Conference Agenda

We are planning a session on VET on the island of Cyprus and its specific challenges.

This information will be updated later. All participants who submitted to VETNET will receive further information in due time by email. Participants who submitted to other networks, interested in attending this session, will find further information in the conference app, later.

Migration has become an increasingly discussed topic among all spheres of life be it policy circles, media or the general public. Further, migration has been greatly politicised as during the past years Europe has experienced considerable number of migrants arriving. It is therefore in the individual countries' interest that the migrant population is socially and economically integrated, hence engage with education and training, and employment. Migrants arrive to European countries with different backgrounds and most are eager to continue their disrupted lives by engaging with learning, finding employment (Learning and Work Institute, 2019) and become fully integrated member of a community again.

However, there is a significant issue about migrants arriving with qualifications that are not described in terms that are used, recognised, and understood in the receiving country (Laczik and Lasonen 2010; Laczik, 2014; Busse et al., submitted) or gained work-experience in their country of origin that is undervalued and unacknowledged in their new home. This places them in an unfavourable situation. Heath and Cheung (2007) argue that these migrants form a new segment of disadvantaged people in the Western societies. In order to pre-empt this happening or remedy this, vocational education and training (VET) together with developing language skills of the country of residence can play a crucial role. VET and pre-VET provisions can offer migrants learning opportunities that equip them with the skills and knowledge, and certificate to become successful in their chosen career (Stalder et al., 2024). VET schools, enterprises and other establishments can act as enabling local learning ecosystems that is based on communications among different stakeholders (Spours and Grainger, 2018; Buchanan et al., 2017; Aerne and Bonoli, 2023) to enhance migrants experiences and equip them with the skills and knowledge to navigate their career. The concept of an ecosystem helps to enhance our understanding of how individuals (including migrants themselves), networks, and institutions interact to enhance migrants' learning, training and later working experiences that may lead to their economic and social integration.

It is vitally important to identify and understand what makes vocational provisions targeted to migrants successful. How individuals, networks, and institutions working together may create an enabling ecosystem that may enhance migrants' opportunities and may lead to their social and economic integration? In what manner do the life transitions of migrants manifest within this ecosystem? These questions will be discussed during the symposium that will bring together three European countries, four national contexts, namely Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland.

In Switzerland, as in many European countries, refugees aged 16 to 35 face significant employment challenges, often lacking the necessary educational and vocational credentials for qualified work (Aerne & Bonoli, 2021; Spadarotto et al., 2014). The Swiss government has launched the Integration Agenda Switzerland IAS to enhance refugees' job prospects, proposing post-compulsory (vocational) education for this age group. One of its key initiatives is the one-year pre-vocational programme (pre-apprenticeship for integration, PAI), which was launched in 2018 (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft et al., 2018; Stalder et al., 2024) and has been running successfully since then. The PAI combines in-company training with school-based education and is offered in various occupational fields like the building trade, hospitality, sales, and care. Using resource theory (Hobfoll et al., 2018), the job characteristic theory (Hackman & Oldham, 1980), and their application to the field of dual VET (Stalder & Lüthi, 2020), previous research has explored the PAI programme's role in fostering career success among participating refugees (Stalder et al., 2024). It was found that both situational resources (i.e., high-quality learning environment in the workplace and vocational school) and refugees' individual resources contribute to their successful transition to a regular VET programme. Essential situational resources include high learning opportunities and close guidance from supervisors, teachers, and coaches. Crucial individual resources are, amongst others, refugees' language skills, effort, and career aspirations. Expanding our knowledge about the effectiveness of the PAI programme, this contribution focuses on the less successful refugees: Those who have not succeeded in enrolling in the PAI and those who left the programme before its end. The latter concerns about one out of six persons. Using monitoring data on 4000 PAI participants from 2018 to 2023, we first examine the individuals' resources of refugees who did not follow the programme, exploring their alternative pathways and their opportunities to enter a regular VET programme directly. We second compare their resources and career success with refugees participating in the PAI programme. We assume that those who did not enrol in the PAI a) have more limited individual resources than those participants and, consequently, b) have lower chances of entering a regular VET programme. The findings will be discussed in the light of resource theory and highlight the risks and challenges of educational measures such as the PAI.

Aerne, A., & Bonoli, G. (2021). Integration through vocational training. Promoting refugees' access to apprenticeships in a collective skill formation system. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2021.1894219 Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1980). Work redisign. Addison-Wesley. Hobfoll, S. E., Halbesleben, J., Neveu, J.-P., & Westman, M. (2018). Conservation of resources in the organizational context: The reality of resources and their consequences. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 5(1), 103-128. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032117-104640 Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft et al. (2018). Die Integrationsagenda kurz erklärt. https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/data/sem/integration/agenda/faktenblatt-integrationsagenda-d.pdf Spadarotto, C., Bieberschulte, M., Walker, K., Morlok, M., & Oswald, A. (2014). Erwerbsbeteiligung von anerkannten Flüchtlingen und vorläufig Aufgenommenen auf dem Schweizer Arbeitsmarkt. Im Auftrag des Bundesamts für Migration, Abteilung Integration. Stalder, B. E., Kammermann, M., Michel, I., & Schönbächler, M.-T. (2024). Successful integration of refugees in vocational education and training: Experiences from a new pre-vocational programme. In M. Teräs, E. Eliasson, & A. Osman (Eds.), Migration, education and employment: Pathways to successful integration (pp. 133-154). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41919-5 Stalder, B. E., & Lüthi, F. (2020). Job resources and career success of IVET graduates in Switzerland: A different approach to exploring the standing of VET. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 72(2), 189-208. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2020.1721735

The issue of integration of refugees into the labour market has become increasingly important in Switzerland in recent years, particularly since the arrival of large numbers of refugees in Europe in 2015 and 2016. Previously, Swiss integration policies were characterised by federalism, leaving each canton to manage its own objectives and resources in this area. In 2019, the country adopted the Swiss Integration Agenda, which is now binding on all cantons. It emphasises rapid language acquisition and preparation for the labour market (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft, 2018). A pre-apprenticeship integration programme (PAI) has been introduced, and adopted by 18 cantons, with the aim of preparing refugees for dual vocational education and training leading to a Swiss VET certificate. The aim of the PAI is two-fold: to give refugees easier access to training and jobs and to provide the labour market with skilled workers in sectors that are short of new recruits. Among the various players who collaborate in the PAI, in-company trainers play a key role, as they decide who gets access to in-company training by offering an apprenticeship contract. Guidance in companies has a major influence on the learning of work-related skills and thus on the development of apprentices' professional skills (Stalder et al., 2021; Stalder et al., 2024). The literature on workplace learning highlights the importance of workplace learning support for the success of VET (Billett, 2001; Swager et al., 2015). Thus, it is important to generate knowledge about the forms of guidance by trainers. This paper is based on preliminary results of a study on support for refugee apprentices in the workplace and its link with the development of their agency in four Swiss cantons. It is based on ongoing qualitative interviews (totaling 40) with in-company trainers who provide guidance to PAI apprentices in various professions. A first interview shows the importance of providing support tailored to the skills, life history and current living conditions of refugee apprentices. It points out that this support is based on a relationship depending on both the trainer and the apprentice. The trainer must be prepared to sometimes rethink the way in which he or she conceives the relationship and look for new solutions. Refugee apprentices also bring with them very different levels of prior skills, requiring individual adaptation of the responsibilities and tasks assigned. With the ongoing data collection and analysis, more detailed insights will be presented at the conference.

Billett, S. (2001). Learning through work: workplace affordances and individual engagement. Journal of Workplace Learning, 13(5), 209-214. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000005548 Swager, R., Klarus, R., van Merriënboer Jeroen, J. G., & Nieuwenhuis Loek, F. M. (2015). Constituent aspects of workplace guidance in secondary VET. European Journal of Training and Development, 39(5), 358-372. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-01-2015-0002 SCHWEIZERISCHE EIDGENOSSENSCHAFT (2018): Integrationsagenda Schweiz. https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home/integration-einbuergerung/integrationsfoerderung/kantonale-programme/integrationsagenda.html Stalder, B. E., Kammermann, M., Lehmann, S., & Schönbächler, M.-T. (2021). Pre-Apprenticeship for Refugees in Switzerland. In C. Nägele, B. E. Stalder, & M. Weich (Eds.). Pathways in Vocational Education and Training and Lifelong Learning. Proceedings of the 4th Crossing Boundaries Conference in Vocational Education and Training. Muttenz and Bern online, 8. –9. April (332-337). European Research Network on Vocational Education and Training, VETNET, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and Bern University of Teacher Education. Stalder, B.E., Kammermann, M., Michel, I., Schönbächler, M.-T. (2024). Successful Integration of Refugees in Vocational Education and Training: Experiences from a New Pre-vocational Programme. In M. Teräs, A. Osman, E. Eliasson (Eds.). Migration, Education and Employment. Pathways to Successful Integration (Vol. 10), 133-154). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41919-5_9

England's vocational education and training system (VET) has been criticised for several decades (Wolf, 2011). While its shortcomings have been explored to some extent (Chankseliani et al., 2016; Lupton, 2021), experiences of VET for young people with a migrant background did not receive much attention (McPherson et al., 2024). This scoping study explores issues about how VET helps young migrants integrate into the education system, the labour market, and local communities and societies. By looking at the role of VET in their transition through education and the labour market, the study presents (a) some of the core issues young people from different migrant backgrounds experience, (b) the challenges colleges and private providers face in providing effective VET offerings and (c) good practices supporting young people to achieve favourable outcomes. To realise our research aims, we use qualitative, in-depth interviews and focus groups with young people (aged 16-21) from different migrant backgrounds, migration histories and educational trajectories who continue their education in further education colleges and the practitioners who actively work with young people with migrant backgrounds. Based on the interviews we had with sixteen young learners and two practitioners who work with migrant young people and one national/regional ESOL coordinator, our results show diverse experiences for migrant young people. Most young people spoke of their colleges favourably, although they mentioned various issues that may hinder progression. Among these, professional spoken and written language skills were the most prevalent. They pointed out a mismatch between their aspirations and the courses they were placed in. Nevertheless, most acknowledged the valuable skills set they developed. The English and maths qualifications that are necessary to progress to higher-level qualifications prevent some young people from continuing with their educational aspirations even if these particular aspirations are practical and do not necessitate the required levels of English and maths. Practitioners in our study highlighted a range of complementary topics which were rarely recognised by young people in the study, namely young people being placed in lower-level courses than their ability due to their language skills and a change in the funding arrangements at the age of 18, which limits their options at a crucial point in their education paths. Our results highlight a gap in migrant-specific support and guidance in the VET area, a need to overhaul the funding system for them, and a more comprehensive careers advice provision for young people with a migrant background.

