COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 22.07.1997 
COM(97) 385 final 
FINAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
THE PETRA PROGRAMME 
Action programme for the vocational 
training of young people and their preparation 
for adult and working life 
(presented by the Commission) 

INTRODUCTION 
1. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME , 1 
1.1. Council Decision 1 
1.2. Implementation and results of the actions of the Programme 1 
1.3. Management and Consultation Procedures 4 
1.4. Financial Resources 4 
2. POLICY DEVELOPMENTS AT MEMBER STATE LEVEL 4 
2.1. Enhancing participation 4 
2.1.1. Fixing quantitative targets for participation in initial vocational 
training 5 
2.1.2. Establishment of an entitlement or right to obtain a vocational 
qualification or to take part in vocational training 6 
2.1.3. Extending provision of initial vocational training 6 
2.1.4. Raising the status and attractiveness of vocational training 7 
2.1.5. Vocational guidance 8 
2.1.6. Promoting equal opportunities for young men and women 9 
2.1.7. Disadvantaged persons 10 
2.2. Raising quality of Vocational Training and Adapting to change 11 
2.2.1. Promoting creativity, initiative and enterpreneurial spirit in 
young people 12 
2.2.2. Qualifying teachers and training staff 12 
2.2.3. Certification of qualifications 13 
2.2.4. Reinforcement of links between training establishments and 
industry 14 
2.2.5. Involving social partners 15 
2.2.6. Decentralisation - local and regional focus 17 
2.2.7. Modular organisation of training 18 
2.3. Transnational cooperation 19 
2.3.1. European dimension 19 
2.3.2. Mobility 20 
2.3.3. Vocational language skills 21 
3. CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES 22 
ANNEXES 
Annex 1 : Allocation of financial resources 
Annex 2: Statistical background 
Annex 3: References 
L«> 
INTRODUCTION: NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT 
Our society is faced with a number of major challenges, such as the internationalisation of the economy, the effects 
of scientific and technological progress and the changes brought about by the information society. In order to 
respond appropriately to these changes it becomes more and more important to foster qualities like flexibility, the 
capacity to learn and curiosity, and to develop specialised and transversal skills. The challenge is to master these 
developments and in this context education and training play a crucial role. How can workers be equipped with the 
necessary knowledge and skills to adapt quickly to new developments ? How can individuals acquire the basic 
skills and qualities, which will serve them throughout their lives ? 
It is clear that these challenges cannot merely be addressed at national level. Some of the trends in the evolution of 
society are international. Already in the I980's programmes on education and training were launched at 
Community level. The awareness that action at Community level "shall implement a vocational training policy 
which shall support and supplement the action of the Member States, while fully respecting the responsibility of 
the Member States for the content and organisation of vocational training" is stated in the Treaty on European 
Union, article 127. 
This report aims to give a global analysis of the experiences from the PETRA programme and to give an impetus 
to the implementation of the LEONARDO DA VINCI programme (Council Decision of 06.12.94, 94/I89/EC), 
which continues the measures of several Community programmes on Vocational Training launched in the 1980's 
and to the large action supported by the European Social Fund in this field. The PETRA Programme has already 
been the object of an ongoing process of monitoring and evaluation: internal monitoring and evaluation was earned 
out at programme level (Interim report of the Commission and the present report), at project level (each partner 
handed in a final report as well as a financial statement and relevant products) and at participant level (e.g. young 
people in placements had to evaluate this experience). External evaluation of the Programme carried out twice with 
art interim report in 1993 and a final report by the end of the Programme. The evaluation report made by Coopers 
& Lyhrand is available from the Commission services on request. Ongoing assessment also took place at various 
seminars and very interesting conclusions were drawn at the closing seminar of the PETRA Programme, held in 
Killiney in 1995. ("Report on the closing seminar of the PETRA Programme'1). 
This final report is part of the evaluation of the PETRA Programme and has been prepared by the Commission to 
take stock of the development of the PETRA Programme from its beginning in 1988 to December 1994, thereby 
fulfilling the obligation of Article 8 of the Council Decision 91/387/EEC. It illustrates the progress made in 
fulfilling the main function of the PETRA Programme, which was to support and supplement policies and 
activities in the Member States aimed at achieving a number of specific objectives set out in the Council Decision 
of 1.12.1987 (87/569/EEC) and amended by the Decision of 22.07.1991 (91/387/EEC). 
This report will have two main chapters. One deals with the implementation of the PETRA Programme, and the 
other gives recent developments in Member States' policies and legal structure aiming to raise the standard, quality, 
attractiveness and responsiveness of initial vocational training. Finally conclusions and perspectives are stated. 
The chapter on "Policy developments at Member State level" is the most difficult and ambitious part of this report, 
since it aims to describe measures taken at Member State level to improve and innovate initial vocational training 
and also to compare measures newly introduced in Member States with the objectives set out in the PETRA 
Programme. The aim is not a description of national systems, but an indication of trends and evolutions in the 
period 1988-1994 within the Community. Due to the number of themes to be treated the report can merely give 
indications, not a thorough analysis of each theme. 
The main sources for this are the national reports on the development of Member State's systems concerning initial 
vocational training. These reports were presented by the Member States in June-December 1995 as required under 
the terms of Article 8 of the Council Decision. To supplement information from the national reports as well as to 
provide relevant information from Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, which did not submit their national report to 
Cuï 
the Commission, other sources were used, notably the Country reports from the CEDEFOP: "Vocational education 
and training in {Country)", OECD-studies and a joint publication of the CEDEFOP and EURYDICE: "Structures 
of tha liducation and Initial Training Systems in the European Union". Earlier publications within the framework 
of ihe PETRA Programme have also been used as sources, notably the Final Evaluation Report of the PETRA 
Programme, phase 1, the interim report of the PETRA Programme, phase 11, and thematic publications concerning 
the PETRA Programme. 
On) 
I. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME 
1.1. Council Decision 
The PETRA programme was launched in 1988 on the basis of the Council Decision of 1 December 
1987 concerning an action programme for the vocational training of young people and their 
preparation for adult and working life. It was initially intended to run for five years (1 January 1988 
until 31 December 1992). However, during the initial phase of the Programme, it became evident 
that the issue of initial vocational training was attracting increasing attention in the policy agenda 
of the Community. Therefore, in November 1990, the Commission submitted a proposal 
concerning an extension and development of the PETRA Programme, including the previous 
Young Workers Exchange Programme to the Council. This proposal formed the basis for the 
Council Decision of 22 July 1991 which provided a consolidated framework for a new phase of 
PETRA to run from I January 1992 until 31 December 1994. PETRA provided the first practical 
example of the Commission's strategy to rationalise and coordinate Community action in the field 
of vocational training. This strategy has been carried on by the adoption of the Leonardo da Vinci 
Programme and by the implementation of the programmed action of the European Social Fund in 
the field of initial vocational training in particular in objective I regions and also on a transnational 
level through the Employment-Youthstart Community Initiative. 
The PETRA Programme aimed at ensuring that all young people had the opportunity to receive 
one, two or more years of vocational training leading to a recognised qualification also inspired the 
Youthstart proposal in the White Paper on growth, competitiveness, employment. The main 
activities supported by the Programme which are reflected in the cuirent Employment-Youthstart 
Initiative include: 
- the further introduction of transnational work experience placements in training programmes 
as a measure to increase the esteem for training in general, and to motivate participants, in 
particular; 
- opportunities offered to young people to take part in self-managed Youth Initiative Projects 
which, in a a significant number of cases, encouraged participants to re-enter mainstream 
education or training and helped them to establish a "projet de vie" or their career objectives; 
- the development of diversified training and guidance provision and of materials reflecting the 
different levels of ability of young people through transnational partnership. 
The development of training provision for disadvantaged young people was a continuing theme 
throughout the life of the Programme and thus, modules, approaches and materials which are 
relevant in relation to Employment-Youthstart, can be found within the PETRA legacy. 
1.2. Implementation and results of the actions of the Programme 
The results of the PETRA programme consist of two types: Studies (see list of publications in 
appendices) and the estahlishmeni of networks. There are five groups of networks : - Network of 
National Coordination Units (NCUs); - Networks in Action f (Placements); - Networks in Action II 
(Training Partnerships and their results and products); - Networks in Action III (Vocational 
Guidance) and - Research Networks. The PETRA programme envisaged four main types of action: 
Action I: Support for training and work experience placements in another Member State, for 
young people in initial vocational training, young workers and young unemployed, and young 
people in advanced programmes. A database on placements and beneficiaries was set up and from 
1992 to 1994 a total number of 33.719 young people took up placements in Action Î. These 
placements were organised in a decentralised way and managed by National Coordination Units 
(NCUs) who reported to the Commission. Several studies have been carried out concerning these 
placements and their conditions (cf annex 3 : References). 
Certain National Coordination Units look the initiative to hold thematic seminars on Action I, 
involving all actors in placements. Following one of these seminars, a manual was developed called 
"Basic communicative skills and cultural knowledge for transnational vocational placements" on 
linguistic and cultural preparation of young people before departure for the placement. 
Several networks were set up since the operation of this Action was decentralised and administered 
by NCUs, they constituted the main Action I European level network within the programme. 
Through the network of NCUs, a partner-finding service was organised, as was the processing of 
multilateral application which required a decision by four or more NCUs. 
Another European Network which was associated with Action I was the Informal Network of 
Organisers of Work Experience Placements. This was a network which existed prior to 1992 
when the Young Workers Exchange Programme was incorporated into Action I of PETRA. 
Action II: Support for transnational cooperation to link innovative training projects from different 
Member States, including Youth Initiative Projects (YIPs), in a European Network of Training 
Partnerships (ENTP) 
European Network of Training Partnerships (ENTPs): 
Throughout the whole period (1988-1994) approximately 1,000 projects joined the Network, 
involving approximately 160,000 and 30,000 teachers and training staff. Since 1992, the activities 
of the Network focused more sharply on the joint development and transfer of training modules, the 
joint training of trainers and on new thematic and sectoral priorities. The work carried out in this 
field has given the following results: 
The Compendium (global overview of the products and training modules of the ENTPs) 
- The PE7RASYS Database (information on projects) 
Interactive Follow-up (reports, visits...) 
- Thematic meetings (exchange of ideas and capitalisation of positive experiences) 
Youth Initiative Projects (YIPs): 
In addition to the training projects involved in the ENTP, almost 1,000 YIPs were supported by the 
Programme in the period. YIPs were innovative projects in which young people themselves were 
mainly responsible for the planning and organisation, and which focused on information on the 
transition from school to vocational training and working life, and/or encouraged the development 
of entrepreneurial skills, creativity and responsibility among young people. The total number of 
young people directly involved in the YIPs since 1988, reached a figure of 25,000. 
