participation
Between 6 and 30 % NL FI, LU, FR, UK SK, HU
Less than 6 % BE, SI, SE EL, PL, IE, PT, ES, IT, EE
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9. Why community colleges and focus
on North Carolina?
CC: institutional crossroad, multiple functions, local focus
& partnerships
• Transfer to universities,
• Early college
• Academic and vocationally oriented curriculum programs
• Continuing training - career development - corporate development
• Adult education – basic skills, civics,
• Community development
North Carolina CC system
• Internationally recognised for its strategic use of CC for economic
development
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10. CC, partners and EU skills agenda
Educational State/Federal
institutions at authorities Foundations
different
• Permeability • Vocational
levels
and learning excellence
pathways Applied
Transfer Associate
College Associate degree,
degree diploma,
networks certificate
and
associations
Basic Work
skills force • Up-grading
•Key
competences and developm and up-
civics ent dating skills
NGOs
Local business
Local
authorities

11. Comparative illustration:
Doctoral Degrees
Finnish Education System
Master’s degrees Polytechnic Master’s degrees
Work Experience 3 years
Bachelor’s degrees Polytechnic Bachelor’s Degrees
Universities Polytechnics
Specialist
vocational
Work Experience qualifications
Further
Matriculation examination Vocational Qualifications vocational
General upper secondary schools 3-4 Vocational institutions, apprenticeship qualifications
years training 3-4 years
Work
Experience
Comprehensive Schools 7-16-years (9 years)

12. Findings: relevance of training
Local community as starting point
• Skilled labour force for local business
• Community development beyond business needs
Continuing training – curriculum connection
• Flexible and quick reactions to the needs of business
But: Risk of insularity and limited currency of
the credentials 12

13. Findings: economic development
State level
• CC system as strategic partner in recruitment of investors
• "Subsidising" companies with capacity building through
community colleges – investing in human capital
Local level
• CC as partners in corporate development
• Community development beyond business needs
Sector example - Bio technology
• Role of middle level skills in a high tech cluster!
• BioNet: a model for a cluster oriented strategic action plan
within a system of colleges - smart specialisation ! 13

14. Findings: social inclusion
Combination of basic skills and vocational learning
• "Basic skills plus" - WBL and key competences
Demand driven approach
• Time matters !
Reaching out to the groups at risk
• Partnerships with civil society
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15. Findings: transparency and
permeability
Simple and transparent adult education system
• Adult learners know where to go
Proximity and "early college"
• Facilitating access to higher education
Bi-lateral transfer agreements with universities
• Concrete learning pathways
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16. Debate on the subject
• Sharing with colleagues
 Timely input to "Rethinking education" package
(foreseen in November 2012)
 Sharing with stakeholders
 Leading policy makers from Member States, April
 Skills network – national level practitioners, May
 BE, National policymakers, May
 VET providers´ associations, June
 SCHE stakeholders (+CC OH), June
 European Training Foundation, July
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17. • 165 clicks by Sept. 27.2012
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18. Learning from Europe ?
 Dual systems
 Mainstreaming Jackie Bray's experience: apprenticeships as
part of education systems, not a curiosity
 Apprenticeships combined with University studies
 System level transparency
 European Qualifications Framework
 VET can have a positive image
 Traditionally strong in DE, AT
 New wave in Finland
 VET can reduce early school leaving
 Respectful career perspectives motivate for learning
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19. Thank you for
your attention!
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