Chankseliani, M., Relly, S.J. and Laczik, A. (2016) Overcoming vocational prejudice: how can skills competitions improve the attractiveness of vocational education and training in the UK? British Educational Research Journal, 42(4): 582-599. Lupton, R., Thomson, S., Velthuis, S., and Unwin, L. (2021) Moving on from initial GCSE ‘failure’: Post-16 transitions for ‘lower attainers’ and why the English education system must do better. London: Nuffield. McPherson, C., Bayrakdar, S., Gewirtz, S., Maguire, M., Weavers, A., Laczik, A. and Winch, C. (in press), ‘Promoting more equitable post-school transitions: learning from the experiences of migrant youth in England’ in Promoting Inclusive Systems for Migrants in Education, Downes, P., Anderson, J., Behtoui, A. and Van Praag, L. (Eds.), Routledge. Wolf, A. (2011) Review of Vocational Education, London: Department for Education.

It is well-established in educational research and sociology that education (formal, non-formal and informal) plays a key role in the inclusion and integration of migrants into hosting societies socially, culturally, economically, and politically (Fejes & Dahlstedt, 2017, Shan, 2015). However, a close look at the research reveals that there is a lack of representation of migrant women, even though there were recent critical and feminist studies focusing on migrant women, especially in Europe (Erel, 2007), and especially inquiring the learning experiences and processes of embedded within their life biographies. Primary objective of this study is to explore the learning biographies of Turkish migrant women in Germany and Austria who have different education and migration histories in order to understand their educational trajectories and investigate the role of these learning activities on their personal lives and their integration reflecting on individual and systemic differences. I aim for depicting the participation to learning and the transformative role of learning for Turkish migrant women in German and Austrian society as well understanding how their learning biography aligns with their life course and transition. Questions that guide my study are: 1. How do Turkish migrant women construct perceptions of learning and education, and in what ways do these constructions contribute to shaping their experiences as migrants? 2. How does the process of learning play a role in fostering social inclusion and integration within the German labour market for Turkish migrant women based on individual and systemic characteristics? 3. In what ways are the learning biographies of Turkish migrant women configured, and how do these biographies correspond to their life courses, revealing the dynamic interplay between personal learning experiences and broader life trajectories? This study uses a life course approach, which includes in-depth narrative/biographical interviews with Turkish migrant women according to sampling criteria (migration year and education level). I aim to capture “the objective shape and formation of life courses as well as their subjective biographical meaning” in relation to learning (Wingens et al., 2011, p. 6). As it is an ongoing study, (I am continuing to recruit participants and conducting interviews) I am not able to report results, but first interviews (5 women, all first-in-family academics) provide insights about how highly skilled women’s educational biography aligns with their integration and self-identification and the effect of formal learning on their perception of education.

Erel, U. (2007). Constructing Meaningful Lives: Biographical Methods in Research on Migrant Women, Sociological Research Online, 12 (4), http://www.socresonline.org.uk /12/4/5.html.doi:10.5153/sro.1573 Fejes, A., & Dahlstedt, M. (2017). Popular education, migration and a discourse of inclusion. Studies in the Education of Adults, 49(2), 214-227 https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2018.1463656 Shan, H., (2015). Distributed pedagogy of difference: reimagining immigrant training and education. Canadian journal for studies in adult education, 27 (3), 1–16.134. Wingens, M., de Walk, H., Windzio, M., & Aybek, C. (2011). The Sociological Life Course Approach and Research on Migration and Integration. In M. Wingens, H. de Walk, M. Windzio, & C. Aybek (Eds.) A Life-Course Perspective on Migration and Integration. Springer, pp: 126.

As the world grapples to conceptualise green transitions, work and education systems have struggled to respond to the systemic and historical contradictions and barriers to change. Vocational education and training (VET) occupies a unique position at the intersection of both skills and occupation systems and there are clear indications of the need for more transformative and critical approaches to research that supports green transitions.

In this panel discussion we explore the dynamics of a multi-scalar approach to VET that takes account of the dynamics of a green transition from a multi-level, multi-actor, macro–meso–micro perspective. Drawing from diverse contexts, and methodological and theoretical domains the panel explores new ways of thinking about VET and the green transition. Each panellist will explore these transition dynamics through a focus on following questions:

1. What macro, meso, and micro trends and developments are emerging in conceptualising the green transition within VET in selected countries?
2. What challenges or gaps emerge in developing a multi-scalar conceptualisation of green transitions in VET?
3. What are the implications for VET practice and research?

The presentations, draw on empirical examples from a range of European and African cases:

• German transition to climate-neutrality: Bridging the gap between (macro) labor market scenario techniques and (micro) vocational teaching and learning processes in an emerging green hydrogen sector where green hydrogen production industries (and related skills and occupations) are required that do not yet exist (Niediek, 2023).

• South Africa and Uganda meso-level approach: Much work in social science research has concentrated on the macro or micro levels. Recent work on social ecosystems for skills (Ramsarup, McGrath and Lotz-Sisitka, 2023; Spours and Grainger, 2023) develops a meso level approach, nested within a wider multi-scalar approach to skills for (just) green transitions.

• Spain: methodological opportunities and limitations in multidimensional analyses. Analysing alignment between green labour market demand and the provision of green occupations by VET systems (European Commission and JRC, 2022). Considering the role of innovation dynamics (Fontana et al., 2023), employment patterns (Fernández Gómez & Larrea Basterra, 2022) and the development of green occupations within VET providers (Lucas et al., 2018).

• South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mauritius: Beyond skills supply and demand in the low-carbon transition. Mechanisms and tools have emerged for attempting to understand intermediate skills demand across the economy and to translate this into TVET provision planning, however, implementation remains fragmented. A critique of the metaphor of ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ inidicates where it can divert attention away from the broader systemic transitions needed to catalyse a low carbon transition.

• UK aid for skills: contracting out the green skills dilemma (South Africa, Uganda). Private sector contractors play a growing role in UK aid for education and skills. A political economy critique (Russon, 2023) questions whether and how ‘skills for growth’ narratives aligned with donor interests can effectively engage with the macro-micro-meso dynamics of the green transition agenda.

• Europe - Driving institutional coherence in the transition: VET providers are key actors in responding to the challenges we outline. A central methodological issue, therefore, becomes how VET providers learn from each other regarding promising responses to a rapidly changing environment. Initiatives worth exploring here are the European Commission's Centres of Vocational Excellence programme and UNESCO-UNEVOC's Bridging Innovation in Learning and Training project (Loveder, 2021).

The structural change required for the green transition is dependent on a good understanding of the policies, actors, institutions and institutional arrangements that comprise the skills formation system. This panel advances knowledge on the systemic analysis of green skills and green occupations and the importance of identifying the contradictions and historical challenges in conceptualising green transitions in VET.

Katz (2023) argues in his article ¿Quo vadis, América Latina? that local universities and vocational schools in Latin American should be particularly supported in order to promote the training of skilled workers such as engineers and technicians. After all, adequately trained specialists in highly technologised industries could help Latin America's economies to take advantage of opportunities in promising market segments. The argument of strengthening the vocational training system is nothing new. The World Bank report from 1990 already recommended investing in specific areas of vocational training. However, this meant less full-time school-based programmes, as these tended to be considered too expensive and inefficient (Haddad et al. 1990). Then and now, the focus is on vocational education and training programmes, which are partly carried out in companies and therefore have a stronger connection to the world of work than full-time school-based programmes (Álvarez-Galván 2015).

In this context, the transfer of dual training modalities from Germany is sometimes at the center of attention (Gessler/Fuchs/Pilz 2019). In the current discourse, these are addressed as a panacea against structural labour market and social problems (Álvarez-Galván 2015). In light of this, a bilateral agreement was concluded between the German and Costa Rican governments in 2016 at the level of international vocational education and training cooperation. Following the successful completion of the pilot phase of dual training programmes and corresponding adaptation measures to the regional characteristics, the so-called Educación y Formación Técnica Profesional Dual (EFTP Dual) was integrated into the existing VET system as a further option (Láscarez Smith/Baumann 2020).