Action HI: Support for national systems for the exchange of vocational guidance data and 
experience, and examples of good practice in vocational guidance, through the establishment of a 
Community network of national contact points and the training of guidance counsellors/specialists 
on Community aspects of guidance. 
During the first phase of PETRA, Action III did not exist as an independent action area. However, 
transnational cooperation on the development of new curricular approaches to vocational guidance 
was the focus of more than one hundred projects involved in the ENTP. It was therefore estimated 
that this kind of projects should be one of the main actions of the PETRA II Programme. In this 
way, since 1992, a more structured Community framework was implemented for consultation and 
cooperation between the Member States' vocational guidance systems, including 4 measures:. 
• 28 National Resource Centres were set up as reference points and resource agencies 
for guidance counsellors. 
» Three large transnational partnership projects were set up, which focused on the 
joint development of training material and joint training activities for guidance experts 
to increase awareness, knowledge and experience 
• Each national guidance centre was also involved in one or more multilateral, 
transnational development projects to work out solutions to common problems or 
needs, especially with regard to the Community dimension of vocational guidance. 
For example: networking existing databases in different Member States; enhancing the 
role of firms and social partners in the vocational guidance process; cooperation in 
improving the quality of guidance material and products. 
• Finally, Action III promoted the dissemination and use of relevant information 
material prepared at Community level, e.g. the European Handbook for Guidance 
Counsellors, and comparative information on the structures and functioning of 
vocational guidance systems in all Member States. 
Action 4: Complementary measures, including support for the dissemination of the results of the 
Programme; transnational cooperation in research on the vocational training of young people; 
and technical assistance at Community level, and in Member States, for the implementation, 
coordination and evaluation of the programme 
• Activities to facilitate the operation of the Programme/information events 
Since 1988, the PETRA Programme was presented at, or contributed significantly to. more than 
200 major information events at Community or national level (including launching conferences, 
thematic seminars, national and international training fairs) and numerous regional events. This 
activity was supported by the provision of information material (e.g. Vademecum, project 
directories, thematic publications, leaflets, PETRA Yearbook) and sendees offered by the media. 
« Activities to Support Cooperative Research and Studies / Research Networks 
The PETRA Programme provided for transnational bilateral and multilateral research partnerships, 
involving more than 70 research institutes nominated by the national authorities, to work on a set of 
specific themes directly related to the objectives of the PETRA Decisions. These partnerships have 
now completed their work, and their results are being made available to underpin Community-level 
cooperation in the provision of vocational training and to support further development in policy and 
practice. Several major studies were completed, with expert assistance from all Member States (cf 
point Action I), on the social and legal status of young people involved in transnational training 
placements, on the recognition and certification of transnational work experience and training 
placements, and finally on improving and completing information on the participation of young 
people in vocational training. 
The PETRA Programme also provided technical and/or financial assistance to a number of other 
networks which were concerned with topics of relevance to the Programme's aims and objectives, 
including the European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training; European 
Secondary Headteachers Associations; and the European Work Experience. 
« Development of statistical indicators 
As part of cooperation with EUROSTAT, a study was carried out on the development of statistical 
indicator ("Development of Statistics on initial vocational training -final report"). The work in this 
field is being continued in the Leonardo da Vinci Programme, Strand III.2.b: ("Development of 
knowledge in the field of vocational training, exchange of comparable data in the sphere of 
vocational training"). 
• Study Visit Scheme 
Complementary measures were also taken to ensure close coordination with the study visit scheme 
for practitioners and policy-makers in the field of vocational training which was administered by 
CEDEFOP (European Center for the development of Vocational Training), on behalf of the 
Commission. These visits were organised on a thematic basis and were undertaken in small groups 
each comprising participants from several Member States. By June 1993, nearly 800 training 
specialists from ail Member States had benefited from visits which had a special thematic focus on 
the priorities of PETRA. Work in this field is being continued within the framework of the 
Leonardo da Vinci Programme: Strand III.3.b: "Development of the dissemination cf innovation in 
the field of vocational training; transnational exchange programmes; study visits". Study visits 
continue to be administered by CEDEFOP on behalf of the European Commission. 
1.3. Management and Consultation Procedures 
The European Commission had responsibility for the overall management of the Programme. The 
Commission worked with two bodies, set up by the Council Decision to ensure the implementation 
of the Programme: the Advisory Committee and the National Coordination Units. In addition, the 
Commission called upon experts when necessary and the Commission was also assisted by a 
Technical Assistance Office. 
1.4. Financial Resources 
Financial support from the Community, provided within the framework of PETRA I (1988-1991 
amounted to 39.99 Million ECU. The amount available for PETRA II (1992-1994) was 105.318 
Million ECU. The increase in the financial resources of the programme over the years was 
particularly important, evolving from 8 Million ECU in 1988 to a budget of 40 Million ECU in 
1994. This progression was due, to a large extent, to the continuing support of the Programme by 
the European Parliament. However, the financial resources of the Programme have not been 
sufficient to satisfy the increasing demand for participation in its different activities, (annex 1 for a 
table on the allocation of financial resources to the various actions of the programme). 
2. POLICY DEVELOPMENTS AT MEMBER STATE LEVEL 
The purpose of this chapter is to draw the attention to trend in policy developments in the Member 
States which are compatible with and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the PETRA 
Programme. The thematic method of presenting changes in national systems, as opposed to a 
"country by" approach, has been chosen despite of the differences in the organisation of initial 
vocational training at national training. Even though systems may seem different, the challenges 
met by the Member States are very much alike, such as high unemployment rates for young people, 
(see annex 2, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5) problems concerned with the insertion of young people into the 
labour market and a growing need for a skilled work force. Initial vocational training systems 
throughout the Community vary considerably, according to each national current economic 
situation, culture and traditions. Generally all countries are continuously adapting their national 
systems for initial vocational training and this chapter explains these changes briefly. Some 
countries made great progress in their aspiration for change and have made major structural 
reforms to their systems, notably Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Portugal and 
Luxembourg. Other countries have chosen to adjust their systems where necessary without 
changing the basic system. 
2.1. Enhancing participation 
The first principal objective of the PETRA Programme was "to support the policies and activities 
of the Member States that are aimed at ensuring that all young people in the Community who so 
wish receive one year's, or if possible, two or more year's vocational training, in addition to their 
full-time compulsory education, and leading to a recognised qualification" and these objectives 
should be seen in the context of the employment situation for young people. (For a comment on 
basic statistics, please cf. annex, 2) 
The statistics reflect both demographic trends and the tendency of young people to stay longer in 
education and training. It should be noted that school-leavers without a qualification continue to 
form a group of young people for whom the risk of unemployment is up to four times higher than 
for those with a qualification. There is no doubt that successful basic education and initial 
vocational training provide the key to young people's integration to the labour market, in all 
Member States. Training systems will therefore have to pay special attention to the development of 
opportunities for young people leaving compulsory school with low levels of achievement. 
Moreover, it should be born in mind that growth in employment and opportunities for vocational 
careers occur primarily in more highly skilled occupations. Within occupational sectors, a trend 
towards increased skills requirements is evidcnffor most jobs. It is becoming widely acknowledged 
that initial training systems need to place more emphasis on developing a wide-ranging set of core 
skills, including the capacity of learning to learn, autonomy, initiative, self-employment and 
adapting to new requirements. 
2.1.1. Fixing quantitative targets for participation in initial vocational training 
Quantitative targets are among the concrete goals set for initial vocational training set by several 
Member States, notably when major reform has been introduced into their national systems. There 
is a political desire to accelerate the upgrading of the labour force to meet the structural changes in 
business and industry. 
For example, it is the overall goal of the plan "Education and Training for all" in Denmark, that in 
the year 2000, 95% of young people in any year group will start a youth education programme, 
(93% in 1990). The plan will ensure that 90-95% of young people in any year group will actually 
finish youth education (77% in 1990) and attention is given to decreasing the number of drop-cuts. 
The Act on Active Labour Market Policy (1994) has as its aim to contribute to ensuring a well-
functioning labour market through an active labour market policy targeted at persons seeking 
employment or training. Behind the Labour Market Reform lies the goal of creating 60.000 extra 
adult educational and training places before the year 2000. Thus, in 1994, about 10.000 such extra 
places were created. 
In Italy, the new law on upper-secondary education proposes that, by the year 2000, 80% of an age 
group will obtain an upper-secondary leaving certificate through completion of either general, 
scientific, technical or vocational courses. 
In Luxembourg a number of measures have been taken to combat school failure. The advancement 
system (from one year to the next) has been modified, introducing the possibility of offsetting poor 
results in specific areas; the option of undertaking training in two phases has been introduced, with 
the CITP (Preliminary Technical and Vocational Certificate) leading on to the acquisition of the 
CATP (Technical and Vocational Proficiency Certificate). 
In France, the Guidance law (1989) sets a target of 80% of young people reaching level IV by year 
2000, i.e. having completed three years of upper secondary education (general, technical or 
vocational education) beyond compulsory education. 
In Spain, within the context of the recent reform (LOGSE, 1990), the target for the year 2000 is to 
retain 80% of all young people in school, up to the age of 18, and to give them the possibility to 
choose between a specific training course (middle level) or the "bachillerato". A new technical 
"bachillerato" has been created which is very close, in terms of content, to initial vocational 
training. 
United Kingdom: The National targets were launched in 1991 with support from all major 
political players. Progress towards the targets are monitored by the independent employer-led 
organisation NACETT (National Advisory Council for Education and Training Targets) which 
reviewed the targets in 1994. Updated targets have been published in the May 1995 White Paper 
"Competitiveness - Forging ahead" and are: 1. All employers should invest in employee 
development to achieve business success; 2. All individuals should have access to education and 
training opportunities, leading to recognised qualifications, which meet their needs ancf aspirations; 
3. All education and training should develop self-reliance, flexibility and breadth, in particular 
through fostering competence in core skills. Targets have also been set in quantitative terms for 
initial vocational training. 
2A.2, Establishment of an entitlement or right to obtain a vocational 
qualification or to take part in vocational training 
In France the 1990-Law (90-579, 4.6.90) on vocational training monitoring and quality establishes 
the right to a qualification for all workers in the form of a "crédit formation" (training entitlement). 
Il reinforces the obligation incumbent on training agencies and their supervision. The right of 
young people to a vocational qualification is inscribed in the "Code du Travail" (1991 and 1992) 
and training must lead to a qualification corresponding to the short or medium term needs of the 
economy. 
In 1991, the Dutch Government announced that everybody, of any age, should have the right to 
obtain a "starting qualification", i.e. a vocational qualification at the level of an initial 
apprenticeship course and this is underpinned by action at the lower-secondary stage to prevent 
early leaving, by projects which aim to enhance the success rate of upper-secondary training and, 
within the context of the "Youth Work Guarantee" scheme, by specific efforts to motivate 
unqualified leavers to enrol in apprenticeship courses. 
