COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships
Date: 2017-10-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: apprenticeship, cooperation in the field of education, integration into employment, job access, professional qualifications, school-working life relations, traineeship, vocational education, young person, youth employment

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.10.2017  SWD(2017) 322 final   COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships {COM(2017) 563 final}  
 
 
Contents 

1 

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3 

2  Political context ...................................................................................................................... 4 
General background ......................................................................................................................... 4 
2.1 
EU Support to Youth Employment .................................................................................................. 5 
2.2 
Apprenticeships – pathways to employability .................................................................................11 
2.3 
Apprenticeships in political spotlight – the European Alliance for Apprenticeships ......................12 
2.4 
2.5  Working towards a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships ...................17 
Milestones in improving the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships ...........................17 
Views of relevant stakeholders ...............................................................................................21 
ACVT opinion .............................................................................................................................. 21 
European social partners' work on apprenticeships ................................................................... 23 
Stakeholders' survey of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships .......................................... 24 
European Network of Apprentices ............................................................................................. 25 

2.5.2.1 
2.5.2.2 
2.5.2.3 
2.5.2.4 

2.5.1 
2.5.2 

3 
3.1 
3.2 
3.3 
3.4 

State of play on apprenticeships across Member States ................................................... 26 
Definition of apprenticeships / work-based learning .......................................................................26 
Overview of apprenticeships and work-based learning systems across the EU ..............................27 
Current challenges ...........................................................................................................................32 
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................34 

4  Key elements of the Proposal for a European Framework for Quality and Effective 
Apprenticeships ........................................................................................................................... 35 
Criteria for quality and effective apprenticeships............................................................................35 
4.1 
Criteria for learning and working conditions .......................................................................35 

4.1.1 

4.1.1.1  Written contract ......................................................................................................................... 35 
Learning outcomes ..................................................................................................................... 36 
4.1.1.2 
4.1.1.3 
Pedagogical support ................................................................................................................... 37 
4.1.1.4  Workplace component ............................................................................................................... 40 
Pay and/or compensation ........................................................................................................... 40 
4.1.1.5 
4.1.1.6 
Social protection ......................................................................................................................... 41 
4.1.1.7  Work, health and safety conditions ............................................................................................ 42 

4.1.2 

4.1.2.1 
4.1.2.2 
4.1.2.3 
4.1.2.4 
4.1.2.5 
4.1.2.6 
4.1.2.7 

Criteria for framework conditions .........................................................................................43 
Regulatory framework ................................................................................................................ 43 
Involvement of social partners ................................................................................................... 46 
Support for companies ............................................................................................................... 50 
Flexible pathways and mobility .................................................................................................. 52 
Career guidance and awareness raising ..................................................................................... 55 
Transparency .............................................................................................................................. 56 
Quality Assurance and graduate tracking ................................................................................... 56 

5  Potential scenarios (policy options) at EU level for improving the quality and 
effectiveness of apprenticeships ................................................................................................. 59 
Presentation of the potential scenarios ............................................................................................59 
5.1 
Assessment of potential scenarios (policy options) .........................................................................62 
5.2 

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5.3 
5.4 

5.4.1 

5.4.1.1 

Conclusions of the comparative analysis of the potential scenarios................................................64 
Analysis of possible impacts on Member States .............................................................................65 
Analytical framework on potential costs and benefits ...........................................................65 
Assessment of potential costs .................................................................................................... 65 
5.4.1.1.1  Overview of potential costs ................................................................................................... 65 
5.4.1.1.2  Analysis of cost implications ................................................................................................. 68 
Assessment of potential benefits ............................................................................................... 71 
5.4.1.3 Key variables for estimating costs and benefits .........................................................75 
Summary on costs and benefits .................................................................................................. 79 

5.4.1.2 

5.4.2 

5.4.2.1 

Annex 1 – Overview of key reference documents ..................................................................... 81 

Annex 2 - Potential set of indicators .......................................................................................... 88 

Annex 3 – Overview of apprenticeship schemes in 24 European countries ........................... 90 

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1  Introduction 

Background 

The  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and 
Effective  Apprenticeships  falls  under  the  Commission  priority  for  A  New  Boost  for  Jobs, 
Growth and Investment. It is one of the deliverables under the Communication on Investing in 
Europe's Youth from December 2016 and also the European Pillar of Social Rights from April 
2017. As a follow up of the Youth Employment Package in 2013 and the launch of the EAfA 
in July 2013, the Council adopted a Declaration on the European Alliance for Apprenticeships 
on  15  October  2013,  in  which  Member  States  noted  that  high-quality  apprenticeships  and 
other  work-based  learning  schemes  are  effective  instruments  to  improve  sustainable 
transitions  from  school  to  work,  notably  by  fostering  skills  that  are  relevant  to  the  labour 
market and improving skill matches. They also agreed that, where appropriate and according 
to  national  circumstances,  the  effectiveness  and  attractiveness  of  apprenticeship  schemes 
should be encouraged by their adherence to several common guiding principles. 

Objective 

The  Recommendation  aims  to  increase  the  employability  and  personal  development  of 
apprentices and to contribute to the development of a highly skilled and qualified workforce. 
It  provides  a  coherent  framework  for  what  defines  quality  and  effectiveness 
in 
apprenticeships, taking into account the diversity of vocational education and training (VET) 
systems in Member States.  

What are apprenticeships? 

Apprenticeships  are  formal  vocational  education  and  training  schemes  that  combine 
substantial  work-based  learning  in  companies  and  other  workplaces  with  learning  based  in 
education or training institutions, and that lead to nationally recognised qualifications. There 
should  be  a  contractual  relationship  between  the  apprentice,  the  employer  and/or  the 
vocational  education  and  training  institution,  and  the  apprentice  should  be  paid  and/or 
compensated for her/his work. 

Why are apprenticeships in focus? 

The  economic  crisis  and  high  levels  of  youth  unemployment  in  recent  years  led  to  an 
increased  interest  in  apprenticeships,  because  well-designed  apprenticeship  schemes  help 
young  people  into  employment.  The  combination  of  learning  in  school  and  training  in  a 
workplace, can give young people the skills that make them attractive on the labour market. 
Apprenticeships can therefore provide benefits for learners, employers and society. 

What is the proposal? 

The  European  Commission  is  proposing  a  Council  Recommendation  establishing  a  set  of 
criteria for quality and effectiveness in apprenticeships. The Recommendation includes seven 
criteria  for  the  learning  and  working  conditions  at  the  level  of  apprenticeship  schemes  and 
seven criteria for the necessary framework conditions at system level. The proposal includes 

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follow-up points for the Member States and the European Commission. The proposal builds 
on  extensive  work  of  European  stakeholders  on  the  issue  of  quality  and  effective 
apprenticeships,  particularly  European  social  partners,  since  the  launch  of  the  European 
Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  in  2013  and  largely  builds  on  the  tripartite  opinion  of  the 
Advisory Committee on Vocational Training adopted in 2016. 

What is the benefit of a framework? 

The  Recommendation  will  contribute  to  improving  ongoing  or  upcoming  reforms  in  the 
Member  States.  By  following  the  criteria  for  quality  and  effectiveness  in  apprenticeships, 
Member States can ensure that apprenticeship schemes are responsive to labour market needs, 
supportive of economic competitiveness and growth and providing quality learning pathways 
for the learners.1 

2  Political context  

2.1  General background  

Member  States  and  the  Union  are  to  work  towards  developing  a  coordinated  strategy  for 
employment  and  particularly  for  promoting  a  skilled,  trained  and  adaptable  workforce 
and labour markets responsive to economic change with a view to achieving the objectives 
of full employment and social progress set out in Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union. 

In  June  2016,  the  New  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe,  the  Commission  declared  its  intention  to 
support opportunities for more work-based learning, to develop a set of support services for 
knowledge sharing, networking and cooperation on apprenticeships, and to support European 
social  partners  in  taking  forward  their  joint  work  with  a  possible  Framework  on 
Apprenticeships. 

Through  the  recent  Rome  Declaration2  celebrating  the  60th  anniversary  of  European 
cooperation  the  European  leaders  pledged  to  work  towards  a  "Union  where  young  people 
receive  the  best  education  and  training  and  can  study  and  find  jobs  across  the  continent". 
Quality  apprenticeships  are  an  essential  part  of  this  pledge  as  they  can  offer  high  quality 
training helping both young and adults to access the labour market. 

The European Pillar of Social Rights3, launched on 26 April 2017, sets out 20 key principles 
and rights to support fair and well-functioning labour markets and welfare systems, which are 
structured around three themes, all of which are relevant for providing quality and effective 
apprenticeships:  1)  equal  opportunities  and  access  to  the  labour  market;  2)  fair  working 
conditions; 3) social protection and inclusion. Of particular importance is the first one of the 

1 The present document only provides background information and data and the analyses, statements or views expressed 
contained do not reflect in any way the position of the European Commission but only the preliminary views of a 
Commission service. This is in particular the case where this document describes or interprets Union law or the manner in 
which Union law might or should evolve in the future.   

2 Rome Declaration of the leaders of 27 member states and of the European Council, the European Parliament and the 
European Commission, 25 March 2017. 
3 COM(2017) 250 final and C(2017) 2600 final. 

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20 principles, namely that everyone has the right to quality and inclusive education, training 
and life-long learning in order to maintain and acquire skills that enable them to  participate 
fully in society and successfully manage transitions in the labour market. 

Providing  people  with  quality  education  and  facilitating  their  transition  to  employment  are 
necessary  also  to  reach  the  Europe  2020  headline  target  of  75%  of  20-64  year-olds  in 
employment by 2020. Guideline 6 for the employment policies of the Member States calls on 
Member States to "increase educational attainment, encourage work-based learning systems 
such  as  dual  learning,  upgrade  professional  training  and  increase  opportunities  for 
recognising and validating skills and competences acquired outside formal education"4. 

2.2  EU Support to Youth Employment 

The  economic  crisis  that  hit  Europe  ten  years  ago  had  very  negative  consequences  for  the 
labour  market,  and  in  particular  for  the  employment  situation  of  young  people.  Youth 
unemployment  grew  in  an  unexpected  manner,  exceeding  40%  in  four  Member  States  in 
20135. Even if the youth unemployment rate in the European Union has dropped from a peak 
of  23.7%  in  2013  to  16.9%  in  the  May  of  20176,  almost  3.8  million  young  people  are  still 
unemployed. The youth unemployment rate is still double the overall unemployment rate in 
the European Union. In 2016,  11.5 % of 15 to 24 year olds were still neither in employment 
nor in any further education or training (NEET) and thus at risk of being excluded from the 
labour  market.7  This  comes  with  a  high  cost  for  young  people,  society  and  economy.  It  is 
estimated  that  NEETs  cost  the  EU  €162  billion  (1.21%  of  GDP)  a  year  -  in  benefits  and 
foregone earnings and taxes8.  

In recent years, various policy responses have been proposed at EU level to address the high 
level  of  youth  unemployment,  including  a  push  to  strengthen  apprenticeship  systems  in 
Europe.  In  2012,  as  part  of  the  Youth  Employment  Package,  the  Commission  proposed 
measures  to  help  Member  States  tackle  unacceptable  levels  of  youth  unemployment  and 
social exclusion by giving young people offers of jobs, education and training. The proposed 
measures included a recommendation to Member States on introducing the Youth Guarantee, 
it proposed the European Alliance for Apprenticeships to support apprenticeship reforms, as 
well as launched a consultation on a Quality Framework for Traineeships in 2014 for a better 
regulation  of  traineeships.  These  reforms  have  helped  to  better  align  young  people's  skills 
with labour market needs and strengthen business community engagement9. 

Youth Guarantee  

The Youth Guarantee was adopted in 2013 through the Council Recommendation of 22 April 
2013. The Recommendation requests that Member States ensure that all young people up to 
the  age  of  25  years  receive  a  good-quality  offer  of  employment,  continued  education,  an 

4 Employment Guidelines 2016 ;Employment Guidelines 2015  
5 The Youth Guarantee and Youth Employment Initiative three years on. Staff Working Document.  
6 Eurostat, Press Release 103/2017 - 3 July 2017  
7 Eurostat [edat_lfse_20] 
8 Source: Mapping youth transitions in Europe – Eurofound, 2014.  
9 COM/2016/0646 final. 

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apprenticeship  or  a  traineeship  within  four  months  of  becoming  unemployed  or  leaving 
formal education. 

Three years into its implementation, it can be noted that the "Youth Guarantee has been a key 
driver of improvement, promoting effective action by Member States, improving coordination 
among  different  actors  and  facilitating  structural  reform  and  innovation  in  policy design.  In 
2015 alone, 5.5 million young people entered Youth Guarantee schemes and 3.5 million took 
up an offer of employment, apprenticeship, traineeship or continued education"10. 

Although  apprenticeships  are  one  of  the  four  types  of  offers  to  be  made  under  the  Youth 
Guarantee  and  despite  their  positive  outcomes  in  terms  of  labour  market  integration, 
according to the 2016 report “The Youth Guarantee and Youth Employment Initiative three 
years on”11, apprenticeships represent only around 4% of all offers (2015). Based on available 
data from the Member States, since January 2014 around 390,000 young people aged 15-24 
took up an apprenticeships offer under the Youth Guarantee. These figures however need to 
be interpreted with caution and they should not be used as an indicator for the overall take up 
of apprenticeships across the EU, given the focus in the Youth Guarantee on offers targeting 
NEETS. In most countries apprenticeships are part of the initial or continuing education and 
training system and as such they may be less used as active labour market policies. 

The  issue  of  the  quality  of  offers  has  arisen  in  the  implementation  of  the  Youth  Guarantee, 
among others as there is no common definition of what constitutes a “good quality offer”. In 
2015  a  report  on  the  Youth  Guarantee,  the  EU  Court  of  Auditors  recommended  that  the 
"Commission  should  promote  a set of  qualitative  attributes that  should be  fulfilled for  jobs, 
traineeships  and  apprenticeships  to  be  supported  from  the  EU  budget"  and    pointed  to  the 
need for a definition of what constitutes a “good quality apprenticeship” offer. In April 2015 
the European Commission issued guidance  according to which a “good quality” offer under 
the Youth Guarantee is one that results in the sustainable integration into the labour market. In 
the case of apprenticeships, transition rates of sustainable integration into the labour  market 
would  therefore  guide  the  evaluation  whether  an  apprenticeship  offer  can  be  considered  of 
“good quality”. 

The  8  December  2016  Employment,  Social  Policy,  Health  and  Consumer  Affairs  Council 
Conclusions  on  the  implementation  of  the  Youth  Guarantee  and  the  Youth  Employment 
Initiative called on Member States to ensure that all offers provided in the framework of the 
Youth Guarantee contribute to the sustainable labour market attachment of young people, and, 
where  relevant,  the  validation  of  their  skills.  They  also  called  upon  the  Employment 
Committee  (EMCO)  of  the  Council  to  "explore  the  possibility  of  discussing  standards  for 
quality  criteria  under  [the]  Indicator  Framework".  After  that,  in  its  Special  Report  on  the 
Youth  Guarantee  published  on  4  April  2017,  the  European  Court  of  Auditors  (ECA) 
recommended  that  "the  Commission  should,  together  with  EMCO,  develop  and  propose 
standards  for  quality  criteria  for  offers  to  be  made  under  the  Youth  Guarantee"  and  that 
"Member  States  should  ensure  that  offers  are  only  considered  to  be  of  good  quality  if  they 

10 COM(2016)646 final. 
11 Ibid. 

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match the participant’s profile and labour market demand and lead to sustainable integration 
in the labour market". The point has also arisen in EMCO’s own multilateral surveillance of 
the Youth Guarantee.  

The  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  will  therefore  provide 
the basis for a common understanding of what constitutes good quality apprenticeships also in 
the context of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee.  

EU Funding 

The  European  Social  Fund  (ESF)  is  one  of  the  EU's  main  financial  instruments  for 
supporting  vocational  education  and  training  reforms  and  the  development  of  work-based 
learning systems, including dual-learning systems and apprenticeship schemes. Considerable 
financial allocations from the ESF 2014-2020 support VET reforms as well as the increase of 
both the supply and quality of apprenticeships across the EU. Under investment priority 10iv 
actions  can  be  supported  to  improve  the  labour  market  relevance  of  education  and  training 
systems, facilitate the transition from education to work, and strengthen vocational education 
and training systems and their quality, including through mechanisms for skills anticipation, 
adaptation  of  curricula  and  the  establishment  and  development  of  work-based  learning 
systems, 
including  dual-learning  systems  and  apprenticeship  schemes.  The  Youth 
Employment Initiative (YEI) complements the ESF actions addressing youth unemployment. 
Under the investment priority 8ii support is envisaged for the sustainable integration into the 
labour market of young people, in particular those not in employment, education or training 
(NEETs),  including  young  people  at  risk  of  social  exclusion  and  young  people  from 
marginalised communities, including through the implementation of the Youth Guarantee.. It 
supports  in  particular  regions  where  youth  unemployment  is  higher  than  25%.  This  €6.4 
billion targeted financial source mobilised at EU level has provided direct support to over 1.4 
million young NEETs living in those regions most in need. 

In  addition  to  the  measures  financed  by  the  ESF,  European  Regional  Development  Fund 
measures within the existing operational programmes for 2014-2020 can support investment 
in vocational education and training and skills and lifelong learning (investment priority 10). 

The  Employment  and  Social  Innovation  (EaSI)  programme  is  a financing  instrument  at 
EU  level to  promote  a  high  level  of  quality  and  sustainable  employment,  guaranteeing 
adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving 
working  conditions.  EaSI  is  managed  directly  by  the  European  Commission,  and  its  main 
objective is to strengthen ownership of EU  objectives and coordination of action at EU and 
national  level  in  the  areas  of  employment,  social  affairs  and  inclusion.  EaSI  could  be  an 
instrument  to  provide  financing  for  the  apprenticeship  support  services,  announced  in  the 
New Skills Agenda12. 

The  Erasmus+  programme  offers  support  to  a  broad  range  of  young  people,  including 
apprentices  in  the  field  of  vocational  education  and  training,  volunteering  and  youth 
exchanges.  In  addition,  targeted  support  under  Erasmus+  is  provided  for  countries  and 

12 COM/2016/0381 final. 

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stakeholders  to  work  together  in  the  field  of  apprenticeships.  For  instance,  a  Work-Based 
Learning  Toolkit13,  was  developed  by  the  NetWBL,  a  European  Thematic  Network  for 
work-based  learning,  formed  by  the  29  Lifelong  Learning  Programme  (now  Erasmus+) 
National  Agencies  and  coordinated  by  the  German  National  Agency  at  BiBB.  The  Toolkit 
provides a single platform for the promotion of identified products, approaches and tools in 
addition to confirming the reach, users, benefits and state-of-play of work-based learning in 
Europe. 

In  2014,  through  a  specific  call,  10  projects  were  selected  in  which  National  Authorities 
cooperate on apprenticeship reforms. One example of these projects is a Danish-led project in 
which  5  leading  apprenticeship  countries  in  Europe  are  producing  a  resource  base  for 
approaches to dual vocational education and training, including a digital toolbox. In 2015, a 
new  Erasmus+  call  was  launched,  targeted  at  strengthening  support  structures  for  SMEs 
engaging in apprenticeships. 12 projects were selected for building partnerships (between, for 
instance, businesses, VET providers and intermediary organisations) with the aim of getting 
more  SMEs  involved  in  apprenticeships,  and  4  projects  of  European  level  networks  / 
organisations  were  selected  to  support  SMEs  through  their  national  members  or  affiliates. 
These projects will run from 2016 to 2018. The latest specific call was launched at the end of 
2016  for  projects  on  partnerships  between  business  and  providers  of  vocational  training. 
These projects will run from 2017 to 2019. 

In response to the calls of the European Parliament to increase the quality and attractiveness 
of  apprentices'  mobility,  the  Erasmus  +  programme  will  embed  a  new  dedicated  activity 
ErasmusPro for supporting long duration mobility of VET learners and apprentices for work 
placements abroad. A strong supporting framework, which will include thorough preparation, 
structured  implementation  and  appropriate  follow-up,  will  ensure  the  impact  and  quality  of 
the mobility experience. 

Quality Framework for Traineeships 

To  facilitate  school-to-work-transitions,  the  Youth  Employment  Package  also  launched  a 
consultation  of  European  social  partners  on  a  Quality  Framework  for  Traineeships  so  as  to 
enable young trainees to acquire high-quality work experience under safe and fair conditions, 
and to increase their chances of finding a good quality job. This was a response to concerns 
about the quality of traineeships, in particular with regard to insufficient learning content and 
substandard working conditions.14  

The  subsequent  Council  Recommendation  on  a  Quality  Framework  for  Traineeships15  was 
adopted on 10 March 2014 and has been instrumental in supporting the provision of quality 
traineeship offers within the Youth Guarantee. It aims to enhance the quality of traineeships 
offered within active labour market policies, as well as the open-market traineeships outside 
formal  education  or  training  through  22  quality  elements  that  are  directly  transposable  into 
national legislation or social partner agreements. They relate in particular to learning content, 

13 http://www.wbl-toolkit.eu 
14 SWD(2016) 323 final. 
15 2014/C 88/01 

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working  conditions,  as  well  as  transparency  regarding  financial  conditions  and  hiring 
practices.  The  Recommendation  calls  on  Member  States  to  ensure  that  national  law  or 
practice respects the principles set out in the guidelines, and to adapt their legislation where 
necessary. 

It  should  be  highlighted  that  the  Quality  Framework  for  Traineeships  does  not  cover 
traineeships  that  are  part  of  the  curricula  of  formal  education  nor  vocational  education  and 
training (VET), neither does it cover traineeships whose completion is mandatory in order to 
access a specific profession (e.g. teaching, medicine, architecture, etc.). On-the-job learning in 
an education and training context is covered by the quality assurance arrangements provided 
by  national  legislation  and  or  the  educational  institutions  or  professional  organisations 
involved.  

According  to  the  Commission's  report  'Applying  the  Quality  Framework  for  Traineeships'16 
half of the Member States have undertaken legal changes that strengthened the alignment of 
national  legal  frameworks  with  the Council  Recommendation  since  its  adoption  in  2014,  or 
report plans to do so. The extent to which new legislation and social partner agreements are 
respected in practice needs to be seen. 

This  Quality  Framework  for  Apprenticeships  will  complement  the  Quality  Framework  for 
Traineeships by focussing on those forms of work-based learning not covered by the latter.  

The European Pact for Youth 

The European Pact for Youth, promoted by CSR Europe, was launched on 17 November 2015 
with the support of Commissioner Thyssen and several CEOs of major European companies 
and other supporting organisations. 

In  a  context  of  young  people  needing  to  have  the  skills  for  today's  labour  market,  the  Pact 
proposes  to  create  10,000  quality  business-education  partnerships  and  100,000  new,  good-
quality  apprenticeships,  traineeships,  or  entry-level  jobs.  The  objectives  are  to  be  achieved 
through  28  Member  State  national  action  plans  implemented  by  CSR  Europe's  national 
partner organisations, and through broader awareness-raising activities. 

The  Pact  commits  to  action  in  the  following  areas:  1)  to  boost  the  number  and  quality  of 
business-education partnerships for youth employability and inclusion, 2) to reduce the skills 
gap,  and  3)  to  contribute  to  EU  and  national  policies  on  skills  for  competitiveness  and 
employability. 

The results of the Pact will be showcased at the first European Enterprise-Education Summit 
on 23 November 2017. 

