GESI BarCamp 3: Company Strategies to Implement GESI in Dual VET (15 March 2023)

The BarCamp started with a keynote by Diane Le Goff, Global Manager of the Youth Education & Entrepreneurship CSR programs for Schneider Electric, based in Vietnam. She presented how the business sector implements GESI in its dual strategies highlightening their Youth Education and Entrepreneurship Program and their approach to Women Empowerment in the energy field. Following the keynote there were three interactive exchange session; one following up on the keynote of Diane Le Goff, one on a collaborative project for mainstreaming GESI in TVET by Society for Renewable Energy and GIZ ISED and one the experiences with the involvement of the private sector in Uganda and Kenya by ICEP.

Youth Education and Entrepreneurship

Keynote by Diane Le Goff (Schneider Electric), Part 1

Women Empowerment in the Energy Field

Keynote by Diane Le Goff (Schneider Electric), Part 2

GESI BarCamp 2: Translating Gender & Social Inclusion Policy Objectives into Reality & Action (17 November 2022)

The BarCamp started with a keynote by Dr. Usha Bhandari from SDC Nepal. She presented the various strategies they are taking to address GESI in a systematic way. The keynote was followed by three group discussions; one following up the input by U. Bhandari, one looking at the design of a new program focusing on Green Skills and GESI in Ethiopia and Uganda and one reflecting the relevance of gender policies in dual VET in ASEAN.

Keynote by Dr. Usha Bhandari, SDC Nepal (for her Testimonial on the BarCamp see here)

Green Transition & Jobs / Transition & Employ Verts – ameliorer le climat pour égalité des genres aussi (20 September 2022, in French)

Avec l’économie verte, deux scénarios peuvent être observés de près: (1) Les compétences et les emplois futurs et verts peuvent être l’occasion d’instaurer une plus grande égalité par rapport au genre – ou bien (2) ces nouvelles exigences en matière de compétences vont-elles accroître les obstacles dans la formation professionnelle et sur les marchés du travail, entraînant l’exclusion ou la discrimination des femmes ? Dans la présentation, différentes considérations sont développées à ce sujet.

Contribution d’experte de Christine von Harrach

GESI BarCamp 1: Gender & Inclusion in dual VET in Development Cooperation  (31 May 2022)

This presentation provides an overview on the relevant, burning and sometimes provocative questions on the topic of gender & inclusion in Dual VET in development cooperation. The interactive map provides further insights on the inputs and discussions during the BarCamp.

Expert Input by Dr. Sandra Rothboeck

Micro-, Small- & Medium-Sized Enterprises and Dual VET in Sub-Saharan Africa (10 March 2021)

This presentation provides an overview on the characteristics of TVET in Sub-Saharan Africa. It explains the differences between informal and formal apprenticeships and the rationale and options for upgrading informal apprenticeships.

Expert Input by Dr. Anthony Gewer

Implementing Dual Apprenticeships – Lessons from South Africa (10 March 2021)

This presentation provides an overview on TVET in South Africa. It explains some elements of reform that have already been undertaken, the key role of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, the role of business associations as well as important lessons learned.

Expert Input by Dr. Anthony Gewer

Companies Engaging in Dual VET: Do Financial Incentives Matter? Options, Pros and Cons (Webinars 17 June 2020 & 22 March 2023, Expert Consultation 28 March 2023)

In dual VET, companies typically bear a substantial part of the training costs. This raises the question why companies that are engaged in VET are willing to incur these costs, and to which extent financial subsidies do or can influence this decision. What are the main reasons for companies to train or not to train? Do or could financial incentives influence their behaviour? And how would such incentives need to look like to create new training places? The presentation provides an overview on general options and reflects on pros and cons of financial incentives for training companies.

Expert Input by Mag. Kurt Schmid (ibw Austria)

Matching VET with Labor Market Needs – How to Assess the Skills Demand (14 May 2020)

For developing and transition countries, skills matching and anticipation tends to be a particularly complex task, amongst others due to missing labour market information and weaknesses in institutional cooperation. The presentation provides an overview on different methodologies and tools which can be used to assess the skills demand in a given context, as well as the characteristics and suitability of the different approaches.

