Prezentovao: Helmut Celot, Evropska fondacija za obuke ETF Ova prezentacija održana je u sklopu Euroguidance konferencije ,,Karijerno vođenje i savetovanje u Republici Srbiji'', održanoj 25. februara 2016. godine u hotelu ,,Metropol'' u Beogradu.

1. Work-based learning
and
career guidance
Euroguidance Conference, Belgrade, 25 February 2016
Helmut Zelloth, ETF
Strategic Project Leader ‘VET Provision and Quality’

2. What is Work-based
learning?

3. WBL – a panacea ?
 Or part of the solution ?
- Employment
- Employability
- Transitions to work
 Or part of the problem ?
- Quality matters

4. Risk of terminological
confusion …
In literature and practice … but also by countries
and languages …
 Workplace learning
 Worklinked learning
 Workrelated learning
 Apprenticeship is not always apprenticeship
 Vice-versa what is not called apprenticeship
may be apprenticeship

5. Main types of WBL
1. Learner is an employee
Informal
Apprenticeship
Formal
Apprenticeship
(dual education /
training
On-the-job
training

6. Main types of WBL
2. Learner is a student
Alternance /
Co-operative
education
Internship
(Traineeship,
Placement)

7. Main types of WBL
3. Simulated WBL
Borderline case 1
 Virtual firms (‘Training firms’)
 ‘Real firms’ attached to VET
institutions (‘companies in
schools’)
 ‘Schools in companies’

8. Main types of WBL
4. Work familiarisation
Borderline case 2:
Learning about work (rather than
learning to do work)
 Job shadowing
 Work experience as part of
career orientation and
guidance

9. WBL – horizontal and
vertical perspective
 Formal apprenticeship
 Alternance / Co-operative
education
 Internship / Traineeship
 Job shadowing
 Work experience
 WBL simulation
 On-the-job learning
 Informal apprenticeship
WBL as a continuum
More difficult
Less difficult
School-based Work-based

10. Definition of
WBL
 Learning that occurs through undertaking
real work
- through the production of real goods and
services
- whether this work is paid or unpaid
- it may or may not be combined with
school-based learning (classroom
workshop) – usually it is
 Borderline cases: Types 3+4 (WBL
simulation, job shadowing)
Classroom-based learning that takes place in an
enterprise is NOT work-based learning

11. Why
Work-based learning?

12. School or factory…?

13. Learning environment
…?

14. Triple Win !
… for learners, employers and
society …
BENEFITS FOR LEARNERS
WBL is a very effective modality for
developing
 Hard skills, technical expertise
and tacit knowledge
 Exposure to latest technology
 Soft skills, other competencies
and behaviour
 Socialization and motivation
 Smoother transition to work
 Fostering entrepreneurship
BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS
WBL has the potential to offer
employers a variety of benefits:
 Financial benefits (e.g.
increased productivity,
savings for recruitment,
higher profitability)
 Soft benefits (increased staff
morale, staff retention, lower
staff turnover, enhanced
corporate image)
 Immediate benefits
(acquisition of skills needed
in the workplace,
opportunity to address skills
gaps)
BENEFITS FOR SOCIETY
WBL produces a range of benefits
for society at large:
 Better youth employment
patterns and lower youth
unemployment rates
 Reduced public expenditure
through cost-sharing with
enterprises (funds freed up
for other priorities)
 Social integration of
vulnerable groups

15. WBL -
what
for ?
 Economic policy goals
• employment / employability agenda
• productivity goal / skills reproduction
• mainstream or sector-specific
solution
• targeting specific age groups
• fostering entrepreneurship
 Social policy goals
• targeting vulnerable groups
• second chance / drop/out
 Education and training goals
• attractiveness of VET
• diversification of pathways
• cost-sharing with private sector
 Combination of goals

16. Why
is WBL important for career
guidance ?

17. 3 good reasons
1. GLOBAL TREND (OR FASHION ?)
Practitioners need to know/understand types of WBL to be able
to inform and assist young and adult people (UK research
shows that young people knew/know little about
apprenticeships)
2. KEY DIMENSION OF VET AND
LIFELONG LEARNING
Can be found at almost all levels of education, in particular VET
Issue of counteracting ‘academic bias’ in career guidance?
3. EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR CAREER
GUIDANCE
Most effective way to inform and learn about occupations,
concrete jobs, companies, world of work (e.g. through
integration in a programme, co-ordinate WBL activities)
Supporting transferability of learning (build upon the work-
experience gained for career development)

18. Escape from WBL …?

19. Do we need an attitudinal
change on the topic …?

20. Thank you for your attention !
For further information
please visit our website
www.etf.europa.eu

21. Literature review
on benefits and obstacles
for WBL (2013)
…a Handbook on WBL
for policy makers and
Social partners (2014)