In Portugal, the Government and the Social Partners signed, in July 1991, a formal agreement to 
make every effort to ensure that young people will receive at least one year of initial vocational 
training, after completion of their compulsory schooling. The national authorities are currently 
redesigning the training courses run under the responsibility of the Employment Ministry and will 
no longer organise initial training courses of less than one year's duration. 
In the United Kingdom, two measures have been introduced which give an entitlement to obtain a 
vocational qualification or to take part in vocational training: The Youth Training Programme and a 
system of Youth credits. 
In Germany, the unification process involved the application, of FRG legislation on vocational 
training to the 5 new lander, which notably is based on a dual system of training in training bodies 
and practical experience in undertakings. This meant a radical change of the training system in the 
new lander, which caused problems in ensuring adequate provision of training places for young 
people, especially as the collapse of a large number of enterprises resulted in a serious reduction in 
the number of company-based training opportunities. Major initiatives were taken, at national level, 
to counteract the impact on the training situation, which had the desired positive effects; in 
September 1993, as in 1991 and 1992, the overwhelming majority of young people who applied 
had actually been placed in training, and the remaining small minority had received a placement 
offer. 
In Ireland, the Social Guarantee / YouthReach Training Programme, introduced in 1985, 
envisaged a five-year implementation programme. This gives unemployed young people the right 
of access to training and work experience programmes that have been specially designed to meet 
the identified needs of this group. 
2,1.3. Extending provision of initial vocational training 
Greece: The provision of vocational education has been raising rapidly over the last few years. It 
should thus be noted that the number of programmes rose by 50.8% and the number of participants 
by 55.1% compared to 1990. This might be the result of Community support from various 
programmes as well as from the European Social Fund, but another very important impetus has 
been the creation of the legal basis for these new provisions, i.e. the setting up of the new institutes 
for vocational training (IKEs) which have been set up under the 1992 law and cater mainly for 
those young people who, after completion of post-compulsory secondary education, do not proceed 
:o higher education. 
Denmark: "Education for all". Within the framework of the overall reform "Education for all", 
1993 two measures have been made to address the so-called "rest-group", i.e. the young people 
(approximately 1/4 of any age group) who never complete any kind of education or training: the 
EGU (Basic Vocational Training, adopted by law in June 1993) and Open Youth Education 
(established on 1 January 1995). Both initiatives are addressed to young people who either cannot 
or do not want to participate in traditional youth education and training courses. The aim is to 
motivate about 3000 young people every year to complete youth education, who would not 
otherwise have done so. 
Luxembourg: The Law of 4 September 1990 contains a number of main objectives for the national 
vocational training policy for young people, one of which is to ensure that all young people enter 
into the labour market with a recognised vocational qualification. This is done by diversifying and 
improving the provision of training through the development and implementation of training 
modules; by diversifying and improving the provision of training for disadvantaged young people; 
and by raising the attractiveness and status of initial training. 
In Spain, young people who leave secondary education without a certificate and young people up 
to the age of 21 without formal qualifications, benefit from the "Programas de Garantia social", 
organized by the education authorities. These programmes aim at preparing young people and at 
ensuring their integration into work or their re-integration into education or training. 
2.1.4. Raising the status and attractiveness of vocational training 
Vocational training should on the one hand allow weaker groups of young people (who now enter 
the labour market without any qualification) to obtain a qualification, but should on the other hand 
also attract resourceful young people (who now choose high school and general education). This 
can only be done if vocational education and general post-compulsory education have equality of 
esteem. This in turn is a question of job possibilities. It is also important to ensure a horizontal and 
vertical flexibility in the training systems. One of the aims of the PETRA Programme was therefore 
to strengthen the status of vocational training, notably through the placements and exchanges and 
through new curricula. Many countries have initiated actions aimed at making the option of 
vocational education and training more attractive to young people, by raising its status or 
facilitating access to it. 
In Germany these objectives are reflected in a new initiative launched in 1991, offering new 
opportunities and special support to particularly gifted young people in vocational training, and in 
the discussion and implementation of new regulations facilitating progression from vocational 
training to higher education. A working group set up by the Federal Government and the Lander, 
decided on 10 February 1994, that the attractiveness of vocational training must be increased and 
the equality of esteem between vocational training and post-compulsory general education must be 
ensured. The group is composed of representatives from the federal level, from the lander and 
social partners. It has made a medium term work programme, including measures to ensure that an 
adequate number of apprenticeships are provided and that quality in vocational training is 
guaranteed. The dual system should be differentiated on a broader scale, so that weaker apprentices 
(due to lack of motivation, social disadvantages) and highly motivated apprentices are enabled to 
achieve a qualification appropriate to their personal situation. 
In Belgium, a specialisation year following the third grade of full-time vocational training, has 
been introduced to enable young people to move to higher education, thereby enhancing the 
equality of status between vocational training and post-compulsory general education. 
In the United Kingdom, the Government wants academic and vocational qualifications to be held 
in equal esteem. The White Paper Education and Training for the 21st Century states that the 
government, following wide consultation, intends to establish a new system of ordinary and 
advanced diplomas which enable students to combine General Certificates of Secondary Education 
and vocational qualifications at age 15/16 or A levels, AS levels and vocational qualifications at 
age 17/18. At the same time the Government wants to increase the number of school students 
studying for vocational qualifications, permitting Business and Technology Education Council 
lower level Diplomas to be offered from September 1991, and increasing the rigour of Certificate 
of Pre-Vocational Education so that it offers a suitable route to higher level qualifications. 
In Denmark, the Vocational upper secondary education (HTX, HIIX) is a valid alternative to the 
general upper secondary school, since it qualifies for admission to higher education as well as 
employment. It has become very popular and contributed to the parity of esteem between general 
and vocational education. 
Italy: In the late eighties the Ministry of Education launched a major initiative, "Progretto 92", to 
make initial training a more attractive option and to increase its success rate by e.g. introducing 
broader, modular courses. The results have been so promising that they will be implemented in all 
vocational institutes by 1996, thereby catering for some 20% of the age group. The work 
undertaken under Action II of PETRA is recognized by the Italian authorities as having had a 
significant impact on the introduction of new training methodologies and the up-dating of training 
curricula. 
2,1.5. Vocational guidance 
Vocational guidance has a central role to play in a rapidly changing and more international society 
in facilitating access to vocational training, and in reducing the number of drop-outs from 
education and training. Vocational guidance must be recognised as a key to the development of 
human resources, underpinning policies which strive for a better match of training provision, 
vocational qualifications and prospective areas of local or regional development. The issue of 
vocational guidance is attracting growing attention in all Member States; the need for innovation in 
the guidance systems and the development of existing, or the creation of new, services appears to 
be a common concern. 
In Germany, the PETRA Programme has supported and accelerated decisions concerning the 
introduction of a Community dimension into guidance services, involving the provision of 
information on training opportunities in other Member States and cooperation with relevant 
agencies in them. In France the new focus on implementing a Community dimension in guidance 
has also encouraged cooperation between the different competent Ministries and their services, and 
advanced the régionalisation of the guidance service. 
In the framework of the implementation of the reform of the Spanish system, new guidance 
departments are being created in all educational centres, and in Ireland the need for a complete 
overhaul of the system of vocational counselling has been recognised. The PETRA Programme has 
given impetus to this, and in particular, to the use of databases in the guidance system. Moreover in 
Italy, a new National Council is now concerned with the development of educational and 
vocational guidance. 
In Denmark the analysis of changing needs for guidance identifies three trends: more 
transnationality due to the internal market; changing job profiles and the introduction of market 
economy in the guidance centres. Compared to the information level of 4 years ago when the 
activities under Action III of the PETRA Programme were initiated, there is now a much higher 
level of awareness amongst guidance counsellors and young people of the possibilities in other 
Member States. 
In The United Kingdom, recent Government legislation now opens up management options for 
the provision of Careers Service. A phased process of tendering for the management of area 
Careers Services has been introduced to ensure that the resulting services move closer to employers 
and become more responsive to local needs and conditions. The White Paper on Education and 
Training for the 21st Century (1995) stated the Government intention that, building on existing 
good practice, the Careers service should raise its standards, draw even closer to employers, help 
Training and Enterprise Councils build up employer commitment to training, and encourage more 
young people to take up education and training opportunities and aim for higher qualifications. In 
Scotland the Careers Service is also provided by education authorities. In late 1991 the Government 
held consultations on the best way of providing a strengthened role for employers in the 
organisation of the service. 
Portugal. Since 1993, a network of 354 Psychology and Guidance Services have been created in 
schools and their sphere of operation may be extended. Several innovative measures have been 
developed over the past years including a new type of guidance for vocational training applicants, 
which will begin at the job centre and will continue at the training centre and will be developed in a 
coordinated manner, i.e. incorporating the contributions of various experts workings together as a 
team. 
The Netherlands: In early 1993 several guidance providing organisations merged into 18 regional 
level Careers Guidance Offices. From 1996 they will become independent firms selling their 
services to schools and firms. The policy aim is to make these services more demand-led and more 
responsive to regional need. Efforts are also being made to create a national structure of 
qualifications for each sector of industry with a system of training with related final attainment 
levels, certification units, examinations and diplomas and the rights that go with them. A major step 
in this direction is the decision to integrate the Business Sector Consultations between Education 
and Industry, which sets the final attainment levels for senior secondary vocational education 
(MBO) courses and the national training agencies which set the levels for the apprenticeship 
system. 
The PETRA Programme: The implementation of these national initiatives draws on, or is being 
influenced by, the new opportunities for transnational cooperation which are provided through the 
European network of guidance resource centres, special development projects, and training 
activities for guidance staff which were established under Action III of the PETRA Programme. 
This work under Action III was completed by other Actions of the Programme. Several ENTP 
projects worked directly, or indirectly, on different aspects of guidance and jointly developed new 
material, methods and practices. A large number of YIPS also were concerned with providing 
easily accessible, local information services for young people, outside the institutional frameworks. 
Some of the transnational Research Partnerships have also focused on the effectiveness of guidance 
methods and on new models to meet the guidance needs perceived by young people. 
2.1.6. Promoting equal opportunities for young men and women 
One of the goals of the PETRA Programme was to ensure a higher and more equal participation 
rate of young women to vocational training to promote a more equal gender participation at the 
labour market. Indeed statistics clearly demonstrate the need for this kind of action. (For an 
analysis of basic statistics, please cf annex. 2) Member States have reacted to this situation in 
several ways. 
Denmark: AMU-centres - regional training centres under the auspices of the National Labour 
Market Authorities, Ministry of Labour - have a number of new training courses directed towards 
target groups of unemployed unskilled women. 
