Vocational education and training in Estonia

Foreword
Executive summary
	Introduction
	Developing the foundations of the VET system
	Pathways and progression
	Strengthening career guidance
Chapter 1.  Overview: Reforms and challenges in the Estonian vocational education and training system
	Introduction
	The wider economic context
	The education system of Estonia
		The organisation of the education system
			The strength of the Estonian education system has deep historical roots
			Basic education links primary and lower secondary education in a single phase
			Upper secondary education includes both a general education and a VET track
			Central government owns and manages most upper secondary schools
			There are both professional higher education institutions and universities
		Attainment and basic skills
			Only 12% of young adults have less than upper secondary qualifications
			Learning outcomes from basic school, in literacy, numeracy and science are outstanding
			Skills of adults are also impressive
			11% of young people are neither employed nor in education or training (NEET)
	Estonia’s vocational education and training system
		While nearly all students continue in upper secondary education, only one-quarter choose VET
			Upper secondary VET programmes provide skills in a target occupation
			There is also provision for adults
			VET schools are under different governance arrangements
			Post-secondary programmes are also available
			Work-based learning is required as part of VET programmes
			A small proportion of adult VET students pursue apprenticeships
			Russian language programmes are available in VET
	Assessment: Strengths, challenges and recommendations
		Strengths
			The context is favourable
			There is a strong system of occupational qualifications and examinations
			VET teachers are well-prepared
			VET schools and the school network have been overhauled
			Employer-based learning is built into VET programmes
			Well-designed level 5 programmes have been developed
			An apprenticeship system has been introduced
			Recognition of prior learning is systematic
			There is good provision for adults
			Career guidance is well-organised
		Challenges and recommendations
			Many challenges remain
			The chapters that follow address these challenges
				Developing the foundations of the VET system (Chapter 2)
				Pathways and progression (Chapter 3)
				Strengthening career guidance (Chapter 4)
	Notes
	References
Chapter 2.  Developing the foundations of the vocational education and training system in Estonia
	Introduction
		Characteristics of entrants and labour market outcomes
			Entrants to VET tend to have weaker school results
			Against that background the comparative earnings figures look good
			But other research tells a more pessimistic story
	The main challenges
		The structure of school institutions may bias students against the choice of VET
			Full-cycle schools may bias students against VET
			Although there is no systematic selection between tracks, individual institutions can be selective
		Drop out and challenges in basic skills
			Dropout rates are worrying
			A reduction in dropout rates is part of Estonia's lifelong learning strategy
			The incentives on teachers and school leaders to prevent drop out are mixed at best
			There are no funding incentives encouraging VET schools to tackle drop out
			There is strong evidence that weak basic skills are a cause of drop out
		Work-based learning and apprenticeships
			While work-based learning is required, it does not necessarily include experience with employers
			Apprenticeship is currently a small-scale programme for adults
		Large variations in VET participation, by gender and language and region
			VET systems are expected to serve both aspiration and inclusion
			Some large disparities in VET participation exist between different demographic groups
	Recommendations
	Analysis and supporting arguments
		Develop the school network so as to eliminate potential bias in the choice between VET and general education.
			On this issue, the government is pursuing some welcome action
			This process is welcome, but needs to go further
			Collaboration and in some cases mergers, between general and VET schools should be encouraged
			This parallels initiatives in other countries
		Tackle drop out and address the basic skills of students
			Funding arrangements should provide financial incentives for schools to retain students
			As well as incentives, VET institutions need the tools to tackle drop out
			Increased attention to literacy and numeracy can help to tackle drop out
			Sometimes contextual learning may help students in vocational programmes to acquire basic skills
			But there are other strong reasons to encouraging strong basic skills in vocational programmes
		Continue efforts to develop work-based learning
			Special attention should be given to work practice with employers in VET programmes
			Evidence shows that apprenticeships smooth transition to the labour market
			But to expand, they need to meet the needs of young people better
			Estonia's tight labour market should facilitate youth apprenticeship
			The wage paid to apprentices might be too high in Estonia to encourage the development of apprenticeships for young people
		Monitor and respond to variations in VET participation
			Large differences in participation rates need to be investigated
			The policy objective is to ensure that young people from all demographic groups have similar opportunities to realise their potential
			A key test is whether, if any group is over-represented in VET, that provides them with good opportunities for careers and further learning
			The policy response to observed differences needs to be developed carefully
	Notes
	References
Chapter 3.  Pathways and progression for vocational education and training graduates in Estonia
	Introduction
	The main challenges
		Progression from upper secondary VET to higher education
			In principle most pathways are open
			Few students pursue the additional bridging year to access higher education
			There are two reasons why the bridging year attracts few takers in Estonia
		Other progression from VET
			Relatively few graduates from any VET programme proceed to the next level
			In Estonia, few VET graduates progress into professional bachelor’s programmes
		Transitions from EQF level 5 programmes to higher education
	Recommendations
	Analysis and supporting arguments
		Establish a multi-dimensional strategy to facilitate progression.
			Many diverse factors potentially contribute to effective pathways
			A publicly announced strategy would give a higher profile to pathways
			The higher education community will need to be convinced of the strategy
		Enhance access to higher education from upper secondary VET
			Hybrid programmes blend VET and general education
			In Estonia, a hybrid programme would attract high-performing students into VET
			A hybrid programme would be demanding
			International experience could guide the Estonian approach
		Develop a higher level examination system
			Estonia already has a well-structured system of occupational examinations
			In several countries professional examinations play a key role in progression from the initial VET system
			In Estonia, the occupational examinations can be used to upskill
			The use of higher level professional examinations could be promoted
		Consider the option of a central fund to support specific skills needs
			One risk in the Estonian VET system is that provision may not match labour market need
			A central fund might help to tackle skills shortages
	Note
	References
Chapter 4.  Strengthening career guidance in Estonia
	Introduction
	The main challenges
		Young Estonians may face difficulties entering the labour market
		Young people need to have good career management skills
		Skills mismatch is also a challenge
		Young people are often uninformed about the labour market and the implications of their educational choices
		Some students may need more career guidance than others
		Personal circumstances shape education and career thinking
		Gender also shapes education and career aspirations
		The labour market implications can be profound
		Career guidance in Estonia has improved but some challenges remain
		Consolidation of the Estonian career guidance system has been positive
		However, the service also faces a significant challenge
		There are concerns that guidance services are uneven
		The importance of effective career guidance for VET provision
	Recommendations
	Analysis and supporting arguments
		Make some of the elements of the career guidance provision mandatory
			Career guidance activities should begin young
			Each student need to receive pro-active and personalised guidance
			Mandatory provision tackles unspoken assumptions
		Improve data in career provision and introduce destination surveys
			Labour market information can alter career decisions
			Labour market information is available in Estonia
			More use might be made of destination surveys
		Make sure that students interact with people in work and experience different workplaces
			Direct experience of the workplace is essential within effective career guidance
			Engaging people in work within career guidance activities
	Notes
	References