Systemic quality standards of the skilled crafts for international VET cooperation

1.1. Criterion: The selection of mandate holders for participating in the dialog of stakeholders and thus the governance of vocational education and training meets the requirements of the business community.

Indicators:

• All mandate holders have clearly defined tasks and interests in the field of vocational training..
• The mandate holders represent the operational field of practice.
• The mandate holders represent large, medium, small and micro enterprises.
• The mandate holders have the relevant expertise to adequately contribute to the dialog.

1.2. Criterion: All mandate holders have an equal status.

Indicators:

• All mandate holders have an equal right of nomination in the VET steering committees.
• All mandate holders have equal voting rights in the VET steering committees.

1.3. Criterion: The training content and organization is based on the employers’ and employees’ practical experiences.

Indicators:

• The private sector mandate holders formulate practice-oriented requirements concerning the training content and organization.
• The mandate holders provide feedback on drafted training regulations and, if necessary, school curricula.
• The private sector mandate holders approve the practice-oriented training content.

1.4. Criterion: A public institution moderates and documents the VET stakeholders dialogue considering current and future developments.

Indicators:

• The dialog between the mandate holders is moderated by the public institution.
• The outcomes of the dialog is documented.

2.1. Criterion: Binding regulations for the organization and implementation of VET exist.

Indicators:

• There is a legal basis for in-company training that is supplemented by school-based and, if necessary, inter-company training.
• The tasks of the relevant stakeholders are defined.
• The companies provide training within the framework of practical work and business processes. The schools focus is on delivering the theoretical foundations.
• State institutions recognize the qualifications acquired.
• The financing is regulated in a binding manner.
• The regulations adopted are the consensus of the dialog between the VET stakeholders.
• The adopted regulations are public.

2.2. Criterion: Regulations for VET in specified professions have been developed and published.

Indicators:

• There is a unified job title.
• Training content is defined aiming to provide comprehensive vocational training independently of individual companies.
• The knowledge, skills and abilities to be acquired are defined in a legally binding manner.
• The functional and temporal structure in which the knowledge, skills and abilities are taught is defined.
• The VET duration is defined.
• The type of the examination is defined.
• The requirements of the examination are defined.
• The adopted regulations are public.

2.3. Criterion: The training is based on a legally binding agreement between the training company and the other parties involved.

Indicators:

• The rights and obligations of trainees are regulated in a legally binding and transparent manner.
• The rights and obligations of the trainers are regulated in a legally binding and transparent manner.
• The trainers and trainees agree to the binding regulation.

2.4. Criterion: A responsible institution ensures that training is implemented properly in the companies and in accordance with the regulations.

Indicators:

• The responsible institution has a legally defined mandate.
• The responsible institution works independently of any company ensuring neutrality in performing its mission.
• The tasks of the responsible institution are clearly defined.
• The responsible institution has the human and financial resources to perform the relevant monitoring of the training conduction in the companies.
• The responsible institution supports and accompanies the training process in the companies.

3.1. Criterion: The various places of learning and their respective tasks are defined.

Indicators:

• Alongside the company and its defined tasks as a place of learning, a VET college is defined with a respective remit. In the case of supplementars inter-company trainings, the respective remit are also defined.
• The learning locations jointly ensure the comprehensiveness of the delivered action-oriented training content.
• Separate, coordinated training regulations and curricula exist for the learning locations.

3.2. Criterion: Procedures of the training process at the various learning locations are transparent.

Indicators:

• The training regulations and curricula of the respective learning locations are known to the stakeholders.
• In the case of a supplementary inter-company learning location, the respective division of tasks is known.

3.3. Criterion: There is a close link between the practical training content in the company – and if necessary in inter-company learning locations – and the supplementary theoretical training content in the school-based vocational training institutions.

Indicators:

• The time and organizational framework conditions of the training courses are coordinated between the learning locations.
• The documentation of the training mirrors, the practical and theoretical parts of learning as well es their interlinkage.

3.4. Criterion: The suitability of the training locations, their instructors, management and teaching staff are ensured.

Indicators:

• The company and, if applicable, inter-company learning sites are suitable training locations.
• In-company trainers have the necessary technical, occupational and pedagogical competence for teaching the respective profession.
• The school-based vocational training institution is state-approved and has the necessary equipment and materials.
• The teaching staff has the necessary technical and vocational pedagogical competence for teaching the respective profession.
• The school-based vocational training institution’s management has relevant management qualifications.

4.1. Criterion: The examination procedure and the design of the examination are defined and binding.

Indicators:

• The examination procedure and the design of the examination are defined and binding.
• Generally accepted rules set down how an examination is to be conducted.
• The procedure regulation ensures that employers, employees and representatives of a school-based vocational training institution are equally involved in the design of the examination procedure.
• A responsible institution for audits with a legally defined mandate adopts and publishes the procedural regulations for the examination.

4.2. Criterion: Examinations give objective and reliable proof of the acquisition of the occupational competence.

Indicators:

• The competences to be examined are set forth in the VET regulations for the respective profession.
• The examination instruments are suitable for checking the acquired competences of the respective occupational profile
• Examinations are prepared and assessed by experts.
• The examination is action-oriented and suitable for assessing if the examination requirements are met
• The examination requirements and assessment criteria are defined.
• The framework conditions for examinations are the same for all candidates.

4.3. Criterion: Proof of passing the nationally recognized examination is accepted by the private sector.

Indicators:

• Upon passing the exam, a certificate is issued by the institution responsible for exams.
• The certificate is generally valid.
• The certificate attests the occupational competence.
• Applicants with this certificate are priority consideration in the recruitment process for positions for skilled workers.
• The acquired certificate provides admittance to further qualifications.

5.1. Criterion: Research of VET is carried out.

Indicators:

• There is at least one scientific institution that conducts research related to vocational training.
• Relevant data on the labor market, technology, methodology and didactics are regularly collected and evaluated.
• Based on the collected and evaluated data, new concepts for the theoretical and practical teaching of vocational content are developed and tested.
• The research results are published.

5.2. Criterion: The development and modernisation of occupational profiles are supported scientifically.

Indicators:

• All mandate holders are advised by scientific (research) institutions as needed.
• Scientific (research) institutions support the adaptation of occupational profiles to changing qualification needs of the economy.

6.1. Criterion: Continuing education  and training programs are developed and delivered in a needs-based manner that complements initial training.

Indicators:

• Continuing education and training is available.
• Continuing education and training programs are coordinated between the relevant VET stakeholders.
• The technical requirements are defined.
• The content of the continuing education and training programs is aligned with the content of initial training.
• Qualification opportunities for acquiring in-company training qualifications and management skills are anchored in the continuing education system.

6.2. Criterion: The acquisition of continuing education and training degrees is regulated.

Indicators:

• Regulations are issued and are legally binding.
• The title of the continuing education and training programe is set.
• Access to the examination is defined.
• The examination requirements are defined.
• The time period for the examination is defined.
• The type of examination is defined.
• The certificates are officially recognized.

6.3. Criterion: Detailed information on the continuing education  and training programs is available.

Indicators:

• The informatione is public.
• There is at least one entity that provides information and advice about the offered programs.