In the Flemish Community of Belgium, recent educational policy is aimed at promoting an 
increasing influx and participation in the educational system in general. For this purpose risk 
groups have been defined and new concepts such as scope of attention have been defined. Within 
this general framework, specific attention is given to a priority policy regarding girls' choice of 
studies in technical education. 
Portugal has one of the highest rates of female employment in Europe (42.7%), but two measures 
have been developed: a) positive action measures in the programmes run by the Institute for 
Employment and Vocational training; and b) projects to train and integrate women (ex: 
development of women's business initiatives). 
In Ireland, the Government's 1995 White paper on Education indicates that the Government will 
expect all higher education instances to develop and publish policies to promote gender equality. 
The Higher Education Authority will be responsible for monitoring these policies and providing 
appropriate support at national level. 
The PETRA Programme: The theme of "increasing the participation of girls and young women 
in technical and vocational education and training" has been a transversal theme throughout the 
life of the PETRA Programme (1988-94). As a result, 111 projects out of a total of 732 projects 
involved in the ENTPs worked on this theme. There was a good quantitative gender balance in 
programmes, but nevertheless the sector involved tended to reflect existing patterns. There was a 
majority of girls and young women in the services and commercial sector whereas young men were 
found in the traditional industrial branches. Also in the Leonardo da Vinci programme equal 
opportunities take a prominent place: Vocational training should aim to "promote equality of 
opportunity as regards access for men and women to vocational training and their effective 
participation therein, in particular so as to open up new areas of work to them and encourage them 
to return to work after a career break." 
2.1.7, Disadvantaged persons 
The reinforcing of this priority reflected the Conclusions of the Presidency of the European Council 
in Copenhagen in June Î993 which, urge for more intensive action to reduce unemployment and 
social exclusion in the Community, especially where young people are concerned. Disadvantaged 
young people include many different types of young people, ranging from young unemployed 
people and slow learners to persons with a mental or physical handicap. Action carried out at 
Member State level remains essential and the following developments can be identified. 
In Denmark, production schools have been set up to offer training to young unemployed persons 
under 25 years with no formal qualifications and who are deemed to have no immediate motivation 
or possibility to acquire such qualifications. The schools give the target group the possibility to take 
part in combined training and production programmes. 
In Ireland, specific measures for travellers have been established. These are training workshops to 
help the travellers to develop their full potential, to break the cycle of illiteracy and social 
deprivation in which they are trapped and to enable them to become self-reliant and self-supporting 
members of society. 
In France, Solidarity employment contracts (contrats emploi solidarité) were created in 1990 for 
18-25 year olds who have difficulty in finding employment. These give a qualification equivalent 
to vocational "Baccalauréat" or a technical certificate. 
In Luxembourg, specific measures directed towards children with difficulties to learn were carried 
out. In 1991, the Ministry of National education presented 40 measures which should make the 
integration of foreign children easier. However, these possibilities are mainly available at lower 
levels and it has not yet been possible to introduce this at higher levels of vocational training. 
In the United Kingdom, apart from the general Youth Training programme several measures 
centred on vulnerable groups have been implemented. These are for young homeless people, young 
residents of inner cities and other deprived areas a Training for Work programme for young people. 
In the PETRA Programme "young disadvantaged" people was a prioritised target group, and at 
least 10% of the placements were destined for them. The results and experience have proved that 
placements are a strong pedagogical instrument for this group, and many individuals have 
10 
improved their life situation partly as a result of the experience of mobility. However, the 
experience gained has also shown that it is far beyond the aims and means of a programme like the 
PETRA Programme to take heavy responsibility for the young disadvantaged in the European 
Union. The new Leonardo da Vinci Programme takes up these challenges and one of its objectives 
is to promote equality of access to initial and continuing training for persons disadvantaged by 
socio-economic, geographical or ethnic factors or by physical or mental disabilities. 
2.2. Raising quality of Vocational Training and Adapting to change 
The national reform initiatives arc also aimed at raising quality and adapting initial Vocational 
Training to changing needs. In the following chapter major trends are identified which are closely 
interlinked with each other and which serve to enhance participation in vocational education and 
training and to raise the status and attractiveness of vocational training. 
The Netherlands: Vocational education is currently undergoing significant changes. Reform 
began in 1987. In 1996 with a new law (SVM-wet) on vocational education and adult education 
was made together with a Restructuring and Modernisation Act (SMV-wet) for senior secondary 
vocational education. Vocational education now covers senior secondary vocational education, 
apprenticeship and training provided in the context of schemes for the unemployed, and part-time 
senior secondary vocational education and training for specific occupations. The aim of the reform 
process is to introduce a flexible system of retraining and refresher courses, to align education with 
the labour market and to utilise the educational infrastructure for the benefit of the employed and 
unemployed. 
Greece: Vocational training institutes (lEKs) have been established by the new national system of 
vocational education and training. Their aim is to modernise the Greek provision of training to give 
it a higher quality. 
En Portugal a particularly important step towards raising the quality of vocational training was 
made with the development of a new type of vocational school, the "Escolas Profissionais", where 
at the same time, the old technical / professional courses were replaced with new technological 
courses. Laws have been made establishing: a) a legal framework for vocational training by 
incorporating it into either the education system or the employment market via legal previsions 
which give it the required uniformity and effectiveness; b) a legal framework for vocational 
training related to into the employment market; c) a system awarding a vocational qualification for 
training related to into the employment market or acquired through occupational experience; d) a 
system for the creation and operation of vocational colleges; e) the generalisation of technological 
courses in secondary school. 
Luxembourg: The law of 4 September 1990 on the reform of technical secondary education and 
continuing training sets as an objective to intensify the incorporation of information and 
communication technologies in curricula, both as subjects and as a means of learning. 
Ireland: A wide range of vocational education and training programmes is provided to meet the 
specific needs of individual pupils and the human resources needs of the economy. The main 
objectives of the programmes are to improve the responsiveness and flexibility of the education and 
training system to meet educational, social and economic needs; to improve the attractiveness of 
Ireland as a location for new enterprises by providing a highly educated, skilled and versatile 
workforce; to maintain and enhance participation in vocational education and training at all levels 
in order to promote equity and enhance industrial competitiveness; to equip enterprises and 
workers with the skills and competencies needed to cope with occupational, structural and 
technological change; and to ensure the competitiveness of Irish industry through the supply of 
skilled manpower at a variety of levels. 
11 
2.2.1. Promoting creativity, initiative anil enierprensurial spirit in young people 
In adapting initial vocational training to meet new skills requirements, priority should be given to 
the development of transversal qualities and competencies rather than specific job-related skills, 
thereby promoting and fostering creativity, initiative and enterprise amongst young people. This 
concept is now reflected in new approaches to youth training in all Member States. 
Denmark is one of several Member States where the reform of the vocational training system has 
placed an explicit emphasis on the development of transversal skills by requiring that one third of 
the subjects taught in vocational education and training courses must be general subjects aimed at 
strengthening the individual's personal development and enabling students to play an active role in 
society. 
In Luxembourg, one of the objectives of vocational training set out in connection with the 1990 
reform is to modify training methods with a view to promoting trainee's autonomy and creativity, 
their ability to search for and find ways of solving problems, their capacity for cooperation and 
ability to communicate orally and in writing in the multilingual situation prevailing in 
Luxembourg. 
In Germany, in the continuing reform or re-organisation of training curricula - already completed 
in a number of vocational fields - particular importance is attached to improving training methods 
which value personal development, motivation, responsibility and key competencies of young 
people. 
The PETRA Programme played an essential role in promoting such approaches, by providing a 
framework for pilot action and facilitating extensive transnational exchange of experience. Central 
to this work was the development of methods to foster key competencies, which prepare young 
people to cope better with the fast-changing requirements on the work place, new patterns of 
employment and possibilities for self-employment. Both the European Network of Training 
Partnerships and the Youth Initiative Projects have concentrated very strongly on these aspects and 
developed a variety of models involving specific forms of project work, new methods of 
assessment, or training of teachers and trainers. This work has attracted wide-spread attention 
amongst vocational schools, training centres and firms. Placements under Action I provide a 
valuable complement to these developments in national training systems by providing a real 
environment for "putting theory into practice" which enhances the individual's acquisition and 
further development of transversal skills. A specific Research Partnership was set up in 1991 to 
analyse the effectiveness of different enterprise training schemes. 
2.2.2. Qualifying teachers and training staff 
The principal factor determining standards in initial vocational training is the quality of the 
teaching and training staff. Most, if not all of the national reforms mentioned in this report are 
accompanied by major efforts to train the teachers and the trainers. 
In Belgium, great emphasis is put to the continuing training of the training staff. A Government 
decree of 1993 defines the objectives of the training of secondary school teachers as the capacity to 
implement educational and pedagogical priorities; the acquisition of personal behaviour to 
efficiently administer human relations; the updating of competencies and vocational aptitudes in 
exercising their function; the acquisition of knowledge and capacities with a view to exercising 
another function; the study of societal problems which influence the behaviour of young people as 
well as the understanding of social, economic and cultural phenomena; and the development of 
communication, group work as well as the implementation and development of projects within the 
framework of teaching establishments. 
Within the Department of Education in Ireland there is equally a recognition of the need for a 
cohesive national policy on and a comprehensive programme of in-career professional 
12 
development of teachers. Thus a major restructuring of teachers/trainer in service provision is 
foreseen in the Education White Paper from 1995. 
In Germany, the PETRA Programme was the first programme which organised transnational 
cooperation of trainers and which allowed these trainers to get familiar with different 
methodologies and in some fields with a high standard of new technologies in vocational training, 
such as multi-media. 
The United Kingdom: The implementation of the NVQ/SVQ (National vocational qualifications, 
Scottish vocational qualifications) framework from 1986 includes the establishment of standards 
that form the substance of training programmes for trainers in all areas and are being embedded in 
NVQs. Another important initiative is the Teacher Placement Service (TPS), which aims to 
organise placements in business for 10% of teachers each years, increasing their self development 
and that of their students. Awareness of industry and commerce promotes realistic expectations and 
helps students to make more informed decisions about future training and career choices. More 
than 70,000 teachers have been involved so far, thereby benefiting many thousands of young 
people in schools. 
In 1992 the Portuguese Ministry of Education published a new legal arrangement for the in-service 
training of teachers. Under this system, teacher training centres associating schools of all levels of 
education are created alongside the institutes of higher education responsible for initial teacher 
training. At the present time there are 200 training centres. During their first year of operation, 
70,000 teachers received training (70% of the overall total employed in basic and secondary 
education). The main fields comprising the standard source content of training for trainers are: 
social training, training management, planning of training, organisation of training and training 
technology. 