Together  with  partners  such  as  the  European  Youth  Forum  and  with  the  support  from  the 
Commission,  the  CSR  Europe  is  working  on  an  on-line  self-assessment  tool  for  small  and 
medium-sized  companies  to  allow  them  to  identify  to  what  extent  they  have  sufficient 
processes/measures 
their 
internship/apprenticeship schemes.  

the  quality  and  effectiveness  of 

to  assure 

in  place 

16 SWD(2016) 324 final 

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The proposed Framework will reinforce the actions taken under the European Pact for Youth, 
as crucial point of convergence between the urgent need for action on the supply side and the 
interests of learners and businesses to create quality apprenticeships. Quality apprenticeships 
make a difference in the career path of learners and increase benefits for host companies and 
economic sectors by strengthening the relevance of the learning experience.  

European Employment Services (EURES) 

Set up in 1993, EURES is a co-operation network between the European Commission and the 
Public  Employment  Services  of  the  EEA  Member  States  (The  EU  countries  plus  Norway, 
Iceland  and  Liechtenstein)  and  other  partner  organisations.  Switzerland  also  takes  part  in 
EURES  co-operation.  The  network provides  information,  guidance  and  recruitment  services 
to help workers find a job in another EU country. It supports the freedom of movement for 
workers by ensuring transparency on job vacancies across the Union, making them available 
on the EURES portal17.  

The  European  Council  Conclusions  of  June  2012  invited  the  Member  States  and  the 
Commission to further develop the EURES portal and in particular to examine the possibility 
of extending it to apprenticeships and traineeships. 

In 2016, Regulation (EU) 2016/589 came into force laying down a comprehensive regulatory 
framework  for  the  cooperation  and  information  exchange  under  EURES18.  The  Regulation 
also  introduces  new  obligations  on  Member  States  relating  to  the  transparency  of 
apprenticeship  and  traineeship  offers  across  the  Union,  making  the  sharing  of  publicly 
available offers which are subject to an employment relationship compulsory as of May 2018. 
The  EURES  portal  is  to  become  the  first  "show-window"  displaying  apprenticeship 
opportunities  at  Union  level  for  mobility  purposes.  Ensuring  an  appropriate  volume  of  high 
quality offers will facilitate activities to match candidates from other countries with offers for 
which there are national shortages and at the same time encourage cooperation in developing 
projects  to  secure  apprentice  mobility  in  the  Union  beyond  the  situations  supported  under 
Erasmus+. 

A working group composed of representatives of the Member States and the Commission will 
support  implementation  of  the  Regulation  as  regards  the  roll  out  of  obligations  to  share 
apprenticeship  and  traineeship  offers  on  the  EURES  portal.  One  of  the  first  tasks  of  the 
working  group  will  be  to  examine  the  issue  of  quality  standards.  This  includes  identifying 
minimum conditions on sharing data on apprenticeship offers and determining how to handle 
the  processes  related  to  the  presentation  of  offers  to  candidates,  given  the  diversity  of 
regulatory  frameworks  and  recruitment  practices  in  Member  States.  In  the  absence  of  "hard 
legal" requirements, minimum conditions on how to share the data and the code of conduct on 
handling  would  provide  some  quality  assurance  for  the  EURES  portal  as  only  offers 
considered appropriate according to agreed standards would be published at European level. 

17 https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/en/homepage 
18 OJ L107 of 22 April 2016. 

11 

 
 
                                                            
The  EURES  portal  will  provide  for  two  different  ways  to  share  apprenticeship  offers  EU-
wide: 1) through the existing channels, coordinated by the Public Employment Services, for 
EURES  member  organisations  and  2)  for  organisations  outside  the  network,  through  a  self-
service function, allowing the uploading of the offers directly, after the creation of an account 
for  the  organisation  concerned.  The  quality  standards  should  apply  to  both  ways  of  sharing 
the data. The second method allows in particular the organisations which have made pledges 
under the Alliance for Apprenticeships to share their concrete offers for apprenticeship places 
on a European site. 

The  European  Quality  Framework  for  Apprenticeships  would  provide  a  good  basis  for 
defining  the  key  elements  that  should  underpin  a  good  quality  apprenticeship  offer  to  be 
included under the EURES portal. 

2.3  Apprenticeships – pathways to employability 

Evidence  shows  that  high  quality  vocational  education  and  training,  and  in  particular 
apprenticeships, yield positive employment  outcomes19 in that they facilitate young people's 
transition  to  the  labour  market  and  hence  improve  their  employability20.  Work-experience 
matters;  there  is  evidence  that  graduates  of  VET  programmes  with  workplace  content  have 
higher  employment  rates  than  those  without  workplace  content21.  It  seems  that  absence  of 
work-experience has a particularly negative impact on the ability of medium-level graduates 
to  find  work.22  Graduates  of  work-oriented  programmes  spend  less  time  without  work23.  In 
addition,  the  transition  of  VET  graduates  to  the  labour  market  is  generally  faster  and  they 
generally stay longer in their jobs than those graduated from general programmes.  

During  the  crisis,  well-developed  vocational  training  and  in  particular  apprenticeships  and 
other forms of work-based learning proved to be one of the most effective ways to keep youth 
unemployment in check or prevent it24. These forms of learning proved particularly effective 
in providing the combination of technical, transversal and soft skills that are relevant for the 
labour market, and therefore increase the employability of young people. 

A long-standing and robust body of evidence has consistently shown that countries with good 
quality apprenticeship schemes, such as, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, 
the  Netherlands  and  Switzerland,  are  the  most  successful  in  terms  of  facilitating  school-to-
work transitions.25 In these countries, vocational pathways are an attractive choice, rewarding 
vocational learners with good career and life prospects. For example data from Austria show 
that  graduates  from  a  dual-track  apprenticeship  have  a  much  higher  probability  of 

19 Cedefop. From education to working life – The labour market outcomes of vocational education and training. 2012. 
20 Apprenticeship and Traineeship Schemes in EU27: Key Success Factors.  
21 Cedefop. From education to working life – The labour market outcomes of vocational education and training. 2012. 
22 Ibid. 
23 Ibid. 
24 See for example M. Pilz (ed.). Vocational Education and Training in Times of Economic Crisis – Lessons from Around the 
World. 2017, or Peterson Institute for International Economics, Policy Brief on Role of Apprenticeships in Combating Youth 
Unemployment in Europe and the United States, 2013. 
25 Apprenticeship and Traineeship Schemes in EU27: Key Success Factors. 

12 

 
 
                                                            
employment  18  months  after  graduation  compared  with  graduates  of  VET  schools  and 
vocational colleges26. 

While the value of quality apprenticeships for youth employability is strongly in the political 
spotlight, they are also valuable learning pathways for adults. Both the Bruges communiqué 
(2010) and the renewed European agenda for adult learning (2011) include developing work-
based learning for adults as a major objective for continuing vocational education and training 
(C-VET). The Bruges communiqué highlights work-based learning as a source of professional 
and personal development and social cohesion, and identifies it as one of the areas that require 
more attention and strategic action, whereas the renewed European agenda for adult learning 
calls  for  promoting  different  forms  of  work-based  learning,  also  in  combination  with  other 
learning modes, to support flexible provision and inclusion.  

Work-based  learning  in  C-VET  has  a  key  contributing  role  in  reaching  the  Education  and 
Training 2020 target of a 15% average rate of adult participation in lifelong learning by 2020.  

In  addition  to  preparing  for  employment,  apprenticeships  and  other  forms  of  work-based 
learning  contribute  also  to  the  personal  development  of  an  individual  and  increase  social 
inclusion.  Out  of  the  four  possible  offers  under  the  Youth  Guarantee27,  apprenticeships 
showed the best results in terms of preventing people from returning to NEET status28. 

Increased productivity is a precondition for economic growth. Quality apprenticeships bring 
direct  productivity  benefits  for  companies,  as  well  as  reduced  recruitment  costs. 
Apprenticeships  also  provide  excellent  recruitment  possibilities  for  employers,  in  particular 
small  and  medium-sized  enterprises29.  Hosting  or  recruiting  apprentices  is  one  of  the  ways 
that  enterprises  can  make  the  necessary  transition  into  learning-rich  work  environments, 
promoting  a  learning  attitude  among  all  its  workers30,  which  is  important  for  developing  a 
highly  skilled  and  qualified  workforce.  However,  apprenticeships  should  not  replace  or 
displace  jobs.  Apprenticeships  are  first  and  foremost  a  learning  experience,  allowing  young 
and adults to obtain a qualification which has value on the labour market. 

2.4  Apprenticeships 
Apprenticeships  

in  political  spotlight  –  the  European  Alliance  for 

Through  the  Communication  on  Rethinking  Education,  the  Commission  committed  to 
accelerate  improvements  in  work-based  learning  in  particular  by  establishing  an  EU-level 
Alliance for Apprenticeships. The following year, through  the Youth Employment Package, 
the European Council of 7-8 February 2013 invited the Commission to establish a European 
Alliance for Apprenticeships as part of measures to tackle youth unemployment. Furthermore, 
the Alliance was a key element of the Commission's Communication on 'Working together for 

26 The Cost-Effectiveness of Apprenticeships schemes – Making the Business Case for Apprenticeships, UEAPME, 
BusinessEurope, CEEP. 2016. 
27 Please see Chapter 2.2 on EU support for Youth Employment. 
28 European Court of Auditors: Special Report – Youth unemployment – have EU policies made a difference. 2017. 
29 The Cost-Effectiveness of Apprenticeships schemes – Making the Business Case for Apprenticeships, UEAPME, 
BusinessEurope, CEEP. 2016. 
30 Study commissioned by the European commission: Follow-up of the Copenhagen process: Research into forms of 
individual career development and continuing vocational training (CVT). 2009. 

13 

 
 
                                                            
Europe's  young  people'  of  19  June  2013,  and  the  27-28  June  2013  European  Council 
Conclusions  referred  to  the  promotion  of  high  quality  apprenticeships  and  work-based 
learning,  notably  through  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships,  as  a  key  element  of 
supporting youth employment. 

The  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships31  (EAfA)  was  launched  in  June  2013  in  the 
context  of  the  Leipzig  WorldSkills  competitions.  It  brings  together  public  authorities  at 
national and regional level, social partners, businesses, intermediary bodies such as chambers 
of industry, commerce and crafts, professional and sectoral organisation, vocational education 
and  training  providers,  youth  and  parent  organisations,  and  other  key  actors  in  order  to 
improve  the  quality,  the  supply  and  the  image  of  apprenticeships in  Europe.  More recently, 
increasing  mobility  for  apprentices  has  also  emerged  as  an  important  topic  in  the  Alliance. 
Under  this  initiative,  national  authorities  and  other  stakeholders  are  encouraged  to  get 
involved: countries in the form of commitments and other stakeholders in the form of pledges 
to show their engagement to improving in particular these four objectives of the EAfA.  

The European Alliance for Apprenticeships was launched through a joint Declaration between 
the  Commission,  the  European  social  partners  (ETUC,  BusinessEurope,  UEAPME  and 
CEEP)  and  the  Lithuanian  Presidency  of  the  Council  of  the  EU.  This  was  followed  by  a 
Council  Declaration  on  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships,  adopted  on  15  October 
2013, in which Member States noted that high-quality apprenticeships and other work-based 
learning schemes are effective instruments to improve sustainable transitions from school to 
work,  notably  by  fostering  skills  that  are  relevant  to  the  labour  market  and  improving  skill 
matches.  They  also  agreed  that,  where  appropriate  and according  to  national  circumstances, 
the effectiveness and attractiveness of apprenticeship schemes should be encouraged by their 
adherence to several common guiding principles. 

The  Alliance  was  given  a  new  boost  at  the  Meeting  of  Ministers  in  charge  of  vocational 
training in Riga on 22 June 2015, and at a high-level meeting in Valletta on 30-31 May 2017 
– as a part of celebrations of the two and four years of the Alliance. 

The importance of apprenticeships and work-based learning were highlighted in the 22 June 
2015 "Riga Conclusions on a new set of medium-term deliverables in the field of VET for the 
period  2015-2020".  The  first  of  the  five  priorities  set  out  in  these  Conclusions  is  the 
promotion of "work-based learning in all its forms, with special attention to apprenticeships, 
by  involving  social  partners,  companies,  chambers  and  VET  providers,  as  well  as  by 
stimulating  innovation  and  entrepreneurship".  The  Riga  Conclusions  fall  under  the  Bruges 
Communiqué  which,  in  2010,  set  out  long-term  strategic  objectives  for  the  European 
cooperation  in  VET  for  the  period  2011-2020,  and  called  on  Member  States  to  support  the 
development of apprenticeship schemes. 

The  communication  on  the  New  Skills  Agenda  invites  to  include  a  strong  work-based 
dimension in vocational training, and thus to increase the attractiveness of vocational training 
and making it a first choice. 

31 http://ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance  

14 

 
 
                                                            
After  the  arrival  of  new  members  at  the  high-level  event  in  Malta  on  30-31  May  2017,  the 
European  Alliance  for Apprenticeships  has  27 Member  States,  3  EFTA  countries  and  5  EU 
candidate  countries32  as  members  with  commitments  to  take  forward  reforms  for 
strengthening  apprenticeship  quality,  supply,  image  and  mobility.  In  addition,  208  pledges 
have been made by apprenticeship stakeholders from the following categories: 

Chart 1: Number of pledges per stakeholder group 

23 

24 

8  5 

14 

Businesses

Education and training providers

75 

Social partners

Professional bodies and networks

Non-profit/youth organisations

Chambers of Commerce/Industry/Crafts

Regional authorities

Research institute / Think tank

29 

30 

The pledges can focus on one or several of the four objectives. Most of them focus on quality, 
as the figure below shows, but also supply and image are considered highly important. 

32 All the EU Member States apart from the United Kingdom. Also, all 5 Candidate countries and 3 EFTA countries (Iceland, 
Norway, Switzerland) have made national commitments 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Chart 2: No. of pledges per EAfA objective (most pledges target more than one objective) 

158 

135 

128 

64 

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Quality

Supply

Image

Mobility

The Alliance has achieved significant results in its four years of existence33: 

  Supply:  The  national  commitments  and  pledges  have  helped  to  increase  the  supply  of 
apprenticeship  places:  by  2016,  the  European  Commission  estimated  that  the  pledge 
holders had committed to create 250,000 new apprenticeship places in total; To date, it is 
estimated that over 700,000 training and first-job opportunities have been created through 
the Alliance; 

  Quality:  The  commitments  and  pledges  have  helped  to  enhance  the  quality  of 
apprenticeships, e.g. by ensuring they respond to skills needs according to labour market 
requirements,  developing a regulatory  framework; promoting employers' participation in 
funding apprenticeships, etc.; 

  Image:  The  commitments  and  pledges  have  helped  to  improve  the  image  and 
attractiveness of apprenticeships: numerous image campaigns targeting learners, parents, 
employers were carried out. Moreover, governments and stakeholders have implemented 
reforms to improve the image of apprenticeships, e.g. updating existing and/or preparing 
new  training  programmes  to  ensure  the  quality  of  the  qualifications  gained  through 
apprenticeships, improving working conditions for apprentices etc.; 

  Mobility:  The  commitments  and  pledges  have  helped  to  raise  awareness  for  VET 
mobility,  e.g.  by  providing  more  or  better  information  about  learner  mobility  and 
improving  services  for  learners  and  VET  providers  to  find  places/partners  abroad.  They 
have  also  contributed  to  improving  the  quality  of  VET  mobility,  e.g.  by  ensuring  the 
recognition of learning outcomes gained through learner mobility. 

33 Study "European Alliance for Apprenticeships – Assessment of progress and planning the future". 2017. 

16 

 
 
 
                                                            
At a national level, both the adoption of the Youth Guarantee and the launch of the European 
Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  in  2013  have  put  more  policy  focus  on  apprenticeships  as  a 
measure to facilitate school-to-work transitions. Significant action has been taken in order to 
improve in particular the quality, supply, and attractiveness of apprenticeships, in the spirit of 
the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships.  Almost  all  Member  States  have  put  in  place 
measures  to  strengthen  their  apprenticeship  system.  In  a  number  of  countries,  structural 
reforms have been carried out to existing apprenticeship systems (e.g. BE, FR,  UK), while in 
others  apprenticeship  systems  have  been  created,  where  they  previously  did  not  exist  or 
existed at a very small scale (e.g.  ES, LV, LT, SK)34. 

The  Commission  will  also  develop  demand  driven  apprenticeship  support  services,  as 
announced in the New Skills Agenda for Europe from June 2016 and further outlined in the 
Commission  Communication  on  Investing  in  Europe's  Youth  from  December  2016.  The 
support  services  will  focus  on  knowledge  sharing,  networking  and  bench-learning.  The 
bench-learning  will  take  inspiration  from  a  similar  action  implemented  by  the  European 
network  of  Public  Employment  Services,  but  will  be  specifically  designed  to  support 
apprenticeship stakeholders. It will provide a structured process and approach to contribute to 
the  introduction,  reform  and/or  improvement  of  apprenticeship  systems.  The  European 
Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  could  provide  the  criteria  for  the 
bench-learning process. 

All  in  all,  there  is  currently  a  strong  momentum  and  political  interest  for  reinforcing 
apprenticeships,  as  well  as  strengthening  their  quality  and  supply.  Within  the  European 
Semester,  country-specific  recommendations  have  been  issued  in  recent  years  for  some 
countries  to  reform  apprenticeship  systems.  Apprenticeship  reforms  have  been  proposed  as 
one of the measures addressing the labour market relevance of vocational training, such as the 
recommendation for Estonia in 2015 or the one for France in 2016. The recommendation for 
the United Kingdom in 2016 explicitly mentions strengthening the quality of apprenticeships 
as  a  measure  to  address  skills  mismatches  and  to  provide  for  skills  progression.  Many 
Member States are now acting on these recommendations and reforms are taking place in this 
field. 

The  effectiveness  of  apprenticeships  in  preparing  people  for  an  active  life  as  workers  and 
citizens  depends  very  much  on  their  quality  in  terms  of  learning  content  and  working 
conditions.  Agreement  on  certain  quality  criteria  could  help  Member  States,  vocational 
training  providers,  companies  and  all  relevant  stakeholders  to  provide  young  people  with 
good quality apprenticeships35. Therefore such quality criteria should contribute to increasing 
the  employability  and  personal  development  of  apprentices.  Increasing  the  quality  and 
effectiveness  of  apprenticeships  through  a  coherent  framework  will  also  increase  the 
attractiveness of this training pathway, which was also one of the aims of the communication 
on the New Skills  Agenda for Europe  from June  2016. The proposed European Framework 
will clarify the criteria for learning and working conditions and for framework conditions that 

34 See also COM(2016)646 final; SWD(2016)323 final. 
35  As  recognised  by  social  partners  and  national  governments,  cf.  the  tripartite  opinion  (ACVT  Opinion)  described  in 
paragraph 2.5.2.1 below. 

17 

 
 
                                                            
should be applied to apprenticeships throughout Europe, taking into account the diversity of 
vocational education and training (VET) systems in Member States. 

2.5  Working  towards  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 

Apprenticeships 

Under the priority "A New Boost for Jobs, Growth and Investment", the Commission Work 
Programme 2017 outlines a Youth Initiative to ensure that "every young person should have 
real  prospects  for  education,  training  and  employment".  One  of  its  measures  is  the 
development  of  a  quality  framework  for  apprenticeships  as  a  follow-up  to  the  New  Skills 
Agenda  for  Europe.  Further  details  are  outlined  the  Investing  in  Europe's  Youth  initiative 
from December 2016: 

"To  advance  the  quality,  supply,  attractiveness  and  inclusiveness  of  apprenticeships  and 
work-based  learning  in  vocational  education  and  training,  the  Commission  will  propose  a 
Quality Framework for Apprenticeships, setting out key principles for the design and delivery 
of  apprenticeships  at  all  levels,  with  sufficient  flexibility  to  apply  to  very  different  Member 
State  systems.  The  Quality  Framework  could  underpin  the  quality  of  apprenticeships 
supported  through  EU  programmes  (Youth  Guarantee,  YEI,  European  Solidarity  Corps, 
Erasmus+, and European Social Fund)." 

2.5.1  Milestones in improving the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships  

Quality  of  apprenticeships  has  been  the  topic  of  extensive  work  at  EU,  at  national  and  at 
international  level  in  recent  years.  In  Europe,  in  particular  the  European  Alliance  for 
Apprenticeships  and  the  Youth  Guarantee  have  contributed  to  structure  Member  States’ 
action to improve apprenticeships. In addition to these instruments, the European Commission 
as well as other stakeholders have worked on different tools and guidance aiming at raising 
the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships in the context of VET reforms. This chapter 
presents the main milestones of this work. 

European level 

The  European  Qualifications  Framework  (EQF)  established  in  2008  improves  the 
transparency,  comparability  and  portability  of  citizens'  qualifications,  including  apprentices. 
The  core  of  the  EQF  concerns  eight  reference  levels  describing  what  a  learner  knows, 
understands and is able to do. Apprenticeships leading to a nationally recognised qualification 
need  to  be  referenced  to  EQF  levels,  thus  enabling  a  much  easier  comparison  between 
national qualifications. It will also ease the access to other learning opportunities, including at 
higher  education  and  training  levels,  and  help  to  promote  the  mobility  across  the  Member 
States.   

The European Quality Assurance Reference Framework (EQAVET) established in 2009 
is  a  European  tool  to  support  the  development  of  national  systems  for  quality  assurance  in 
VET providing a common set of principles to guide countries’ quality assurance systems and 
also  to  support  transparency  of  quality  assurance  systems  in  a  European  context.  Countries 
can use EQAVET to make changes to their quality assurance systems but they can also use it 
to present their existing quality assurance systems in a common manner. EQAVET comprises 
a quality assurance and improvement cycle (planning, implementation, evaluation/assessment 

18 

 
 
and  review/revision)  based  on  a  selection  of  quality  criteria,  descriptors  and  indicators 
applicable to quality management at both VET-system and VET-provider levels. The aim of 
EQAVET  is  not  to  introduce  new  standards,  but  to  support  Member  States’  efforts  in 
developing  quality  assurance,  whilst  preserving  the  diversity  of  their  approaches.  The 
EQAVET Framework applies to both school-based as well as work-based learning provision. 
Specific  guidance  on  quality  assurance  of  work-based  learning  has  been  elaborated  in  the 
framework  of  a  dedicated  working  group  which  developed  6  building  blocks.  The  building 
blocks  propose  guidance  on  designing  work-based  learning,  improving  the  quality, 
responding  to  learners'  needs,  communicating,  training  the  staff  and  assessing  the  learners. 
The EQAVET Framework is limited to quality assurance of the training provision while the 
proposed  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships focuses on the key elements that define quality of apprenticeships. EQAVET 
could be used as a quality assurance tool for countries' apprenticeships systems and measures.  

In  June  2013, the Commission  published  guidance  on work-based learning  in  the document 
'Work-Based  Learning  in  Europe  -  Practices  and  Policy  Pointers'.  The  publication 
analyses  successful  work-based  learning  models,  encourages  more  and  better  work-based 
learning  (including  apprenticeships),  and  is  intended  as  a  tool  for  policymakers  and 
practitioners  working  on  modernising  and  reforming  vocational  education  and  training 
systems. 

The  Council  Declaration  on  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships,  adopted  on  15 
October  2013,  particularly  highlights  10  common  guiding  principles  which  increase  the 
effectiveness  and  attractiveness  of  apprenticeship  schemes.    The  Recommendation  on  a 
European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships builds on these principles. 

The working groups on Vocational Education and Training, operating in the framework of the 
"Education and Training 2020", composed of the representatives of Member States, Candidate 
Countries, EFTA countries and social partners, and supported by Cedefop and ETF, provide 
peer advice to countries in introducing and reforming apprenticeship systems. In 2015, such a 
working  group  produced  the  report  "High-Performance  Apprenticeships  &  Work-Based 
Learning:  20  Guiding  Principles"36,  which  is  based  on  four  enablers,  namely  National 
governance  and  social  partner  involvement;  Support  for  companies,  in  particular  SMEs; 
Attractiveness and improved career guidance; as well as Quality assurance in apprenticeships. 
It  also  offers  a  large  number  of  real-life  examples  from  the  participating  countries.  This 
guidance  is  targeted  at  governments,  businesses,  social  partners,  VET  providers  and  other 
relevant  stakeholders  looking  for  inspiration  on  how  to  develop  and  reform  work-based 
learning  and  apprenticeship  systems.  A  new  working  group  is  currently  working  on  VET 
teachers  and  trainers  in  work-based  learning  and  in  apprenticeships  and  developing  policy 
pointers on this issue. 

