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Higher level vocational education and training (VET) programs are facing rapid change and intensifying challenges. What type of training is needed to meet the needs of changing economies? How should the programs be funded? How should they be linked to academic and university programs? How can employers and unions be engaged? This country report for Sweden looks at these questions. It forms part of 'Skills beyond school', the OECD policy review of postsecondary VET. The contents are: Summary: strengths and challenges of postsecondary VET in Sweden; The commentary on Sweden and its place in the wider OECD study; Postsecondary VET in Sweden: a snapshot; Comparing Sweden with other countries; Previous OECD analysis and recommendations; Strengths and challenges in Sweden. Show less

This paper aims to advance current understanding of the mechanisms that drive the provision of apprenticeships by exploring selected issues related to the costs and benefits of apprenticeships. It looks at the costs and benefits of apprenticeships from the vantage point of society, the employer and the apprentice. For students, apprenticeships are an attractive form of learning as they simultaneously enhance skills and prepare them for jobs and careers. Typically, public authorities organise and fund off-the-job education and training, while employers take responsibility for the supervision and training of apprentices during their work placements. The involvement of both public authorities and employers in the design and provision of apprenticeships is a key strength, however, the successful involvement of various stakeholders in apprenticeships can be a challenge as it requires the reconciliation of different interests and the careful distribution of costs and benefits from apprenticeships. Well-designed apprenticeship systems are attractive to students, create value for employers, and support economic growth.

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Higher level vocational education and training (VET) programs are facing rapid change and intensifying challenges. What type of training is needed to meet the needs of changing economies? How should the programs be funded? How should they be linked to academic and university programs? How can employers and unions be engaged? This country report for Scotland looks at these questions. It forms part of ‘Skills beyond school’, the OECD policy review of postsecondary VET. The contents are: Summary: strengths and challenges of postsecondary VET in Scotland; The commentary on Scotland and its place in the wider OECD study; Postsecondary VET in Scotland: a snapshot; Labour market context; Previous OECD analysis and recommendations; The importance of postsecondary VET across OECD countries; and Strengths and challenges in Scotland.

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While an apprenticeship is potentially very beneficial to students, employers and economies, many countries face difficulties in encouraging companies to provide apprenticeship places, and individuals to enter apprenticeship programmes. To encourage companies to provide apprenticeships, the government, and sometimes social partners, promote apprenticeships through a wide range of incentives, including financial incentives, such as subsidies and tax breaks, and non-financial incentives, such as adjustments in apprenticeship design to make it more attractive to employers. While financial incentives are common, their effect is often modest and depends on the amount of financial support and allocation criteria. Schemes that target specific sectors and are supported by social partners tend to be more successful. However, non-financial measures, which are often less costly than financial incentives, can also be helpful in increasing the provision of apprenticeships and merit further consideration.

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Higher level vocational education and training (VET) programmes are facing rapid change and intensifying challenges. What type of training is needed to meet the needs of changing economies? How should the programmes be funded? How should they be linked to academic and university programmes? How can employers and unions be engaged? The country reports in this series look at these and other questions.

This review focuses on the apprenticeship system in England and concludes with policy recommendations. England has launched a series of reforms that champion the institution of apprenticeship, and address some previous weaknesses. The reforms encourage more substantive apprenticeship programmes and a stronger funding framework. Despite these strengths, there is still some way to go to establish an apprenticeship system in England to match those of the strongest countries. This report suggests several ways in which reforms might be adapted to achieve higher quality and better outcomes. An effective apprenticeship system involves various elements such as the development of the apprentice in the workplace by the employer and the broader education of young apprentices. The report argues that England should consider introducing regulations and standards to ensure that these elements are part of all apprenticeship programmes, and that the recently introduced apprenticeship levy supports high-quality training. In comparison to other countries, England has relatively few young apprentices. The report suggests England could facilitate transition from school to work by making better use of apprenticeships targeting school leavers.

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One of a series of studies on vocational education and training (VET), this report focuses on how international evidence can inform reforms of the VET system in Brazil. The reforms aim to considerably expand provision of initial VET, tripling enrolment between 2014-2024. Today, few upper-secondary students participate in VET in Brazil as compared to many OECD countries. The reform is a welcome initiative, provided that the expansion is coupled with investments in quality. Expansion of VET is likely to diversify the students attending VET programmes and increase the demand for VET teachers, and schools will need the support to make this work while ensuring that the programmes they offer are relevant for the labour market. By international standards, employers in Brazil provide limited input into VET policy and very few VET students have an opportunity of training with employers, and the reforms could be an opportunity to strengthen their involvement. Moreover, the reform could reinforce assessment strategies, as a lack of reliable assessment may decrease the value of VET qualifications. To support reform efforts in Brazil, this report brings in international evidence and discusses how other countries are addressing various related challenges encountered in their VET systems.

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Higher level vocational education and training (VET) programs, known as career and technical education in the United States, are facing rapid change and intensifying challenges. What type of training is needed to meet the needs of changing economies? How should the programs be funded? How should they be linked to academic and university programs? How can employers and unions be engaged? This report, part of the OECD series ‘Skills beyond school’ reviewing postsecondary VET policy, looks at these questions.

The contents are as follows: The global challenge of skills; Funding for quality; Anchoring credentials in the needs of industry; Building transitions that work; Making it happen: implementation.

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Higher level vocational education and training (VET) programs are facing rapid change and intensifying challenges. What type of training is needed to meet the needs of changing economies? How should the programs be funded? How should they be linked to academic and university programs? How can employers and unions be engaged? This country report looks at these questions. It forms part of ‘Skills beyond school’, the OECD policy review of postsecondary VET. The contents are: Summary: strengths and challenges; The commentary on Israel and its place in the OECD study; The background: education, training and the labour market in Israel; Postsecondary vocational education and training; Previous OECD analysis and recommendations; Strengths and challenges.

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One of a series of studies on vocational education and training, this review focuses on the vocational education and training (VET) in Sweden and concludes with policy recommendations. Over recent years, Sweden has launched a series of reforms to enhance involvement of social partners in VET, to increase provision of work-based learning in VET programmes and to promote apprenticeship. Higher vocational education and training launched in 2002 has been expanding. At the same time, numerous sectors are grappling with labour shortages increasing pressure on VET to better match the provision to changing demand for skills; and fewer young people opt for VET programmes than in the past. This report suggests several ways in which the Swedish VET system may respond to these challenges. Sweden may encourage co-operation between schools, for example by linking it to school evaluation and funding criteria. The report also argues that Sweden may further enhance social partners' involvement in VET by creating a framework for systematic social partners' involvement at the local level and by providing social partners with more responsibility over some aspects of VET.

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Higher level vocational education and training (VET) programs are facing rapid change and intensifying challenges. What type of training is needed to meet the needs of changing economies? How should the programs be funded? How should they be linked to academic and university programs? How can employers and unions be engaged? These questions are examined through ‘Skills beyond school’, the OECD policy review of postsecondary vocational education and training (VET). This country report for Israel is part of this series that examines these and other questions.

The contents are as follows: Introduction and initial assessment; Tackling the skills challenge; Strengthening co-ordination and social partner engagement; Building an effective framework of work-based learning; Building pathways of access and opportunity for vocational students; Developing a dual-skilled teaching workforce. Show less