In Spain, stricter rules are to be followed in the process of recognising vocational training teachers, 
in order to improve the quality of the teaching and training staff: A university degree will be 
required, the teacher must belong to the Association of Teachers in Secondary Education, and 
finally the trainer must have completed a teacher training course. 
Some of the PETRA Research Partnerships were focused on this issue, but the widest range of 
activity in this field was developed within the framework of ENTP. The great majority of projects 
used the opportunity presented to them through the transnational partnerships to exchange staff and 
carry out staff training activities, with a view to widening their staffs awareness of industrial 
standards, attitudes and practices in other Member States. Since 1988 approximately 30,000 
trainers, tutors and teachers who have participated in, or are still involved in, the PETRA 
Programme were introduced to the Community dimension and increased their knowledge about the 
policies, practices and attitudes in other member States. They are now able, in their day-to-day 
training practice, to apply this European experience and thus underpin the implementation of 
reform activities in their respective Member States. 
2.2.3. Certification of qualifications 
The certification of qualifications and the qualitative improvement of training provision forms a 
central part of current reform or new legislation launched in a number of Member States, and some 
of the developments in this field are set out briefly below. 
In Luxembourg, measures to increase the success-rate in initial vocational training have been 
introduced, notably an apprenticeship system with two levels of certificates: One basic certificate 
after 2 years (CITP = certificate d'initiation technique et professionnelle). A second degree of 
apprenticeship (CATP = certificate-d'aptitude technique et professionnelle) can be obtained later. 
Since this system only entered into force in the 1994-1995 school year it is yet too early to 
evaluate. 
13 
Ireland: The main drive to improve the standards and quality of training and its overall 
attractiveness to employers, parents and young people has been in the development of appropriate 
curt i lient ion as part of general education and the expansion of certificat son in post-compulsory 
education and training through the National Council for vocational awards. Thus, in September 
1989, a new two-year vocational training initiative was introduced, which provides a Leaving 
Certificate Course giving each participant a grounding in specific technological areas, a modern 
language, and work experience (age 17/18). Work experience (minimum 4 weeks) is undertaken 
during the course. The European Dimension in education will be emphasised in the areas of 
language, technology, work experience and guidance counselling. The leaving Certificate Applied 
programme was available from September 1995. 
In Denmark, all vocational education and training courses lead to a skilled worker-certificate 
issued by the general Committees which has general validity. 
Greece: In the law (1992) reforming the national system of vocational education and training one 
of the main tasks is the formal certification of vocational training. It is hoped that the OEEK 
(Organisation for vocational education and training, set up by this law) will develop into a research, 
advisory, executive and supervisory body for Education/training programmes as well as an agency 
for the definition of specifications for the recognition of diplomas. 
In the United Kingdom, similar aims are intended with the introduction of General National 
Vocational Qualification (GNVQs), which assess whether an individual is prepared for entry into a 
broad range of related occupations, including the possibility that this may entail progression 
through higher levels of education. Scotland: SCOTVEC (Scottish Vocational Education Council) 
completed a major reform of its advanced level qualifications in 1993, the central features of which 
are unitization of the Higher National Certificates (HNC and HND) qualifications and the 
introduction of two new qualifications (SVQs= Scottish Vocational Qualifications and GSVQ= 
General Scottish Vocational Qualifications). 
2,2.4. Reinforcement of links between training establishments and industry 
Some of the most important measures in forging closer links between educational or training 
establishments and enterprises are all forms of on-and-off-the-job training and apprenticeships / 
traineeships, and almost all countries have developed their initial training provisions in this 
direction. An important trend is that more emphasis is put on a dual system of vocational training 
and practical experience. As a consequence of this growing awareness of the importance of closer 
links between training establishments and industry, countries who earlier didn't have a dual system 
of initial vocational training, with part of the training given by training bodies and another part of 
practical experience in enterprises, are now introducing this form of initial vocational training. In 
countries where the dual system already existed, this is now being reinforced (e.g. France, 
Belgium). It seems that there is a growing awareness that practical experience is indispensable to 
ease young people's access to the labour market by giving them a first practical vocational 
experience. 
Denmark: There is open admission to training and education and a free choice of school, but 
intake is limited by the number of training places supplied by companies. To counterbalance this 
short-term demand led model and to make it more attractive to enterprises to create training places, 
the AER (Law on Employer's apprentice reimbursement scheme of February 1992) system was set 
up, which is now the backbone of the Danish alternance training model. 
As it has already been mentioned, Germany has a long tradition for the dual system and measures 
are currently being taken in order to further strengthen the efficiency of the system . 
United Kingdom: In September 1995 two provisions for apprenticeship were launched nation­
wide: Modern Apprenticeships which offer young people a work-based route to skills at craft, 
14 
technician and junior management level, mainly aimed at 16 to 17 year olds, and Accelerated 
Modern Apprenticeships for 18 to 19 year olds. 
In France, the apprenticeship system has been enhanced in a way which is very much in line with 
the alternance system propagated by PETRA, and which attaches much importance to placements. 
A new law on apprenticeship was passed in 1992, with the following objectives: 
1. to involve trade sectors and employers more closely in young people's initial training; 
2. to improve the position of apprentices, for example by increasing their earnings and taking the 
skills they have already acquired into account when determining the duration of their articles; 
3. to adapt apprentice training centres and allow vocational lycées to accept apprentices; 
4. to introduce regional-level negotiation on the development of apprenticeship, leading to 
agreements between the State and the regions; 
5. to extend the scope of the apprenticeship contract to the public sector. 
The French system now comprises alternating training measures for 16 to 25 year olds, which are 
based on three types of integration contracts: guidance contracts, qualification contracts and 
adaptation contracts. 
In Luxembourg, one of the objectives of the 1990-reform is to adapt the content of training to the 
socio-economic context, in particular by promoting school-industry links. Another objective is to 
adapt the aims of apprenticeship in line with economic and social changes and the challenge of 
Europe. 
The Netherlands: On August 1, 1993, the part-time Vocational Courses Act (WCBO) came into 
effect, establishing regulations for the apprenticeship system, part-time senior secondary vocational 
education and training for specific occupations. 
Ireland: In 1991, the Ministry for Labour announced the introduction of the new apprenticeship 
system which came into effect in 1993. 
In all Member States, enterprises were encouraged to take an active part in the PETRA 
Programme, and a number of projects, both under Action I and in the ENTPs were initiated by 
firms. Through their involvement in transnational training cooperation, and the opportunities 
offered to their young workers or trainees to benefit from a training placement in another Member 
State, firms were able to develop European experience amongst their staff, including SMEs where 
such opportunities rarely exist because they do not have the resources needed for transnational 
cooperation. In Germany, for instance, experience under Action I has shown that professional 
organisations and chambers of trade and crafts can be instrumental in involving SMEs in 
transnational training and work experience placements. They can provide an operational framework 
at local and European level which compensates for the lack of organisational infrastructure in 
individual firms, guarantees that the quality and content of placements correspond to specific 
needs, and makes it possible to capitalise on transnational experience gained by other SMEs in a 
particular sector or local area. In addition, some professional organisations, chambers and regional 
authorities use the framework provided by PETRA to create, or develop, their own networks for 
transnational cooperation and joint exploitation of training resources, especially in border regions, 
but also between more remote parts of the Community. 
2.2.5. Involving social partners 
In order to better adapt national provisions for initial vocational training to the labour market need, 
closer links with the social partners are created almost in all countries. Indeed, the close association 
of social partners in the definition of training need allow for a more effective training of young 
people. 
The involvement of social partners in the definition of national training needs is indispensable in 
order to better adapt training provisions to the needs of the labour market. This theme is closely 
interlinked with the theme "Reinforcement of links between training establishments and industry" 
15 
but goes beyond it, since the involvement oï the social partners include not only dual training 
methods, but also the involvement of social partners in the definition on training needs, and the 
financing of certain training provisions. 
The role of social Partners has been strengthened in almost all countries, and this aspect has a high 
priority at national level. 
Denmark: Traditionally, the Social Partners have always been closely involved in vocational 
training provision and with the reform of 1989 their position within the system has been further 
strengthened, both at national and at local level. The social partners participate extensively in the 
policy making and management of the system at central as well as local level, and the system has 
been designed to secure that the labour force currently has the skills and qualifications demanded in 
the labour market. The organisational structure at national level involves a new VET Council which 
consider general issues. The Council is an advisory board and makes recommendations to the 
Minister of Education. It also involves Trade Committees (parity of membership of social partners) 
which handle curricula-issues. At school level, local education and training committees have been 
set up to which representatives of social partners must make up the majority. These committees 
have an advisory capacity and will strengthen the cooperation between the school and the local 
labour market. 
Italy: Over the past years a series of agreements have been concluded between training authorities 
and national and regional level associations of employers and trade unions. As a result, the Social 
Partners now share responsibilities e.g. for identification of skills needs at regional level, the 
designing and delivering of training curricula and, in particular, for the provision of work 
experience places. Since 1992, in both technical education and vocational training, these 
placements have become compulsory. Both transnational placements under Action I (in which 
participated over 3,500 young people in initial training and some 2,000 young workers), and work 
developed in the ENTP projects contributed to the integration of work experience in the 
curriculum. The relevance of transnational placements, as developed in PETRA, was explicitly 
recognised in the Bill on work experience placements, adopted by Parliament in 1993. In this Bill it 
is stipulated that all regulation, e.g. on the social and legal status on Italian trainees also pertain to 
foreign trainees on work experience in Italy, thereby giving them a profound legal status. 
The Netherlands: The social Partners now bear the main responsibility to set the standards for 
initial training: Sectoral level committees, in which training organisations also participate, have the 
task to develop training "attainment targets", which are valid for both senior secondary vocational 
education and apprenticeship courses. They also identify new emerging training needs. Social 
Partners have seats in the board of the newly established Regional Employment Committees. 
Finally they help deliver the training curriculum. In close consultation training institutions and the 
social partners have to agree on the means to use to achieve the attainment targets for example on 
the role and place of work experience placements. 
In Belgium, a tripartite Flemish Education Council was set up in 1991 to bring together all parties 
concerned with education and training in a common approach to identifying training needs, and to 
feed relevant information to vocational schools, training establishments and employment services. 
Similar committees were also set up a regional level. This institutional effort was followed up by 
the creation of the States General for Technical Education in 1993, which brings together 
representatives of Education, Social Partners and the Government to regroup study disciplines in 
certain areas and adapt training programmes to the need of the labour market. In the French 
Community of Belgium, the formal signature of the "Apprenticeship Charter" in March 1993, by 
the national educational authorities and the social partners, marked the beginning of close 
cooperation and concertation between schools and enterprises. 