With financial  support from the Commission the  cross-industry European social partners 
worked on the quality (ETUC) and cost-effectiveness (led by BusinessEurope on behalf of the 
EU  cross-industry  employers'  organisations)  of  apprenticeships.  ETUC  worked  on  "A 

36 European Commission (2015), High-Performance Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning: 20 Guiding Principles. 

19 

 
 
                                                            
European Quality Framework for Apprenticeships – a European Trade Union proposal"37. In 
their part of the project, the employers' organisations BusinessEurope, UEAPME and CEEP 
concentrated on the cost-effectiveness of apprenticeships38. European Social Partners agreed 
on the joint statement Towards a Shared Vision of Apprenticeships (June 2016).  

On the initiative of European social partners, the joint statement was followed by a tripartite 
Opinion  by  the  Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational  Training  (ACVT)  on  A  Shared 
Vision for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships and Work-based Learning which was 
unanimously adopted in December 2016.  Its annex includes  12 elements on apprenticeships 
and  on  partnership  approach.  The  proposal  for  a  Recommendation  on  quality  and  effective 
apprenticeships will reflect this ACVT Opinion. 

Cedefop,  in  cooperation  with  the  Commission,  is  supporting  individual  countries  in 
improving the setting up or modernising their apprenticeship systems/schemes or improving 
their  quality  in  line  with  EU  policies  and  contributes  to  increasing  the  EU  evidence  base 
which  can  support  policy-  and  decision-making  on  apprenticeships  at  the  EU  and  national 
levels. Through the Thematic Country Reviews on Apprenticeships Cedefop interacts with 
individual countries who voluntarily express their interest in undergoing the review based on 
an  analytical  framework  of  10  thematic  areas;  this  includes  characteristic  features  that  are 
present,  to  varying  extent  and  in  different  combinations,  in  existing  (well-functioning) 
apprenticeship systems.  

International level 

An  important  contribution  to  the  theme  is  the  2017  OECD  study  "Costs  and  benefits  of 
apprenticeships"39, carried out with the support from Erasmus+. The study contributes to the 
existing  stock  of  evidence  on  the costs  and  benefits  of  apprenticeships  by  presenting  a  new 
analysis of international data on apprenticeships from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and 
by  establishing  and  discussing  in  detail  links  between  various  elements  of  apprenticeship 
design  (such  as  apprentice  wage,  duration  of  work  placements,  apprentice  status)  and  the 
distribution of the costs and benefits of apprenticeships. 

The ILO, with support of the Commission, is working with countries in order to modernise 
apprenticeship  systems  and/or  schemes.  ILO  has  recently  worked  on  Latvia,  Spain  and 
Portugal as part of an 18-month project to enhance national capabilities to assess and improve 
Youth Guarantee schemes, including through policy support on apprenticeship systems.  The 
action  aimed  to  strengthen  national  capacity  for  the  implementation,  monitoring  of 
performance and assessment of results of gender-sensitive youth employment policies that are 
part of the Youth Guarantee schemes. On apprenticeships, the action applied an approach to 
quality  apprenticeships  and  developed  a  toolkit  to  establish  apprenticeship  systems  and 

37 A European Quality Framework for Apprenticeships | ETUC 
38 The cost-effectiveness of apprenticeship schemes - Making the case for apprenticeships | BusinessEurope 
39 OECD (2017). Striking the right balance: Costs and benefits of apprenticeship, OECD Education Working Papers, No. 
153, OECD Publishing, Paris 

20 

 
 
                                                            
programmes with tripartite participation. In addition, ILO is producing a logbook for Quality 
Apprenticeships, based on the achievements, the services and products delivered through the 
project. It will serve as a step-by-step guide to design and to improve quality apprenticeship 
systems in the three target countries. 

The  Global  Apprenticeship  Network  (GAN)  was  established  by  the  International 
Organisation  of  Employers  (IOE)  and  Business  and  Industry  Advisory  Committee  to  the 
OECD  (BIAC)  with  the  support  of  the  ILO.  The  network  shares  best  practices  in 
apprenticeships,  internships,  mentoring  and  on-the-job  training.  It  encourages  partnerships 
and  national  networks  of  committed  companies  and  also  aims  to  scale  up  international 
cooperation in the field. 

The  Interagency  Group  on  Technical  and  Vocational  Education  and  Training  (IAG-
TVET), led by UNESCO since 2008, aims to ensure a good coordination of activities by the 
key  international  organisations  involved  in  the  delivery  of  policy  advice,  programmes  and 
research  on  TVET.  The  working  group  on  work-based  learning  has  recently  developed  a 
leaflet called "Investing in Work-Based Learning" containing key information on work-based 
learning and how it is tackled at international level.   

The  G20  Task  Force  on  Employment  considers  quality  apprenticeships  as  one  of  the  key 
policy tools to promote effective school-to-work transitions, enhance workers skills shortages, 
address  skills  mismatches  and  reduce  youth  unemployment.  In  that  context,  and  given  the 
differences in apprenticeships and taking into consideration the diversity of national contexts 
in the G20 countries, it defined, in September 2012, a list of characteristics as key elements 
that apprenticeship schemes may include in their design and implementation40. They mainly 
help defining apprenticeships, but touch also the rights of apprentices, their remuneration, the 
apprenticeship funding arrangements, entry requirements and access to higher qualifications, 
the role of business and labour organisations, as well as career guidance. These characteristics 
link the quality of apprenticeship programmes to their labour market relevance, and point out, 
for example, that qualifications and skills provided should match the evolving labour market 
demands,  encourage  continuous  training,  and  highlight  the  provision  of  skills  that  facilitate 
occupational mobility of apprentices as well as the quality of trainers. 

The European Training Foundation (ETF) helps partner countries harness human capital by 
reforming  education, training and labour market systems. It also supports EU institutions to 
design,  monitor  and  evaluation  EU  human  capital  assistance.  Many  countries  face  similar 
challenges in transforming vocational education and training. Improving cooperation between 
vocational  education  and  training  and  business  is  especially  important  and  many  countries 
have taken measures to align learning to workplace needs. Through their Torino Process, the 
ETF also monitors the EU Candidate Countries' implementation of the Riga deliverables, of 
which the one on work-based learning and apprenticeships is considered number one priority 
by these counters. 

40 http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_218209.pdf 

21 

 
 
 
                                                            
2.5.2  Views of relevant stakeholders 

Many  stakeholders were consulted in  the preparation phase of the European  Framework for 
Quality and Effective Apprenticeships. This paragraph outlines the results of the consultation 
of the social partners, including their earlier work on the issue, the Advisory Committee on 
Vocational Training as well as the stakeholders of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. 

2.5.2.1  ACVT opinion 

At the meeting of the tri-partite Advisory Committee on Vocational Training (ACVT) in June 
2016,  European  Social  partners  proposed  to  adopt  an  ACVT  Opinion  on  the  topic  of 
apprenticeships  as  a  follow  up  to  their  projects  'A  European  quality  framework  for 
apprenticeships'41  and 
their 
subsequent  joint statement on 30 May 2016. 

'Cost  effectiveness  of  apprenticeship  schemes'42  and 

In  its  meeting  in  November  2016,  the  ACVT  discussed  a  draft  Opinion  on  quality  and 
effective  apprenticeships  and  work-based  learning.   A  revised  version  of  the  Opinion  on  a 
Shared  Vision  on  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  and  Work-based  Learning43  was 
adopted  unanimously  through  a  written  procedure  on  2  December  2016  by  Member  States 
and  social  partners'  representatives.  Also  EFTA  and  candidate  countries  showed  their 
agreement with the text. 

Even though the Opinion acknowledges the efforts made by governments, social partners and 
other stakeholders, it points out to the need to step up reforms and implementation for quality 
and  effective  apprenticeships  and  work-based  learning,  and  to  improve  the  coordination  of 
and  support  for  the  various  stakeholder  actions.  The  Opinion  outlines  a  shared  vision  for 
apprenticeships  and  agrees  on  key  elements  of  apprenticeships,  work-based  learning  and 
priority areas for action. 

The  Opinion  represents  an  important  call  from  governments,  trade  unions  and  employers' 
organisations  from  EU  Member  States  and  partner  countries  to  further  strengthen  efforts  to 
increase quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships and work-based learning. The Opinion is 
a  significant  contribution  from  EU  VET  stakeholders  on  initiatives  announced  in  the 
Commission  Work  Programme  2017,  particularly  on  the  proposal  to  establish  a  European 
Quality Framework on Apprenticeships. 

The  Opinion  further  calls  on  the  Commission  to  develop  a  set  of  support  services  for 
knowledge  sharing,  networking  and  cooperation  to  assist  where  needed  apprenticeship  and 
work-based learning reforms at national level as well as promote higher levels of mobility of 
apprentices across Europe. 

Further views of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training (ACVT) 

On 20-21 April, the tripartite Advisory Committee on VET (ACVT) discussed, inter alia, the 
proposed initiative of a European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. 

41 European quality framework for apprenticeships European quality framework for apprenticeships 
42 'Cost effectiveness of apprenticeship schemes' 
43 ACVT opinion (See under EAfA, related documents) 

22 

 
 
                                                            
Social partners asked that the proposal follows very closely the ACVT "Opinion on a Shared 
Vision  on  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  and  Work-based  Learning"  from  2 
December  2016,  and  in  particular  the  Annex  on  Elements  on  apprenticeships  and  the 
partnership approach. 

Governmental  members  were  concerned  about  the  wide  scope  of  the  quality  criteria  and 
governance issues outlined It was mentioned that Member States are already engaged in the 
issue  of  quality  through  i.e.  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships,  EQAVET  and 
EURES.    Therefore,  it  should  be  made  clear  how  the  proposal  links  to  these  platforms  and 
initiatives. Several governmental members argued that a European framework should take an 
inclusive  approach,  encompassing  also  other  forms  of  work-based  learning  and  not  just 
apprenticeships.  

Some  trade  unions  argued  that  the  framework  should  focus  on  apprenticeships  in  the  strict 
sense, meaning where learners also take a productive role in the workplace. They saw a need 
to make it clear what the proposal will cover, i.e. apprenticeships in a strict sense or also other 
forms of work-based learning. 

While  some  governmental  members  stressed  that  the  responsibility  of  employers  and 
apprentices  should  be  added  to  that  of  the  Member  States,  others  were  worried  about  the 
potential  additional  burden  for  companies.  On  their  side,  the  employers  underlined  that  a 
European framework should stress the effectiveness of apprenticeships, and it was proposed 
to add 'effectiveness' to the title of the proposal. The Commission supported the proposal from 
the  Lithuanian  Trade  Union  to  formulate  the  title  as  follows:  "European  Framework  for 
Quality and Effective Apprenticeships".  

The  trade  unions  said  that  mobility  should  be one  of  the  quality  criteria  for  apprenticeships 
while the employers said that it can be a quality element but that it is not a prerequisite for 
quality apprenticeships. 

The  Commission  stressed  that  the  proposal  for  a  European  framework  would  build  on  the 
thorough work of European social partners and on the ACVT Opinion, but highlighted that it 
would  have a different form as it will be addressed to Member States. The Commission also 
emphasised  that  Member  States  will  not  be  bound  by  the  ACVT  Opinion  when  discussions 
take place in the Council. The key to such a European framework will be to have content that 
is clear, relevant, and makes a difference for Member States and stakeholders. 

As a follow-up to the meeting, ACVT members, in coordination with DGVT members, were 
invited  to  provide  written  comments  by  28  April.  Governmental  representatives  from  Italy 
(and Norway) provided further comments, both of which were supportive of the proposal to 
adopt  a  quality  framework  on  apprenticeships,  but  asked  to  clarify  the  overlap  and  the 
synergies with EQAVET. 

In addition, the Italian contribution highlighted the importance of defining its scope as well as 
the  responsibilities  of  social  partners  in  the  implementation  of  apprenticeships.  Italy  also 
expressed  its  concerns  about  how  binding  the  recommendation  would  be,  in  particular  as 
regards to including of the recommendation with in the European Semester process and in the 
National Reform Plan. On the other hand Italy was in favour of the approach to encourage the 

23 

 
 
use  of  EU  funding  for  the  implementation  of  the  framework,  according  to  the  model  of  the 
Quality framework for Traineeships. 

2.5.2.2  European social partners' work on apprenticeships 

The  European  social  partners  have  been  a  strong  driving  force  pushing  for  a  European 
framework  in  the  area  of  apprenticeships.  Apprenticeships  have  been  a  key  topic  under  the 
social  partners  Framework  of  Actions  on  Youth  Employment  since  2013.  While  the  trade 
unions  have  focussed  their  efforts  in  particular  on  the  quality  dimension,  the  employer 
organisations have worked on the issue of cost-effectiveness.  

In  2015,  through  its  “New  Path  for  Europe”,  the  European  Trade  Union  Confederation 
(ETUC) urged to include work-based and workplace learning as one of the "top priorities for 
European countries, in order to facilitate the transfer of young people between education and 
training and the labour market, and to ensure that workers have access to continuing training 
so as to retain their jobs and improve their skills and careers". ETUC considers the quality of 
apprenticeship and traineeship schemes as a key element in this process, and makes a call in 
particular  to  improve  training  outcomes,  working  conditions  and  labour  protection.  Against 
this  background,  ETUC  strongly  supports  the  implementation  of  a  wide-ranging  European 
quality framework apprenticeship, with a common basis of quality standards. 

Consequently, ETUC agreed to cooperate with BusinessEurope, UEAPME and CEEP, and to 
launch  related  projects  to  contribute  to  the  implementation  of  the  European  Alliance  for 
Apprenticeships. ETUC worked on "A European Quality Framework for Apprenticeships – a 
European  Trade  Union  proposal"44.  The  proposal  consists  of  twenty  quality  standards  for 
apprenticeships  as  well  as  a  series  of  quality  criteria  that  enable  these  standards  to  be 
measured in a readily understandable way, supported by a series of examples of best practice 
to illustrate the different aspects of quality standards. 

In  their  part  of  the  project,  the  employers'  organisations  BusinessEurope,  UEAPME  and 
CEEP  concentrated  on  the  cost-effectiveness  of  apprenticeships45.  Their  starting  point  was 
that  when  apprenticeship  schemes  are  designed  around  the  real  needs  of  the  labour  market, 
they contribute to the increased productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, which fosters 
job  creation  and  supports  youth  employment46.  Employers  consider  that  the  involvement  of 
companies  and  employers'  organisations  in  apprenticeship  schemes  is  an  effective  way  of 
identifying  and  meeting  skills  needs  in  the  labour  market.  However,  in  some  countries 
employers are reluctant to engage in apprenticeships because of the high costs of training47. 
All in all, well-functioning apprenticeship schemes help enterprises to meet their skills needs 
and  are  cost-effective,  which  is  why  employers  call  for  a  clear  legal  framework  and  a 
governance  system  for  apprenticeships  in  which  employers  are  in  a  central  role  in  decision 
making, delivering training and in the selection/recruitment procedures. The project identified 

44 A European Quality Framework for Apprenticeships | ETUC 
45 The cost-effectiveness of apprenticeship schemes - Making the case for apprenticeships | BusinessEurope 
46 Ibid. 
47 Such costs can arise from, for example, the need to adapt to accommodate trainees, mistakes made by apprentices, 
administrative paperwork, the time required from enterprise trainers and employees who need to support and monitor 
apprentices. 

24 

 
 
                                                            
the potential reforms  that  are needed to  make  apprenticeship systems  more cost-effective to 
increase employer engagement. 

Both  the  employers  and  the  trade  unions  highlight  the  importance  for  the  quality  and 
effectiveness of apprenticeships of the involvement of social partners in their delivery. These 
two  projects,  which  were  finalised  in  2016,  led  to  a  joint  statement  of  the  European  social 
partners "Towards  a  Shared  Vision  of  Apprenticeships"  on 30  May  2016.  In  this  statement, 
the European social partners called for a wider debate, with the European institutions and the 
Member  States,  in  the  framework  of  the  tripartite  Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational 
Training  (ACVT),  on  the  policy  priorities  for  supporting  the  provision,  effectiveness  and 
quality of apprenticeships.  

Hearings with social partners at European level  

The Commission has organised two rounds of hearings with social partners at European level 
in  the  process  of  developing  its  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European 
Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships.   

In  the  first  hearing  on  30  March  2017,  the  process  for  developing  the  Council 
Recommendation was clarified. The Commission clarified that there was no legal requirement 
for formal consultation of the European social partners, but that the meeting was organised to 
ensure  an  open  and  close  cooperation  on  an  issue  where  they  play  a  key  role.  The 
Commission  also  offered  to  organise  a  2nd  hearing  meeting  before  it  would  finalise  its 
proposal.   

On content, the Trade Unions stressed the importance of quality standards for apprenticeships 
in order to establish a common understanding across Member States, and argued for a strict 
focus on apprenticeships, according to the dual principle.  

On their side, the employers stressed that the framework should ensure cost-effectiveness for 
companies,  and  the  role  of  small  and  medium-sized  companies  as  apprenticeship  providers 
was  highlighted.  While  trade  unions  wanted  mobility  to  one  of  the  quality  criteria,  the 
employers argued that mobility could contribute to quality but that it should not be considered 
a pre-requisite for quality.  

The 2nd hearing was organised on 7 June 2017, in which the Commission presented an outline 
of  the  main  elements  that  it  was  considering  as  criteria  for  quality  and  effectiveness  in  its 
upcoming proposal. Overall, there was a positive reaction from both the trade unions and the 
employers  to  the  elements  presented  by  the  Commission.  Both  the  employers  and  the  trade 
unions  expressed  their  willingness  to  be  strongly  associated  in  the  implementation  of  the 
Framework,  including  through  the  ACVT.  Once  again,  it  was  emphasised  from  the  social 
partners that the proposal from the Commission should build closely on the ACVT Opinion. 
The Commission reiterated its intention to do so, while also explaining that a proposal for a 
Council Recommendation would have to be different in form.  

2.5.2.3  Stakeholders' survey of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships 

During  2016-2017,  the  Commission  carried  out  a  study  on  the  European  Alliance  for 
Apprenticeships. As part of this study, the Commission enquired to which extent stakeholders 

25 

 
 
from  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  support  the  idea  of  proposing  a  ‘quality 
framework  for  apprenticeships’.  The  following  question  was  included  in  the  online  survey 
which formed a part of the study: 

Would  you  be  in  favour  of  EU-wide  quality  standards,  guidance  or  framework  for 
apprenticeships? 

The majority of survey respondents stated that they would be in favour of an EU-wide quality 
standards, guidance or framework for apprenticeships (58%), with only one fifth not being in 
favour of this approach (16%). 

Reasons in support of quality standards include: 

  The  different  legal  frameworks,  schemes  and  arrangements  for  apprenticeships  across 

European countries hinder opportunities for the mobility of apprentices. 

  EU guidelines or any other harmonisation initiative would be useful and would guarantee 

a degree of quality across countries. 

Few  respondents  highlighted  that,  although  useful,  such  guidelines  should  nevertheless  be 
sufficiently flexible in order to respect existing differences in apprenticeship systems. 

2.5.2.4  European Network of Apprentices 

In  2012, the European Youth Forum, with  the support  of several  Members of the European 
Parliament  and  companies,  developed  a  European  Quality  Charter  on  Internships  and 
Apprenticeships  in  order  to  establish  minimum  standards  for  interns  and  apprentices  across 
Europe.  The  Charter  highlights  that  internships  and  apprenticeships  must  be  an  educational 
experience and accessible to all young people. In addition, the Charter establishes criteria that 
internships and apprenticeships should meet, such as the existence of a contract, the right to 
reimbursement  of  costs  incurred,  as  well  as  clear  evaluation  criteria,  including  complaints 
channels. 

In  the  context  of  a  renewed  participation  of  civil  society  in  shaping  the  future  of 
apprenticeships, the European Youth Forum and the Organising Bureau of European School 
Student  Unions  (OBESSU),  with  the  support  of  the  European  Commission,  have  jointly 
launched on 31 May 2017 a network of apprentices at European level to make sure that the 
voices of young apprentices are heard in discussions on VET and apprenticeships in Europe.  

This network promotes  quality apprenticeships that put  the learner  at the centre and respect 
the rights of young people as students  and as workers. Involving young people in decisions 
that affect them is crucial, this is why the European Apprentices Network works to ensure that 
apprentices  are  represented  in  the  set-up,  design  and  implementation  of  apprenticeship 
programmes. The network members will act as ambassadors for apprenticeships, to promote 
them as worthwhile career choice. 

The  network  chose  7  key  priorities  to  work  upon  during  2017-2018  (Quality  education  and 
Quality  assurance,  Rights  and  protection,  legally  binding  agreements,  Representation, 
Promoting  apprenticeships,  Anti-discrimination  and  Accessible  information),  most  of  which 
are also reflected in the European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships. 

26 

 
 
3  State of play on apprenticeships across Member States 

3.1  Definition of apprenticeships / work-based learning  

Work-based  learning  (WBL),  a  key  aspect  of  VET,  is  directly  linked  to  its  goal  of  helping 
learners  acquire  the  knowledge,  skills  and  competences  with  direct relevance  for  the  labour 
market.  There  are  broadly  three  main  forms  of  WBL:  Apprenticeships,  School-based  VET 
with on-the-job training, Work-based learning in school. Hence, apprenticeship is considered 
to be one form of work-based learning. 

Apprenticeships48  formally  combine  and  alternate  company-based  training  (periods  of 
practical  work  experience  at  a  workplace)  with  school-based  education  (periods  of 
theoretical/practical education followed in a school or training centre), and lead to nationally 
recognised  qualification  upon  successful  completion.  Most  often  there  is  a  contractual 
relationship  between  the  employer  and  the  apprentice,  with  the  apprentice  being  paid  for 
his/her work. 

Although  some  of  the  criteria  may  be  relevant  for  all  forms  of  work-based  learning,  the 
European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  is  targeting  especially  the 
first two forms of work-based learning, namely apprenticeships and school-based VET with 
on-the-job  training.  Given the lack of work-based learning, the framework  does not  address 
work-based learning in school. 

To  clarify,  for  the  purposes  of  the  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships, apprenticeships are understood as: 

formal  vocational  education  and  training  schemes  that  combine  substantial  work-based 
learning  in  companies  and  other  workplaces  with  learning  based  in  education  or  training 
institutions,  that  lead  to  nationally  recognised  qualifications.  In  most  cases,  these  are 
characterised by a contractual relationship between the apprentice, the employer and/or the 
vocational education and training institution, with the apprentice being paid or compensated 
for her/his work. 

There is very little comparable data available on apprenticeships mainly due to the different 
understanding  of  the  term  "apprenticeships".  Eurostat  collects  and  publishes  data  on 
"combined  school-  and  work-based  programmes"  in  VET.  According  to  Eurostat  definition 
programmes are classified as: 

"combined school- and work-based if less than 75 per cent of the curriculum is presented in 
the school environment or through distance education. The 75 per cent cut-off point should be 
regarded  as  a  general  guideline  that  may  need  to  be  operationalized  differently  across 
countries. These programmes include: 

48 Definition used by the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, http://ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance 

27 

 
 
 
                                                            
  apprenticeship programmes organised in conjunction with educational authorities or 
educational  institutions  that  involve  concurrent  school-based  and  work-based 
training; and  

  programmes  organised  in  conjunction  with  educational  authorities  or  educational 
institutions that involve alternating intervals of attendance at educational institutions 
and  participation  in  work-based  training  (programmes  of  training  in  alternation, 
sometimes referred to as “sandwich” programmes).  

The Eurostat statistics presented in the following chapter are based on this definition. 

3.2  Overview  of  apprenticeships  and  work-based  learning  systems  across  the 

EU 

Apprenticeship  systems  currently  present  in  Member  States  take  very  different  forms.  This 
diversity is reflected in the variety of definitions of apprenticeships that are used even within 
the  European  Union49.  Often  a  distinction  is  made  between  apprenticeship  schemes  and 
school-based vocational programmes with placements in the company. 

In  most  Member  States  there  is  a  generally  or  formally  recognised  definition  for 
apprenticeships.  According  to  a  study  that  identified  the  key  success  factors  for 
apprenticeships and traineeships50, apprenticeships are usually characterised by: 

1.  A component of a formal education and training programme; 

2.  combine practical work-related training at the workplace with theoretical education in an 

educational institution; 

3.  all  aspects of apprenticeships (e.g. occupational profile duration,  skills  and competences 

to be acquired, etc) are often defined in the apprenticeship contract; 

4.  apprentices typically have the status of an employee and receive remuneration; 

5.  successfully completion leads to an accredited qualification, qualifying them to work in a 

specific occupation; 

6.  tight regulation and monitoring; 

7.  extensive involvement of social partners. 

However,  the  way  in  which  these  elements  are  implemented  in  national  contexts  varies 
considerably,  and  significant  reforms  are  taking  place  in  many  EU  Member  States.  For 
example, according to a study from 201251, 24 Member States have apprenticeship schemes 
which  could  be  characterized  as  mainly  company-based,  at  least  on  a  small  scale,  meaning 
that  in  these  schemes  more  than  50%  of  training  activities  take  place  in  a  work  setting. 
However,  the  distribution  of  company-  and  school-based  training  in  main  national  schemes 
varies greatly: from 66-90% of company-based training in Denmark and 60% in Germany, to 
only 20-30% in Spain. In 18 countries (including the Netherlands, Finland, France, Hungary, 

49 See chapter 3.1 on definitions. 
50 European Commission, Apprenticeship and Traineeship Schemes in EU27: Key Success Factors (2013) 
51 European Commission, (2012b). Apprenticeship Supply in the Member States of the European Union, Report prepared by 
IKEI Research &Consultancy for DG EMPL. 

28 

 
 
                                                            
Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom), predominantly school-based programmes co-exist 
with work-based programmes. 

A  more  recent  mapping  carried  out  by  Cedefop52  has 
total  of  38 
mainstream/system  level  apprenticeship  schemes53  with  stable/valid  legal  basis  in  24 
countries. In addition, two countries have adopted a legal framework but implementation of 
apprenticeship  schemes  occurs  through  pilot  projects  (LT,  SK),  and,  according  to  this 
mapping, in four countries (BG, CZ, MT, SI) there is no apprenticeship scheme or the legal 
basis was being introduced or reformed at the moment of the data collection54. 

identified  a 

These 38 schemes are considered as being “apprenticeship” in the national context. In order to 
understand  their  commonalities  and  differences,  they  were  analysed  against  a  number  of 
common criteria. The following two criteria were considered for the purpose of this overview: 

1.  the level of education and type of qualification the apprenticeship scheme leads to; 

2.  the presence of a contract between the learner and the firm and remuneration or allowance 

paid by the firm. 

The analysis of the 38 apprenticeship schemes against the first criterion shows that the large 
majority  (33  schemes)  of  the  schemes  lead  to  formal  education  qualifications  (i.e. 
qualifications included in the National Qualification Frameworks); 31 apprenticeship schemes 
are at upper secondary level (6 out of these 31 schemes are also offered at higher educational 
levels);  while  2  are  at  higher  educational  levels  only55.  Five  apprenticeship  schemes  are 
organised at sectoral level or outside formal VET system. In terms of country distribution of 
the  38  schemes,  all  24  countries,  except  for  LV56,  have  at  least  1  apprenticeship  scheme 
leading to a formal educational qualification. 

Analysis  of  the  38  apprenticeship  schemes  against  the  second  criterion  shows  that  most 
schemes  (29  schemes)  foresee  a  contract  and  remuneration.  In  terms  of  geographical 
distribution,  all  24  countries,  except  for  PT,  have  at  least  1  scheme  that  foresees  a  contract 
between the learner and the firm and remuneration paid by the firm. 

52 Study "Apprenticeships: A Cross-National Overview", Cedefop, forthcoming. 
53 A complete list of the 38 schemes is presented in Annex 3. 
54 In MT, the legal basis was being revised at the moment of the data collection i.e. first half of 2016.  
55 AT is piloting a scheme at universities of applied science and private universities, comparable to the German Dual Studies. 
However, both in DE and in AT these schemes are not referred to as “apprenticeship”, and thus not included in the mapping. 
56 LV is the only country that does not have a mainstream, regulated apprenticeship scheme at upper-secondary level in the 
formal VET system. LV is piloting and regulating a “Work-based learning” scheme in upper-secondary VET. 

29 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Table 1: The 38 apprenticeship schemes distributed in 6 groups57 

Formal educational qualifications (33) 

Upper secondary  

Post-
secondary/higher 
level 

Only qualifications 
outside formal 
education 

Total 

Contract and 
remuneration 

No contract or 
remuneration 

Group A 
24 

Group B 
7 

Group C 
1 

Group D 
1 

Group E 
4 

Group F 
1 

29 

9 

The  above  analysis  shows  that  the  existence  of  contract  and  remuneration  is  what  the  vast 
majority  of  schemes  have  in  common,  with  most  apprenticeship  schemes  existing  at  upper 
secondary level in the formal VET system. 

However,  first  insights  from  the  analysis  of  the  Group  A  schemes  suggest  that  there  are 
differences in the approaches to the organisation of these schemes. They can be organised in 
two main different ways:  

A1) apprenticeships as a type of VET or VET programme, e.g, AT (Dual apprenticeship), 
CY, DE, DK, IE, HR, NL, NO or  

A2)  as  a  mode  of  training/learning,  e.g.  FI,  FR  (Apprenticeship  contract),  HU,  LU,  UK 
(England). 

In the first sub-group, there is a clear-cut distinction between apprenticeship programmes and 
school-based  programmes  with  or  without  placements  in  the  company.  The  apprenticeship 
schemes  correspond  to  specific  programmes  and  curricula,  have  dedicated  governance 
structures, definite entry requirements, and necessitate placements for all learners enrolled in 
the scheme (safety nets are foreseen in case placements are not found). They normally lead to 
apprenticeship specific qualifications. Apprentices have a clear identity among their VET or 
general education peers. 

In the second sub-group, apprenticeship schemes are offered as an alternative way (alongside 
school-based  VET)  or  complementary  way  (in  combination  with  school-based  VET)  of 
organising  the  VET  programmes  (or  their  practical  component)  and  allowing  learners  to 
achieve the VET qualifications. Learners may attend the whole programme or only part of the 
programme in an apprenticeship scheme (the other part is attended in a school-based scheme).  

Any VET programme may be organised fully or partially as an apprenticeship scheme as long 
as the school and/or learner finds a suitable placement. Programme details and curricula are 
specified  by the education and training  authorities.  It is possible to  distinguish two types of 
contract the learners sign with the company:  

  education contract or apprenticeship contract (education paradigm); or  

  employment contract/full time job (employment paradigm). 

57 Information on which countries belong to groups A, B, C, D, E and F can be found in the table in Annex 3. 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
The  first  sub-group  may  be  viewed  as  an  approach  to  the  organisation  of  VET  (specific 
apprenticeship  programmes,  curricula,  governance  structures)  which  often  relies  on  equal 
footing partnership between education and labour market actors at all levels (as part of good 
governance).  

The second sub-group may be viewed as an approach to training delivery (the same VET 
programme  may  be  delivered  both  as  school-based  and  in  alternance  in  the  form  of 
apprenticeship),  and  within  this  type,  there  is  quite  a  diversity  in  the  way  the  different 
schemes  are  organised.  The  leading  role  is  often  taken  over  by  the  education  and  training 
authorities. 

As  it  can  be  seen,  apprenticeship  schemes  exist  in  almost  all  countries.  But  according  to 
EUROSTAT  statistics,  in  2015,  only  2.809.101  students,  (i.e.  around  a  quarter  /  in  average 
28%,  of  the  over  10  million  VET  students  in  the  EU)  were  in  vocational  programmes 
combining school and enterprise-based learning58, where 25% or more of the curriculum takes 
place outside school59. 

There  are  great  variations  between  countries;  for  example,  in  Latvia  and  Denmark,  where 
around 42% of upper secondary students are in initial VET, and in Hungary where this figure 
is only 23.2% and almost all of them are in some form of combined school and work-based 
learning.  In  Germany  the  proportion  is  also  very  high,  86%,  in  the  United  Kingdom  54.1% 
and  in  Austria  just  under  47%.  France  with  around  a  quarter  of  its  initial  VET  students 
combining  school  and  work-based  learning  is  close  to  the  European  average.  In  the  Czech 
Republic,  despite  having  a  high  proportion  of  vocational  students,  less  than  9%  of  these 
combine school and work-based learning. 

58 Source: Eurostat. 
59 Eurostat definition. 

31 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Chart  3:  Share  of  students  in  combined  work  and  school  based  upper  secondary 
programmes out of total upper secondary VET students, 201560. 

100,0%

90,0%

80,0%

70,0%

60,0%

50,0%

40,0%

30,0%

20,0%

10,0%

0,0%

As  for  enterprises  providing  initial  vocational  training,  according  to  Eurostat,  around  one 
quarter  (24.0%)  of  enterprises  in  the  EU-28  in  2010  with  10  or  more  persons  employed 
provided  initial  vocational  training,  although  the  proportion  varies  greatly  between  EU 
Member  States.  Only  5  of  the  27  Member  States  for  which  data  are  available  reported  a 
proportion that was substantially above the EU-28 average, with around a third of enterprises 
in  Italy  and  the  Netherlands,  around  one  half in  Austria  and  Denmark,  and  more  than  three 
fifths  in  Germany.  By  contrast,  less  than  1  in  10  enterprises  provided  I-VET  in  12  of  the 
Member States, mainly those Member States that joined the EU in 2004 or 2007, but also in 
Greece, Spain and Sweden.61 

A  recent  study62  has  made  the  following  observation:  "In  countries  with  mainly  micro 
businesses and SMEs (e.g. EL, EE and LV) – particularly when there is a school-based VET 
system  –  the  establishment  of  apprenticeship  systems  face  a  number  of  difficulties  and 
challenges.  Nevertheless,  in  countries  with  well-established  apprenticeship  systems  (e.g. 
Switzerland) it is the attitude and realism of the small arts and crafts businesses that creates 

60 Source: Eurostat (UOE, 2015). Combined school and work-based programmes are programmes in which less than 75% of 
the  curriculum  is  presented  in  the  school  environment  or  through  distance  education.  Data  for  Bulgaria,  Ireland,  Greece, 
Croatia,  Italy,  Cyprus,  Lithuania,  Malta,  the  Netherlands,  Portugal  and  Slovenia  are  missing.  Working  question  non 
applicable for BG, IE, HR, CY, LT, PT, SI; definition differs in RO 
61 Eurostat, Statistics explained, data extracted in December 2016. 
62  The  Cost-Effectiveness  of  Apprenticeships  schemes  –  Making  the  Business  Case  for  Apprenticeships,  UEAPME, 
BusinessEurope, CEEP. 2016. 

32 

 
 
 
                                                            
success.  The  personal  relationship between  the  ‘master’  and  the  ‘learner’  is  a  key  aspect  of 
success". 

3.3  Current challenges  

The diversity of apprenticeships and work-based learning systems across Member states show 
us  a  fragmented  policy  landscape  with  some  common  features  and  challenges  to  address. 
Despite  the  very  strong  political  push  at  European  and  national  levels  for  strengthening  or 
setting up apprenticeships schemes, a number of challenges still exist, as detailed below. 

  As  the  European  Semester  and  the  national  commitments  on  apprenticeship  show, 
most  Member  States  are  reforming  their  work-based  learning  and  apprenticeship 
systems.  With  a  strong  push  to  boost  the  apprenticeship  supply,  the  OECD63  has 
warned that high quality standards are needed to avoid that apprenticeships are geared 
towards low-skilled jobs. OECD also notes that the positive effects of apprenticeships 
on  labour  market  conditions  depend  on  their  quality,  and  that  even  a  small 
proportion  of  low-quality  offers  can  damage  their  overall  reputation.  Even  in 
Germany64,  known  for  its  quality  apprenticeships,  reports  on  apprenticeships  have 
pointed  to  unsatisfactory  learning  and  working  conditions.  E.g.  1  in  3  apprentices 
work  overtime,  and  1  in  3  lack  a  proper  training  plan,  meaning  that  they  are  not 
informed  of  the  content  of  their  apprenticeship.  A  recent  report  from  the  European 
Parliament65  addresses  the  need  to  clarify  the  issues  of  an  employment  contract  and 
remuneration  in  apprenticeships,  and  also  the  tripartite  Advisory  Committee  on 
Vocational Training (ACVT) has made a call for action. 66  

  Although the active participation of companies in apprenticeships is crucial, some of them 
consider  that  they  require  costs  in  terms  of  resources  (both  financial  and  human). 
Implementing  apprenticeships  can  be  a  particular  challenge  for  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises,  which  have  more  difficulties  in  dealing  with  recruitment  and  administrative 
procedures.  Therefore,  for  SMEs,  support  systems  for  apprenticeships  (consultancy, 
handling  paper  work,  targeted  supporting  courses,  and  training  networks)  are  often 
necessary. In addition, especially employers call for effective apprenticeships in which the 
wage  or  compensation  is  set  at  a  rate  that  makes  it  possible  for  the  enterprise  to  see  a 
return on its investment, so as to encourage and foster the supply of apprenticeship places.  

  Significant  investments  are  made  with  EU  and  national  resources  in  apprenticeship 
schemes,  either  as  part  of  the  education  and  training  systems  or  linked  to  the 
implementation  of  the  Youth  Guarantee  (Erasmus+,  ESF,  ERDF,  YEI).  The  European 
Court of Auditors pointed in two of its reports the need to underpin these investments by 
qualitative  attributes  that  need  to  be  fulfilled  by  the  various  offers  under  the  Youth 
Guarantee, including apprenticeships. The European Framework for Quality and Effective 

63  OECD (2017).  Striking the  right  balance:  Costs  and  benefits  of apprenticeship, OECD  Education  Working Papers,  No. 
153, OECD Publishing, Paris 
64 DGB Jugend, Ausbildungsreport 2016 
65 European Parliament (2017), Skills development and employment: Apprenticeships, internships and volunteering 
66  Opinion  of  the  Advisory  Committee  on  vocational  training  (ACVT)  (2016),  A  Shared  Vision  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships and Work-based Learning 

33 

 
 
                                                            
apprenticeships  would  therefore  provide  the  orientation  for  designing  and  implementing 
financing programmes which support quality apprenticeships, enhancing thus the quality 
and efficiency of public spending. 

  There is scope to improve the professional position of teachers and trainers (i.e. their 
skills  competences  as  well  as  their  overall  professional  standing  and  status)  in  almost 
every country, even those with well-developed apprenticeship systems. There is a need to 
training,  continuing  professional  development  opportunities  and 
develop 
qualification  frameworks.  The  position  of  in-company  trainers  is  in  particular  need  of 
attention.  The  necessary  developments  are  likely  to  require  substantial  investment  by 
public authorities. 

initial 

  Trade  Unions67  have  also  evoked  the  under-representation  of  young  women  and  young 
people from ethnic minorities in apprenticeships, and the mismatch of supply and demand, 
completion/premature termination and retention (transition to work) rates.  

  While apprenticeships contribute to social inclusion by integrating disadvantaged learners 
and  people  with  a  migrant  background  into  the  labour  market,  there  is  also  evidence 
showing that  children of immigrants rarely have the same chances to access good training 
places in the apprenticeship system, partly because places are attributed through parental 
networks,  of  which  immigrants  have  fewer.68  In  countries  without  an  apprenticeship 
system, the same applies to different types of workplace training within the school system. 
In  addition,  a  specific  issue  facing  children  of  immigrants  in  their  school-to-work 
transition is discrimination. 

 

 Apprenticeships  have also the potential  to cater for the needs of older  workers who are 
affected  by  restructuring  processes.  They  can  be  an  excellent  means  for  re-skilling 
workers  to  re-enter  the  labour  market.  In  this  respect,  the  provision  of  guidance  and 
support and follow-up services to apprentices during and after their apprenticeships needs 
to  be  significantly  strengthened.  It  could  be  particularly  beneficial  to  people  from 
disadvantaged backgrounds. 

  Additionally,  young  people  in  general  lack  opportunities  for  mobility  due  to  various 
barriers  (e.g.  language,  support  infrastructure,  insufficient  funding  and  information  and 
guidance),  and  the  mobility  of  apprentices  in  Europe  is  still  an  exception,  rather  than  a 
rule. In order to step up the quality of mobility, the Erasmus+ VET Mobility Charter and 
the  Mobility  Scoreboard  have  been  developed.  In  addition,  the  EURES  regulation 
provides  that  as  of  2018,  offers  for  apprenticeships  based  on  an  employment  contract 
should  also  be  advertised.  Having  regard  to  the  benefits  of  a  mobility  period  during  a 
learning  experience  (e.g. improved foreign language  skills, greater awareness of another 
culture,  a  greater  ability  to  adapt  to  new  situations,  new  professional  skills,  better 
interpersonal  skills,  better  opportunities  for  subsequent  employment  or  better  academic 
knowledge69),  mobility  should  be  an  integral  part  of  apprenticeship  courses.  Unified 

67 A European Quality Framework for Apprenticeships | ETUC. 
68 European Commission, OECD (2014), Matching economic migration with labour market needs in Europe. 
69 Flash Eurobarometre No 319b – Youth on the move. 

34 

 
 
                                                            
quality  standards  in  apprenticeships  would  also  help  implementing  mobility  in  that  it 
would  increase  the  trust  of  the  quality  in  learning  abroad  and  therefore  improve  the 
transferability of mobility periods carried out abroad during apprenticeships. On the one 
hand,  the  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  introduces 
strong  elements  directly  supporting  transnational  mobility  of  apprentices,  for  example 
including  it  as  a  component  of  apprenticeship  qualification.  On  the  other  hand,  a  clear 
European  Framework  introducing  quality  criteria  is  a  crucial  tool  to  support  young 
learners  engaged  in  apprenticeships  abroad,  usually  more  vulnerable  to  variations  of 
quality  and  effectiveness  if  compared  with  apprentices  working  within  their  national 
borders. 

 

Initial VET, including apprenticeships, is still perceived as a second choice by potential 
learners,  families  and  the  society  as  a  whole.  The  bad  image  of  some  apprenticeship 
schemes, or simply the lack of awareness of the benefits of apprenticeships contribute to 
this  negative  perception 
towards  apprenticeships  as  a  whole.  The  esteem  and 
attractiveness of apprenticeships for learners depends, to a large extent, on the quality of 
VET  systems.  Excellence  programmes  can  help  improve  the  motivation  of  learners  to 
undertake an apprenticeship. The fact that some companies report difficulty in attracting 
motivated students with appropriate basic skills illustrates the need to improve the image 
of apprenticeships in society70. Therefore, enhanced quality, and better communication on 
it,  will  have  a  positive  impact  on  the  attractiveness  of  apprenticeships.  This  was  also 
called for in the communication on the New Skills Agenda from summer 2016. Promoting 
a  European  common  understanding  of 
that  define  a  quality 
apprenticeships,  backed  up  by  awareness  raising  measures  such  as  the    European 
Vocational Skills Week, will help improve the image of apprenticeships and overcome the 
perception of potential learners. 

the  key  features 

  Monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the  impact  of  the  various  apprenticeship  schemes  also 
tends  to  be  a  neglected  area.  Yet,  in  terms  of  quality,  monitoring  and  evaluation  are 
essential  components  of  apprenticeship  systems  that  provide  feedback  on  what  works 
effectively and what does not.  

3.4  Conclusion 

The above  illustrates that the strong push to  boost the apprenticeship supply across  Europe, 
needs  to  be  accompanied  with  measures  that  ensure  quality  and  effectiveness.  Quality, 
effectiveness  and  supply  of  apprenticeships  are  connected  dimensions  that  should  be 
addressed through a comprehensive framework.  

While fully respecting the diversity of national systems, common criteria are needed to ensure 
quality and effective provisions of apprenticeships across Europe.  

The  Commission  will  monitor  the  implementation  of  the  European  framework  with  the 
support of Cedefop and the tripartite Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, based on 

70  The  Cost-Effectiveness  of  Apprenticeships  schemes  –  Making  the  Business  Case  for  Apprenticeships,  UEAPME, 
BusinessEurope, CEEP. 2016. 

35 

 
 
                                                            
national monitoring efforts and evaluations and by using a set of indicators to be developed 
for its assessment. (See draft proposal under Annex 2)  

The Commission will report to the Council within three years from the date of its adoption, on 
progress  made  towards  raising  the  quality  and  effectiveness  of  apprenticeships  and  its 
implications for the future. 

4  Key  elements  of  the  Proposal  for  a  European  Framework  for  Quality 

and Effective Apprenticeships 

The evidence described in the previous chapters highlights how the European Framework for 
Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  is  coherent  with  other  EU  initiatives  to  tackle  youth 
unemployment and support a highly skilled and qualified workforce. Moreover, the previous 
overview  of  apprenticeship  schemes  in  Europe  identifies  two  conclusions:  apprenticeship 
schemes  are  present  in  virtually  all  the  Member  States;  however,  the  fragmented  policy 
landscape  in  Europe  and  the  high  diversity  among  national  systems  makes  a  common 
framework  for  quality  and  effective  apprenticeships  relevant  and  necessary  to  sustain  youth 
employment and personal development in Europe, while respecting the diversity of national 
systems.  

The present chapter  details each of the criteria for quality and effective apprenticeships and 
provides  concrete  examples  of  how  these  could  be  put  in  place,  based  on  practices  from 
across the Member States.  

4.1  Criteria for quality and effective apprenticeships 

The  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  addresses  in  particular 
two levels: 

  At  the  level  of  apprenticeship  schemes,  the  Recommendation  includes  7  criteria  for 

quality and effective apprenticeships; and 

  At system level it proposes  another 7 criteria for framework conditions that support the 

set up and implementation of quality and effective apprenticeships. 

These criteria have been developed taking into account the extensive pool of evidence, studies 
already  available,  particularly  the  key  reference  documents  mentioned  in  annex  3  (See 
overview table). 

4.1.1  Criteria for learning and working conditions 

4.1.1.1  Written contract 

Written  contracts  between  employers  and  learners  (or  their  legal  representatives),  and  even 
schools,  are  important  to  make  clear  the  expectations  and  responsibilities  of  the  different 
parties involved. For apprentices to be regarded as employees, these agreements need to take 
the  form  of  contracts  and  to  set  out  clearly  what  the  workplace  component  comprises.  This 
can also be – and frequently is – reflected in contracts in terms of their right to protection by 

36 

 
 
 
relevant legislation related to health and safety in the workplace and social welfare (see also 
criteria 6 and 7 below). 

State of play and good practices 

Overall  it  can  be  stated  that  contracts  are  stumbling  blocks  to  the  development  of 
apprenticeships in some countries. More generally, the pay and conditions of apprentices can 
be  challenging  issues  to  resolve.  This  includes  issues  such  as  the  relationship  to  minimum 
wage legislation and apprentices' status compared to regular employees (in respect of welfare 
benefits, etc.) since these involve costs to the state and employers. This makes it challenging, 
but important, to arrive at arrangements that are fair to both employers and apprentices. 

There is variation in whether apprenticeships are defined in national legislation and the nature 
of the definition. In Italy, a regular employment relationship is specified but not all national 
definitions  specify  the  requirement  for  a  contract  to  exist  between  the  employer  and  the 
apprentice. In the French-speaking region of Belgium, the Cooperation Agreement on Dual 
Training Act (amended in 2015) provides a new definition of apprenticeships outlining what 
the  contract  should  contain:  ‘vocational  training  which  combines  practical  training  at  the 
workplace with training in a training institution in general and vocational subjects; it is based 
on  a  contract  which  is  signed  by  a  training  institution,  the  apprentice  and  an  employer  and 
which stipulates the length of time to be spent in the workplace and in the training institution, 
the  qualification  obtained,  entry  requirements,  mentoring,  remuneration,  and  rights  and 
obligations.’  Some  countries  also  specify  what  is  to  be  taught  and  by  whom  and  in  which 
learning  setting:  in  Luxembourg,  it  is  specified  that  an  apprenticeship  includes:  practical 
training under the guidance of a supervisor; and scientific, moral and social general training, 
obtained at a technical high school. 

4.1.1.2 

 Learning outcomes 

A  set  of  comprehensive  learning  outcomes  should  be  defined  for  the  apprentice  in  which 
specific  job-related  and  key  competences  are  balanced  and  support  both  the  personal 
development and career opportunities of apprentices. This would address the criticism that 
is raised against apprenticeships as fostering only the development of job specific skills and 
not addressing transversal skills. 

State of play and good practices 

The apprenticeship modernisation process in Greece foresaw (in 2015) defining the learning 
outcomes  expected  to  be  achieved  in  the  workplace  for  each  specialities.  In  Italy,  the  Law 
78/2014 foresees an Individual Training Plan setting the learning outcomes for the apprentice 
that needs to be attached to the contract. 

Specification of learning outcomes: Austria and Estonia 

In  Austria,  each  occupation  has  a  binding  training  regulation  which  sets  out  a  profile  of 
competences (or learning outcomes) as well as: a job profile which specifies the professional 
competences that the apprentice must be taught; and an in-company curriculum. School-based 
training is regulated by an occupation-specific and nation-wide framework curriculum. 

37 

 
 
In Estonia, VET curricula are developed on the basis of professional standards and associated 
descriptions  of  the  competences  required  by  professions.  The  curricula  include  expected 
learning  outcomes,  defined  for  Levels  2-5  of  the  Estonian  Qualification  Framework 
(Vocational  Education  Institution  Act,  2013).  The  achievement  of  learning  outcomes  is 
assessed by a professional examination, according to the Vocational Education Standard. 

4.1.1.3  Pedagogical support 

Teachers and trainers play an indispensable role in high quality apprenticeships. In-company 
trainers should be designated for apprenticeships, and they should be supported appropriately 
in this task. They should cooperate closely with vocational education and training providers 
and teachers to guide apprentices.  

A  particularly  important  question  surrounds  the  development  of  pedagogical  skills  for  in-
company  trainers,  although  actions  taken  by  Member  States  also  demonstrate  that  also 
teachers may need support in order to be adequately equipped for new or expanded roles in 
respect of apprenticeships. Continuing professional development, however, often seems to be 
a  neglected  area  for  both  teachers  and  in-company  trainers.  This  area  may  be  the  greatest 
challenge  for  quality  in  apprenticeships  in  terms  of  the  cost  for  both  public  sector  and 
enterprises  of  ensuring  the  supply  of  sufficiently  competent  teachers  and  trainers.  In  some 
countries having pedagogically skilled in-company trainers is linked to accreditation. 

This  cooperation  should  furthermore  be  supported  by  mutual  and  regular  feed-back 
mechanisms. Monitoring how the learning outcomes  are reached should take place through 
continued monitoring systems, in which both teachers and in-company trainers cooperate. In 
particular,  the  assessment  of  apprentices  during  their  time  in  the  workplace  should  not  be 
neglected  even  in  school-based  systems.  In  many  countries  teachers  and  schools  have  been 
given  a  role  in  overseeing  workplace  assessment  practices,  but  this  task  could  also  be 
assigned  to  the  workplace.  This  suggests  that  the  issue  of  assessment  should  be  thoroughly 
reflected. 

Support  during  and  after  apprenticeships  can  be  key  especially  for  people  facing 
disadvantage,  and  some  examples  of  such  support  exist,  e.g.  in  form  of  counsellors  and 
mentors. However, such provision may have some major cost implications. 

State of play and good practices 

The quality of teachers is covered by (often long-standing) school legislation which sets down 
various requirements in terms of qualifications etc. Indeed, since teachers are regarded as the 
experts in pedagogy, they can be given responsibility for the quality of work-based learning 
(as  in  the  Czech  Republic)  and  vocational  education  and  training  providers  can  be 
responsible for the preparation of in-company trainers (as in Estonia for example). That said, 
it has also been recognised that teachers may need to develop their competences in respect of 
apprenticeships.  For  example,  reforms  in  2014/15  in  Denmark  sought  to  improve  teachers’ 
competences through short placements in companies to strengthen the connection to the world 
of work.  

Sweden - Incentives for workplace training of teachers 

38 

 
 
 

In Sweden, financial incentives for teachers to undertake workplace training are available 
through the National Agency for Education. The fund is addressed at schools and makes 
available  22  million  Swedish  crowns  (2.4  million  €)  to  partly-compensate  schools  for 
costs emerging from teachers’ workplace training. The fund can partly cover costs such as 
supply  teachers,  accommodation  and  travel  costs,  safety  equipment  and  other  materials 
needed for teachers. 

  Workplace training for VET teachers in Sweden should be of at least 2 weeks and aims to 
further develop teachers' practical competences in their subject of teaching. At the same 
time,  the  training  supports  the  mutual  understanding  of  teachers  and  trainers  and  their 
roles in providing high-quality VET.  

  Take-up of the fund is currently lower than expected due to a number of reasons including 
the  fact  that  (i)  teachers  do  not  find  the  time  to  take  part  in  work-based  training,  (ii) 
schools have to fund 50% of the work placement and (iii) administrative obstacles exist, 
such as the duration of application procedures. 

In  the  Netherlands,  the  teachers  in  VET  schools  have  broad  responsibilities  and  play  an 
important role also when it comes to work-place training. 

Netherlands - Teachers as ‘jack of all trades’ 

  Teachers at VET schools in the Netherlands have wide reaching roles and responsibilities. 
They are involved in the development and delivery of educational programmes, as well as 
the coordination of teaching activities.  

  This  includes  the  introduction  of  innovations  and  quality  assurance  responsibilities. 
Further, they provide study and career guidance, mentoring and supervision during work-
place training. 

  Beyond  their  responsibility  towards  the  learners,  teachers  are  responsible  for  their  own 
professional development and the development of the educational team they are working 
in.  

The  cooperation  between  the  teachers  in  VET  schools  and  in-company  tutors  is  important, 
and Portugal has put in place a system for this.  

Portugal - Cooperation between VET training institutions and in-company tutors 

 

In Portugal, cooperation on the assessment of learning outcomes takes place between the 
training  coordinator  based  in  the  VET  training  institution  and  the  tutor,  based  in  a 
company.  

  As  per  the  legislation  on  apprenticeship  courses,  regular  contacts  between  the  VET 
training institution and the tutor are obligatory and the tutor is to be involved in the final 
assessment of learning outcomes of the student. 

 

It  is  good  practice  that  tutors  are  involved  in  the  pedagogical  teams  of  the  VET 
institutions. In reality, communication often takes place virtually rather than in person due 
to time constraints. 

39 

 
 
In  contrast,  the  regulation  of  in-company  trainers  is  subject  to  far  greater  variation  across 
Europe. In some countries, the roles of in-company trainers are defined in some detail. 

Italy - Defining the role of the in-company trainer 

In Italy, to guarantee the quality of training provided by enterprises, there must be a tutor with 
sufficient  training  and  competence,  established  by  collective  bargaining,  to  monitor 
apprentices’ progress within companies. The main tasks of the enterprise tutor are defined as 
follows: 

  managing reception and insertion of young apprentices in the company; 

  planning  and  supporting  learning  and  in-service  socialisation  pathways,  thus  facilitating 

the acquisition of skills and competencies; 

  conducting  relations  with  the  training  centres,  to  enable  positive  integration  between 

formal training and on the job experience; 

  monitoring and assessing progress results achieved by the apprentices. 

In terms of competences, in-company trainers can be required to have expertise in both their 
subjects  and  vocational  pedagogy,  e.g.  in  Austria,  Germany,  Slovakia.  In  other  countries, 
e.g. the United Kingdom, there are no such mandatory requirements. 

Countries  seeking  to  enhance  and  expand  their  apprenticeship  provision  may  take  steps  to 
enhance the skills of in-company trainers. For example, in Sweden, an online course has been 
launched  for  supervisors  in  the  workplace,  and  in  2008  Luxembourg  launched  a  three-day 
train-the-trainer  course.  In  Wallonia,  Belgium,  in  2015  an  institute  was  established  which, 
inter alia, accredits in-company tutors. 

One area of general weakness in current provision for both teachers and trainers is in relation 
to continuing professional development (CPD). CPD tends to be an optional requirement for 
teachers and trainers alike and provision is particularly underdeveloped for trainers. Variation 
exists even within countries with well-developed apprenticeships, e.g. in Austria teachers are 
legally  obliged  to  do  CPD  although  the  content,  duration  and  frequency  is  not  specified, 
whereas CPD for trainers is voluntary. 

Pedagogical support and follow-up is an important issue for quality that can make a difference 
to  individuals  in  terms  of  whether  they  succeed  in  their  apprenticeship  and  subsequent 
employment.  Such  support  can  be  provided  to  learners  and/or  companies.  However,  little 
evidence  of  such  general  provision  was  found  in  the  mapping.  A  notable  exception  is 
provided by Luxembourg where the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Trades and 
Skilled Crafts developed a well-functioning system of apprenticeship counsellors. 

Such support is particularly important in the case of people from disadvantaged backgrounds, 
but  also  in  terms  of  access  to  apprenticeships  (see  also  4.1.2.4  –  Flexible  pathways).  In 
Denmark, since  2014 colleges have been  required, as  part of receiving funding, to  actively 
support  special-needs  students  to  find  placements.  In  France,  subsidies  are  available  to 
companies to adapt facilities and instructor training for disabled apprentices, and the duration 
of  an  apprenticeship  can  be  extended  for  early  school  leavers.  In  Austria,  supra-company 

40 

 
 
training  measures  and  pedagogical  special  needs  are  catered  for,  effectively  providing  a 
‘safety  net’  for  people  who  find  it  hard  to  get  a  place  by  the  ‘open  market’  of  company 
recruitment. 

4.1.1.4  Workplace component 

In-company learning is a crucial component of apprenticeship's added value, the stage where 
learners can acquire jobs-related and transversal skills able to boost their career and personal 
development.  Moreover,  a  strong  work-based  education  can  address  skills  mismatches  and 
inefficiencies of the labour market.  

State of play and good practices 

There is quite some variation across Europe in the relative proportions of apprenticeships that 
are work-based and school-based. Proportions vary by country and also within countries, by 
track or pathway as highlighted in section 2 above.  

Sometimes  proportions  are  set  at  national  level,  although  there  is  variation  in  whether 
proportions are defined in legislation or are a matter of custom and practice. Proportions can 
also  be  a  devolved  responsibility:  in  Denmark,  Trade  Committees  decide  the  distribution, 
while  in  Italy,  proportions  can  be  defined  at  regional  level.  It  also  needs  to  be  taken  into 
account  that  country  comparisons  can  be  difficult  since  there  are  two  elements  to  consider: 
location of the apprenticeship, whether in school or in the workplace; and learning content in 
terms of whether it is theoretical or practical. There is no straightforward equivalence, i.e. it 
should not be assumed that training in the workplace is necessarily practical or that learning 
in a school is necessarily theoretical. Luxembourg illustrates this well, as shown in the box. 

Luxembourg - Content according to type of apprenticeship 

In  Luxembourg,  there  are  two  different  systems  of  training  for  apprenticeship.  Firstly,  the 
concomitant track, where practical knowledge is acquired in combination in an enterprise and 
in compulsory school attendance (one to three days a week). Secondly, the mixed track offers, 
for some professions, theoretical and practical training taught at an educational institution for 
the first year of training and in some cases for the second year (full-time academic year), after 
which practical training is continued in an enterprise. 

4.1.1.5  Pay and/or compensation 

Overall  the  pay  and  conditions  of  apprentices  can  be  challenging  issues  to  resolve.  This 
includes issues such as the relationship to minimum wage legislation and apprentices' status 
compared to regular employees (in respect of welfare benefits, etc.) since these involve costs 
to the state and employers. It is important that the remuneration constitutes an incentive for 
both the learner and the employer to engage in an apprenticeship, and that it contributes to the 
equitable sharing of costs of apprenticeships. 

Provisions  for  remuneration  should  be  addressed  in  the  regulatory  framework  for 
apprenticeships (see 4.1.2.1 below) and in the written contract (see 4.1.1.1 above). 

State of play and good practices 

41 

 
 
 
There  is  a  wide  range  of  arrangements  for  pay  or  compensation  for  apprentices  in  terms  of 
how much is to be paid and by whom, and the social partners usually play a key role in setting 
the rules. Apprenticeship pay or compensation is not mandatory in all countries, for example 
in Latvia. However, most countries do set down some specification in relation to wages. For 
example,  learners  in  Sweden's  apprenticeship  scheme  are  considered  to  be  full-time 
employees receiving 75% of the full-time salary owing to the training element involved. 

In  Austria,  the  remuneration  of  apprentices  is  determined  by  sectoral  or  company-specific 
collective  agreements  and  the  in-company  training  costs  are  born  by  the  respective  training 
company  with  the  school-based  training  financed  through  general  taxation.  In  Ireland, 
apprentices  receive  a  wage  from  their  employer  when  in  the  company  and  an  allowance 
equivalent to the wage from the state when in off-the-job-training. 

Often  apprentice  pay  is  defined  against  minimum  wage  legislation.  In  some  countries, 
apprentices  must  be  paid  the  minimum  wage,  e.g.  Estonia,  whilst  in  other  countries  the 
minimum wage is used as a basis. For instance, in France a 16-year-old in the first year of 
their  contract  is  paid  25%  of  the  minimum  wage  whilst  employees  on  a  professionalisation 
scheme  receive  at  least  55%  of  the  minimum  wage  depending  on  their  age  and  educational 
level. The setting of remuneration in relation to the minimum wage can also be a question for 
collective agreement by trades, as in Denmark. 

4.1.1.6 

 Social protection 

Social protection is a crucial component of what is to be considered a good quality job. In line 
with the European Pillar of Social Rights, the European Framework for Quality and Effective 
Apprenticeships  lists  Social  protection  as  a  basis  for  a  quality  and  fair  apprenticeship 
experience. 

Like  for  remuneration,  also  the  provisions  for  social  protection  should  be  included  in  the 
regulatory framework for apprenticeships (see 4.1.2.1 below) and in the written contract (see 
4.1.1.1 above). 

State of play and good practices 

Those  apprentices  who  have  the  status  of  workers  tend  to  have  access  to  the  same  social 
protection  as  other  workers.  For  example,  in  Italy,  since  apprentices  are  considered 
employees, they receive a salary and are entitled to insurance for job injuries and accidents, 
occupational diseases,  health reasons, ageing and disability, maternity, household allowance 
and  since  2013  to  labour  social  security  insurance.  Slovenia  amended  the  Public  Finance 
Balance Act in 2015 to regulate relevant aspects of apprentices’ work. Following the principle 
that “any work counts”, these legislative changes mean that full social contributions are now 
to  be  paid  on  student  work.  However,  there  can  be  adjustments  to  this  pattern:  e.g.  In 
Belgium,  during  their  work-based  learning  periods,  learners  at  secondary-level  education 

42 

 
 
have  a  special  status  of  part-time  workers71.  On  the  other  hand,  in  Latvia,  apprentices  are 
insured only at school, not in the work place72. 

In  Belgium,  social  protection  of  apprentices,  in  addition  to  questions  concerning  safety  at 
work, is regulated at federal level73. This demonstrates the importance that the country places 
on social protection. 

There  are  cases  in  which  social  protection  of  apprentices  is  covered  with  subsidies  to 
employers.  In  Bulgaria,  the  ‘Youth  employment’  scheme  approved  under  the  ESF 
Operational Programme for Human Resources Development, foresees that employers receive 
for  each  trainee  payments  which  partly  cover  the  cost  of  social  and  health  insurance  of 
apprentices for the duration of their on-the-job training. 

Ireland - Social protection of apprentices 

In Ireland apprentices sign an employment contract with the employer and therefore have the 
legal status (and associated rights and responsibilities) of employees. Apprentices also pay the 
appropriate  level  of  employment  insurance.  The  Further  Education  Authority  in  Ireland, 
SOLAS,  sets  out  a  Code  of  Practice  for  apprenticeships  which  states  that  “employers  must 
comply  with  all  statutory  obligations  including  all  current  employment  legislation”.  All 
apprentices and employers agree to accept the conditions set out in this Code of Practice when 
they sign a SOLAS Apprenticeship registration form. 

4.1.1.7  Work, health and safety conditions 

The  host  workplace  must  comply  with  security  standards  and  guarantee  a  safe  learning  and 
working experience for learners engaged in apprenticeships. 

Also  provisions  on  working  condition  should  be  included  in  the  regulatory  framework  for 
apprenticeships (see 4.1.2.1 below) or in the written contract (see 4.1.1.1 above). 

State of play and good practices 

An example of legislation regulating working conditions can be found in Ireland, where it is 
specified  in  a  Code  of  Practice  that  apprentices  are  subject  to  safety,  health  and  welfare  at 
work  legislation  and  the  regulations  and  codes  of  practice  made  thereunder74,  and  that  in 
particular,  employers  must  ensure  that  apprentices  have  undergone  a  Safety  Awareness 
Training Programme where applicable. 

It is slightly more common to regulate working hours and leave entitlements for apprentices. 
In  the  United Kingdom, apprentices’  contracts stipulate they  must  be paid for their normal 
working hours (a minimum of 30 hours) and for any training which constitutes part of their 
apprenticeship.  Apprentices  are  also  entitled  to  20  days  paid  holiday  per  year,  plus  bank 
holidays.  

71 ReferNet Belgium. Apprenticeship-type schemes and structured work-based learning programmes. 2014. 
72 Peer review on national reforms and policies in the area of apprenticeships, carried out as part of the DGVT meeting, 
Bratislava, 19-20 October 2016. 
73 Other aspects of apprenticeships being the competence of the three communities. 
74 See example under 4.1.1.6. Social protection above. 

43 

 
 
 
                                                            
4.1.2 

 Criteria for framework conditions  

The  framework  conditions  proposed  in  the  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European 
Framework  for Quality  and Effective Apprenticeships  are aspects  that should  be in  place  at 
system  level  in  order  to  have  in  place  apprenticeship  schemes  that  meet  the  seven  criteria 
listed in the previous section. 

4.1.2.1  Regulatory framework  

Regulatory  frameworks  for  apprenticeships  should  be  clear,  coherent  and  comprehensive, 
encompassing  key  aspects  relevant  to  quality  and  having  clarity  regarding  which 
organisations are responsible for which quality aspects. The regulatory framework should be 
based  on  a  fair  and  equitable  partnership  approach  including  a  structured  and  transparent 
dialogue among all relevant stakeholders. 

State of play and good practices 

The  various  aspects  contributing  to  quality  and  effectiveness  (and  the  components  of  the 
European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective Apprenticeships)  are  typically  covered  by  a 
number  of  regulations.  The  legal  basis  is  normally  formed  of  several  laws,  which  are 
accompanied  by  voluntary  codes  or  practices.  Apprenticeships  sit  at  the  interface  of  the 
worlds of education and employment and hence are often covered by regulatory frameworks 
comprising  laws  governing  general  education,  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  and 
in-company training. Crafts legislation can also be relevant as in Latvia where the role of the 
Chamber of Crafts is specified in nominating a master to check that the work of apprentices 
meets requirements to pass the qualifying examination. 

Regulatory frameworks naturally reflect underlying national/regional approaches to regulation 
and VET and to how responsibilities are distributed in government/governance arrangements. 
Germany  is  a  highly  regulated  case  in  which  every  ‘recognised  training  occupation’  is 
regulated  in  a  training  regulation  that  specifies  the  objectives,  content  and  examination 
requirements  and  the  role  of  chambers  of  commerce  is  enshrined  in  law.  In  the  United 
Kingdom,  legislation  generally  has  an  enabling  function  with  a  focus  on  making  markets 
function  effectively  including  the  labour  market  and  skills  supply,  with  a  focus  on 
encouraging and incentivising employers to take the lead role in apprenticeships. 

Evidence  from  a  recent  Cedefop  study75  relating  to  governance  and  financing  of 
apprenticeships  in  5  selected  countries  (Italy,  Latvia,  Portugal,  Spain  and  Sweden) 
confirms  that  there  are  great  differences  even  in  the  perceptions  of  ideal  or  preferred 
governance  and  financing  arrangements  for  developing  apprenticeship  and  in  understanding 
the  concepts.  The  study  attributes  this  to  differences  in  the  respective  traditions  of 
(vocational) education and training but also to a lack of information or knowledge on possible 
or feasible alternatives. 

75 Cedefop. Governance and financing of apprenticeships. 2016. 

44 

 
 
 
                                                            
From  a  quality  perspective,  governance  frameworks  should  be  clear,  coherent  and 
comprehensive,  encompassing  key  aspects  relevant  to  quality  and  having  clarity  regarding 
which organisations are responsible for which quality aspects. 

Austria – Regulatory frameworks governing apprenticeships 

Austria  has  a  well-developed  VET  system  supported  by  a  range  of  related  legislation  and 
regulation. Quality  in  apprenticeships is  governed by a range of regulatory frameworks that 
set out the arrangements for the design, implementation and monitoring of apprenticeships. 

The  Vocational  Training  Act  (Berufsbildungsgesetz,  BAG)  regulates  the  enterprise-based 
part of the training. For example, it specifies the required content of the contract between the 
apprentice and authorized training enterprise and the rights and responsibilities of the learners 
and employers. 

This legislation also defines apprenticeships as training in an occupation: which is reflected in 
the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act; which is appropriate to train for the role 
of the occupation in the economy; and for which the training duration is at least two years. 

Apprentices’  pay  is  set  out  by  collective  bargaining  agreements  and  the  level  of  pay 
received by an apprentice will depend on which apprenticeship year they are in. 

Training  regulations  for  each  apprenticeship  occupation  set  out  its  job  profile/  in-
company curriculum and the competence profile/ activity description. The curriculum of the 
vocational school is equivalent to the training regulation. 

Key  legislation  overseeing  the  school-based  parts  of  apprenticeship  training  are  the  School 
Organisation  Act  (Schulorganisationsgesetz,  SchOG)  and  the  School  Instruction  Act 
(Schulunterrichtsgesetz,  SchUG).  These  laws  provide,  for  example,  the  legal  basis  for  the 
roles and training of teachers in relation to apprenticeships. School-based training is regulated 
by occupation-specific framework curricula, valid for the whole of Austria. 

Belgium  (Wallonia)  has  decided  to  coordinate  the  governance  of  the  2  existing 
apprenticeship systems, and to harmonise the apprenticeship status for the under 18-year-olds 
(payments  and  allowances,  training  plans,  mentoring  promotion).  In  Malta,  the  authorities 
intend to develop a harmonised legal apprenticeships framework which would also define the 
employment status of apprentices. 

An important issue to be included in regulatory frameworks is how responsibility for ensuring 
quality  or  complying  with  legislation  is  divided  between  the  different  stakeholders,  in 
particular  the  education  and  employer  sides  (please  see  4.1.2.2  –  “Involvement  of  social 
partners” below). 

