New Forms of European VET Governance in the Interplay Between the EU-Ropean Labour Market and Vet Policy? A Governance Analysis of the EU-Ropean Taxonomy of Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (Esco)
Authors/Creators
- 1. Federal Institute of Vocational Education and Training, Germany
- 2. University of Bamberg, Germany
Contributors
Editor (3):
- 1. University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland
- 2. IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society , UK
- 3. Bern University of Teacher Education, Switzerland
Description
Abstract
Context: The European Taxonomy of Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) has been developed over the last ten years, in particular with the aim of promoting worker mobility in Europe. With regard to the vocational training systems this raises the question of whether the effects of ESCO will remain limited to labour market mobility or whether the identification of skills needs as well as the definition of occupational skill profiles could also have an impact on the contents of national VET programs. This paper analyses the mechanisms of European governance in the inter-play between European labour market policy and VET policy within the ESCO development and implementation process.
Approach: Methodologically, this paper is based on (1) a document-analysis of European legal acts, resolutions and declarations in the context of the ESCO development and implementation. In order to reconstruct the ESCO governance with the respective roles, tasks and constellations of relevant actors at the national and supranational level, minutes and documents of central European bodies in the ESCO construction process are evaluated in a second step (2). These analyses are complemented by interviews conducted with actors in ESCO construction and ESCO implementation (3).
Findings: Preliminary results show a diverse interweaving of governance forms through binding legal acts, soft legislation and the financial support of implementation programs. On the one hand a rather hierarchical governance through regulations and decisions becomes visible. On the other hand, the coordination process between the European Commission and the member states also includes "soft" forms of coordination through consultation and negotiation.
Conclusion: The findings emphasize on the one hand the project logic of ESCO, on the other, a conflicting logic between education and labour market policy. Initial analyses suggest a greater depth of intervention of European education policy by linking labour market and education policy. In this respect, however, it will be important how and in which manner qualification profiles will be linked to the ESCO occupations and skills. This process has not yet been completed at the present time.