The Organisation for Vocational Education and Training, in Greece, involves representatives from 
different Ministries and the Social Partners in its management board and is responsible inter alia for 
16 
policy development, the implementation, planning and coordination of training provision and 
cooperation with national and international bodies. 
In France, in addition to the work of the High Level Committee on Education and Economy 
(MCEE), created in 1987, a National Committee on Education and Professions (CNEP) was set up 
with the participation of the Social Partners to examine all decisions which concern both areas. The 
1991 law, which concerns the establishment of university institutes with a vocational training 
content, embodies the main provisions of the agreement reached by the Social Partners in July 1991 
(greater participation on the part on employers, extension of the arrangement to enterprises 
employing fewer than 10 people, reform of alternance training, etc). 
In the United Kingdom, many of the detailed responsibilities for the management of training, and 
the provision of training which meets the skills requirements of a particular geographical area, have 
been decentralised to Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) or Local Enterprise Councils 
(LECs) in the case of Scotland. These TECs and LECs are locally based, employer-led bodies 
which provide a focus for cooperation between education, training and the world of work. 
In Portugal, the agreement on vocational training policy, concluded in July 1991 and signed by the 
Government and the social partners, has reinforced the social dialogue in the field cf vocational 
training. Under the agreement, action by the social partners includes the following: definition, 
monitoring and evaluation of training policy; participation in the structures for the coordination of 
training and qualification; and monitoring of the development of Community vocational training 
policies. The Social Partners are beginning to assume an important and increasing role as 
promoters of training. New training profiles and curricula and new training programmes have been 
established in direct association with the social partners. As a resuit of this cooperation, there has 
been a significant increase in the dissemination and recognition of new offers of training and the 
rate of em payability of young people. 
In Ireland, the Social Partners are playing a full part in discussions on initial training. The Irish 
Business and Employer's Confederation (IBEC), in their policy statement of June 1992, underlined 
the need for all young people to have the opportunity of a structured training programme organised 
and controlled by industry and providing certification with national and international recognition. 
In Luxembourg, the new law on technical and vocational education urges schools to establish 
stronger links with the world of work, through support for cooperative projects with industry. 
In Spain, the "Plan Nacional de Formacion Profesional" proposed by the General Council for 
Vocational Training with the participation of the Social Partners was approved by Government. 
This plan necessitates a close cooperation and coordination between all bodies responsible (the 
Ministries of Education and Employment and the Social Partners) in the initial vocational training 
of young people (formacion reglada), training of the unemployed and continuing training of 
workers (formacion ocupacional). 
2.2.6. Decentralisation - local and regional focus 
Young people have different training needs and often require assistance in identifying which 
particular type of training would be most suitable for them: fully school-based courses, with work 
experience placements, apprenticeship type courses, combinations of these in long or short courses, 
etc. To suit these various needs, several Member States are experimenting with regional training 
centres in which different training options, and sometimes also guidance and pre-vocational 
options, are provided. Moreover decentralisation of responsibility for the provision of training has 
especially helped make vocational training more responsive to local and regional requirements. 
In Germany a pilot project is currently running (1990-1996) called "decentralised learning". Focus 
is on cooperation between training establishments, undertakings and schools. It is build on the 
17 
hypothesis that in modern, technology based work methods is has become possible and necessary 
to promote integrative forms of relationships between work and training. "Decentralised learning" 
has the advantage of combining real action in working life and learning by doing with international 
learning. 
The Netherlands. The decision to create regional bodies for the apprenticeship system (ROC), for 
vocational education and adult education represents a major step towards the integration of the 
various sorts of vocational training, as intended in the new law on vocational education and adult 
education which entered into force in 1996 (WEB). The ROC provide the following types of 
training: adult basic education, general secondary adult education, apprenticeship system, senior 
secondary vocational education (MBO) and local non-formal education. 
In the United Kingdom TECs (Locally based Training and Enterprise Councils) were set up in 
meet local needs. In May 1994 the Government announced new arrangements for contracting with 
TECs in England based on the provision of 3 year licences to TECs which meet specified levels of 
performance and capability. The first TEC licences were issued in April 1995. All TECs must 
achieve a licence by 1997 as a condition of continued government funding. TECs are responsible 
for designing and delivering training and enterprise programmes that meet the needs of their 
particular labour markets. 
One of the main features of the 20 December 1993 law covering the next five years in France is to 
enhance the role of regions, which are seen as privileged geographical areas for vocational training. 
This feature involves an extension of the ongoing decentralisation process, the elaboration of a 
regional development plan for vocational training of young people, and the extension of the 
competencies of the coordination committee for regional apprenticeship programmes and 
programmes for vocational training. 
In Portugal, the Ministry for Education was restructured in April 1993, making the regional 
services stronger and the central structure more flexible. 
In the PETRA Programme, some of the Research Partnerships worked on new models for more 
effective planning of training provision at regional level. The ENTP projects, through their 
commitment to practical cooperation with a variety of partners in their local or regional context, 
underpinned responsiveness to new needs. Through transnational training placements and 
partnerships projects, new approaches were developed to enhance more "transversal" skills which 
increase young people's capacity to adapt to changing requirements in the workplace. New 
experience was gained through the work of the ENTP, in the joint elaboration and implementation 
of training units covering specific content topics. A major contribution of both the transnational 
placements and the ENTP projects is to be seen in the fact that they have highlighted practical ways 
of facing a number of needs and changes with regard to training in a new, evolving Community 
context. 
2.2.7. Modular organisation of training 
The importance of introducing flexibility to national systems of initial vocational training has been 
acknowledged widely. There is a trend towards prolonging courses of initial vocational training, 
introducing more general subjects, which will enable young people to become more able to adapt to 
new situations, learn how to acquire new knowledge, and providing young people with the 
possibility to change from one area of vocational training to another. 
18 
2.3. Transnational cooperation 
2.3.1. European dimension 
A number of Member States have deliberately explored the opportunities offered through the 
PETRA Programme to introduce or reinforce a Community dimension in their initial training 
provisions. 
In Denmark, two new laws inspired by the PETRA Programme were passed in February 1992 
entitling all young people in vocational training courses to spend all, or part of, the practical work 
experience component in another EC or EFTA country. The periods spend abroad are fully 
recognised and accredited and financial support is made available from a training fund created by a 
training levy paid by employers. The main objective is to internationalise the aims and content of 
Danish training courses and despite the limited experience so far, many vocational schools and 
Trade Committees would like to see placements abroad as an integral and compulsory part of 
vocational training courses. 
Similarly, in early 1992, the Dutch Government published a discussion paper to outline its new 
policies for the internationalisation of education and training. Amongst other activities, this policy 
involves the promotion of a new exchange programme for teachers and trainers; financial support 
for a national support agency for transnational exchanges. As a result, in 1993, almost all of the 140 
senior secondary vocational education training colleges have participated in at least one of these 
transnational programmes. 
United Kingdom: The European Dimension is an important feature of the Technical & Vocational 
Educational Initiative (TVEI) from 1987. TVEI funds have been used to introduce aspects of 
European business and culture into schools and colleges and to facilitate experience of work in 
other countries. 
In France, and important number of Academies have set as a priority the development of the 
transnational, and in particular, European activities and thus, all training bodies are encouraged to 
participate in Community Programmes . 
Luxembourg: One of the priority lines in the 1990 reform is to prepare the workforce for the single 
market, through the introduction of a European dimension in initial vocational training. 
Other Member States have used "their" projects in the ENTP to provide a "Community window" in 
national reform initiatives. In Ireland, contact with the initial training systems of other Member 
States has been a major positive element which has informed the debate on the development of the 
Irish system. 
As a clear demonstration of the interest of the Italian authorities in transmitting the importance of a 
European dimension to students in initial training, it was decided to translate the text of the official 
diplomas into all other official EU languages. As they are forwarded together with a description of 
their content, they form an important contribution to the discussions about a "training portfolio". 
Participation in PETRA placements, or other similar activities, are explicitly mentioned on the 
diploma. 
By networking projects throughout the territory of the Community, the PETRA Programme has 
also created practical facilities to promote cooperation between the more advanced and the less 
developed regions and between Northern European countries and Southern ones Through the 
PETRA Programme, the Community has played a particularly active role, since 1988, in the 
development of transnational vocational training placements for young people. Compared to 
general youth exchange activity or mobility oi' university students between the Member States, 
opportunities for exchange in the field of vocational training were, and still are, very under-
19 
developed; studies conducted during the first phase of Ihe PETRA Programme suggest that only 
bel ween 0.5% and 1% of Ihe young people were benefiting from a placement period in another 
Member Stale which formed part of, or completed their initial vocational training. Since 1992, the 
placement element has been formalised in Action 1 and now constitutes a structured framework for 
the organisation of training and work experience placements in another Member State ensuring that 
such placements are undertaken in conditions which promote the development of vocational 
knowledge and skills. 
By publishing and providing financial and technical support to transnational exchanges, the 
PETRA Programme has provoked an upsurge of interest, at all levels in the training world, in 
Community aspects of training and in cooperation with partners in other Member States. Through 
its operations, the Programme has lowered the threshold of access to cooperative work in the 
Community for many training institutions which had little or no previous experience in this field, 
and has directed their attention to the European dimension of training. It has also promoted the 
idea, amongst training establishments, of "shopping around" for innovative training products 
(methods, materials, courses) and other training support, and of offering, in turn, their own specific 
experience and practice. To some extent, this has fostered a form of entrepreneurial spirit in the 
establishments involved in transnational placements or in the ENTP, which was enhanced through 
their search for partnership at the local/regional level, and helped them to play a more pro-active 
role on the training market. 
In a large number of training partnerships, this has led to the joint development and application of 
curricula and training materials. In some of the partnerships, where the young people completed a 
jointly-developed new training module in another Member State, the results were fully credited for 
(part of) a vocational qualification, by all the Member States participating in the respective 
partnership. 
2.3.2. Mobility 
Transnational mobility is not only a vita! element in providing young people with inside knowledge 
of working cultures in other countries; it is also a rather new element, which meets a wide range of 
obstacles. (Obstacles to transnational mobility are dealt with in the Commission's Green Paper 
"Education - Vocational training - Research: The obstacles to transnational mobility", cf Annex.3) 
In some Member States, PETRA placements have provided young people with the first opportunity 
to experience training and work situations abroad, and they represent the largest part of 
transnational placements available to young people from that country (Greece, Italy, Portugal), 
while in other Member States, they have provided an important stimulus to improve further the 
quality and increase the number of transnational placements (Denmark, Germany and the 
Netherlands). The Programme contributed to the broadening of experience in this field, and 
particular efforts were made to overcome the organisational, linguistic and other obstacles to young 
people's participation in transnational placements. NCU pooled experiences and examples of good 
practice as well as developed guidelines and material for foreign language provision designed to 
meet the needs of the PETRA Programme and its public. 