Expert Input by A. Molz (ILO Office for Eastern and Central Europe)

Financing of (Dual) VET (13 May 2020)

Sustainable financing of VET is a key factor to ensure an efficient and qualitative provision of demand-oriented VET. At the same time, limited state funds and the lack of business sector contributions are core challenges for many VET systems around the world. The presentation provides an overview on different elements and approaches of sustainable (dual) VET financing, including specific considerations on the role of the business sector.

Expert Input by Dr. G. Specht & C. Aipperspach (PLANCO Consulting GmbH)

Cost-Benefit Analyses for Companies in (Dual) VET (13 May 2020)

The engagement of companies is a key condition for any effective dual VET system. In countries that want to introduce dual VET, it is often difficult to convince companies to participate. Cost-benefit analyses are a tool to make costs as well as benefits of apprenticeship training visible, but also to analyse under which specific conditions it might pay off from an economic point of view. The presentation provides information about the requirements and key elements of cost-benefit analyses, the difference and suitability of evaluations and simulations as well the possible use and limits of this kind of analyses.

Expert Input by Prof. Dr. St. C. Wolter (University of Bern)

The video is not publicly listed – to get the link please contact us at coordination@dcdualvet.org, thank you!

Dual VET in Development Cooperation – Key Elements and Principles (23 April 2020)

This presentation provides a general introduction into dual VET by explaining its basic dimensions, the role of the private sector and strategic entry points for dual VET development with the private sector.

Expert Input by Franz Kehl (KEK-CDC Consultants)

Expert Conference, Lucerne (Switzerland), 14 April 2016

In four topic-based workshops various project examples and the experiences of the members were presented and discussed. Here you will find the presentations, documentation and conclusions:

Workplace as a Learning Venue

The practical acquisition of skills in a real working environment is a key element of dual VET. In the Donor Committee member countries, the ratio of practical learning in a company to school-based learning is between 80:20 and 60:40. As such, learning in a company is the main focus of dual vocational education and training. To ensure that the workplace is an effective learning venue, several requirements have to be met. The following issues were discussedt the conference:

  • Relationship between schools and companies as learning venues: How should/must the dynamic relationship between schools and companies be shaped, so that a workplace can function as a place of learning?
  • The company as a learning venue: How should/must a company design a workplace so that it can actually be experienced as a place of learning by the person who is being trained?
  • Framework conditions for the company as a learning venue: Which requirements/framework conditions are necessary so that the workplace can function as a place of learning?

Read and hear more about the presentations, information and conclusions of the workshop:

Workshop 1: Summary and Key Messages (in German)

Joint Responsibility of the State and Private Sector

The joint responsibility of the state and private sector and of partners at schools and companies respectively, is a key feature of dual VET. The so-called collective governance (Verbundpartnerschaft) is regulated in legislation. The starting point for this cooperation is clearly defined responsibilities and a dialogue on a level playing field. In development cooperation partner countries, the private sector is often not even involved or only to a minimal extent. Consequently the integration of the private sector is often a key goal in VET projects.

Read and hear more about the presentations, information and conclusions of the workshop:

Workshop 2: Summary and Key Messages (in German)

Challenges and Experiences with Dual System Reforms taking the Republic of Moldova as an Example

The Moldovan vocational education and training system is currently unsatisfactory. Reform endeavors face extensive challenges, amongst other,s in the areas of

  • changing the legal foundations for vocational secondary education,
  • pilot testing of two-year dual programs,
  • the capacity building of school staff,
  • the capitalization and upscaling of pilot projects.

One project presentation demonstrates how ADA supports the country in their efforts by setting up an occupational center as part of the ADA economic partnerships, in the other LED demonstrates their support with their project «CONSEPT – Strengthening the Vocational Training System in the Republic of Moldova».

Workshop 3: Summary and Key Messages

Dual VET in Fragile Contexts

Throughout the world, there are more than 1.5 billion people living in fragile countries and countries marked by conflict and violence. Around 28 million children in conflict regions are denied schooling and as a result are often left bereft of personal, career and social prospects. With (initial and continuing) vocational education and training, people do not only develop specialist competences, they also improve their personal and social skills. The working group – based on the two project examples in Niger and Palestine – examined the question of which prospects can be created by dual VET in contexts characterized by fragility and informal employment relationships.

Read and hear more about the presentations, information and conclusions of the workshop:

Workshop 4: Summary and Key Messages (in German)