EDGE – Development of models to allow credit to be given for learning achievements between different training courses in the twin-track training system on the basis of ECVET

Research area

Internationalization of vocational training

Short description

The flexibility, mobility and continuous development of vocational skills are, today, for many employees, essential to their working lives. With ECVET, a tool is being developed which aims to increase the mobility of young people during their first vocational training. ECVET can, however, also be of use beyond the context of mobility by helping to develop flexible means of documenting learning outcomes. It can help to make visible the results of lifelong learning and, by promoting a pan-European culture of assessment of learning outcomes, in the long-term achieve informative certification in the field of vocational training.
If ECVET is used in this way to increase the transparency of learning outcomes of vocational training, this can significantly increase the porosity of national education systems. Within the field of vocational training this means that learning outcomes can be accredited between different training courses. This contributes to making vocational training more attractive and reducing the number of isolated training pathways.
The BMBF [Ministry of Education and Research] programme “Development of a points system for vocational training” aims, looking beyond internationalisation, at developing and testing models for transferability of credits within the national context, thus potentially opening up training pathways making them more porous.
In the EDGE project, ECVET is used as a basis to develop models for allowing credit to be transferred between 8 two-track training courses in the metal and electronics industries. The project uses the ECVET points system to show possible ways of moving between related training courses and offer a sound basis for accreditation of achieved learning outcomes, e.g. in the case of a trainee seeking a new direction or to move on to a further qualification in a complex area.

Aims

In 8 selected career areas, learning units are identified on the basis of ECVET and described in an outcome-orientated way.
For these career areas, skills-orientated standards are developed which increase the comparability of training between sites and companies and are able to make clear the high quality of the twin-track training system by international standards.
Skill-related assessment procedures are developed and piloted.
Suggestions are made for the documentation of learning outcomes.
Criteria for the comparison of learning units are developed.
Within a broad career area, accreditation criteria are identified which make easier the move between different two-track training courses.
In cooperation with the relevant authorities, quality assurance measures for the accreditation of learning outcomes are developed on the basis of ECVET.