Increasing Workforce Skills in Students

 
 

 

 

Many young people fail to find jobs on completing their education because of the mismatch of their skills with the labor market requirements. A solid formal education, effective and relevant vocational training, combined with adequate labor market information, career guidance and counseling and good internship and job placement mechanisms are key factors in raising employability.  Working on the supply side of the workforce, WFD component focuses on increasing workforce skills (e.g. the ability to use technology, communication, creativity, initiative, teamwork, learning to learn, etc.) in students and helping them meet the demands of the job market and contribute to society. The areas of intervention are:
  1. Technology/Technical education
  2. Entrepreneurial/Employability education
  3. Career Education
  1. Technology/Technical education
Objectives
  • Enhance the curriculum in technical subjects to include 21st Century entrepreneurial and employability skills;
  • Integrate ICT use within Technical Education to provide students with opportunities to develop skills in computer control, computer-aided design and to understand how ICTs are used in a variety of real world work situations;
  • Extend the Student Support Technician Club (SSTC) concept to secondary schools and
  • Increase student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
In the last years there is a tendency of decreasing of number of students that are opting to attend vocational schools focusing on technical subjects such as electronics and mechanics. These are key skill areas that are needed by modern industry. WFD component is working closely with the MoES and the BDE to modernize the technical education curriculum in primary schools to enable students to develop essential skills and competencies and with the Center for Vocational Education and Training and other stakeholders to ensure a positive transition to secondary and further education.
  1. Entrepreneurial/Employability education
Objectives:
    • Integrate entrepreneurial, employability and business education into classroom instruction by identifying key competencies and developing projects and lesson plans for existing subjects; and
    • Promote entrepreneurial attitudes and employability skills in young people through active learning
Fostering of entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning and providing young people with opportunities to acquire relevant entrepreneurial competencies at all educational levels (primary, secondary, universities) is the main recommendation of the Oslo Agenda for Entrepreneurship Education in Europe. Entrepreneurship should be understood as running a business but also as the development of entrepreneurial behaviour (creativity, initiative, autonomy, team spirit). In collaboration with other PEP components, the WFD component works closely with the MoES and the BDE to integrate entrepreneurial, employability and business education into classroom instruction by identifying key competencies and developing projects and lesson plans for existing subjects.
  1. Career Education
Objectives:
  • Provide teacher guidance materials and establish careers guidance activities in primary schools;
  • Establish pilot ‘career-corners’ in the 5-school clusters to demonstrate how other schools can advance career education;
  • Assist students in the 5-school clusters to develop on-line career portfolios and disseminate the concept to other schools.
Exposing students to career education at an early age can help them understand the relationships between school and employment and the relevance of their learning. It can also help them, and their parents, make informed choices at key stages in their education including the selection of: a) elective subjects in primary school; b) a high school or vocational school; c) a degree program and advanced courses; and d) appropriate employment priorities.In selected primary schools, PEP involves the school psychologists to coordinate career guidance activities and set up accessible careers corners as well as Career Centers in related secondary schools. The WFD component is also working to support teachers in embedding career information within the existing curricula. Life skills and Technical Education subjects in primary schools as well as communication and entrepreneurship in gymnasiums are identified as potential curriculum areas for intervention.