Although, in particular, dual training programmes such as the EFTP Dual are considered to have enormous potential, certificates of initial vocational training - unlike in Germany - appear to have a low exchange value on the Costa Rican labour market. This phenomenon manifests itself particularly in unequally structured societies in the global South with weakened vocational education and training systems (Allais 2020). In view of this, a dichotomy can be observed between higher education and vocational education and training (Reichenbach 2021). On the one hand, there is the area of general and tertiary education. On the other hand, vocational education and training, which is often seen as a second-best choice at best compared to general and tertiary education (Clement 2014) and has always targeted vulnerable social groups in particular (Beirute Brealey 2018). The tendency towards negative social perceptions of vocational education and training and the resulting low exchange value of the corresponding certificates on the labour market are the focus of this study, which is why the following research questions are investigated:

What structures and recognition mechanisms of certification can be identified for Costa Rica and Germany in initial vocational education and training? How is the current examination process organised in Costa Rica and which instruments are used to measure performance? To what extent do Costa Rican stakeholders in initial vocational education and training see a need to reform the examination and certification system?

Vocational education and training (VET) is conceived by both the EU and OECD as a powerful integration tool to secure immigrants’ permanent work positions (European Commision, 2020; Jeon, 2019). Thus, several European countries have developed policy measures that target newly arrived immigrants’ entry into VET. For example, in Switzerland, access to VET is the main route towards refugees’ labour market integration, and in 2018 a pre-apprenticeship programme was introduced (Aerne & Bonoli, 2023). VET can contribute to labour market integration because it combines practical and work-based forms of learning with language learning, as well as receiving a recognised VET certification after completion that makes it easier to find employment matching the skills developed (Jørgensen, 2022). However, using VET as an integration tool can be challenging. At a system level, state regulations that make VET more inclusive may restrict necessary cooperation between central actors, such as employers and the state (Bonoli & Wilson, 2019). In addition, studies indicate that newly arrived immigrants face several challenges in their process of entering and completing VET. Among these challenges are insufficient information about the education system, problems of fulfilling the prerequisites for entering VET and lack of social networks and ethnic discrimination among employers that make it difficult to secure an apprenticeship contract (Beicht & Walden, 2019; Bonoli & Wilson, 2019; Bredgaard & Thomsen, 2018; Imdorf, 2017; Jeon, 2019).

There is a growing body of studies from various European countries about immigrants’ participation in VET. Within VET research, there has been identified a need for more evidence syntheses as there is a lack of review research (Gessler & Siemer, 2020). To our knowledge, an evidence synthesis about recently arrived immigrants in Europe and VET has not yet been conducted. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of European research literature about this interdisciplinary and dynamically evolving field. For this purpose, we apply a scoping review approach that entails to systematically retrieve and map the breadth of literature on a (particular) topic, field, concept, or issue (Munn et al., 2022). The approach is used to identify research clusters and research gaps that can inform the focus of future research (Levac et al., 2010).

The review will address the following research questions: 1) What are the key characteristics of the existing research? 2) What are the main objectives and challenges reported in the included studies? 3) What are the research gaps identified in the included studies?

Authors: Krisztina Nagy – Email: krisztinasari@gmail.com

Maria Kraiciné Dr. Szokoly - Email: szokoly.maria@ppk.elte.hu

Key words are: migrants, refugees, integration, trainings, language classes, good practices

Backround of the research: Modern migration has been a well-known phenomenon across Europe for years. According to Eurostat, 2.3 million immigrants arrived in the European Union from non-EU countries in 2021. This number was 1.5 million in 2013 and 2.5 million in 2018 (Eurostat, 2021).

The wave of migration with its social, economic, political and other consequences places a heavy burden on the affected countries, among other things, it strongly affects the institutions of public education in the case of children, vocational training in the case of adults, and adult education and training. For the time being, humanitarian issues are in the spotlight and little attention is paid to the adult education aspects of migration, to the situations that need to be solved from an andragogical point of view, and andragogical professional problems that arise, and what answers state, civil and church vocational and adult education institutions can give in each country. . How do they cope with the problems arising from language, cultural and religious differences and how, through what kind of training (catch-up, language, professional, etc.) can they integrate migrant workers with different qualifications into the labor market in a short time.

Goals of the research: the aim of the research is to describe, explain and compare the good practices and experiences of different countries heavily affected by migration. These countries are: Germany, Austria and Hungary. We review the migration background of these countries, as well as how various EU and individual country decisions affect the integration of migrants and refugees living in that country.

Target groups: the target groups of my research are refugee/migrant adults between the ages of 18 and 63 who have arrived from any country and have at least a basic education, including groups that are open to retraining and integration from a physical and mental point of view. I paid particular attention to women in this age group, who are usually at a disadvantage compared to men in terms of their integration and adult learning.

Key questions/objectives:

How does migration affect European adult education organizations?

Is there a uniform organizational/content/methodological EU recommendation for catch-up, language, professional and labor market training for immigrants?

Are there professionals prepared to train immigrants in each country?

In researching the topic, I share the results and experiences of german and austrian researchers, and I also talk about the results of the pilot research conducted with professionals dealing with migrant training in practice in Hungary

Hypotheses

1. Hypothesis: Several international organizations were established for the training of immigrants decades ago, and during the activities of these organizations, as well as the national organizations dealing with migration training in individual countries, many good training practices were realized.

2. Hypothesis: In the examined countries, specially trained specialists deal with the training of immigrants.

3. Hypothesis: In Hungary, the majority of specialists dealing with the integration of third-country nationals are unfamiliar with the concept of integration modules, and no domestic professional dialogue has yet started on its contents. Thus, questions related to the European integration modules, the good practices mentioned in them, and their applicability in Hungary have practically not been put on the agenda yet.

Examined organizations and programs:

• Bertelsmann Foundation's leadership training program
• Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
• Artemisszió Foundation
• Menedék Foundation
• Education and Training 2020
• Arrivo Berlin
• IOM- International Organization of Migration

In vocationomics, the learning process is considered as an integral one that happens at different locations, or, institutions such as schools and companies. Other, more common interpretations consider this kind of learning as a learning of theoretical content (at school) that gets applied at the workplace (in the companies) later on.

Besides the idea of implementing, if not to say of enforcing ‘cooperation’ between the organisations mentioned, we have seen in the last two decades two different theoretical approaches of explaining of what is going on and of how it can be made even more fruitful. These two new theories are the theory of connectivity (Guile/ Griffiths) and the theory of complementarity (Jongebloed) between school and workplace learning. Whereas connectivity theory postulates the necessity of building bridges, complementarity theory in its original form (strong hypothesis) denies exactly the possibility to do so. We will follow the theory of complementarity, but in a newly interpreted way (weak hypothesis): there is a gap, and the student-apprentices inevitably have to go the last part of the road all by their own.

This does not automatically mean, that teaching at school or instruction at the workplace cant help on the way at all: An understanding of vocational learning as two distinct processes, however, would discriminate two different processes of learning, one by systematic insight, the other by holistic experience. This said, an analytic view and can substantially contribute to the enlightenment of the nature of vocational education. It also would demand for a better understanding of learning transfer, because there would be two processes of learning, on easing the other.

Learning at vocational school and learning at the workplace each might enhance one another in both directions. We are though, not too well informed on this double phenomenon. And who could tell us better than the apprentices, who are at the centre of the duality of vocational education.

Notwithstanding the transfer gap and a whole set of organisational prerogatives, we have put a series of interviews into practice, asking apprentices on their perception of learning at vocational schools and learning at work in their enterprises. This simplified institutional approach (school/ company) may be considered as justified as we are at the point of departure only. We need to point out, that this study does not turn to the fact that students do make some experiences at school (as we know by the debates on the 'hidden curriculum'). And, of course, in enterprises, there is learning of systematic knowledge, too, whenever apprentices get instructed on a new job.

We were interested to find out, whether student-apprentices have the impression of a certain connectedness of the two learning hemispheres, whether they can possibly give explanations to this, what their perceptions are about learning at school and learning at the workplace at their own
company. In this pilot study, we have tested three different interview guidelines in regard of later use in a broader context. The main goal, though was to sort out, whether there is any possibility at all of detecting and perhaps describing the awareness or the understanding of the transfer character of learning in two different didactical loci.

Over the last decade, the vocational education and training systems of southern European countries have initiated a reform process to introduce the dual vocational training (VET) following the German model (CES 2023; Martín Artiles et al., 2019). This process has been driven by international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union, which have recommended that the member countries implement or reinforce policies based on the dual model because of their benefits to reduce high youth unemployment rates, improve professional skills or transitions from school to the labour market (OECD, 2013; European Commission, 2013).

In Spain, the dual model in VET was launched at the end of 2012 with the approval of the Royal Decree 1529 developing the contract for training and apprenticeship and the basis for this model within the existing system of VET. At that time, dual vocational training was defined as “training which combined employment and educational actions and initiatives, aiming at the vocational qualification of workers in a system of alternation of work activity with the training activity” (p. 2). However, it is not until 2022 that the Law 3/2022 on the organisation and integration of VET is adopted, this law foresees that “all vocational training will have a dual character, while it will be carried out in the educational centre and the company” (Preamble), although “with different intensities depending on the characteristics of the training period in the workplace” (idem).

During this decade, the evolution of the number of apprentices, companies and educational centres that have participated in dual VET system has been exponential. Thus, in 2013 there were 4.292 apprentices, 513 companies and 173 schools, while in 2020/2021 there were 4.2923 students enrolled and 1.147 schools (CES, 2023). Except for Asturias, Cantabria, and Castile-La Mancha, where there is a decrease in students, the trend is a clear increase, being especially significant in Andalusia, the Canary Islands, Galicia, and Navarre.

In the case of Andalusia, the experimental development of the dual VET system began in 2013/2014 with 12 projects, 11 developed by public schools with 207 students and 87 collaborating companies (Consejería de Educación y Deporte, 2021). After its start-up phase, the dual model in Andalusia has expanded an in 2020/2021, almost seven of every ten people enrolled in dual vocational training were in Andalusia (CES, 2023).