In Belgium the Ministry of Labour had agreed to an exemption for young unemployed persons 
carrying out a transnational placement not exceeding three months. They could leave Belgium 
without loosing their right to unemployment benefit and without having to wait for a period of time 
before starting to receive unemployment benefit again when they returned. This exemption is also 
agreed within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci Programme. 
The French-speaking Community in Belgium: The Ministry of Labour has officially recognised 
PETRA placements in the beginning of 1994, and the right to obtain unemployment benefit may be 
maintained during vocational training placements abroad. This is a direct consequence of a joint 
initiative of the PETRA NCU and the EU Programme EURES. 
20 
In Italy, a new law "Progrclto 92", which integrates apprenticeships / mobility measures, is clearly 
inspired by the PETRA Programme. 
Denmark: In February 1992 two laws were passed, snd it could be said that they were influenced 
by the objectives and the common framework of the PETRA Programme, as they concern mobility. 
According to this new legislation young people in VET courses may pass all or part of their 
practical work experience in an enterprise in another country and have it recognised on equal terms. 
So far, 300 students per year have utilised this new opportunity and it is hoped that the yearly 
number will increase to 500. Placements abroad are welcomed and supported legally and 
financially In many sectors, notably the metal sector, the hotel and catering sector and the 
construction sector which have been very active in facilitating placements abroad. 
Germany: The mobility actions of the PETRA Programme have been an important complement to 
existing mainly bilateral placement programmes and have raised the number of participating young 
persons in this kind of activities considerably. Placement experiences have proved essential to 
foster key qualifications. 
In the United Kingdom, the Teacher Placement Service has helped to establish placement 
programmes in a number of other Member States and has developed a Euro-wide network to 
facilitate reciprocal placements between states. 
Raising quality of vocational training is in the centre of all national reforms, many of which lay 
greater emphasis on strengthening the link between training establishments and industry, for 
example by means of work or training placements. Vocational qualifications aside, there is no 
doubt that work or training placements have an enormous impact on the young people in terms of 
learning other skills. These skills have in the past years proven to be more important than narrow, 
technical skills, which might become obsolete with the rapid development in technology. For this 
reason the acquisition of core competencies has become one of the priorities in the Leonardo da 
Vinci Programme, and is one of the five major priorities listed in the White Paper "Teaching and 
Learning - Towards the Learning Society". Key qualifications include entrepreneurial skills such as 
creativity, initiative, risk-taking, overview and responsibility, flexibility, communication, linguistic 
skills, decision making, problem solving, quality consciousness, self-confidence, social skills and 
tolerance, team-building, 
The acquisition of transversal skills is hard to measure - as well as to assess. However, 
transnational mobility has proved to be one of the best ways of conveying them, because 
placements are made up of a series of situations in which you have to apply transversal skills in 
order to survive or to be successful. 
2.3.3. Vocational language skills 
As a complement to the objectives of the PETRA Programme it is evident that adding vocational 
language skills to the curricula is very important.In almost all countries awareness of the necessity 
to develop foreign language teaching further is increasing, and this is often seen in the broader 
context of furthering a European or international dimension or in the context of the definition of 
transversal key competencies. Improving vocational language skills, however is seldom a high 
ranking priority at national level. 
United Kingdom: Awareness of the importance of increasing young people's language skills is 
rising. Thus the development of young people's understanding of European and World issues is an 
integral aspect of the United Kingdom national curriculum. The study of another European 
language is an important part of compulsory education of most young people. As one of the 
foundation subjects of the national curriculum, a modern foreign language must be studied by all 
pupils. 
21 
Luxembourg: One of the objectives of the 1990 reform is to promote young people's autonomy 
and creativity and other transversal skills such as the ability to solve problems, cooperate with 
others and to communicate orally and in writing in the multilingual situation prevailing in 
Luxembourg. 
In Germany, emphasis is laid on the "European ability" of young people. The further development 
of European cooperation and the dynamic of the Internal Market makes it necessary to make 
German vocational training more centred on European matters. In this connection, the practical 
knowledge of foreign languages is indispensable as is the further development of transnational 
pincements in the framework of European and bilateral programmes of exchanges. 
The PETRA Programme has, together with the LINGUA Programme backed up national efforts 
to promote vocational language skills, and it could initiate new national initiatives as for example 
the development of a national action programme to promote language learning within vocational 
training. In the framework of this action programme a project has been implemented which 
promotes young workers coming from small and medium size enterprises to learn languages 
abroad. 
,:>, CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES 
A number of challenges remain for the future. This is clear from the analysis of the actions carried 
out under the PETRA Programme and the policy development in the Member States in the field of 
initial vocational training. A number of aspects should be given further attention in the 
dsvsiopment of future Community action in the field of initial vocational training. It will be 
important to give priority to the following main areas: 
Reducing the number of young people who enter the labour market without a basic 
qualification. 
Increasing the attractiveness of vocational training 
Introducing a practical Community dimension into initial vocational training 
Developing core competencies through initial vocational training 
Reinforcing vocational guidance provision and adding a Community dimension to it 
Disseminating innovation in initial vocational training, within Member States and 
transnational^ 
The Leonardo da Vinci Programme has broken down the sharp division line between initial 
vocational training and continuing vocational training thus aiming at furthering life long learning 
and closer links between training provisions at all levels. It builds on the experience from the 
PETRA Programme and other Community Programmes in the field of vocational training and is 
thus an instrument to answer to some of the future challenges outlined above. The Leonardo da 
Vinci Programme was adopted on 6 December 1994 and covers the 5-year period from 1994 to 
1999 and all 18 EEA countries take part in it. 
22 
Annex 1: 
The allocation of financial resources to the various Actions of the programme is summarized 
below: 
Million l-CU 
Action I: Transnational training and work experience 
placements 
- Young people in initial vocational training 
Young workers, young people in advanced programmes, 
young unemployed 
Sub-total Action 1 
Action 11 
- ENTPs 
- YIPs 
Sub-total Action 11 
Action III: Cooperation in the field of vocational guidance 
National Resource Centres 
Development projects 
Transnational projects on the training of guidance 
counsellors 
Sub-total Action II! 
Complementary Measures 
Information and Dissemination Activities 
National Coordination Units 
Community-level Technical Assistance 
Cooperative research and studies 
Sub-total Complementary measures 
TOTAL 1988-1991 
* 
20.648 
5.031 
(25.679) 
** 
2.823 
3.082 
6.385 
2.021 
(14.311) 
39.990 1992-1994 1 1992 
15.844 
39.200 
(55.044) 
29.935 
3J17 
(33.252) 
3.548 
2.340 
(5.888) 
4.239 
4.540 
*** 
2.356 
(11.135) 
105.319 3.699 
13.143 
(16.842) 
7.953 
1.011 
(8.964) 
600 
414 
(1.014) 
719 
1.554 
2.900 
728 
(5.901) 
32.72! 1993 
5.144 
12.557 
(17.702) 
11.001 
1.106 
(12.107) 
638 
1.396 
(2.034) 
1.380 
Î.466 
*** 
807 
(3.653) 1994 1 
7.000 
13.500 
(20.500) 
10.980 
1.200 
(12.180) 
2.310 
530 
(2.840) 
2.140 
1.520 
*** 
820 
(4.480) 
1 ! 35.496 r 40.000 
" In the period 1988-1991, transnational training placements and exchanges were organised within the framework of ENTP 
K* In the period 1988-1991, activities in the field of vocational guidance were included in the work of ENTP. 
"** I'rom 1993 onwards, the allocation for this assistance is included in part A of the Commission's general budget 
n 
Annex- 2; Statistical background 
in Ihe current period of demographic decline, vocational training institutions are facing increased 
competition for young people in the training age group. In 1988, the first operational year of the 
PKTRA Programme, the total number of 15-19 year-olds was 26.1 million in the Community and 
about one third of these young people were estimated to participate in full-time or part-time initial 
vocational training. 
Forecasts on the number of young people (not including Italy and Portugal) in Europe indicates 
that the number of 15 to 19 year-olds will increase slightly in the year 2000 and afterwards decline 
from 17.7 million in the year 2000 to 15.8 million in the year 2020. (cf Fig. 1). This means that to 
retain only the same number of people with technical qualifications as in 1995, training systems 
will need to attract about 37% of the relevant age group in the year 2020; even larger efforts will be 
required to increase the number of participants in initial vocational training. 
Fig» 1 : Total number of young people 
(Source Eurostat, EUR-12 figures not including Italy and Portugal: EUR-10) 
Number of 15-19 years olds 
18000 
17500 
» 17000 xt 
g 1S500 
g 16000 
jE 15500 
15000 
14500 Mill 
1995 2000 2005 2010 
Year 2015 I 
2020 •EUR-10 
The unemployment rate for the population as a whole has been increasing during the last few 
years from 9.2 % in 1991 to ll.2 % in 1994 (cf. Fig. 2). This figure hides some important 
discrepancies between countries and between various groups of people. Thus, unemployment is 
raising in all countries over the period from 1988 to 1994 with the exception of Denmark, Ireland, 
the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where there was a small decrease in unemployment from 
1993 to 1994. When considering the change from 1992 to 1994, only Denmark and Ireland showed 
less unemployment in 1994. Moreover the overall unemployment rate was falling from 1988 to 
1991, whereafter the unemployment rate rose again (cf. Fig. 3). 
i<t 
Fig. 2: Unemployment rates, annual averages 
(source Eurostat) 
EUR 12 T Tsr TT"~|—I—|—?—T~^" 
TOTAL MALES AND FEMALE8 ~T~W. 
iwa 
1881 
10*4 
1868 
1881 
1884 
1888 
1881 
1884 
1888 
1881 
1884 
1888 
1881 
Ï884 NL 
9,8 
8,7* 
10,9 10,2 
7,5 
10 6,4 
8,9 
10,1 6,3 
4,2 
6,2 7,7 
7,7 " 
n.a 19,4 
16,4 
23 9.9 
9,5 
11.3 17,3 
16,2 
17,7 10,1 
11,8 2_ 
3,3 7,1 
n.a 4 
6,f 8,5 
8,9 
9,6 
MALES 
7,9 
7,2 
9,5 
12,6 
10,9 
12,9 6,9 
5 
"~7~ 5,4 
7,8 
9,1 5,1 
3,7 
5,9 4.9 
4,8 
n.a 15,2 
12,3 
18,5 7,6 
7,4 
9.4" 
FEMALES 16.8 
15,6 
16,7 7,3 
6.8 
8,3 1,5 
1,3 7,1 
5.3 4 
2.8 8,7 
10 
11,2 
" '15>" "" 
""" 11.4 
14,4 7,6 
10,2'"" 
11,2 " "7,9 
"4> 
6,7 12,5 
" 12,8 
n.a 27,5 "" 
"23,8"""" 
30,9 12,1 
13,6 17,3 
19.7 15,6 
17,8 2,3 
4,4 12,7 
9,8 
n.a 5,7 8,3 
UNDER 26 YEARS MALES AND FEMALES 
17,7 
20,2' 20,3 
J 6,7 
201" 8,7 
1J,2 
10,6" 
17,4 T" 15,T r ffi" 
16,3 13,6 10,2 _ 
19,3 17,7 977" 6,8 
3fi 
"5,2 
6,2 
3,9 
5,6 25,6 
24,6 40,3 
31,1 22,1 
23,4 25 
24,5 
26,4 28,5 
31,1 4,8 
3,2 14,6 
11,4 9,1 12,4 
15 
16,8 
n.a UNDER 25 YEARS MALES 
34,1 
25,7_ 
34,3 18,3 
18,1 
21,2 26,8 
25,9 
27,8 27,6 
24,2 
27,1 4,4 
3,2 13,9 
10,6 9.6 
6,5 13,3 
"1773 
9,5 
1888 
1881 
1984 22A_ 
'19,3 
21,2 J!L8_ 
20' 
22,4 9'7. 
