WLP developments in Estonia

1. WLP developments in Estonia Krista Loogma, PhD Olesja Bykova, MA Institute of Educational Research, University of Tallinn krista.loogma@tlu.ee olesja.bykova@tlu.ee

2. Some context factors - Estonian Metalworking, Engineering And Apparatus Industry • 400 metalworking and engineering enterprises, dominating majority of them are SMEs • productiongenerally is labour-extensive, the cost of labour is relatively low • big companies have developed own specific production profiles (end products or subcontracting products), SMEs´ provide subcontracting services (orders-based production) • the range of production may change in large extend – there is high demand for hihgly skilled and particularly flexible labour

3. Southern Estonia as a subject of the case-study • Learning in 2 enterprises and 2 VET-schools were explored and analyzed. Six interviews were held. • Documentation of the organizations was analyzed: it included vocational standards, ISO learning procedures, educational programs, individual lists of skills of workers, and job instructions. • Mechatronic as an object of the case-study. This profession came to Estonia 3-4 years ago. Older workers acquired it with a help of trainings.

4. Case of mechatronic • Mechatronic - crucial person in modern manufacturing. • Profession of mechatronic came to Estonia 3-4 years ago: there are not so many specialists who learned exactly this speciality. Experiental learning is prevailing • Extremely diverse educational background and practical experience of mechatronic • With a help of training old programmers and adjusters acquired this speciality. Training was held in VET-schools or on working place. • Detailed requirements for specific and general skills of mechatronic are described in vocational standards.

5. Work based learning • The importance of WBL in sectors´ SMEs is extremely big as there is no well functioning CVET system for skilled workers in the sector. • The shortage of flexible skilled workers is the most influential factor making WBL very important in the sector. At the same time in most cases probably the narrow technocratic training model has been introduced (at least in most SMEs) • In the WBL and experiental learning arrangement adequate/contemporary methods and approaches may be lacking – often the apprenticies just have ‘launched’ into the work.

6. Main networking patterns in the sector • There are two principal kinds of WLP networks in Estonia : enterprises-VET schools and learning through subcontracting networks • Main factors generating networks which have at least in some extend learning functions: • subcontracting, supply channels, outsourcing etc) • need to arrange practice for VET students, CVET, training of supervisors of practice in enterprises, curricula development Subcontracting – the networks tend to develop at international Level (Scandinavian) not so much between SMEs at national (regional, sector) levels Cooperation networks btw VET schools-enterprises work around VET shools • There are some examples of cooperation of SMEs to “share” the workers: -“sharing” of higly skilled workers who have some kind of specific experience -common “pool” of unskilled workers These networks have developed rather in order to handle commonly some problems of workforce, not in direct learning purposes

7. Mechatronics network of learning Formal learning • Studies in VET-schools. Practice in enterprises. • Special trainings for mechatronics. Informal learning • Apprentice-learning in enterprises. • New knowledge is often demanded when new machines and orders come. • Subcontractors “borrow” their workers when they do not have enough orders.

8. Obstacles for cooperation among companies • Competition & conflicts of interest among competing enterprises : * the companies do not want other companies to be informed about their processes of production. * managers of the companies are afraid that well-trained workers will go to other company. * lack of capital for investments • Demand for skilful workers is growing and enterprises search for close cooperation with VET-schools to get trainees, to arrange CVET etc.

9. Further developments • practice and WBL is in the developmental stage in Estonia • linking the results of the WLP project to developments of different forms of WBL is highly important • the use of web-based tools like LPA, portfolio, multimedia resources and others is rather limited by skilled workers because of lack of skills and interest

10. Suggestions to put the WLP tool into use • There can be database for VET schools and enterprises that are looking for places of practice or apprentices, using the LPA tool (to learn what competences can be learned in the specific organisational context). • The dissemination activities • The portfolio tool can be part of VET curricula • There would be wider interest to use the portfolio tool if informal learning will be recognised as a part of diploma / sertificate