The aim of this communication is to describe, analyse and show the trends in the dual model in VET in the Degree in Early Childhood Education (belonging to the professional family of Socio-cultural Services and the Community) in the Andalusian Autonomous Community, especially its geographical distribution, the nature and ownership of the educational centres that provide this model, as well as the companies which collaborate in the process.

This research is part of a broader project entitled ‘Connecting Learning and Significant Work in Andalusia: comparative research of dual vocational training in the Degree in Early Childhood Education” (P21_00162) funded by the Andalusia regional government in which different universities participate. The aims are the following: a) analyse the experiences of the organisation participating in the dual model VET; b) carry out a mapping that allows to understand how the companies that collaborate in the training are distributed, c) analyse the connection between educational organisations and labour organisations and d) analyse the educational transitions that early childhood education students make towards higher education.

Hinchliffe (2022) cast a strong highlight on the founding fathers of German vocational education, with Kerschensteiner stressing the importance of a focus on the nature of work for developing citizenship. From here, Hinchliffe coined the concept ‘occupational democracy’, as opposed to ‘action-based democracy’. ‘…an “occupational democracy” is premised on the idea that personal self-development best occurs through being part of an occupational pursuit and tradition’ (op.cit., 487). Against potential accusations as being illiberal, Hinchliffe (op.cit., 481) argued: ‘Perhaps it is possible for free individuals of an independent cast of mind to regard themselves as citizens in the service of something bigger than themselves, with responsibilities to match’. Hinchliffe (2022, 485) traced action democracies back to Machiavelli’s Discourses. An occupational democracy he found realised in post-war western Germany. Drawing expressly on Kerschensteiner (1908/2022), Hinchliffe (2022, 281) called the ‘joy of work’ a necessary condition for a persons’ formation, and related it to the ‘joy of belonging to an occupation’. Hinchliffe even used the German word Beruf for occupation and explained (ibid.) that a Beruf supplies persons ‘with that wider context of networks and connectedness that a mere job can never provide’. ‘It is this social connectedness that work can bring about and which gives the individual the feeling that he or she actually counts for something’.

To think of democracy at the workplace may appear somewhat counter-intuitive. Educational research usually regards workplaces as sites of hierarchy and of production and profit-making. Moreover, as Rosvall and Nylund (2022, 16) noted (and this certainly holds not only for Sweden) educationalists and educational researchers have few possibilities to influence what goes on during workplace learning: ‘D[d]ue to the organisation of work placements in Sweden, mentors in those settings cannot be compelled, and may have little motivation, to provide courses or arenas that would enable students to discuss democratic issues at the workplace in a meaningful way’. However, from a labour law perspective, Estlund (e.g.,2003, 13) unfolded the unique potential of the workplace as ‘an especially promising incubator of the bonds of social solidarity and empathy that link the individual citizen to the broader diverse citizenry’. She argued that this potential can be strengthened by corresponding legislative prescriptions, and by trade union activism. This presentation, consequently, investigates a case of workplace learning where, unlike in Sweden and most other countries, a strong legislative regulation exists and where unions play an active role – the German dual system of VET. The presentation attempts to uncover the social relatedness of Beruf learners in Germany, at training sites and beyond, to explore the unique possibilities for democratic education in this context – seeds for an occupational democracy.

To do so, the presentation draws on the conceptual language developed by the British educational sociologist Basil Bernstein. This language permits researchers ‘in one framework… to show the inter-relationships between organizational and knowledge properties, to move from macro- to micro-levels of analysis,[and] to relate the patterns internal to educational institutions to the external social antecedents of such patterns…’ (Bernstein 1977, 112). Like Kerschensteiner/Hinchliffe, Bernstein (2000, xx) claimed that ‘people must feel they have a stake in society’, and also in the school, meaning that ‘not only are people concerned to receive something but that they are also concerned to give something’. Since Hinchliffe (2022), in line with Kerschensteiner, suggests that vocational learners can achieve this feeling of ‘counting for something’ by the social connectedness that work can bring about, the presentation investigates the social connectedness, the learners’ sense of belonging in the dual system, both from the legislative side and from narrations of dual system graduates about their experiences during training.

The collaboration of teachers is a tool for their continuous professional development, and changes in initial vocational education and training (Cedefop, 2023) call for the need to research focus on how vocational teachers cope with new challenges and requirements for the quality of their pedagogical work. The collaboration of vocational teacher (teachers of vocational theoretical subjects and teacher of practical subjects) in IVET schools among themselves, within the school where they work, or the collaboration of vocational teachers with employers are possible ways in which teachers develop their skills and competences, they cope with some structural changes (Cedefop, 2022; Sirk, Liivik, & Loogma, 2026), change their pedagogical or instructional practices, their beliefs, attitudes and their students achieve better learning outcomes (Guskey, 2002).

Empirical researches quite well give proof of the degree and form of collaboration of vocational teachers changes over time (Bükki & Fehérvári, 2021; Sirk, Liivik, & Loogma, 2016). Empirically verified models of professional development of teachers (Haberman, 1989,1995; Lukas, 2011) and professional life phases (Day, 2012) led us to assumption, that the perception of vocational teacher collaboration to the improvement of the pedagogical process is different in the length of teaching practice. These assumptions directed us to the following research questions:

RQ1: How do vocational teachers evaluate the collaboration between themselves and with the school management to improve the quality of the educational process in 2016/2017 and in 2022/2023?

RQ2: How do vocational teachers evaluate the expression of disapproval of the steps taken by the management and fellow teachers in 2016/2017 and in 2022/2023?

RO3: How do vocational teachers perceive the suggestions from students to the improvement of the educational process in 2016/2017 and in 2022/2023?

RQ4: In which professional life phase (Day, 2012) do vocational teachers best evaluate the collaboration between themselves and with the school management to improve the quality of the pedagogical process?

RQ5. At what professional life phase (Day, 2012) do vocational teachers perceive positively the suggestions from the students to improve the quality of the pedagogical process?

In the field of educational research, it is widely accepted that trust constitutes one of the key drivers of policy reform, teacher professionalism and innovation in teaching (e.g., Van Maele & Houtte, 2014). In a recently published collective volume by Ehren and Baxter (2021a) on global perspectives in comparative education, trust is conceptualised as one of the three building blocks of education system reform, along with accountability and capacity. The authors argue that trust ‘underpins the nature of teachers’ work, while it also acts as a lubricant for effective collaboration and relations in a school context’ (Ehren & Baxter, 2021b, p. 11). In addition, they mention that the professionalisation of teachers and the consideration of the individual needs of the students require ‘a degree of trust in teachers’. This is also applicable to the vocational education and training (VET) sector. For example, Avis (2003, p. 320) emphasises that ‘high trust relations could set the context in which innovative practices develop’ in VET. In order to implement such trust relations, however, a ‘re-formed teacher professionalism’ would be necessary, which grants teachers more autonomy and freedom of action than in the prevailing ‘performative culture’. Likewise, O’Leary (2013, p. 711) calls for ‘a greater degree of autonomy and trust’ to VET teachers to enhance professional development.

This paper aims to show how dis/trust-building processes are shaped by ongoing standards-based education reforms, affecting VET teacher professionalism and subjectivity. Internationally, VET reforms often focus on producing ‘work-ready’ human capital and generating economic progress (Atkins, 2017). The dominance of neoliberal logics in policy-making has implications for the way in which the value and purpose of VET is conceptualised. Increased standardisation, control, and performance management create a rather instrumentalist and regulatory environment that arguably neglects conversations about what is educationally desirable (Biesta, 2009). This may affect the professional self-understanding of teachers, whose capacity to take pedagogical risks is constrained. It raises questions about the creation and maintenance of professional trust, where embracing vulnerability is central to coping with complexity and uncertainty.

So far, little is known about the ways to which current reforms (re)produce trust or distrust towards VET teachers and what impact these changes have on teachers’ professional self-understandings (Donovan, 2019). We therefore seek to explore VET teachers’ experiences of being trusted within educational policy frameworks by addressing the research questions of how current standards-based reforms create a culture of dis/trust in VET and what impact this has on teacher professionalism. Drawing on Niklas Luhmann’s (2017) seminal work on system trust, we propose a distinct perspective for examining teacher professionalism in VET. Luhmann (2017, p. 9) characterises trust and distrust as a process of ‘complexity reduction’ in an environment of uncertainty. Trust refers to the capacity to accept the vulnerability associated with placing confidence in others (Möllering, 2006), enabling freedom of action and tolerating ambiguity. Distrust, on the other hand, is based on ‘negative expectations’ (Skinner et al., 2014, p. 208) of others and aims to avoid uncertainty by setting strict boundaries for acceptable behaviour. The conditions for trust are situated at ‘symbolic thresholds’ (Kroeger, 2019, p. 119); if these are too narrowly defined, it can lead to the evolution of distrust and a ‘crisis of trust’ (Möllering, 2013, p. 299). In this paper, the theory of system trust is used as a fruitful conceptual tool for exploring how educational policy creates thresholds of trust and thus sets the conditions for professional recognition within VET. It allows for an analysis of the ways in which standards-based reforms promote a culture of dis/trust and thereby shape teachers’ self-conceptions.

Public health and life skills in schools can have multiple focuses. On one hand, public health and life skills may involve what students should learn about topics related to public health and life skills within academic subjects. On the other hand, it refers to the school's role in promoting students' health and their ability to navigate their own lives through inclusion, tailored education, conducive learning environments, and student-teacher relationships, among other factors (Uthus, M. 2020). This article addresses life skills from a broad perspective, where students have oriented their development projects towards academic subjects, personal plans, and the mastery of both school life and personal lives.