T2,4~ 
11,5 7,4 
3,8 
4,7 UNDER U YEARS FEMALES 
"47,7" 
33,5 
n.a 37,8 
43,5 24,6 
25,7 22,7 
24,7 39,2 
33,7 
36,1 5,2 16,4 17,5 11,3 
3,1 
6^1" 12 12,1 12,1 
11,8 
Fig 3: Unemployment trends for the European Union (EUR-12, source Eurostat) 
m I mm, , , y r 
V-*v ^ \J0- \J+ \«* \*+ 
Legend: 
< 25 : F Unemployment rate for young women under 25 years 
< 25: M + F Unemployment rate for young persons (men and women) under 25 years 
< 25 : M Unemployment rate for young men under 25 years 
T : F Unemployment rate for women 
T : M + F Unemployment rate for the total population of working age 
T : M Unemployment rate for men 
2. S 
Some countries (cf. Fig. 4) have particularly high rates of unemployment (IRL: 17.7% in 1994 and 
E: 23% in 1994) whereas others have very low numbers of unemployed (P: 7.0% in 1994; L: 3.3% 
in 1994). This means that unemployment in the countries with most difficulties (E) is nearly 7 
times higher than in the country with least unemployment (L). 
Moreover there is a higher unemployment amongst women than among men. Thus, unemployment 
for women was 13.1% in 1991 compared to only 8.7% for men, and 12.9% in 1994 compared to 
only 9.5% for men. 
Fig. 4: UNEMPLOYMENT PER COUNTRY (Source Eurostat) 
o 
u or 
UJ 
Q-20 UNEMPLOYMENT, PER COUNTRY 
• — 1 laaj 
-flL_i ffll i ,JM—i—itfHL__JB-
§* 
COUNTRY 11994 
Young people have been particularly badly affected by unemployment during the whole period of 
the PITRA Programme (cf. Fig. 5). On average the unemployment rate for young people under 25 
years is twice as high as for the population as a whole, reaching 21.3% in 1991 and 20.2% in 1994. 
There is a slight tendency of the unemployment of young people to approach that of the population 
as a whole: the relationship between the unemployment of young people and the population of 
working age was 2.03 and fell to 1.85 in 1994, but this may be due to the fact that unemployment is 
generally increasing. 
Fig 5: Unemployment rate: young people & total population of working age (Source Eurostat) 
EUR12 
P=M+F 
M 
F 
Y=YNI+YF 
YM 
YF 
Y/P 
YF/P 1987 
10.5 
8.7 
13.1 
21.3 
19.1 
23.9 
2.03 
2.28 1988 
9.8 
7.9 
12.8 
19.8 
17.4 
22.4 
2.02 
2.29 1989 
8.9 
7.1 
11.8 
17.6 
15.2 
20.3 
1.98 
2.28 1990 
8.3 
6.6 
10.8 
16.8 
14.7 
19.1 
2.02 
2.30 1991 
8.7 
7.2 
10.9 
17.7 
16.3 
19.3 
2.03 
2.22 1992 
9.4 
8.1 
11.3 
18.4 
17.4 
19.5 
1.96 
2.07 1993 
10.5 
9.3 
12.3 
20.1 
19.5 
21 
1.91 
2.00 1994 
10.9 
9.5 
12.9 
20.2 
19.3 
21.2 
1.85 
1.94 
Legend: 
I»: 
M: 
V: 
Y: 
YM: 
YF: Total population (male and female) 
Total male 
Total female 
Total population under 25 years (male and female) 
Total male under 25 years 
Total female under 25 years 
IL 
Relationship between the unemployment rate for young people and 
the unemployment rate for the total population of working age 
Y/P 
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 
Year 
Here again we find important differences between countries, with Luxembourg having only 7.1% 
in 1994 and Germany having only 5.2% in 1994. Countries with high levels of unemployment 
amongst young people are Spain with 38.3% in 1994 and Italy with 31.1% in 1994. 
Equal opportunities: 
Indeed unemployment figures show that unemployment for women is generally higher than 
unemployment for men. Thus the unemployment rate for women was 13.1% in 1987 (8.7% for 
men) and 12.9% in 1994 (as opposed to only 9.5% for men). When we look at the group of young 
women under 25 year of age, the situation is even clearer: Young women have a particularly high 
rate of unemployment (1994 21.2% of young women are unemployed compared to 19.3% of young 
men and 10.9%> of the population as a whole, cf Figure 2). 
Unemployment for young women has largely followed the same trend as unemployment of the 
population as a whole: The rate falls slightly from 1987 to 1991 and thereafter raises again. The 
figure of unemployment for young women in the Community hides very important differences 
between countries: Unemployment for young women is particularly high in countries like Spain 
(43.5%o in 1994) and Italy (36.1% in 1994). In Italy the unemployment rate of women (1994: 
17.8%)) is more than double of that for men (1994: 8.3%). Other countries have remarkably low 
rates of unemployment for young women, e.g. Germany with only 4.7% in 1994. 
Moreover it is interesting to consider the relationship between the unemployment rate for the 
population as a whole and the unemployment rate for young women (cf. Fig. 6). We see that the 
difference between the two rates is becoming smaller: In 1987 relationship was 2.27 whereas in 
1994 it had fallen to 1.94. The unemployment rate for young women remains however, almost the 
double of the unemployment rate for the population as a whole. Finally, it should be noted, that the 
relationship between the unemployment rate of young women is approaching that of young people 
in general. 
1} 
Fig 6: Unsmployment rate of young women compared to the unemployment rate oTthe 
population as a whole (source Eurostat) 
UNEMPLOYMENT Young {females) / Population EUR 12 
1987 • Y/P 
•YF/P 
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 
Year 
Legend : 
Y: Young people under 25 years (men and women) 
YF: Young women under 25 years 
P: Total population of working age (men and women) 
1% 
Annex 3; References 
PETRA Publications: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
"European Handbook for Guidance Counsellors - Complementary version", 1996 
"Promoting Equal Opportunities for Girls and Young Women in Initial Vocational Training", 1995 
"Promoting Initiative and creativity of young people", 1995 
"Compendium PETRA", 1995 
"The European Dimension in Vocational Guidance", 1995 
"Responding to New Skill Needs - a Regional Perspective", 1995 
"Transnational Placements: Impact and Potential", 1995 
"European Handbook for Guidance Counsellors", 1994 
"Vademecum PETRA - Applicant's guide for 1994", 1993 
"Report on the Implementation of the PETRA Programme 1988-1991", Presented by the 
Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Advisory Committee on Vocational 
Training and the Education Committee, June 1992 
f ETRA Research Studies 
"The PETRA Research Partnerships 1989-1993: An overview of research outcomes", Published by 
Instituut voor Toetepaste Sociale Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 1995 
"Strategies to Improve Young People's Access to and their Progression within Initial Vocational 
Training", A study prepared at the request of the European Communities, J. Banks, EN, PR, DE, 
November 1994 
"Recognition and Certification of Transnational Training and Work Experience Placements", 
Synthesis report of national level reports published by SCOTVEC (Scottish Vocational Education 
Council), July 1994 
"Education and Vocational Guidance in the European Community" 
A.G.Watts, J.Guichard, P.Plant, M.L.Rodriquez, July 1993 
PETRA Working Documents 
"Aspects of Evaluation for Transnational Vocational Placements", PETRA Action L Produced by 
the Carl-Duisberg-Gesellschaft, one of the PETRA NCUs in Germany, in cooperation with other 
PETRA NCUs, 1995 
"Training Package for Transnational Partnerships" Computer based training pack, produced by 
Leargas, Irish PETRA NCU, in cooperation with other NCUs, 1995 
"Report on the Closing Seminar of the PETRA Programme", Killiney, Ireland, 9-10/02/1995 -
European Commission 
15 
"Basic Communicative Skills and Cultural Knowledge for Transnational Vocational Placements", 
Published by Léargas, Dublin, on behalf of the NCU Working Group on Foreign Languages, June 
1994 
"Catalogue of National Guidance Resources Centres", Commission of the European Communities, 
1994 
"PETRA - Vocational Training in the Agricultural Sector - the Contribution of the PETRA 
Programme", Commission of the European Communities, 1993 
"PETRA - Action I - Placements in figures", European Commission, 1992 
Background Documents 
"Education - Vocational Training - Research: The Obstacles to transnational Mobility", a Green 
Paper by the European Commission 
"Structures of the Education and Initial Training Systems in the European Union" 
1995 - Prepared jointly by Cedefop and Eurydice 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
"White Paper: Teaching and Learning - Towards the Learning Society", 1995, European 
Commission 
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by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ), David Handley, March 1995 
"L'Europe et la formation professionnelle des jeunes - transférer les acquis de PETRA dans 
LEONARDO et EMPLOI/YOUTHSTART", Racine Editions, 1995 
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Hertogenbosch, Rijksuniversiteit Leiden, July 1995 
Council Decision of 6 December establishing an action programme for the implementation of a 
European Communitty vocational training policy. 
OJEC L340, Volume 37, 29 December 1994. ISSN 0378 - 6978 
Cedefop publications 1994/1995 
"Reports on Vocational education and training" in France, Belgium, Netherland, Germany, Italy, 
Spain, Ireland, UK, Luxembourg, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, 1994 
National Final Reports on the implementation of the Petra Programme. 1995 
Reports from Denmark, France, Ireland, Portugal, Luxembourg, UK, Belgium, Greece, Germany 
3o 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(97) 385 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 04 13 16 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-388-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-23016-2 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg