Strengthening Basic Skills in Vocational Education and Training: A Peer-Learning Activity
Around 60 members of the EQAVET (European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training) network and other stakeholders from 24 EU and non-EU countries took part in the EQAVET Peer-Learning Activity (PLA) in early November.
The event was timely and important, given the concerning decline in basic skills across Europe, particularly in literacy, numeracy, and science. This trend affects both VET learners and the workforce, with negative consequences for individuals as well as for society.
Participants exchanged views on the current situation, ongoing challenges, and good practices for teaching basic skills in VET. A further focus was placed on quality assurance and the role of the EQAVET framework.
Monika Auzinger (3s) acted as a thematic expert and, together with Stepan Kment (ICF), delivered the keynote presentation. Representatives from Estonia, Austria, France, and Germany shared country-level examples of how basic skills are integrated into and quality-assured within their respective VET systems.
During group discussions, it became clear that the low levels of basic skills among VET learners are often linked to their prior educational experiences and that providers are frequently ill-equipped to address these gaps. Quality assurance was regarded as a shared responsibility of all stakeholders, and, in particular, the EQAVET reference framework was highlighted as an important tool for promoting basic skills in VET.
Further information can be found here.
A previous Peer-Learning Activity had already addressed quality assurance and stakeholder engagement in the development of micro-credentials.
Contact: Monika Auzinger