The article investigates the experiences students have with the theme of life skills in schools and how Vocational Education Development Work has contributed to changing practices in their own teaching. The overarching goal was to follow students in their projects with a focus on life skills in vocational education. In this context, the students are 17 teachers at a secondary school in Viken, instructing in three different program areas: health and social care, electrical and data technology, and technology and industrial studies.

The research question is: How do teachers implement the theme of life skills in vocational education through Vocational Pedagogical Development Work?

This is a subproject within the action research project; LUSY (LUSY: Teacher training schools and teacher education enterprises in Vocational Teacher Education). The theoretical foundation of LUSY adopts a pragmatic and critical perspective on learning, education, and research, as reflected in this article, supplemented with perspectives related to life skills. As authors, we conducted research with teachers on how teachers, as students in the Vocational Pedagogical Development Work program, have implemented the theme of life skills in their projects. The purpose of this project is to develop their own practices within the theme of life skills.

Action research is about a critical and self-critical process that can lead to changes individually and collectively within an organization. This involves a change in what we do, in how we think, how we express ourselves, and a change in how we relate to others and the circumstances around us (Kemmis, 2009).

The action research process consisted of various cycles with the goal of implementing life skills in education to develop individual practices. These cycles included gatherings at the teachers' own school. We conducted dialogue-based teaching and guidance tailored to the participants' needs with their various development projects. We implemented surveys to assess, two assignments were presented collectively in the group; contributing to shared reflections. As researchers, we kept logs of each session with our reflections on the process. Finally, there was a written and oral examination.

In all phases of planning, implementing, and reflecting on the development projects, action group participants have been involved through collaboration and dialogue (Kemmis, 2009).

Developing within a professional community involves collectively generating new thoughts and actualizing and experimenting with ideas in collaboration with others. This theory is referred to as the socio-cultural learning theory, where learning and development are seen as a dialectical process (Säljö, 2021, p.111).

In organizational learning, the theory of Peter M. Senge (1990) is often highlighted. This is a appreciative theory with a focus on how organizations can evolve over time. The attention to this theme and the practical challenges within organizational learning have earned this theory recognition in research in the field (Eikeland, 2022, p. 133).

The aim of this paper is to understand the ‘theory of change’ underlying interventions of development agencies and donors to support vocational education and training (VET) and skills development, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The idea of a ‘theory of change’ is increasingly central to evaluative work, and offers a way of considering the policy/research interface. The first aim is to understand the extent to which, and ways in which, donors and development agencies support vocationalizing education and favour VET as an educational intervention. The second is to interrogate what problem they think VET is the answer to and how they believe that VET solves that problem (their theory of change). The term VET here is used to include formal vocational education and training programmes as well as other skills and work-readiness interventions.

In the research literature, skills and vocational education interventions seem to be under-theorized in low- and middle-income countries. There are two main theoretical approaches in the literature. The first starts from individuals, and is dominated by human capital theory. Human capital theory assumes that providing individuals with knowledge and skills makes them more productive, helping them to secure or improve their employment status or income generation capacity, and in turn making firms and organizations more productive, leading to increasing national prosperity and well-being (Becker 1993; Schultz 1961). The second approach is relational: it looks at skill formation as a factor in complex economic and social systems which shape and are shaped by the nature of skills (Busemeyer and Trampusch 2012; Martin 2017; Oliver, Yu, and Buchanan 2019; Thelen 2004). The most well-developed mid-level theory in this regard is Varieties of Capitalism. This theory has been influential because it showed that interactions between firms in five key spheres (industrial relations, skills, corporate governance, inter-firm relations, and employee relations) tend to cluster in patterns of institutional complementarities, which lead to and depend on either, on the one hand, strong apprenticeship-based vocational education systems or, on the other hand, weak vocational education systems and strong mass higher education systems (Hall and Soskice 2001). This was the starting point of a body of research looking systemically at skill formation systems. But Varieties of Capitalism is of little value in understanding LMICs. Its firm-centric starting point reduces its purchase in contexts of high levels of informality and unemployment and low levels of industrialization; and its focus on national patterns is very limited for countries that have less control over their national economies. There are attempts to understand skill formation systems in LMICs (Ashton et al. 2002; Maurer 2012; Sancak 2022; Bogliaccini and Madariaga 2020; Allais 2022), but there are no well-developed alternative relational theories for the nature of skill formation in these countries. This absence appears to lead to a default reversion to an implicit HCT approach in the skills interventions in LMICs.

Both of these theoretical approaches intersect with debates about development: here a key shift has been away from a focus on economic growth only to a focus on a range of social development indicators or a focus on what individuals value and therefore aspire to do (capabilities literature). But shift in how we measure and value development does not necessarily imply different paths to development, or indeed engaging with debates about paths to development. And at times they have led to palliative approaches to development which focus on a set of outcomes without any engagement with how change takes place and the imperative to address the nature and structure of economies (Reinert 2006).

Young people experience several transition points during their educational journey before securing a job. These include among others school-to-college, school-to-university, school-to-work transitions. It is therefore very important that they make an informed decision that is best suited to their interests, ability and career ambitions. Hence impartial information, advice and guidance (IAG) in relation to their post-16 choices is essential (Fuller and MacFadyen, 2012). Some young people have a more linear progression to university taking a general route, while others might enter and exit various programmes before they find a suitable course. Vocational routes and ways into further education colleges are often considered complex and unstable, and are impacted by frequent policy reforms (Hupkau,et al., 2017). In England, about 50 percent of young people do not pursue university studies, but mostly engage with vocational training. In March 2023, there were also about 11 percent of young people who were not in education, employment or training (NEET). The combination of the maze of the vocational education and training (VET) system, and the proportion of young people taking a VET path makes information, advice and guidance and generally holistic support of young people a must (Maragkou, 2020). To ensure successful and smooth transitions for all young people and to help them make an informed decision about their future, Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) can play a decisive role. IAG should not only entail information about opportunities in relation to education and training, but IAG of high quality also should be based on, and linked to labour market intelligence (LMI). In an ideal world career advisors would encompass and draw on all this information, and make it available in a tailored, selective manner when advising young people. As recommended by Barnes and Bimrose (2021), among other things there is a clear need to improve LMI in relation to VET: it has to be simplified, it has to be relevant for young people, and it has to be built into the preparation and continuing professional development of ‘intermediaries’ (teachers and career practitioner). Broadly, this is what we plan to unpack in this paper.

This paper draws on findings from a 5-year Economic and Social Research Council funded project, Young Lives, Young Futures which is investigating how England’s vocational education and training (VET) system can better support the school-to-work transitions of the 50 per cent of young people who do not go to university. Specifically, it draws on insights into CEIAG provided by interviews and discussions with researchers, practitioners and policy makers from six European countries, France, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland, which are being undertaken to help inform evaluative readings of transition processes and systems in England in the light of lessons from other national contexts. All these countries have developed industrial and post-industrial economies and have well-established VET systems. However, they vary in terms of their economic and welfare systems and ideologies, involvement of social partners, approaches to VET provision, careers education, information and guidance, and rates of youth unemployment.

We aimed to answer the following question: How do the guidance systems in the chosen countries help young people make school-to-work, school-to-VET and VET-to-work transitions?

Networks hold a meeting during ECER. All interested are welcome.

Teaching in and with democracy (Stray & Sætra, 2017) can be seen as an example of the balance between theory and practice since it is addressed in some general subjects; it is an educational obligation to educate democratic citizens, and stakeholders expect the future labour force to be able to take part in vocational decisions and discussions (Nylund, Ledman, Rosvall & Rönnlund, 2020). However, there is limited knowledge about how this can be done in VET, but the IEA, International Civic and Citizenship Education Study shows the need to focus on pupils at VET (Bruun & Lieberkind, 2023).

Challenges to teaching democracy can be found in the structure of VET as an alternating education (Akkerman & Bakker, 2012), the division into general subjects and vocational subjects, and in the multiple perspectives in the Danish Vocational Education and Training Act (Ministry of Children and education, 2023). Danish VET is a youth education aiming for pupils' “interest in and ability to actively participate in a democratic society”; it must give a “foundation for future working life” and “meet the labour markets needs for vocational and general qualifications”. This research addresses teachers´ pedagogical choices in such balances between general and vocational perspectives teaching democracy based on the quotation from the law.

Internationally, some countries have a policy and interpretation of the pedagogical approach to democracy and research tradition (Stray & Sætra, 2017). However, in Denmark, research and discussions about democracy are found in public schools and the gymnasium, but they are still new at VET, and few policy documents are found (Duch & Skov, 2023). Furthermore, the colleges and the training have different approaches to and understanding of democracy (Duch, 2023). The paper aims to contribute to democracy in VET by addressing the pedagogy. The research question is how teachers' pedagogy of democracy is based on the formulations in the law.

The theoretical framework is Bernstein's notion of recontextualisation. The pedagogic device has “internal rules which regulate the pedagogic communication which the device makes possible” (Bernstein, 2000, p. 27). Recontextualisation takes place at different levels since “there are an official recontextualising field (ORF) created and dominated by the state and its selected agents and ministries, and a pedagogical extualising field (PRF). The latter consists of pedagogues in schools and colleges, and departments of education” (Bernstein, 2000, p. 33). The PRF can have more or less autonomy. Since there are only weak formulations from the ORF about democracy, the regulations are indirect and related to the structure of VET and the subjects. Hence, it is assumed that the teachers pedagogise democracy based on their understanding of framing and classifications. “Classification refers to what, framing is concerned with how meanings are to be put together, the forms by which they are to be made public, and the nature of the social relationships that go with it” (Bernstein, 2000 p 12). In the analysis Illeris´ (2006) model for learning and working patterns are used to observe and operationalise the framing. Solhaug’s (2021) characteristics of different understandings of democracy are used to operationalise the classification. Furthermore, the division of the general and the vocational aspects of democracy are part of this classification.

The findings contribute to didactic discussions at VET (Gessler & Herrera, 2015), democracy from the perspective of other agendas at VET (Nylund, Ledman, Rosvall & Rönnlund, 2020), and teacher training.

Introduction
The study relates to two projects carried out by teachers at vocational education and training in collaboration with OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Department of Vocational Teacher Education (YLU). Both projects were carried out and completed as examinations in the postgraduate study program Vocational pedagogical development work at own workplace (15 credits), as part of an RCN-funded project LUSY (Teacher training schools and teacher training companies in vocational teacher education), led by colleagues at YLU.

Both projects test writing templates in specific genres to develop students' skills in writing professional relevant texts. The use of writing templates indicates explicit training in genre writing that through various actions, in the form of action research approaches (Hiim, 2010), is adapted to the specific requirements of texts and to students with inadequate writing skills. The research question for this studyt is: How to develop students' competence in genre writing relevant for learning and working life?

Purpose
Both projects have as their overall goal to develop students' general writing skills, and more specifically to develop skills in writing texts that are relevant to students' learning, for their motivation for writing and for students' future professional tasks. Common to both projects is, firstly, to integrate writing in vocational training, and secondly, to give students explicit strategies in writing text. However, the two projects have different approaches and academic foundations.

One project (Project 1) deals with log writing specifically aimed at bilingual pupils as an interdisciplinary collaboration between Norwegian subject and vocational subjects/program in technological and mechanical subjects. The goal of this project is to integrate writing instruction into the program subjects, where Norwegian as second language (SNO) is realized as part of the program subjects and to increase students' motivation for writing and develop students' competence in using precise terminology. The teachers have developed a template consisting of various content elements expressed with different key words or headlines relevant to students working tasks. Furthermore, teachers have implemented sentence starters to guide students on relevant writing. This project was carried out in six classes with a total of about 65 students. The second project (Project 2) deals with documentation in the form of report writing in health work, Health and childhood-program. The teachers have developed a template for the health science report, which consists of five content elements, all of which will ensure focused and objective reporting on patients' health status. This template was developed on basis of teachers' own experiences as former nurses. The project was carried out in three multicultural classes with a sample of 12 students in total who participated in the trial. The goal of this project was to increase students' competence in writing health science reports that working life requires with emphasis on patient safety and quality.

Objective, conceptual or theoretical framework
The main theoretical perspective of this study will be linked to writing i.e. literacy integrated in all subjects which is a part of curriculum overall in Norwegian primary and secondary education. Furthermore, and more specific, the study investigates how learning to write can increase writing competence of students with shortages in writing skills by explicit genre teaching. Theoretical basis, analysis and results relates to genre pedagogy and functional writing training in a sociocultural perspective (Berge, 2001; Halliday, 1998; Dahlström, & Gannå, 2019). Key theoretical concepts in the study such as genre, vocational didactics (Hiim, 2001) and writing competence (Barton, 2007) will be discussed.

Illicit drug addiction stands as a pressing concern affecting millions across the European Union (EU) and worldwide. The European Drug Report 2023 highlights that approximately 83 million adults in the EU, constituting 28.9% of the adult population, have experimented with illicit drugs at least once in their lifetimes. Drug addiction is a sensible issue that demands a comprehensive approach encompassing prevention, treatment, and professional capacity building. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) emphasizes the need to enhance the professionalism of the drug prevention workforce across Europe. This imperative is also underscored in the EU Drugs Action Plan (2021-2025), which aims to mitigate the proliferation of drug use within EU Member States. Nevertheless, numerous challenges persist, including inadequate curricula on addiction medicine and vocational education and training (VET) programmes and a shortage of trained professionals.

While it is widely recognized that VET plays a crucial role in equipping the general workforce with practical skills and knowledge (Brockmann, Clarke & Winch, 2008), its application and effectiveness vary from country to country, and this variability extends to the work developed with individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). Across diverse healthcare systems, there has been a resounding call to enlarge local, non-stigmatizing services to meet better the needs of individuals grappling with substance use disorders (Triliva et al., 2020). This encompasses information dissemination, service organization, staff attitudes, significant others' involvement, and personal disposition (Gilchrist et al., 2014). Several studies have emphasized the imperative of enhancing psychosocial interventions and customizing them to cater to diverse risk groups (Molina et al., 2020; Schäfer et al., 2023), but methodological challenges persist considering the psychosocial treatments for substance misuse (Luty, 2015; Hunt et al., 2019; Sulaman, Hartley & Elvins, 2023). Healthcare workers frequently report feeling ill-equipped to address the complex needs of SUDs, exacerbating the stigma surrounding drug addiction. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified deficits in global training programmes for SUDs, emphasizing the imperative of building workforce capacity to achieve sustainable development goals related to health and well-being (SDG 3). Moreover, the prevalent stigma associated with drug addiction delays prevention and treatment efforts, hindering access to care for affected individuals. COVID-19 has further exposed vulnerabilities in the EU healthcare system, particularly in addressing the comorbidities of SUDs among patients.

To address these challenges, the CARE4SUD project “Vocational training in illicit drug addiction: equipping health care practitioners with addiction treatment competencies and techniques” (2022-1-LT01-KA220-VET-000086077) emerges as an important initiative. Developed by Klaipėdos Ernesto Galvanausko Profesinio Mokymo Centras (Lithuania) in partnership with Inštitut za raziskave in razvoj Utrip (Slovenia), Sosu Ostjylland (Denmark), University do Porto (CIIE/FPCEUP, Portugal), Direcția de Asistență Socială și Medicală Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Institute of Social Solidarity and Wellbeing: Social Mind (Greece), this project aims to enhance the professionalism of healthcare practitioners in the field of illicit drug addiction, both nationally and across Europe. The target participants of the CARE4SUD project include healthcare practitioners in the primary health sector, addiction professionals, VET educators, and policymakers. By empowering healthcare practitioners with the essential knowledge and skills, CARE4SUD aims to improve the standard of care provided to individuals with illicit drug addiction by creating a VET programme. Drawing upon evidence-based practices and collaborative partnerships (Mulder, 2017), this programme seeks to bridge existing professional training and service delivery gaps, ultimately striving for improved health outcomes and social well-being within affected communities. Through a holistic approach informed by research, the CARE4SUD project aims to promote a more inclusive and competent healthcare workforce capable of effectively addressing the complexities of illicit drug addiction in contemporary society.

Previous research on the so called “educational expansion” has focused primarily on the expansion of general and higher education from the 1960s onwards. This development is associated with an increase in skilled workers and greater equality of opportunity in access to higher education (Hadjar & Becker 2006; Criblez 2001). Our (historical) perception of this “educational expansion” is thus based relatively one-sidedly on the development of the general education part of the education system. While an “expansive phase” of vocational education and training (VET) has been identified in the sense of an institutional differentiation also from the 1960s onwards (see, Gonon & Hägi 2019; Lundgreen & Schneunemann 2008), this raises the question of the role of VET in the overall picture of educational expansion, which is particularly important for education systems that have historically made a strong distinction between general and vocational education, as is the case of Germany, Switzerland and others.

From a sociological perspective, the focus on VET lies in its possible “distraction effect” from higher education through the relative importance of VET in an overall education system context (Becker & Zangger 2013, p. 428). VET is therefore not described as an enabling factor for general educational expansion, but rather as a limiting or even a hindering one. This recognises that VET and general education have influenced each other in their development ­– through mutual competition for high-achieving students, through system differentiation-induced growth, and through the expansion of higher professional education (Criblez 2002).

In our presentation, we argue that “educational expansion” was preceded by an expansion of VET, which created the conditions for the expansion of general education. We elaborate on this by focusing on the case of Switzerland, where a comprehensive dual VET system has been established within the period under study. Using quantitative data from the Swiss federal government's apprenticeship contract statistics, which have been systematically produced since the late interwar period, this presentation focuses on the role of the expansion of dual VET since the 1940s. This development of VET has hardly been taken into account so far.

The data allow a description of the growth of VET in a differentiated manner, especially in terms of reginal, sectoral and gender-specific variations. In particular, we look at the development of participation in VET as well as the growth and composition of the supply of apprenticeship occupations. Within the framework of this development, not only the foundations for the establishment of a strong VET system in Switzerland, but also the adaptability and changeability of VET in a context of a shortage of skilled workers are reflected in this study.

Research question:

How can the educational expansion be described as a consequence of the establishment and consolidation of a VET system?

By using this approach, we will show, that the VET system in Switzerland has initially developed as a reaction to social, economic, or technical challenges since the 1930s. Because of this development, not only the foundations for the establishment of a strong VET system in Switzerland were laid, which is characterized by a systemic adaptability in a context of a shortage of skilled workers until today. It also made the development of general education possible in the first place, which is still equated with educational expansion today.

Based on data collected during six months of anthropological fieldwork, primarily in two professional restaurant kitchens, this presentation seeks to explore the notions of bildung and some forms of social aspects of education and personal development among apprentice chefs in a professional kitchen, as they undertake professional chef’s training.

The presentation is a part of the publication strategy in the two-year Frascati-funded research project titled "Heard that, Chef!" conducted at the VIA Research Centre for Pedagogy and Education at VIA University College, Denmark through the years 2022-2023.

