In a total upgrade regarding the Vocational Education and Training the ministry proceeds Education, Religion and Sports. Last Tuesday, Mr Kyriakos Pierrakakis presented to the cabinet the relevant legislative initiative, which comes to complete a key reform that began in the previous four years. Besides, the modernization and strengthening of Vocational Education and Training is a central announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for the overall upgrade of Education.

Speaking to APE-MBE, the Minister of Education, Religion and Sports Kyriakos Pierrakakis stated that “the goal of the new legislative framework is to create a more effective Vocational Education and Training, which will be even closer to the needs of the local economy and society. It is very important that we build on the progress made by my predecessor, Niki Kerameos. We are going to move on three axes: to strengthen the structure of VET, to the orderly operation and effective cooperation of the Laboratory Centers with the educational structures they serve and to the extension to all EPAL of the reform regulations introduced by the EPAL Standards”.

According to information from the Ministry of Education, the draft law that will be submitted to the Hellenic Parliament will be structured in six central pillars of intervention, with the central aim of creating an integrated strategy for Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning.

Particularly:

Vocational Education and Training Centers (VET)

The establishment of K.E.K.E.K. comes to create the appropriate conditions for the development of synergies between all Vocational Education and Training structures and its connection with the labor market and the local economy. In every K.E.K.E.C. will co-exist and interact, maintaining their organic autonomy, Vocational Training Schools (VET), Vocational High Schools (VET) and Vocational Training Institutes (VET), while it will be provided and provided and Post-High School Year – Apprenticeship Class.

The proposed model will encourage collaboration between the different levels, with the aim of optimally responding to the needs of the labor market but also avoiding overlaps between the different levels, which create confusion for students and lead to outflows from the system. The objective of the intervention is the holistic approach to learning, synergies, saving resources, innovation and the diffusion of good practices, strengthening the coupling with the labor market and the local community, with a final benefit for the national economy and, above all, for the students who will choose Vocational Education.

For the establishment of a K.E.K.E.K. at least one education structure, one training structure and one laboratory center (LC) should co-exist in the same area (campus), while emphasis will be placed on additional criteria, such as teaching areas, logistical infrastructure, accessibility for the disabled and proximity to transportation. It is foreseen that based on the existing structures, approximately 60 K.E.K.E.C. (23 cases of complexes with daytime EPA.L., I.E.K. and E.K. and 37 cases of complexes with day/s and evening EPA.L., I.E.K. and E.K. ).

Furthermore, the Professional Development and Career Offices (GEAS) are being upgraded and will be an organic unit of each KEEK, serving all the separate units that make it up, while the staffing will also increase their.

Diffusion of innovations of P.EPA.L Vocational High School Standards

They are generalized to all EPA.L. the special provisions of P.EPA.L.. Thus, from the school year 2024-2025 they will be a rule for all EPA.L. of the country’s institutions and functions such as the Coordinating Committee of the Model Vocational High School, the internship of students, the implementation of new curricula and their harmonization with the needs of the local economy, the creation of virtual or non-virtual businesses.

It goes without saying that the P.EPA.L. they will continue to exist and function as cells of innovation, integrating into their daily life and developing even more practices that will gradually be established for all EPA. of good practices in Vocational Education and Training.

Reconfiguration of the Laboratory Centers (L.C.)

The Laboratory Centers present bureaucratic problems, which hinder their optimal functioning. For this purpose, with the new draft law, the Heads of Sectors of the E.K. they are replaced by the Heads of Departments of EPA.L./P.EPA.L., so that the theory and the laboratory are considered and constitute a single learning unit, as required by modern educational practice. In addition, the number of Deputy Directors of each E.K. it will depend on the number of laboratories and units it serves and, finally, co-responsibility for laboratory courses will be explicitly stated in the teachers’ duties.

Strengthening the regional branch of Vocational Education and Training governance

Also, according to the upcoming bill, the role and operation of the local Councils for Connection with Production and the Labor Market (S.S.P.A.E.) will be upgraded. More specifically, the strengthening of the knowledge and skills of their members through training related to their responsibilities, their support from experts is foreseen, while their upgrading to a Collective Body with a Secretariat and headquarters is expected, as is the case in the case of the Central Vocational Education and Training Council (K.S.E.K.).

Upgrade of I.E.K.

Through a total rebranding, the I.E.K. to acquire a greatly expanded role in actively linking their trainees and graduates with the labor market at local, regional and sectoral level. According to the new law, each structure will be structured into two sectors: the Vocational Training Sector and the Professional Development and Counseling Sector.

The Vocational Training Sector will provide vocational training programs, focusing at the same time on upgrading skills and updating knowledge. Accordingly, the Professional Development and Counseling Sector will offer trainees both guidance and counseling services in matters of professional guidance and careers, as well as networking, monitoring and career support services after graduation.

Digitization of Vocational Education and Training

Finally, with regard to the utilization of digital tools, the new law is expected to establish the operation of the Digital Information Portal of the Professional Development and Career Offices (GEAS). There, anyone interested will be able to find the specializations offered by each educational structure, the current institutional framework for Internships and Apprenticeships and statistics on the professional development and rehabilitation of graduates.

But most of all, the platform is going to act as a point of intersection between supply and demand, so that students, trainees and graduates on the one hand and businesses on the other hand search for and provide positions for internships, apprenticeships and permanent work. At the same time, the Portal will provide complete educational material, while, finally, all the procedures related to the evaluation of the structures will be carried out through it.

Reinforcement of 2020 changes

As already mentioned, the new legislation comes to reinforce the reforms established by Law 4763/2020, which introduced necessary changes to the governance system of vocational education, training and lifelong learning. Among the reforms introduced is the establishment of the National System of Vocational Education and Training (ESEEK) at levels 3 (ESK & EPAS Apprenticeship DYPA), 4 (EPAL & ENEEGYL High School), 5 (IEK & Post-high school year – Apprenticeship Class of EPAL) of National Qualifications Framework and the transformation of the General Secretariat of Vocational Education & Training and Lifelong Learning, which was tasked with the planning, coordination, promotion and formulation of VET & VET policy proposals. In addition, both the Central Vocational Education and Training Council (KSEEK) and the Council for Connection with Production and the Labor Market (SSPAE) were established.

Also, based on Law 4763/2020, the operation of Professional Development and Career Offices (G.E.A.S.) at IEK was foreseen, whose role is expected to be upgraded based on the upcoming bill.

Regarding the Vocational Training Schools (VET) that started in the last four years, the establishment of more will be encouraged. It has already been mentioned that the operation of Standard Vocational High Schools is positively valued, with the next steps including the implementation of the provisions of Law 4763 on internships and Training Centers.