Throughout this project, I engaged in anthropological fieldwork as an engaged, at times full participating anthropologist, while also undertaking the role of a novice apprentice chef, fulfilling the duties and responsibilities expected of a newcomer to the culinary apprenticeship context. My dual roles were of course announced and fully beknown to everyone I was with during the fieldwork.

An earlier publication from the project (Frostholm, 2023), shows that as well as the practical craftmanship behind doing chef’s work, the newcomer apprentice chefs in the kitchens must also be socialised into the social fields of a professional kitchen. Or as John, a highly experienced and awarded chef at the culinary schools puts it:

“Apprenticeship training is about passing on a culture. It can be rather frustrating for some students. Here they go from being boys to becoming adults, as they arrive at school Monday morning. It’s all about: how are you a chef?”

To me, the talk of passing on a culture, and this seeming transition, from boyhood towards adulthood more than hints at a series of analyses on the notions of bildung, that seems at both times highly present and unspoken of within the everyday practices of the young apprentice chefs. With this presentation, I aim to shed some light on exactly that, through close-up registrations and thoroughly written through observations from the empirical data set of the project.

The overall research question is:

How do notions of Bildung appear within in the everyday practice of apprentice chefs in professional kitchen settings?

Theoretical framework:

The main theoretical inspiration of the idea of bildung, I find within the works of Danish scholar Lene Tanggaard, as she claims that, bildung impacts us in ways that imprint upon our existence – hence, it pertains to the entirety of an individual, as it encapsulates what holds significance to us throughout our lives. By grounding schools and educational systems in the principles of bildung, students are afforded the chance to mold the world autonomously (Tanggaard, 2021). To me, the impact of bildung that Tanggaard speaks abouts, is what comes of being exposed and influenced to all kinds of cultural and social interventions – as for example being undertaking professional training or partaking in educational practices. It the notions, belief-systems, ideas and thoughts – apparent as somewhat hidden from the individual itself, that will form the very thinking and the very actions of the person. As Tanggaard puts it: Bildung can be seen as a spark, and when it occurs, it ignites our thinking, our language, our body, our life, and ascribes meaning to it (Tanggaard, 2021). In that way bildung encompasses the entirety of an individual, involving self-awareness within the context of others and a larger framework. The concept of bildung arises from the unique experiences that shape our being. Bildung involves the discovery of the unknown and the realization of its significance. Certain interactions with more experienced chefs towards novice apprentices will undoubtedly resonate and hold to values, which I, with inspiration from Tanggaard, claim could be called bildung (Tanggaard, 2021).

Each vocation has a set of tools that are needed in performing the work. Some of the tools are physical, like wrenches, drills, and hammers in the technical vocations, and whisks, knives, and various kitchen utensils within the hotel, restaurant and catering vocations. All vocations use machines and tools of different kinds, and a skilled worker knows how to handle and use them, how and where to keep them, and what kind of service they need and when (Lindberg, 2003). Some tools are physical and other tools are non-physical and the use of the senses is a knowledge that is relevant in several professions. While the chef must be able to taste, it is required that other senses are used in other professions. In several professions, the sense of smell is central, for example when healthcare workers assess the state of health or the need for care. How students develop vocational knowledge is a rather under-researched topic in the context of vocational education and training. Vocational knowledge is perceived as the kind of knowledge required to perform in occupational practice (Heusdens, Baartman & Bruijn, 2019). The use of senses as a part of vocational knowledge has received little attention in previous research.

In this study, we investigate how students, apprentices and newly qualified professionals identify current senses they use in their profession and their experiences of how such senses have been developed. The aim is to identify some of the tacit knowledge that can contribute to improving vocational training with a more proven focus on sensory development. The informants represent the cooking profession, the skin care profession and the healthcare profession and have been observed and interviewed about their own development of the profession-specific senses. We have particularly looked at the use of taste and smell in the cooking profession, the use of massage pressure and the aesthetic look in the skin care profession and the development of the clinical gaze (smell, look and touch) in the health worker profession.

Sensing, through taste, smell, touch, sound, are all different forms of perception, and they all represent an embodied knowledge experienced through sensations. This is a tacit form of knowledge (Kollbotn, 2007). This study's theoretical grounding is based on Polanyi's (1983) perspective, where tacit knowledge implies that humans know more than what can be communicated verbally. “Tacit knowledge is knowledge that is not explicated” (Collins, 2010, p. 1). The fact that the knowledge is tacit does not mean that the knowledge cannot be explained or expressed linguistically. Tacit knowledge is not impossible to learn or communicate (Polanyi, 1983). Polanyi (1983) describes that there is knowledge that when it is embodied in a person, and when this embodiment has taken place, then the knowledge is silent. Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste are embodied practices used in different vocational practices.

The research question for this project is therefore “How do young workers use their senses in professional practice and how do they experience the development of senses as a vocational knowledge?”

Singapore has been recognised as a high performing education system that other countries are very keen to learn from. However, scholars have noted how meritocracy measured by academic achievement has become the main key to (material) success in the Singaporean society which has traditionally valued efficiency, quantifiable performance (appraisals) and productivity (e.g. Chong 2014). This leaves a narrow space for individuals to negotiate their individual sense of becoming successful adults.

There are attempts to broaden the conceptions of success. In August 2021, Singapore’s Education Minister Chan Chun Sing exhorted Singapore educators and parents to broaden their definition of success beyond academic goals (Low, 2021; Wong, 2021). He also commented on the need to take care of segments of the population that may not be involved in high-growth sectors. Earlier in May 2021, now Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat noted that the traditional 5Cs of the Singapore dream - cash, car, credit card, condominium, and country club membership - no longer resonate with the youth of today, suggesting a shift in cultural values and aspirations (Lai, 2021) Yet, the education pathways are to a good extent still determined by educational success and exam results as early as after primary school with the Primary School Leaving Examination results (PSLE). The academic/vocational divide in Singapore also remains with the strong hierarchy of knowledge and skills unchallenged.

In this paper, we will examine the nuances of the education agenda for vocational youths as they transited from school to work and into adulthood. These youths were graduates of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), the post-secondary vocational institution in Singapore, that is often not seen as a school of choice given its relative positioning in the Singapore education system. With most of them in their mid careers, investigating the narratives of their life trajectory, looking at their sense-making over their aspirations, choices and challenges, would shed light on the meanings they accord to success as they navigate the educational system, work and stigma.

Drawing on the constructivist paradigm, this study aims to respond to the following guiding questions: What are their subjective experiences of education, work and transitioning into adulthood? What life lessons do they hold dear and meaningful navigating their subjectivity? Class, status and politics of recognition assign privilege or injury depending on the economic structure and the cultural status order prevailing in society (see Fraser, 2007). In Singapore, academic knowledge has power, yet, as this study showcases, knowledge of power becomes visible for those with less status but who might build wisdom through experiences and struggles.

The data was collected through a modified Biographical Narrative Interpretive Method (BNIM). Focusing on those who have graduated between 1993 to 2005, we further explored the meaning of knowledge and wisdom as constructed through their experiences of navigating choices and expectations. This study has implications for redefining the purpose of education, and rethinking the role of vocational pathways and education success in Singapore.

Reflection plays a crucial role in career planning by helping to integrate and change different perspectives. We refer to the theory of transformative learning (TL) (Mezirow, 2009). TL aims to develop alternative realities based on an individual examination of the social environment. This allows people to design their career perspective (Savickas et al., 2009). Whether we can support reflection and TL in career planning with digital tools on the lower secondary level in a school context is an open question we address in our project www.digibe.ch.

For years, we have found that the choices of young people in the transition from school to work are rather predictable. Girls with good grades have a higher chance to go to general education, boys to a demanding technical apprenticeship. For girls, jobs in the health sector are seemingly more attractive than for boys, whereas boys are more inclined towards skilled trades.

So, we need to discuss the role of teachers in career education and the motivation and engagement of students in relation to their career planning. It is also the question whether career guidance at the lower secondary level should aim at solving the problem to find a follow-up solution (counselling) or to induce reflection and critical thinking (career education) (Guichard, 2022). In the Swiss context, the momentum is more on counselling than education.

Adolescence is a period in which students can make decisions about their career paths that may have a long-term impact on their futures (Mann et al, 2020). Students’ expectations of their intended career can have an influence on both the subjects’ they choose to study, and how they view their progression in education (Givord et al, 2020). Parental influences have long been acknowledged as being instrumental in shaping adolescents’ view of themselves, and what they wish to do for a future career (Oliveira et al, 2020). Therefore, examining the impact of parental factors is of key importance for informing career development programmes within education systems. International large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, enable researchers to examine both the career expectations of students in Ireland, and the potential effects that parental factors on these expectations at a national level. This is of particular importance considering the Covid-19 pandemic. Students were not only exposed to remote/at home learning (with their parent’s support) for a large duration of their schooling, but they were also able to see the strains that the pandemic had on several career sectors e.g. in the health sector and in education.

Due to the cyclical nature of the PISA assessments, which are administered every three years (2015, 2018 and 2022), the most recent cycles provide a key opportunity to examine how the career expectations of 15- and 16-year-olds in Ireland have changed in recent years. This research will also examine if students intended career level matches that of their parents or potentially exceeds it, and whether parents own education, and occupations, have any effect on how pupils envision their own careers. Finally, the analysis will examine the level of support provided at home by parents, by career choice, and note if the level of support differs by students’ career choice.

In recent decades, the Irish education system has undergone a transformative shift with the emergence of progression pathways from Further Education and Training (FET) to Higher Education (HE). Echoing the conference theme, ‘Education in an Age of Uncertainty: Memory and Hope for the Future’ and fuelled by historical developments in European lifelong learning policy, the permeability between FET and HE plays a crucial role in enhancing accessibility within the tertiary Irish education sector (O’Sullivan, 2021). Additionally, permeable education systems not only facilitate lifelong learning but also heighten the appeal of Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes (CEDEFOP, 2012). From a European perspective, the intertwining of pathways between VET and HE has been a focal point in policy and legislative development, particularly in countries with well-established VET systems like Germany, France, and Denmark (CEDEFOP, 2019).

This paper delves into the evolution of vertical permeability from FET Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) provision to Higher Education undergraduate programmes within the Irish education system. The research explores the impact of increased permeability on the learner experience in the Irish tertiary sector. Additionally, it provides a comparative lens on European trends in VET to Higher Education progression, with specific attention to systems in Sweden and Germany.

At the core of facilitating permeable education systems lies the development of the European and National Frameworks of Qualifications (O’Sullivan, 2021; QQI, 2020). Over the past two decades, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) have offered a structured approach to comparing different learning levels across national and European systems (EC, 2018). This research's parameters explore developments in vertical pathways between NFQ levels 5, 6, and 8 (EQF 4,5 & 6).

In Ireland, not all Higher Education programmes provide entry routes for learners with a Post Leaving Certificate qualification (O’Sullivan, 2021). Historically, FET to HE access relied mainly on local agreements and individual course-by-course arrangements (Rami et al., 2016) between FET Programme providers and HE Institutions. Recent advancements, however, have witnessed Higher

Education institutions, including Dublin City University, embracing non-program-specific PLC qualifications at (Irish) NFQ levels 5 and 6 (EQF 4 & 5) as the basis for entry into a significant number of undergraduate degree programmes. Legislative changes in Sweden and Germany have significantly increased vertical permeability pathways between VET and Higher Education, allowing learners from both countries to access higher education programmes with post-secondary VET qualifications (CEDEFOP, 2022; CEDEFOP, 2017).

For some years now, there have been calls for enlarging the domain of apprenticeships, a device which has been historically aimed at supporting the school-to-work transition of young people, in the direction of raising the age limits for access and include as beneficiaries the entire adult population in working age (Cedefop, 2018). Among the most recent steps, the Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a European framework for effective and quality apprenticeships highlights that they may facilitate adults' professional development and transition to a (new) job and the Recommendation on Quality Apprenticeships, recently approved by the ILO, underlines the importance of promoting skills development opportunities addressed to adults to respond to needs that may arise in relation to the search for a new job and/or the willingness to improve their knowledge and skillset.

So far, Italy has taken timid steps in the direction of promoting an expansion of apprenticeships to adults by extending its well-known and most used form of apprenticeship - the so-called “professionalizing” one - to people who have lost their jobs; however, this enlargement has not yet found fertile ground for development and adequate numbers of beneficiaries. Hence, a research question has been formulated on which elements can promote the success of an apprenticeship towards the adult population, which may be also attractive to businesses.

With the aim of understanding which elements can be identified as "enabling factors" that support the growth of an apprenticeship scheme for adults, a comparative study was launched in 2023 for analyzing different schemes of European countries’ dual systems allowing access to adults. Building on the study carried out by the ILO (2022), which clustered all countries (in Europe and beyond) where apprenticeship schemes open to the participation of adults are in place into three groups, by differentiating them on the share of the over-25 participants, those to be involved in the comparative analysis have been chosen, picking at least one from each sub-group. Hence, the following countries have been selected for the study: Switzerland, Denmark, England, Finland. In all these countries, apprenticeships allow free access from adults, whether unemployed or employed, regardless of their educational level or already acquired qualifications. And in all these countries the share of adults has been growing in recent years compared to the total number of apprentices.

The study takes the start by examining how the different countries have realized the enlargement of beneficiaries of apprenticeships to adults, investigating the regulations, measures and initiatives that support this extension, and then examining the results in terms of participation. The in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of these schemes, as emerges from the output of the monitoring and evaluation activities carried out at national level, in addition to what is discussed in the relevant scientific literature, allows us to draw useful elements for identifying those that can be defined as the "enabling factors" for promoting the participation of adults to apprenticeships. The study is still ongoing, until the end of the year, and we are pleased to share and discuss the results achieved so far.

Orienting vocational education and training (VET) towards lifelong learning and developing procedures for recognising already-acquired skills and competencies (so-called learning outcomes) in formal VET programmes are important objectives of the confederation and the cantons in Switzerland. In line with the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (Cedefop, EU Commission 2002), non-formally and informally acquired competencies, such as further training and work experience, should also be given greater consideration. Recognition of prior learning (RPL) should facilitate social and economic integration and enable individuals to get higher qualifications. At the same time, RPL should improve the education system and thus alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. It is generally assumed that recognising competencies should be easier to achieve in VET, with its practice-oriented training system, than in the general (higher) education sector. In Switzerland, RPL practices have so far only been established, documented, and researched in basic VET at the upper secondary level (Maurer 2019, SERI, 2018). At the level of higher professional education and training, which is aimed at people who already have professional experience, and in particular at Professional Education Institutions (PEI), the educational organisations have a great deal of room for manoeuvre, with little transparency regarding RPL practices. This article builds on the results of a national study commissioned by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI, which found that already-acquired learning outcomes are not recognised in around half of the PEI programmes examined (Salzmann et al. 2022). This can be partly explained by the personal pedagogical convictions of so-called gatekeepers, who make RPL decisions and in the underlying didactic concepts of the programmes (Baumeler et al. 2023). This article sheds light on possible explanations at the level of educational organisations, which are not the responsibility of individual actors but have to do with the self-image of the organisations and their willingness to use existing leeway defined by external framework conditions. The study aims to understand better the different RPL practices and justifications of PEIs from the perspective of the organisations to better promote RPL in higher professional education and training. We ask how external framework conditions, such as national minimum requirements, framework curricula and regulations on accessing the occupations, hinder or promote RPL and how much leeway there is for PEIs within an occupational field to recognise students’ learning outcomes. We use a model based on the findings of Damm (2018). With the motif of “boundary work,” he analysed who (potential students) and what (learning outcomes) are allowed through the boundary and which lines of reasoning guide the actions. We analyse four cases of PEI programmes that contrast as much as possible in their framework conditions and RPL practices and show the lines of reasoning from the PEI perspective. We assumed that PEIs recognise learning outcomes only strictly when there is little room for manoeuvre and more generous when there is much leeway. However, there are also counterintuitive cases that deviate from this scheme. These PEIs do not recognise learning outcomes, even though there is room for manoeuvre. Other PEIs recognise learning outcomes, although the possibilities are limited by the framework conditions. This raises the follow-up question of what motivates PEIs to deviate from the scheme, i.e., not to utilise the scope or to maximise it.

Skill mismatches and especially skill shortages present significant challenge for the socio-economic development of many EU countries and neighboring developed economies in the conditions of the post-pandemic recovery and degrading global geopolitical situation. Understanding of the nature of skill mismatch and skill shortages in the context of changing labour markets and their implications for labour migration is crucially important in seeking to deal with existing inadequacies by applying skills development, activation and matching, remuneration, changing work conditions and innovations at work (EC, 2020). According to the European Labour Authority (McGrath, 2021) skills shortages in the workforce affect as many as 28 occupations currently employing 14% of the total EU workforce, concerning STEM, healthcare, IT and communication, as well as transport, hospitality, retail, manufacturing and construction. Skill shortages are usually dealt by the labour market stakeholders and policy makers by investing in the development of the local human capital or relying on attracting of the migrant workers. Triandafyllidou (2017) claims that current skills shortages in the EU can be dealt with more effectively by a demand-led approach taking into consideration economic cycles of Member States, different economies and labour markets and long-term socio-demographic processes like ageing of societies, configuration of nuclear families without extended support networks, and participation of women in paid work. McGrath (2021) claims that most employees in shortage occupations in the EU have a medium level of qualification and the possibilities to compensate for skills shortages by employing migrants are limited by the shortage of such workers in origin countries. Despite of growing understanding of the role of immigration in the solution of skills shortages in the EU and neighboring developed countries, applied practices of immigration and integration of migrant workforce raise many issues of sustainability. Employing migrant workers is widely used to solve labour and skills shortages but is often based on short-term economic interests and lacks socio-economic sustainability. European Commission concern over reliance of sectors and enterprises in the EU on low skilled migrant workforce is because this is an unsustainable strategy that worsens the quality of work and life not only for migrants but also for the societies of host countries. Sustainability of international recruitment of migrants involves not only dignity of their work and employment but also development of their human capital by creating a pool of talent to be used also by countries of origin (EC, 2020). The EU New Pact on Migration (European Commission 2020) encourages the establishment of wide skills partnerships in the EU and third countries covering policies of education, economic development, public administration, sectoral development, research, energy, environmental protection and dealing with climate change. This document also stresses the importance of capacity building for VET and integration of returning migrants in both countries of origin and destination.

This workshop seeks to discuss the implications of the skills shortage models of so called destination countries in Europe for the choices of economic stakeholders and policy makers between the investment in the development of local human capital and attracting migrant workforce. There are discussed the following research questions: 1) What are the common and specific features of skill matching and skills shortages in the countries? 2) How are the eventual skill mismatches and shortages regarded and treated by the enterprises, education and training providers and policy makers? 3) Tow what extent and how immigration and attracting foreign workforce is favored as solution of skill matching and shortage problems?

It is based on the research executed in the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 programme project “Skill Partnerships for Sustainable and Just Migration Patterns (Skills4Justice) implemented in 2023-2026.