Authorisation  or  accreditation  of  companies  is  used  to  ensure  quality  in  some  countries, 
including  the  Netherlands  and  in  Luxembourg,  as  the  box  below  shows;  others  require 
companies  to  abide  by  quality  standards  as  part  of  written  agreements  with  learners  and/or 
schools  without  the  need  for  pre-qualification  (which  can  be  less  burdensome  than 
accreditation processes). 

45 

 
 
 
Luxembourg - Authorisation of companies wishing to hire apprentices 

If a company wishes to hire an apprentice, it needs to hold a training authorisation. A training 
company must: 

  be approved by the competent employers' association (Chamber of Commerce, Chamber 
of  Trades  or  Chamber  of  Agriculture)  and  meet  the  conditions  of  professional  integrity 
and qualification; 

  designate  a tutor  (manager  or  collaborator  aged  at  least  21  and  presenting  the  necessary 
guaranties  in  terms  of  worthiness)  who  will  be  in  charge  of  the  apprentice  and  his/her 
practical training in the company; 

  make sure the vocational training is in conformity with the vocational training programme 

elaborated by the competent professional chambers and the government; 

  make  sure  there  are  enough  qualified  people  able  to  train  (having  a  CATP/DAP  or  a 
master craftsmanship or a similar foreign diploma) and respect the maximum number of 
apprentices in accordance to the number of employees. 

Some countries have set up centres dedicated to regulating and promoting quality. In Ireland, 
a new Apprenticeship Council (involving trade unions and employers) has been established to 
enhance  governance  and  to  advise  and  support  the  development  of  new  apprenticeships, 
which  it  is  developing  in  labour  market  relevant  areas.  Sweden  set  up  an  Apprenticeship 
Centre  in  December  2013  to  support  stakeholders  to  develop  high  quality  provision.  In 
England  an Institute  for  Apprenticeships  will  start  operating  in  April  2017,  as  shown  in  the 
box below. 

United Kingdom – Institute for Apprenticeships 

In  April  2017,  the  Institute  for  Apprenticeships  (the  Institute)  became  operational  within 
England76,  one  of  the  four  nations  in  the  United  Kingdom.  It  was  established  in  law  by  the 
Apprenticeships, Skills and Learning Act 2009 as amended by the Enterprise Act 2016. 

As  an  employer-led  public  body  responsible  for  regulating  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  in 
England, the Institute is intended to provide a stronger role for employers in the leadership of 
the  apprenticeship  system.  As  a  result,  membership  of  the  Institute’s  Board  primarily 
comprises employers, business leaders and their representatives, led by an independent chair 
supported by a staff of 80 employees. 

The Institute’s main aim is to support the government to create three million apprenticeships, 
within  England,  by  2020.  Its  role  is  to  develop  and  maintain  apprenticeship  standards  and 
assessment  plans  as  well  as  review and  approve  them.  It  will  maintain  a  public  database  of 
apprenticeship standards and give advice on government funding as well as having a role in 
quality assurance.  

76 Skills policy is devolved to each nation within the UK 

46 

 
 
 
                                                            
Sweden - Apprenticeship Centre 

In 2013, the Swedish government established an Apprenticeship Centre as part of a series of 
initiatives  in  recent  years  to  increase  the  quality  of  workplace-based  learning  and 
attractiveness  of  IVET  more  generally.  The  centre  is  operated  by  the  Swedish  National 
Agency for Education. 

The centre’s main responsibilities include: 

  stimulating the provision of apprenticeship education in upper secondary school; 

  promoting young people’s interest in apprenticeship education; 

  supporting  and  giving  advice  to  VET-providers,  employers  and  social  partners  in  for 
example  the  organisation  of  apprenticeship  education  and  training  for  supervisors  at 
workplaces 

  stimulating cooperation at regional level between schools and the world of work. 

Effective  partnerships  between  schools  and  employers  at  local  level  are  vital  to  allow  for 
effective cooperation between teachers and in-company trainers and in achieving high quality 
in apprenticeships. Some examples of how such partnerships are organised and the topics they 
cover are shown in the box. 

Sweden, Belgium and Czech Republic - The role of local partnerships 

In Sweden, according to regulations, schools offering vocational programmes should establish 
one or  several local  programme councils  for cooperation between  schools  and  working  life. 
The tasks  are not  regulated but  may include for example supporting the school organiser to 
provide workplaces, planning and organising the workplace-based learning and participating 
in the systematic quality assurance of apprenticeship education. 

In  Belgium,  there  is  close  cooperation  between  training/learning  centres  and  companies  at 
sectoral,  local  and  sub-regional  levels  in  order  to  design  curricula  for  a  particular  subject.  
Employers and training centres agree training plans which set out what the employer and the 
training centre/school will offer. The support for the young person taking part in work-based 
learning is thus coordinated both in the company as well as the training centre/school for the 
duration of the apprenticeship. 

Overall it can be said that since the regulatory frameworks require coherence as well as clarity 
of roles and responsibilities, there may be a need to review them in order to identify gaps. An 
important  issue  to  overcome  (an  obstacle  in  some  cases)  is  the  degree  of  obligation  to  be 
placed on employers through regulatory frameworks. 

4.1.2.2  Involvement of social partners 

An important issue is the extent to which there is effective stakeholder cooperation involving 
all  relevant  parties,  in  particular  Social  Partners,  at  all  stages  in  the  design,  implementation 
and monitoring and evaluation of apprenticeships.  

47 

 
 
 
 
Employers  are  increasingly  involved  in  the  entire  cycle  of  apprenticeship  development  and 
review.  It  appears  that  the  role  of  trade  unions  is  less  prominent  and  should  be  explicitly 
defined,  rather  than  be  subsumed  by  general  social  partnership  provisions,  and  better 
articulated in quality frameworks. Their involvement can have many benefits at all levels of 
design,  governance  and  implementation  of  apprenticeships,  as  has  been  demonstrated  by 
cases in which all social partners are represented in various sectoral training committees. 

State of play and good practices 

Stakeholder  involvement  in  apprenticeships  is  generally  well  developed  across  Europe  and 
has  either  existed  for  many  years,  being  an  established  and  integral  part  of  apprenticeship 
systems  as  in  Germany  and  Luxembourg  (see  the  two  boxes  below),  or  is  being  introduced 
and/or enhanced, as in Bulgaria. 

Germany and Luxembourg - Stakeholder involvement in apprenticeships 

In  Germany,  the  apprenticeship  system  is  designed  to  build  institutionalised  consensus  by 
enabling  and  supporting  the  involvement  of  a  wide  range of  stakeholders.  For  example,  the 
Federal  Vocational  Training  Act  (BBiG)  ensures  the  involvement  of  social  partners  in 
decision-making  processes  related  to  VET.  Mechanisms  to  design,  implement  and  monitor 
apprenticeships  involve  stakeholders  from  different  sectors  at  all  levels:  the  Federal 
government, the Länder governments, the private sector and social partners.  

The  basic  principles  underpinning  the  design  of  apprenticeships  are  agreed  between  the 
Federal  Government,  the  Länder,  Industry  and  Trade  Unions.  The  details  of  a  specific 
recognised training occupation are then agreed between the social partners and developed into 
a training standard. This training standard is then approved by a Federal government-Länder 
coordination Committee. 

Implementation  of  apprenticeships  is  shared  between  private  employers  and  Länder-run 
vocational  schools.  However,  there  are  several  arrangements  in  place  to  ensure  stakeholder 
involvement in the teaching and learning of apprenticeships. For example, at a regional/local 
level vocational education and training committees are set up by the competent body and have 
a  role  to  participate  in  decisions  about  all  VET  matters.  These  committees  involve  six 
representatives each from trade unions, employers and vocational teachers.  Additionally: 

  Examination  Committees 

for 

apprenticeships 

involve 

employers, 

employee 

representatives and vocational teachers; 

  Schools  and  local  employment  services  cooperate  on  career  guidance,  although  school-

level provision varies between Länder. 

Apprenticeships  are  monitored  by  a  variety  of  organisations  including  the  responsible 
industry  bodies,  school  inspectorates  and  public  institutes  such  as  the  Federal  Institute  for 
Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the Institute for Employment Research of the 
Federal Employment Agency. 

In Luxembourg, stakeholders play a central, substantial role in the VET system through their 
involvement  in  the  design,  implementation  and  monitoring  of  apprenticeships.  Strong 
cooperation between the State and social partners is a core principle of the 2008 legislation to 

48 

 
 
reform  the  VET  system  which  stipulates  that  ‘the  vocational  training  system  is  based  on  a 
partnership  between  the  State,  the  professional  chambers  representing  employers  and  those 
representing employees’. 

The  Ministry  of  National  Education,  Childhood  and  Youth  (MENJE)  and  different 
Professional  Chambers77  work  in  partnership  to  develop  the  standards  for  VET  and  ensure 
they are directly responsive to labour market needs. This partnership arrangement governs a 
wide  range  of  aspects  including:  the  determination  of  training  needs;  determining  the 
professions or trades covered by basic vocational training and initial vocational training; and 
designing  frameworks for training programmes as  well as assessing  the training system and 
qualifications. 

Proposals  for  apprenticeship  (and  other  training)  programmes  are  agreed  by  National 
Vocational  Commissions  (NVCs)  which  include  stakeholder  representatives  of:  high  school 
teachers  where  basic  professional  (CCP)  or  initial  professional  (DT  and  DAP)  education  is 
offered;  each  Professional  Chamber  concerned  by  the  training;  and  the  National  General 
Education Commissions (designated by the Minister). NVCs also include representatives for 
specific  professions  e.g.  of  the  Higher  Council  of  health  professions  and  representatives  of 
employers in the health sector. 

At a more local level, curricular teams operate on behalf of specific, or groups of, professions. 
They have a responsibility to: develop and revise the training programmes for the trades and 
professions  for  which  they  are  responsible;  ensure  consistency  between  the  objectives  of 
training at school and of training in the workplace; and to establish (in cooperation with the 
respective Commissions) guidelines and procedures for continuous assessment at school and 
in the workplace. 

Collaboration  in  design  and  review  processes  often  takes  place  through  special  councils, 
committees  or  groups.  In  Austria,  recommendations  on  the  design  of  new  and  existing 
apprenticeship occupations are made by the Federal Advisory Board on Apprenticeship that 
includes  12  representatives  of  social  partner  bodies  and  which  are  supported  by  regional 
advisory  boards.  In  Sweden,  every  vocational  programme  has  an  associated  national 
programme council. The national programme councils are advisory bodies composed of 6-10 
representatives  from  industry,  employer  and  employees  organisations,  as  well  as  some 
authorities,  and  have  the  task  of  supporting  the  Swedish  National  Agency  for  Education  in 
issues concerning, for example, the content of vocational programmes and the demands of the 
labour market. In Ireland the apprenticeship curriculum is updated approximately every four 
years by the state agency, SOLAS, together with other relevant stakeholders including subject 
expert committees, representing the social partners and education and training organisations, 
under  the  direction  of  the  National  Apprenticeship  Advisory  Committee.  In  the  United 

77 Luxembourg has five Professional Chambers. The Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de commerce), Chamber of Trades 
and  Skilled  Crafts  (Chambre  des  métiers)  and  Chamber  of  Agriculture  (Chambre  d’agriculture)  represent  employers.  The 
Chamber  of  Workers  (Chambre  des  salariés)  and  Chamber  of  Civil  Servants  and  Public  Employees  (Chambre  des 
fonctionnaires et employés publics) represent wage earners. 

49 

 
 
 
                                                            
Kingdom employers, training providers and awarding organisations along with Sector Skills 
Councils  (SSCs)  and  Standard  Setting  Bodies  (SSBs)  are  involved  in  developing 
apprenticeship frameworks across the United Kingdom to ensure that the provision meet the 
needs of employers. 

An important issue is how responsibility for ensuring quality or complying with legislation is 
divided between  the education and employer sides. In dual system countries, the major  role 
played  by  employers  is  institutionalised  through  chambers  and/or  craft  associations or  trade 
committees. In countries with a less strong tradition of apprenticeships and/or with a strong 
educational  tradition,  schools  can  also  have  responsibility  for  having  quality  systems  that 
cover apprenticeships and that monitor quality, as in Sweden, being a rather natural extension 
of schools’ traditional role. 

There  are  different  ways  to  place  legal  obligations  relating  to  quality  of  apprenticeships  on 
employers. Codes of practice can be used to which employers and learners must adhere. For 
instance,  in  England,  the  National  Apprenticeship  Service  has  published  a  ‘Statement  on 
Apprenticeship Quality’ that sets out minimum guided learning hours, length of training and 
the number of hours an apprentice should be employed. In Ireland there is a Code of Practice 
‘to  assist  both  employers  and  apprentices  to  understand  their  duties  and  responsibilities 
relating to the apprenticeship programme’ and which states that ‘employers must comply with 
all  statutory  obligations  including  all  current  employment  legislation’.  Both  the  apprentice 
and the employer sign an apprenticeship registration form by which they agree to accept the 
conditions  set  out  under  the  Code  of  Practice.  According  to  the  Code  of  Practice,  the 
employer must, among other responsibilities, ‘comply with the statutory obligations imposed 
by legislation’. 

In  many  countries  steps  have  been  taken  to  enhance  the  role  of  employers,  e.g.  in  2012  in 
Poland and 2014 in Bulgaria (see box). 

Poland and Bulgaria - Developing the role of employers 

In Poland, changes introduced since 2012 in vocational education have widened the scope of 
possible forms of cooperation between schools and employers. Employers can now participate 
in every stage of the vocational education process: from the process of identifying the skills 
needs for an occupation to the point of assessing learning outcomes of VET students during 
external examinations. 

In Bulgaria, the amendments of the Vocational Education and Training Act, adopted in July 
2014,  increase  the  functions  of  branch  and  sectoral  employers’  organisations.  Article  56 
stipulates  that they: participate in the development  and updating of syllabi and curricula for 
VET;  participate  in  ensuring  school  and  production  practice  of  students  and  propose 
improvements  of  their  organisation;  ensure  conditions  for  establishing  partnerships  between 
employers and the institutions providing work-based training (dual training); participate in the 
elaboration of the Regulations for quality assurance in VET; participate in the development of 
the  national  examination  programmes;  ensure  conditions  for  provision  of  training  in 
enterprises;  participate  in  teachers’  training;  and,  participate  in  the  evaluation  of  quality  of 
VET. 

50 

 
 
In  contrast,  the  role  of  trade  unions  is  seldom  explicitly  defined  in  the  way  that  the  role  of 
employers  is.  Rather,  it  tends  to  be  subsumed  by  general  social  partnership  provisions. 
However, there are examples of trade union involvement, e.g. in Germany, local vocational 
education  and  training  committees,  which  are  set  up  by  competent  bodies  to  have  a 
consultative  role,  involve  six  representatives  of  trade  unions,  employers  and  vocational 
teachers. Employees are also involved in Denmark, as the box below demonstrates. 

Denmark – National trade committees 

In Denmark, national trade committees are appointed to all vocational courses to fulfil a key 
role  in  the  management,  development  and  quality  assurance  of  apprenticeships  within  the 
Danish  VET  system.  These  committees,  of  which  there  are  approximately  50  in  Denmark, 
comprise  equal  numbers  of  employer  and employee  representatives.  A key  responsibility  of 
these  bodies  is  to  set  the  detailed  content  of  education  and  training  programmes  within  the 
general  apprenticeship  framework.  This  applies  to  the  duration  and  structure  of  the 
programmes,  their  objectives  and  assessment,  as  well  as  the  distribution  between  practical 
training and school-based teaching.  

National  trade  committees  also  oversee  the  employer  approval  and  certification  process  of 
employers. In this regard, their responsibilities include:  

  assessing and approving enterprises as qualified as training establishments for apprentices; 

  monitoring the in-company training; 

 

resolving disputes between the enterprise providing practical training and the apprentice. 

The  committees  are  obliged  to  take  steps  to  ensure  that  the  VET  system  is  responsive  to 
labour  market  needs  and  developments.  This  involves  proactive  identification  of  new 
education  and  training  apprenticeship  schemes  as  well  as  adjustments  to,  or  closing  of, 
existing programmes if not required any more by the labour market. 

At  the  local  level,  the  committees’  close  cooperation  and  coordination  with  VET  providers 
and local colleges is managed by the appointment of local education committees for each of 
the  programmes  at  the  college.  These  local  committees  are  required  to:  advise  the  colleges 
about  planning  apprenticeship  schemes;  work  towards  the  development  of  cooperation  with 
local trade and industry; and strive to obtain more internship. 

Even  though  stakeholder  involvement  is  well developed  in  many  countries,  there  are  others 
that  would  evidently  struggle  to  involve  relevant  stakeholders  fully  in  all  aspects  of  design 
and delivery given the general state of play in relation to, for example, social dialogue. Costs 
incurring from involvement of various stakeholders are largely in-kind. Nevertheless, this can 
be a barrier to employers, especially SMEs. Regarding the underrepresentation of trade unions 
that  can  generally  be  observed,  an  issue  to  be  resolved  is  how  they  can  be  appropriately 
brought into the system with a clear role. 

4.1.2.3  Support for companies 

Subsidies,  compensation,  and  incentives  are  commonplace  and  necessary  to  stimulate 
employer  participation  in  apprenticeships.  Such  financial  mechanisms  need  to  be  well-
targeted and their effectiveness and efficiency needs to be evaluated.  

51 

 
 
In many cases non-financial support measures are even more important for smaller companies 
to  be  able  to  participate  in  apprenticeships.  They  might  need  help  in  dealing  with 
administrative  procedures  and  paper  work,  selection  of  apprentices,  or  in  assuring  the 
continuous  development  of  in-company  trainers,  to  mention  but  a  few  examples.  Support 
structures  should  be  created  which  can  foresee  a  role  for  intermediary  organisations  like 
chambers of industry, commerce and crafts or professional organisations. 

State of play and good practices 

There is much variation in the scale of the employer contribution and how it is managed and 
collected. Some countries use levies, as the examples from Denmark and the United Kingdom 
in the box below illustrate. 

Denmark and the United Kingdom - Employer apprenticeship levies 

In Denmark, all employers (both public and private sector) pay a fixed, annual amount into 
the  Employers’  Reimbursement  Fund  linked  to  the  number  of  employees  they  have  and 
irrespective of whether they have apprentices or not. Employers get reimbursed from the Fund 
for their apprentices’ wages while they attend college. In 2012 all employers paid an annual 
contribution of DKK 2,921 (€380) per full-time employee. 

The  United  Kingdom  has  introduced  a  levy  for  large  employers  (those  with  a  wage  bill  of 
over £3 million per year) from 2017. Under the new arrangements, these employers will pay 
0.5%  of  their  wage  bill  to  the  State.  The  levy  payment  can  be  spent  on  apprenticeship 
training. 

Systems of subsidies and incentives are commonly used to encourage employer involvement. 
For  example,  in  Finland,  employers  can  claim  training  compensation  to  cover  the  costs 
arising from work-based learning: compensation is agreed on a case-by-case basis when the 
apprenticeship is arranged and is paid by the apprenticeship organisation, often the education 
providers. In Luxembourg, training companies pay a monthly allowance to each apprentice 
which  is  fixed  by  a  decree  and  varies  according  to  the  VET  programme;  part  of  this 
apprenticeship allowance, as well as the employer’s share of social security contributions for 
the  apprenticeship  allowance  paid,  is  refunded  to  the  companies  by  the  State.  Additionally, 
the  employer  may  be  entitled  to:  (1)  financial  aid  to  promote  apprenticeships  (aide  de 
promotion  de  l'apprentissage)  which  covers  27%  or  40%  of  the  allowance  paid  to  the 
apprentice  depending  on  the  type  of  apprenticeship;  and  (2)  the  reimbursement  of  the 
employer's share of the social security contributions for the apprenticeship allowance paid. In 
Bulgaria, the ‘Youth employment’ scheme approved under the ESF Operational Programme 
for  Human  Resources  Development  establishes  payments  to  employers  based  on  the 
minimum  wage.  For  work-based  training,  employers  receive  for  each  trainee  90%  of  the 
minimum wage for the country during the respective year, and payments for social and health 
insurance and mentor salaries based on 50% of the minimum wage. 

Subsidies  can  also  target  specific  groups  of  employers  or  individuals.  It  is  generally 
acknowledged that SMEs need additional support in order to be involved in apprenticeships. 
An example of subsidies targeting SMEs can be found in England. 

52 

 
 
United Kingdom - Employer incentives/subsidies 

Employers in each of the four nations within the United Kingdom are able to access a range 
of different incentives designed to encourage them to employ more apprentices. 

In  England,  businesses  can  access  the  Apprenticeship  Grant  for  Employers  (AGE).  AGE 
provides  financial  assistance  (i.e.  grants  of  £1,500)  for  businesses  with  fewer  than  50 
employees to take on apprentices aged 16-24 years within a formal Apprenticeship scheme. 
England  is  also  currently  exploring  other  models  for  the  funding  and  development  of 
apprenticeships  through  employer-led  trailblazer  pilot  projects.  These  test  projects  offer 
employers  greater  autonomy  in  the  development  and  funding  of  apprenticeships  i.e.  direct 
control  of  funding  for  apprentice  training,  and  development  of  the  content  of  the  training 
including new apprenticeship standards in a number of sectors. 

In Scotland, financial support for employers includes the: 

  Employer Recruitment Incentive initiative which provides payments to support employers 

to take on disadvantaged young people as apprentices; 

  Adopt an Apprentice incentive that offers a payment to cover wage and recruitment costs 
for  companies  in  Scotland  willing  to  take  on  a  Modern  Apprentice  who  has  been  made 
redundant. 

In  Wales,  the  Welsh  Assembly  Government  introduced  the  Young  Recruits  Programme 
(YRP) to provide financial support to businesses that employ apprentices aged between 16-24 
years.  The  YRP  offers  employers  a  weekly  wage  subsidy  of  £50  over  26  weeks,  subject  to 
employer and apprentice eligibility criteria. 

In  Northern  Ireland,  employers  receive  a  payment  for  each  completed  apprenticeship.  The 
amount of payment is determined by the complexity and level of the apprenticeship. 

A  wide  range  of  SME  support  measures  exists  across  Europe,  while  at  the  same  time 
examples  exist  in  countries  where  there  are  no  specific  provisions  for  SMEs  (e.g.  Finland) 
although it is acknowledged that the issue requires attention. Measures include subsidies and 
exemptions from social security contributions (e.g. France and Italy), and making it possible 
for apprentices to receive training in more than one company (e.g. in Austria and the Czech 
Republic) or job training centres (e.g. Austria). 

It can be difficult for companies, especially SMEs, to make provision for in-company trainers. 
In order to address this issue, some countries enable companies to group together. In France, 
under the Groupement d'employeurs pour l'insertion et la qualification (GEIQ – Employers’ 
groups for inclusion and qualification), several enterprises can create a group (with a specific 
legal  status)  that  engages  one  tutor  who  can  accompany  several  apprentices  in  these 
enterprises. 

4.1.2.4  Flexible pathways and mobility 

From a quality perspective, it is important that the entry requirements for an apprenticeship 
are  clear,  that  there  are  opportunities  to  have  prior  learning  taken  into  account  and  that 
encouragement is given to people who might be at a disadvantage, such as young people not 
in employment, education or training (NEETs), or those who have learning difficulties and/or 

53 

 
 
social or mental problems. In addition,  nationally recognized qualifications are crucial for 
the learner to capitalize its efforts, to increase the inner value of apprenticeships in the labour 
market, and to eventually open the way to further education and training.  

Flexible  measures  include  the  provision  of  pre-apprenticeship  courses  and  the  validation  of 
non-formal and informal learning. The availability of processes to validate prior learning and 
skills  depends  on  wider  system  developments  outside  apprenticeships  that  any  quality 
framework would need to allow for.  

An  important  question  is  whether  apprenticeship  qualifications  are  part  of  national 
qualifications  frameworks  since  also  this  is  likely  to  increase  their  attractiveness  and  value. 
Apprenticeships  need  the  currency  that  comes  from  the  status  of  a  qualification  and  this  is 
likely to be enhanced where the qualification is part of a national qualifications framework. 

Opportunities for transnational mobility of apprentices should be provided as a component 
of an apprenticeship. Mobility should be accompanied by necessary preparations and support 
before and during the mobility, including foreign language learning. 

There are many tangible advantages of mobility periods as part of apprenticeships. These are 
for example improved foreign language skills, greater awareness of another culture, a greater 
ability  to  adapt  to  new  situations,  new  professional  skills,  better  interpersonal  skills,  better 
opportunities for subsequent employment or better academic knowledge78. Despite the proven 
advantages, mobility is not currently considered as an integral element of an apprenticeship. 
Therefore,  it  should  be  facilitated  and  publicised  more  than  at  present.  Including  mobility 
element in the quality framework will also help built trust in apprenticeship places publicised 
as part of EURES. 

State of play and good practices 

Typically,  minimum  requirements  are  set  for  entry  to  apprenticeships  such  as  having 
successfully completed compulsory education. Such requirements can be a uniform national 
(minimum)  specification.  But  entry  requirements  can  also  be  industry-led,  as  in  the  United 
Kingdom  where  they  vary  by  level,  sector  and  specific  apprenticeship.  In  Germany  and 
Austria  companies  set  their  own  requirements,  typically  a  specific  school  qualification  or 
grade. 

Increasingly  there  is  special  provision  for  people  who  do  not  meet  ‘standard’  entry 
requirements. For example, in Cyprus, there is a preparatory apprenticeship for early school 
leavers  aged  14  –  16.  In  Ireland,  if minimum  entry requirements  are  not  satisfied, students 
can take an approved pre-apprenticeship course or be admitted if they have at least 3 years' 
approved  work  experience  and  be  aged  over  16.  In  some  cases,  measures  for  specific 
disadvantaged groups can involve the suspension or alteration of requirements/conditions for 
entry  and  the  availability  of  preparatory  courses  but  it  can  also  involve  the  provision  of 
subsidies to employers and/or the provision of support to make apprenticeships accessible. It 
is worth noting that the Youth Guarantee has been playing a role with respect to developing 
special access and support for NEETs. 

78 Flash EB No 319b – Youth on the move. 

54 

 
 
                                                            
Austria – 'Integrative VET' Programme 

In Austria, the programme ‘Integrative VET’ is an example of a support measure which helps 
to  provide  disadvantaged  young  people  with  a  VET  qualification  and  integrate  them  into 
working life:  

The length of the apprenticeship depends on the chosen path and varies from 12 to 36 months. 
80% of the workplace learning takes place in a training centre financed by the Austrian PES 
(AMS)  or  in  a  company,  while  20%  is  school  education  and  training.  The  possibility  of  a 
tailored training scheme enables companies, specific autonomous training establishments and 
part-time  vocational  schools  to  cater  for  individual  abilities  and  skills  and  meet  individual 
needs.  Hence,  the  possibility  of  a  tailored  scheme  makes  it  easier  for  companies  to  manage 
the  implementation  of  an  apprenticeship.  An  evaluation  shows  that  the  company-based 
programme  is  more  effective  than  the  training  centre-based  in  terms  of  employment 
outcomes.  One  month  after  completing  the  programme,  76%  of  the  company-based 
apprentices  are  in  employment  compared  to  only  20%  of  the  training  centre  based 
apprentices. (Dörflinger et al., 2009)  

Whether  the  recognition  and  validation  of  prior  learning  is  available  to  potential 
apprentices is likely to depend on the general state of development of such processes. Sweden 
represents an advanced case where credit accumulation and transfer is possible. In Germany 
and  Austria,  if  people  can  prove  their  professional  experience  they  are  eligible  to  take  the 
apprenticeship leaving examination, or if people have undergone previous training this can be 
used to reduce the amount of training time during an apprenticeship. 

in 

the 

labour  market.  The  recognition  accorded 

The  recognition  and  validation  of  competences  acquired  during  apprenticeships  has  a  vital 
role  to  play  in  the  status,  value  and  attractiveness  of  apprenticeships  and  the  associated 
to 
‘currency’  of  apprenticeships 
apprenticeships in terms of qualifications depends upon decisions around their relationship to 
national  qualifications  frameworks,  and  hence  on  developments  outside  apprenticeships  per 
se.  Apprenticeships  are  seen  as  a  means  of  improving  the  attractiveness  of  vocational 
education  and  training  pathways  and  there  are  examples  where  they  have  been  part  of  the 
harmonisation of vocational and general qualifications. For instance, in Poland, changes were 
introduced  to  the  VET  system  in  2012  that  increased  the  permeability  of  apprenticeship 
schemes  as  certificates  for  apprentices  became  equal  to  those  issued  for  basic  vocational 
schools’  graduates  making  it  possible  to  continue  education  at  the  technical  level  upon 
completing an apprenticeship scheme. 

An  important  question  is  whether  apprenticeship  qualifications  are  part  of  national 
qualifications frameworks since this is likely to increase their attractiveness and value. Cases 
where  apprenticeships  have  stood  apart  from  the  development  of  national  qualifications 
frameworks are rare, e.g. Latvia. 

Regarding  the  question  of  whether  apprenticeships  give  access  to  further  education  and 
training, practices vary. Bridging courses can be required, as for some courses in Sweden, or, 
individuals  may  need  to  take  a  double  qualifying  path,  as  in  Portugal,  where  candidates 
acquire  both  an  education  certificate  and  a  vocational  education  and  training  certificate  to 

55 

 
 
enable both labour market and further education access. Generally there is a trend to improve 
permeability, e.g. in Spain in 2013, dual vocational training was regulated and complemented 
with optional subjects, facilitating access to higher level VET and other learning paths. 

Geographical  mobility  rarely  seems  to  be  a  part  of  apprenticeship  quality  framework, 
according to the sources examined, but opportunities for mobility often depend on provision 
outside apprenticeships themselves. A notable exception is France where the Apprenticeship 
Training  Centres  (centres  de  formation  d'apprentis  (CFA))  promote  diversity  by  raising 
instructor awareness and encouraging international mobility for apprentices, in particular by 
drawing  on  European  Union  programmes.  In  Luxembourg,  owing  to  the  small  size  of  the 
country,  certain  diplomas  are  not  offered  in  the  Luxembourgish  school  system  but  learners 
have  the  possibility  to  follow  a  cross-border  apprenticeship,  undertaking  their  practical 
training  in  one  country  while  attending  school  in  another.  Recently,  the  European 
Commission  launched  the  programme  ErasmusPRO,  new  action  within  Erasmus+,  on  long 
duration  mobility  of  apprentices.  The  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships  builds  on  recent  developments  in  the  field  of  mobility  and  identifies  long 
duration mobility as a key component  of quality apprenticeships,  and as an added  value for 
both learners and the single market.  

4.1.2.5  Career guidance and awareness raising 

Studies  show  that  apprenticeships  are  often  perceived  as  a  second  choice  educational  and 
career  path,  if  compared  with  general  education  and  other  work-based  learning  options.  To 
invert the trend and support the establishment of effective and quality apprenticeships, career 
guidance, mentoring and awareness raising campaigns are a vital component of an effective 
apprenticeship framework.  

Career  guidance  is  important  to  ensure  good  outcomes  and  various  methods  have  been 
developed  in  this  respect.  The  development  of  lifelong  guidance  services  (including  related 
quality  assurance  mechanisms)  is  a  general  trend  which  is  positive  in  respect  of 
apprenticeships since it may be possible to be part of these wider developments. 

Awareness  raising  on  apprenticeship  opportunities  should  be  implemented  through  better 
communication  on  their  contents  and  their  quality,  as  well  as  on  the  career  options  that 
apprentices have  after  graduation.  All  stakeholders  should  participate  in  this  promotion,  not 
least companies and training providers. 

Skills  competitions  and  VET  weeks,  for  example,  are  proven  excellent  ways  to  promote 
apprenticeships.  The  Commission  supports  the  promotion  of  apprenticeships  in  particular 
through  initiatives  such  as  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  and  the  European 
Vocational Skills Week. 

State of play and good practices 

Career  guidance  plays  an  important  role  in  ensuring  positive  outcomes  for  individual 
apprentices.  Good  career  guidance  helps  individuals  make  well-informed  and  sustainable 
educational  choices.  It  can  reduce  stereotypes  and  prejudices  of  apprenticeships  amongst 
young persons and their families.  

56 

 
 
Typical  approaches  include  making  it  compulsory  for  individuals  to  participate  in  guidance 
counselling,  requiring  schools  and  other  organisations  to  provide  guidance  services  and 
providing national support. For example, in Austria, there is compulsory career guidance at 
the end of the compulsory schooling period, which includes ‘shadowing days’ in the world of 
work. In Denmark, all colleges have education guidance counsellors and each apprentice has 
a ‘contact teacher’ to provide individual support. In Germany, the public employment service 
and  its  local  agencies  are  in  charge  of  vocational  guidance  and  counselling  for  youth  and 
adults. The provision of vocational guidance in schools varies between different federal states, 
but  there  is  a  formal  agreement  that  schools  and  local  employment  services  cooperate  on 
career  guidance  and  career  guidance  is  also  embedded  in  different  elements  of  the  school 
curricula. 

4.1.2.6  Transparency  

In order to facilitate access to apprenticeships, apprenticeship offers should be published in a 
transparent  way,  both  nationally  and  abroad.  The  criterion  is  in  line  with  the  general 
principles of transparency and good governance. 

EURES is highly recommended for international publicity of apprenticeship offers throughout 
Europe, and would also enhance cross-border mobility of young people. 

State of play and good practices 

Access  to  apprenticeship  offers  varies  greatly.  Recruitment  procedures  are  shaped  by  the 
nature  of  the  apprenticeship  system  in  general.  Where  there  is  strong  ownership  of 
apprenticeships by the business community, as in Austria and Denmark, then recruitment is 
strongly  ‘bottom-up’  and  companies  are  required  to  register  available  places,  e.g.  with  the 
public  employment  service.  In  Luxembourg,  the  law  obliges  companies  to  declare  vacant 
apprenticeship places with the public employment service. National recruitment services also 
exist:  e.g.  in  England  the  government  runs  a  service  for  registered  training  providers 
(including  large  employers  with  direct  grant  funding)  to  post  vacancies  and  manage 
applications. Schools can also play an important role in recruitment. In the Netherlands, the 
onus to find an apprenticeship is on the individual but schools act as intermediaries. It is not 
uncommon across Europe to have special staff for placing learners in companies. 

Online  tools  to  support  recruitment  are  increasingly  common.  In  Poland  2014/15  saw  the 
launch  of  an  internet  portal  which  allows  people  to  check,  inter  alia,  the  availability  of 
apprenticeships  in  schools  and  allows  employers  to  inform  those  who  are  interested  in 
vacancies. In France, the Ministry of Labour has an online portal devoted to facilitating the 
recruitment of young people onto apprenticeships along with regional platforms that provide 
services such as contract offers, the option for young people to post their CVs, and offers of 
places. 

4.1.2.7 

 Quality Assurance and graduate tracking 

Effective  monitoring  and  evaluation  systems  are  important  to  track  the  effectiveness  of 
apprenticeships  and  to  provide  evidence  for  any  reforms  that  may  be  required  as  part  of 
review  cycles.  In  general  monitoring  and  especially  evaluation  systems  are  in  need  of 
development, although with exceptions.  

57 

 
 
Quality  assurance  mechanisms  should  be  developed  in  coherence  with  EQAVET.  Overall 
there is a need for the further development of monitoring and evaluation systems since there 
tend to be many gaps in current practice. Apprenticeships need to be based on sound evidence 
of labour market needs. The contents of apprenticeship schemes should be responsive to the 
changes in the skills needs in the labour market as well as in the society. The monitoring of 
employment  outcomes  (e.g.  through  tracking  systems)  is  especially  important  to  be  able  to 
assess the effectiveness of apprenticeships. 

There are significant variations in the adequacy of current skill anticipation systems79, and in 
how  the  needs  of  employers  are  fed  into  the  development  of  vocational  qualifications  in 
general.80  

State of play and good practices 

Effective  monitoring  and  evaluation  systems  are  important  to  track  the  effectiveness  of 
apprenticeships  and  to  provide  evidence  for  any  reforms  that  may  be  required  as  part  of 
review  cycles.  In  general  monitoring  and  especially  evaluation  systems  are  in  need  of 
development,  although  with  exceptions,  e.g.  in  Austria  a  quality  management  in 
apprenticeship  initiative  was  launched  in  2013  by  the  social  partners  which  uses  a  set  of 
indicators assessed yearly, including the number of apprenticeship drop-outs, apprentices who 
do not sit the final exam and the number of apprentices who do not acquire an apprenticeship 
certificate81.  In  Germany,  the  quality  of  work  placements  provided  by  companies  is 
monitored  by  external  monitoring  agencies  and  works  councils.  Works  councils  represent 
employees at the firm level and control quality within the training firm. 

Responsibility  for  monitoring  varies.  In  Sweden,  schools  are  charged  with  overall 
responsibility  for  monitoring  the  quality  of  apprenticeships;  in  Slovakia,  the  State  School 
Inspectorate  monitors  workplace  training.  Responsibilities  may  also  be  divided  between 
different  organisations,  as  in  Denmark  where  the  Ministry  of  Education  monitors  schools' 
apprenticeship provision, whilst Trade Committees monitor companies' training provision. 

Apprenticeship systems should be built on evidence of labour market needs. This is a vital 
underpinning  to  effective  apprenticeship  systems,  however,  its  costs  may  largely  be  borne 
outside  the  apprenticeship  system  itself,  since  skill  anticipation  systems  are  typically 
developed for wider purposes. There is a lack of information in the sources consulted about 
this  aspect,  but  in  general  there  is  variation  in  the  extent  of  development  of  national  skill 
anticipation  systems82.  However,  where  there  are  reasonably  established  national  labour 
market  data  collection  systems,  these  are  used  to  provide  information  to  feed  into  the 
development  of  apprenticeships  or  are  in  development  (this  may  include  national  research 
bodies  conducting  forecast  studies  as  BIBB  do  in  Germany),  and  the  bodies  charged  with 
responsibility  for  apprenticeship  design  and  review  are  required  to  take  into  account  labour 
market needs. In Denmark, for example, Trade Committees have a responsibility to monitor 

79 Forthcoming Cedefop country reports and synthesis 
80 Forthcoming Cedefop report on learning outcomes as a tool for dialogue between education and the labour market 
81 Cedefop/ReferNet 
82 Forthcoming Cedefop country reports and synthesis 

58 

 
 
                                                            
labour  market  needs  for  different  apprenticeship  schemes  and  decide  whether  new  ones  are 
required to meet that need, or whether existing ones should be discontinued. 

In general, there is a need for the development of tracking systems so that employment and 
training outcomes data can be collected on a regular basis rather than through ad hoc surveys. 
Evaluation  tends  to  be  conducted  through  one-off  evaluation  reports  (e.g.  on  the  effects  of 
apprenticeships on salaries and labour market success in France) rather than systematically. 

Regarding the assessment  of apprentices, an important  issue is  how this is conducted in the 
workplace  to  ensure  its  reliability  and  credibility.  Teachers  may  have  a  role  in  overseeing 
assessment processes  to ensure their  quality. For example, in  Slovenia, schools monitor the 
quality of workplaces (visiting the companies during work-based learning, reviewing reports 
of work, questionnaires for students and mentors). During the work-based learning, students 
complete  required  documentation,  i.e.  reports  of  work-based  learning  or  diaries  of  work, 
which is supervised and confirmed by the mentor and reviewed by organisers at school when 
work-based  learning  ends.  In  Finland  the  responsibility  for  the  assessment  of  work-based 
learning periods has recently been transferred to the work places. In Malta, a new an online 
logbook  has  been  put  in  place  for  students  to  monitor  progress  on  a  monthly  basis.  The 
system also helps targeting measures to reduce drop-outs.   

Countries  may  have  previously  imposed  different  requirements  on  institutions  in  different 
educational pathways. In Luxembourg, the Agency for the Development of School Quality 
(Agence  pour  le  développement  de  la  qualité  scolaire  –  ADQS)  has  developed  a  reference 
framework  related  to  school  quality.  It  constitutes  a  working  framework  for  the  self-
evaluation  of  school  quality  within  academic  establishments.  A  common  quality  assurance 
framework  for  technical  secondary  schools  is  currently  being  developed  and  also  applies  to 
associated  work-based  learning.  All  secondary  schools,  including  those  in  VET,  are  to  be 
obliged to elaborate quality development plans. 

In  some  countries,  having  qualified  trainers  in  place  is  a  way  to  assure  the  quality  of 
companies  that  train  apprentices.  This  is  the  case  e.g.  in  the  Netherlands  where  qualified 
trainers are required in order for companies to have apprentices. In  Germany there must be 
one trainer per training company who has passed the trainer aptitude test. Requirements can 
also be set in terms of the ratio of trainers to apprentices, e.g. in Estonia there can be no more 
than 4 trainees per supervisor. 

Netherlands - Company accreditation based on qualified in-company trainers 

In  the  Netherlands  one  of  the  criteria  for  accreditation  is  the  availability  of  a  trained 
supervisor or tutor (prakijktopleider). Tutors must be qualified at least at the same level for 
which  he/she  is  supervising  work-based  learning.  Furthermore,  tutors  must  be  able  to  share 
their  working  expertise  with  students  and  be  pedagogically  competent  (validated  by 
diplomas/certificates).  Tutors  coaching  VET  students  have  to  be  qualified.  Training 
programmes  for  tutors  are  offered  by  Centres  of  Expertise  and  developed  by  the  Centres 
themselves.  There  is  no  national  or  standard  programme  for  tutors,  but  most  have  identical 
topics, concentrating on didactic skills: instruction, motivation and assessment. 

59 

 
 
5  Potential scenarios (policy options) at EU level for improving the quality 

and effectiveness of apprenticeships 

A  number  of  scenarios  (or  policy  options)  are  available  at  EU  level  to  support  the 
improvement  of  apprenticeships  across  the  different  Member  States.  This  chapter  discusses 
the  different  options  and  examines  their  advantages  and  disadvantages,  as  well  as 
considerations  in  relation  to  the  principles  of  proportionality  and  subsidiarity,  drawing 
conclusions as to the best option to be pursued. 

The possible alternative scenarios discussed are the following: 

1.  No supplementary action at EU level (baseline scenario); 

2.  Quality label for apprenticeships; 

3.  Quadripartite Declaration. 

4.  Policy orientation (via Council Recommendation) 

5.1  Presentation of the potential scenarios  

This section explains briefly each of the 4 possible scenarios. Each scenario will be examined 
in more detail in section 5.2 below, including their advantages and disadvantages. 

Scenario 1: No supplementary action at EU level (baseline scenario) 

Under this baseline scenario, the EU level support would be restricted to similar activities that 
are  currently  carried  out  to  support  the  improvement  of  apprenticeships.  The  ongoing 
improvement  of  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  would  rely  on  the  existing  tools  and 
mechanisms used  at EU level, as  well  as a continuation of the provision of similar support. 
EU-level  action  would  be  supplemented  by  any  action  at  national  or  regional  level,  as  is 
currently the case. 

Existing tools and mechanisms at EU level include the activities of the European Alliance for 
Apprenticeships (EAfA)83 (e.g. pledges, sharing of good practices and experiences, provision 
of access to tools and knowledge-sharing), Thematic Country Reviews on Apprenticeships84 
carried  out  by  Cedefop,  peer  reviews,  studies,  events  (e.g.  the  European  Vocational  Skills 
Week85) or guidebooks (e.g. Apprenticeship and Traineeship Schemes in EU27: Key Success 
Factors  -  A  Guidebook  for  Policy  Planners  and  Practitioners86).  It  is  also  worth  noting,  as 
stated in section 2.2 above, that the Youth Guarantee has been playing a role with respect to 
developing  special  access  and  support  to  apprenticeships  for  people  not  in  education, 
employment or training (NEETs). 

Scenario 2: A quality label for apprenticeships 

83 http://ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance 
84 http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/about-cedefop/public-procurement/thematic-country-reviews-apprenticeships 
85 European Vocational Skills Week  
86 Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013). Apprenticeship and Traineeship Schemes in EU27: Key Success Factors - A Guidebook for 
Policy Planners and Practitioners, http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=11348&langId=e 

60 

 
 
                                                            
A  certain  number  of  quality  labels  (or  similar  mechanisms)  for  work-based  learning  have 
been developed through different stakeholders' initiatives, including for example: 

  The European Quality Label for Internships87 developed by InternsGoPro on the basis of 
the  European  Charter  for  Quality  Internships  and  Apprenticeships88  developed  by  the 
European Youth Forum; 

  The  EQAMOB  (‘European  Quality  Assurance  for  in-company  learning  Mobility  for 
apprentices’)  quality  label  for  companies89  established  by  the  Euro  Apprenticeship 
network90. 

At Union level, in the framework of the Erasmus + programme, the Erasmus+ VET Mobility 
Charter91  aims  to  reward  and  promote  quality  in  mobility.  Charter  holders  benefit  from 
streamlined  fast-track  procedures,  including  the  application  process,  the  organisation  of 
mobility projects, and reporting activities for VET mobility actions under the programme. The 
Erasmus+  VET  Mobility  Charter  is  awarded  to  organisations  that  have  track  records  of 
proven quality in organising VET mobility for learners and staff 

At  national  level,  quality  labels  for  apprenticeships  exist  in  certain  countries  (e.g.  Norway, 
Canada). In Germany, quality labels for VET have been created at national level, but award 
processes  increasingly take place also at sector level (as a result  of quality systems of VET 
providers active in the same branches) or in certain parts of the VET system only92. Cedefop 
has  noted  that  a  number  of  networks  or  sector  organisations  of  VET  providers  active  at 
European level have developed their own accreditation or are creating their own quality labels 
without  the  inclusion  of  any  public  bodies93.  EU  quality  labels  exist  in  other  fields  e.g.  in 
relation  to  food  and  agricultural  products94.  However,  no  quality  label  for  apprenticeships 
exists at EU level (issued by the European Commission or other European agencies). 

A  quality  label  could  be  introduced at  EU  level  to  recognise  apprenticeship  schemes  which 
meet a number of agreed quality criteria. Such a label could be used to recognise good quality 
individual apprenticeship schemes and provide an incentive for others to achieve the specified 
quality  criteria.  It  is  important  to  note  that  quality  labels  would  need  to  be  renewed  in  a 
continuous cycle with an average time span of about five years95. 

A  recent  study96  (currently  under  finalisation)  on  the  progress  and  future  planning  of  the 
European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  (EAfA)  has  indicated  some  interest  among 
stakeholders  in  establishing  a  quality  label  in  the  framework  of  the  EAfA,  in  particular  to 
acknowledge  members’  participation.  A  recent  Cedefop  report  on  Assuring  Quality  in 

87 http://www.internsgopro.com/en/label/ 
88 http://qualityinternships.eu/ 
89 http://www.euroapprenticeship.eu/fr/eqamob-co-quality-label-for-companies.html 
90 http://www.euroapprenticeship.eu/en/the-partners.html 
91 http://ec.europa.eu/education/calls/2015-eac-a01_en 
92 Cedefop (2009), Accreditation and quality assurance in vocational education and training: Selected European approaches 
93 Cedefop (2009). ibid 
94 https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/schemes_en 
95 Cedefop (2009). ibid 
96 ICF (unpublished), European Alliance for Apprenticeships - Assessment of progress and planning the future 

61 

 
 
                                                            
Vocational Education and Training97 has also stated that ‘use of quality labels could be more 
widespread’. 

Scenario 3: A Quadripartite Declaration 

Under this option, the European Commission could suggest to European social partners and 
the Presidency to conclude a Quadripartite Declaration. The agreement could take the ACVT 
(Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, a tripartite body) opinion on ‘A Shared Vision 
for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships  and  Work-based  Learning’98  as  a  basis.  A 
Quadripartite  Declaration  would  be  similar  to  the  approach  used  for  the  launch  of  the 
European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  (EAfA)  in  Leipzig  in  2013,  which  involved  a  Joint 
Declaration99  by  the  European  social  partners  (ETUC,  BusinessEurope,  UEAPME  and 
CEEP), the European Commission and the Presidency of the Council of the EU. 

Scenario 4: Policy orientation (via Council Recommendation) 

international  organisations, 

Under this scenario, the Commission, building on the extensive work carried out by the social 
partners, 
the  European  Alliance  for 
Apprenticeships  and  on  the  tripartite  ACVT  Opinion,  would  consolidate  these  into  a  single 
comprehensive policy orientation setting down the key quality attributes for apprenticeships. 
These would be confirmed by the Member States in the form of a Council Recommendation.  

the  context  of 

in 

This  consolidated  policy  orientation  would  create  a  shared  policy  objective  and  progressive 
convergence towards higher standards in defining, reforming or creating quality and effective 
apprenticeship schemes. The legislative act should guarantee proper follow up from Member 
States  and  public  visibility  to  trigger  a  wider  participation  of  stakeholders  to  build  on  the 
momentum  created  by  the  proposal,  while  respecting  the  principle  of  proportionality  and 
subsidiarity.  

In addition to monitoring and direct orientation, parallel actions at EU level could maximise 
the benefits of the Council Recommendation by engaging Member States and stakeholders in 
further actions, in line with the principles of the European Framework. Under this scenario, 
the  Commission  could  support  the  implementation  of  the  Recommendation  through  several 
non-legislative  measures.  For  example,  a  demand  driven  set  of  apprenticeships  support 
services  is  intended  to  be  set  up  in  2018  to  strengthen  the  European  Alliance  for 
Apprenticeships and to support apprenticeship reforms at national level. The support services 
will enhance knowledge sharing, networking and bench-learning, building on the successful 
public employment services  bench-learning model. A particular focus will be on mobilising 
actors for concrete actions at national, regional and local level. 

At the same time, awareness activities can play a crucial role in disseminating the principles 
of the Quality Framework to the public and promote the exchange of good practices among 

97 Cedefop (2012), Assuring Quality in Vocational Education and Training 
98 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1147&langId=en&moreDocuments=yes 
99 European Alliance for Apprenticeships: Declaration of the European Social Partners, the European Commission and the 
Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, 
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/lsa/139011.pdf  

62 

 
 
                                                            
Member States. A recent successful example of awareness raising initiatives is the European 
Vocational Skills Week.  

5.2  Assessment of potential scenarios (policy options) 

An assessment of each potential scenario (policy option) has been carried out in relation to the 
potential advantages and disadvantages, as well as considerations in relation to proportionality 
and subsidiarity.  

The baseline option - Scenario 1 (no supplementary action at EU level) - has the advantage 
that it would trigger limited costs at EU level and that it would present no additional burden to 
governments,  training  providers,  companies  or  apprentices  themselves,  as  compared  to 
current  situation.  However,  with  a  view  to  improving  the  quality  of  apprenticeships 
throughout the European Union, its disadvantages clearly outweigh the advantages. With no 
additional  effort,  it  is  likely  that  the  disparities  in  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  and  the 
support  provided  to  key  stakeholders  would  persist,  contributing  to  unequal  provision  and 
outcomes  for  apprentices  across  the  EU  and  hampering  their  mobility  of  apprentices  and 
workers  across  the  European  Union.  The  responsibility  and  financial  burden  of  ensuring 
quality apprenticeships would continue to fall on Member States and/or individual providers 
of apprenticeships (training providers, companies), with limited support measures financed by 
the  Commission.  Neither  national  authorities  nor  grassroots  level  stakeholders  (i.e. 
companies, training providers) would be encouraged or motivated any further than at present 
to  improve  quality  standards  through  either  top-down  initiatives  or  bottom-up  provision  of 
support. Finally, this option implies an ongoing lack of visibility at EU level on Member State 
arrangements and progress on the quality of apprenticeships, and may hamper coherence with 
other EU initiatives. It would also probably not satisfy the recommendation of the European 
Court  of  Auditors  to  the  Commission  to  set  up  a  list  of  qualitative  attributes  for  the  Youth 
Guarantee offers, including apprenticeships. 

Scenario 2 (EU quality label) provides a number of potential advantages when compared to 
the baseline scenario. An EU level quality label could provide a strong motivating factor for 
companies  and  training  providers  across  the  EU  to  improve  the  quality  of  apprenticeships, 
with  public  recognition  for  their  efforts  and  achievements.  The  criteria  set  out  for  the  label 
would set consistent and coherent guidelines and a quality benchmark across the EU on the 
expected standard of quality for apprenticeships. Since applying for the quality label would be 
optional for training providers or companies, this option would not represent any obligatory 
cost  or  additional  burden  on  these  actors.  However,  this  scenario  also  entails  a  number  of 
potential disadvantages.  

Firstly, the process of agreeing the essential components of a quality label with all key actors 
at EU and Member State level may be lengthy, but launching a label without the buy-in of all 
key stakeholders would carry a high risk that certain groups and categories would not adhere 
to it.  

Second,  while  costs  for  the  set-up  of  the  label  may  be  limited,  the  costs  of  carrying  out 
sufficiently rigorous assessments of quality for the accreditation of the label are likely to be 
high,  potentially  involving  quality  auditors.  Assessments  are  also  not  a  ‘one-off’  since  they 

63 

 
 
need to be carried out on a regular basis (e.g. every five years) to ensure that quality standards 
for label holders are maintained, which implies ongoing costs. By whom such costs should be 
borne (EU/Member States/individual apprenticeship providers) would need to be established, 
but would represent a clear burden in any case. Substantial investment would also be likely to 
be required in order to promote the label.  

Third, due not  only  to the  potential cost but  also the potential  complexity  and length of the 
process of application and accreditation for a quality label, take-up may be limited and may 
be  more  accessible  to  larger  apprenticeship  providers  (e.g.  large  companies)  with  greater 
financial and administrative resources for an investment of this type. If the bar is set too high 
or the requirements too complex, there is a risk that the existence of such a label may even 
have  a  demotivating  influence  on  smaller  providers.  Larger  companies  may  also  be  more 
interested in the positive publicity surrounding the award of a quality label, which may have 
lesser  attraction  to,  for  example,  a  local  training  institution  or  an  SME.  In  order  to  make  it 
more  accessible  to  smaller  providers  and  counter  any  potential  demotivating  influence, 
additional support and advice may need to be provided, implying additional cost.  

Fourth,  since  the  label  would  not  be  obligatory,  the  overall  impact  may  be  limited, 
particularly if take-up is not high or limited to a specific group of providers or countries.  

Fifth,  since  a  number  of  VET  quality  labels  already  exist,  developed  by  VET  networks  or 
sectoral organisations, there is a risk that an additional label could contribute to confusion to 
providers.  

Finally, it is important to note that it would be difficult to monitor or measure the impact and 
outcomes of a quality label, beyond simply quantifying the number of labels awarded and the 
number of apprentices covered. 

Scenario  3  (a  Quadripartite  Declaration)  also  has  the  potential  for  a  number  of  positive 
impacts  as  compared  to  the  baseline  scenario.  Similarly  to  scenario  2,  it  would  provide  the 
opportunity  for  consistent  and  coherent  messages  on  the  criteria  and  standards  expected  for 
quality  apprenticeships  across  the  EU.  Indeed,  as  compared  to  the  first  two  scenarios,  it  is 
likely to have higher visibility and motivation for action for Member State levels authorities. 
Similarly  to  scenario  2,  although  there  would  be  coherence  across  the  EU  in  terms  of 
messages about the criteria for quality and effective apprenticeships, consistency of outcomes 
could  not  be  guaranteed,  in  particular  without  additional  support,  which  carries  significant 
cost implications. It is also likely that a Declaration may have a high degree of visibility or 
impulsion, in particular to  apprenticeship  providers (i.e. training  providers  or  companies) or 
apprentices  and  their  families,  meaning  that  additional  promotion  would  need  to  be 
implemented  to  ensure  the  messages  filter  down  to  implementation  level.  In  addition,  to 
ensure  effectiveness,  it  would  be  desirable  to  monitor  the  progress  of  Member  States  to 
achieving the quality standards set – for example by setting up regular monitoring by Cedefop 
or an external provider and/or developing benchmarks and indicators - which represents a cost 
at EU level and/or at Member State level. However, an additional advantage would be that it 
would ensure formal agreement and commitment by all four key partners (i.e. the European 
Commission,  the  European  employers'  representative  organisations,  the  European  workers' 
representative  organisations,  the  Presidency  of  the  European  Council)  at  the  same  moment, 

64 

 
 
which  could  provide  a  strong  impetus  for  action.  However,  in  terms  of  disadvantages,  a 
significant one that needs to be taken into account is that the Declaration would not formally 
involve  all  Member  States,  potentially  undermining  the  national  commitment  to  implement 
the  actions  foreseen  and  failing  to  bring  together  the  social  partners  and  the  governments' 
commitments therefore from all Member States.  

Scenario 4 (Policy orientation via Council Recommendation)  

Policy orientation at the EU level must occur in parallel with harmonious implementation of 
the Quality Framework's criteria, according to national circumstances and based on the good 
practices shared at the EU level.  Such optimal scenario would guarantee a correct follow up 
to  the  innovations  and  contents  of  the  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships.  

to  national 

level  Recommendations  (as  opposed 

level  policy  announcements, 
EU 
recommendations or joint declarations) are likely to lead to greater consistency across the EU 
in quality standards. The principle of proportionality is respected, as the content and form of 
Union  action  do  not  exceed  what  is  necessary  to  achieve  the  objective  of  the  treaties.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  EU  Treaties  specify  that  the  Commission  shall  encourage  cooperation 
between Member States and facilitate the coordination of their action in all social policy fields 
including  employment  and  basic  and  advanced  vocational  training100,  while  fully  respecting 
the  responsibility  of  the  Member  States  for  the  content  and  organisation  of  vocational 
training101. 

As  stated  in  the  Better  Regulation  guidelines,  a  Recommendation  is  a  legal  instrument  that 
encourages those to whom it is addressed to act in a particular way without being binding. A 
Recommendation enables the Commission (or the Council) to establish non-binding rules for 
the Member States or, in certain cases, Union citizens. A Recommendation can be used when 
there is not sufficient evidence that would justify a need of a binding legislative instrument, or 
in  policy  areas  where  the  EU  has  supporting  competence,  complementing  the  action  of 
Member  States,  and  cannot  by  definition  be  prescriptive.102.  However,  an  EU  level 
Recommendation  should  lead  to  significantly  greater  consistency,  transparency  and 
understanding  of  quality  and  effective  apprenticeships  among  Member  States  and  to  clear 
commitment  on  Member  State's  side  to  follow  up  on  the  actions  foreseen  in  the 
Recommendation. 

5.3  Conclusions of the comparative analysis of the potential scenarios  

All policy options appear to be in line with, while not exceeding, what is necessary to achieve 
the  objectives  of  the  EU  Treaties.  None  of  the  proposed  scenarios  interfere  with  the 
responsibility  of  the  Member  States  for  defining  the  content  and  organisation  of 
apprenticeship schemes. 

on 

the  Functioning 

100  Treaty 
content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12012E/TXT&from=EN  
101 Ibid, Article 156 
102 http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/guidelines/tool_15_en.htm 

of 

the  European  Union,  Article 

156, 

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

65 

 
 
                                                            
While the advantages and disadvantages differ by policy option, it can be noted in particular 
that  -  in  absence  of  legislative  tools  at  a  EU  level  -  none  of  the  first  three  scenarios  seem 
likely  to  meet  the  objective  of  providing  sufficient  encouragement  or  support  for  Member 
States (i.e. national and regional authorities) and key stakeholders involved in apprenticeships 
(e.g.  training  providers,  companies)  to  improve  the  quality  of  apprenticeships.  However, 
scenario 4 (Policy orientation via Council Recommendation) is preferred in terms of potential 
costs-benefits and coherency among Member States and fulfilling at the same time the ECA 
recommendation  in  this  respect.  Therefore,  a  policy  orientation  scenario,  delivered  via 
Council Recommendation, is the optimal proposal to stimulate actions at an EU and national 
level, while respecting the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.   

However, this does not exclude progress to be made in other scenarios, in order to reinforce 
the implementation and/or the follow-up of the Recommendation. 

5.4  Analysis of possible impacts on Member States  

The  followings  section  provides  an  analytical  framework  to  assess  the  potential  costs  and 
benefits  and  reflects  on  possible  impacts  on  Member  States  of  a  European  Framework  for 
Quality and Effective Apprenticeships. 

5.4.1  Analytical framework on potential costs and benefits 

This  analytical  framework  considers  possible  costs  and  benefits  and  has  been  produced  by 
drawing upon the existing literature as well as the results of the mapping exercise (see chapter 
3.2) to highlight both the direct and indirect impacts which would be expected to result from 
the  introduction  of  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships.  The 
framework  has  been  developed  with  reference  to  the  Better  Regulation  Toolbox103,  in 
particular  as  concerns  the  use  of  analytical  methods  and  approaches  such  as  cost  benefit 
analysis, including the categorisation of costs and benefits. 

5.4.1.1  Assessment of potential costs 

5.4.1.1.1  Overview of potential costs 

The  following  framework  is  based  on  a  systematic  assessment  of  the  types  of  costs  which 
would  be  expected  to  be  associated  with  the  introduction  of  an  EU  level  Framework  for 
Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships,  although  the  exact  detail  of  this  will  depend  on  the 
specific  requirements  of  the  agreed  Framework.  This  includes  consideration  of  the  possible 
costs to employers, apprentices, VET providers, other stakeholder  groups (such as employer 
organisations), the public sector and society as a whole.  

Table 2: Overview of type of costs related to apprenticeships  

Type 

Direct 

Description 

Notes 

Implementation costs for 
employers:  
  Wage costs for apprentices 

Such  costs  are  largely  financial  and  likely  to  be 
estimated/recorded by individual employers as part of 
assessing 
offering 
the 
apprenticeships. 

business 

case 

for 

103 http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/guidelines/toc_tool_en.htm#. The toolbox provides guidance on the use of analytical 
methods and approaches such as cost benefit analysis, including the categorisation of costs and benefits. 

66 

 
 
 
                                                            
  Staff costs of 

supervisors/mentors 

  Equipment and material costs 
  Cost of external services (e.g. 

assessment of learning 
outcomes) 

  Costs of reduced productivity 
or mistakes (e.g. due to 
inexperience of apprentices) 

Implementation costs to 
employers’ organisations: 
  Support to employers to meet 
costs of apprenticeships 

  Promotion and coordination of 

apprenticeships  

Implementation costs to VET 
providers: 
  Costs of off-the-job training 
  Examinations and accreditation 

costs 

  Costs related to 

coordination/oversight 

Costs to individual apprentices:   
  Opportunity cost of time spent 
engaged in apprenticeship 
  Other expenses (e.g. travel to 

college) 

Implementation costs for the public 
sector: 
  Public subsidies for 
apprenticeships 

  Analysis of skills needs 
  definition of curricula 
  Examination/qualification 

award 

  Quality assurance 
  Coordination and support  

Implementation follow-up costs: 
  Costs of any related 

inspections or sanctions  
  Monitoring and evaluation of 

the framework 

Although  apprentice  wages  represent  a  cost  to  the 
business  there  will  be  a  corresponding  benefit  in 
terms of output/productivity. However, this cost  may 
exceed  the  benefits  gained  due  to  the  relative 
inexperience of the apprentice and also the time spent 
in training.    

Different  countries  also  have  in  place  different 
financing  arrangements  for  the  covering  the  wage  of 
apprentices and the staff costs of supervisors/mentors. 

In  some  cases  part  of  the  implementation  costs  are 
assumed by employer’s organisations. However, care 
should  be  taken  to  avoid  double  counting  with  the 
costs to individual employers noted above.  

Apprentices  spend  part  of  their  time  engaged  in 
school/college-based  training  which  results  in  a  cost 
for providers, although this is likely to be covered by 
public 
contributions. 
Depending on the framework arrangements, providers 
may  also  have  a  role  in  coordination  or  oversight  of 
apprenticeship arrangements.  

employer 

subsidies 

or 

Young people will dedicate their time to pursuing an 
apprenticeship  resulting 
in  an  opportunity  cost. 
However,  enrolling  in  an  apprenticeship  will  bring 
advantages  such  as  better  employment  prospects, 
personal  development  and  other  non-monetary 
benefits.  Where  participation  is  voluntary,  it  is 
generally assumed that participants will make rational 
decisions  (i.e.  will  only  enrol  in  an  apprenticeship  if 
benefits outweigh the costs). 

National or regional authorities may provide subsidies 
to help offset the costs of other parties.  
Depending 
arrangements, 
authorities may also have a role in the implementation 
of  the  apprenticeships  schemes,  coordination  or 
provision of support.  

framework 

the 

on 

Depending  on 
the  framework  arrangements,  an 
authority or organisation may be given responsibility 
for  implementation  follow-up  activity  relating  to  the 
framework.  

Indirect  Costs to other public services 

Depending on the arrangements in place there may be 

67 

 
 
 
associated with the intervention: 
  Reduced tax revenues  

some  loss  of  tax  revenues  compared  to  a  non-
apprenticeship  contract.  However,  this  cost  will  be 
relatively  low,  as  not  all  apprentices  would  be 
working  in  the  event  that  they  did  not  take  up  an 
apprenticeship.  Moreover,  evidence  has  showed  that 
apprentice  graduates  earn  more  than  people  with 
ISCED  0-2104  levels,  so  the  cost  would  be  quickly 
recovered. 

Transaction costs to employers 

There is  a possibility that some  employers  will incur 
costs  associated  with  recruitment  and  retention  if 
apprenticeships 
alternative 
employment  following  completion  of  their  training 
(with the potential write-off of investments in training 
for that individual).  

decide 

seek 

to 

Costs to non-participants or wider 
society 

It is assumed that delivery of the intervention will not 
impact  on  the  availability  of  other  public  services  so 
there  will  be  no  significant  additional  costs  to  non-
participants or society.  

Costs  for  employers  currently  vary  between  countries  depending  on  the  apprenticeship 
schemes in place. For instance, in countries where apprentices have the status of an employee 
and receive a wage close to entry level pay or minimum wages, costs will be higher than in 
those countries where apprentices do not receive a salary or receive just a stipend. In addition, 
there  are  costs  linked  to  the  assessment  of  learning  outcomes  and  the  monitoring  and 
evaluation of the apprenticeships in countries where those costs are assumed by the company. 

Some schemes involve firms in the design of the curriculum to make sure their requirements 
are  adequately  reflected  in  the  learning  outcomes.  In  this  case,  employers  and/or  employer 
organisations face costs related to aspects such as planning, funding, organising training and 
setting expectations. 

Off-the-job  education  in  apprenticeship  schemes  for  young  people  that  lead  to  upper-
secondary qualifications are typically fully funded by public authorities (perhaps with some 
contribution from employers) and provided at no cost to apprentices. 

In  addition  to  direct  funding  for  apprenticeships,  governments  can  provide  other  kinds  of 
contributions.  This  could  include  oversight  of  apprenticeship  schemes,  funding  final 
examinations and assessments, providing training to apprentice instructors in companies, and 
supporting bodies that involve various stakeholders to advise on apprenticeship policies. Also, 
public funding could be used to develop relevant quality assurance tools to cover both off-the-
job  and  on-the-job  education  and training to  ensure  that  apprentices  develop  a  full  range  of 
generic  and  occupational  skills  during  the  programme.  Specific  costs  related  to  a  quality 
framework may include costs of monitoring and evaluation. For example, in Austria, a quality 
management  in  apprenticeships  initiative  was  launched  in  2013  by  the  social  partners.  It 
builds  on  a  set  of  indicators,  which  are  assessed  yearly,  including  the  number  of 
apprenticeship drop-outs, apprentices who do not sit the final exam and number of apprentices 

104 Based on a comparison between the graduates and their situation if they had not completed an apprenticeship 
qualification.  

68 

 
 
                                                            
who  do  not  acquire  an  apprenticeship  certificate105.  Public  bodies  could  also  play  a  role  in 
collecting  and  analysing  data  on  the  labour  market  to  inform  the  development  of 
apprenticeship schemes. 

Finally,  public  subsidies  for  apprenticeships  may  play  a  role  in  increasing  the  provision  of 
apprenticeships; although the empirical evidence on the effectiveness of these subsidies is still 
limited and some studies106 suggest that they involve substantial deadweight. 

5.4.1.1.2   Analysis of cost implications 

Evidence  to  inform  analysis  of  cost  implications  has  been  obtained  from  desk  research  and 
also  interviews  with  stakeholders  in  Member  States  that  were  found  to  have  some  form  of 
existing quality framework. 

Following the typology set out in the Better Regulation Toolbox107, focus is on examples of 
the direct costs of implementation of a quality framework. This includes compliance costs108 
and  administrative  costs/burdens109  as  well  as  any  associated  implementation  follow-up 
costs110.  However,  as  noted,  the  nature  of  the  costs  associated  with  an  EU  level  quality 
framework will depend on the precise requirements of such a framework as well as the extent 
to which it requires stakeholders to do more or change their current practices. 

While  this  chapter  will  discuss  the  different  cost  that  can  incur  in  relation  to  compliance, 
administration  and  implementation  follow-up  of  measures  designed  to  assure  the  quality  of 
apprenticeships,  the  existence  of  these  costs  should  be  considered  alongside  the  existing 
research evidence which shows that the benefits of apprenticeships are likely to outweigh the 
costs. 

1) Compliance costs  

A key area of cost for employers is the wages paid to apprentices. Desk research shows that 
national  requirements  often  specify  the  terms  of  the  contract  that  must  be  offered  to 
apprentices  including  the  wage  that  is  to  be  paid.  For  example,  in  Estonia,  employers  are 
required  to  pay  apprentices  the  minimum  wage  while  in  France  apprentices  are  paid  a 
percentage  of  the  minimum  wage  (which  varies  depending  on  the  number  of  years 
completed).  In  Ireland  there  are  two  types  of  apprenticeship;  for  the  established  system  of 
craft  apprenticeships  the  state  pays  a  training  allowance  to  apprentices  while  for 
apprenticeships in new areas the employer is required to pay a wage111. In Sweden, however, 
apprentices do not have a contract with the company and do not receive a salary (instead, in 

105 Cedefop/Refernet 
106 E.g. OECD (2017). Striking the right balance: Costs and benefits of apprenticeship, OECD Education Working Papers, 

No 153, OECD Publishing, Paris. 

107 http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/guidelines/toc_tool_en.htm# 
108 Compliance costs encompass the expenses which are faced by stakeholders in order to comply with the requirements of a 
quality framework. 
109 Administrative costs/burdens are those costs which result from administrative activities necessary to comply with 
information obligations.   
110 Implementation follow-up costs are costs associated with the monitoring or adjudication activities linked to the 
implementation of an initiative.   
111 These new apprenticeships are a result of efforts to expand apprenticeships to new sectors where there is a labour market 
need, a process which began in 2014 and is ongoing.  

69 

 
 
                                                            
common  with  other  students,  they  receive  a  grant  from  the  state)112.  In  some  cases  this  cost 
exceeds the value to the employer of the output produced by the apprentice given that they are 
undergoing  training  and  have  limited  experience.  Analysis  of  the  costs  and  benefits  of 
apprenticeships  to  employers  in  Germany  found  that  apprentice-related  personnel  costs  was 
the largest single category of costs (comprising of wages plus voluntary and statutory social 
benefits)113.  

In some cases public subsidies or other incentives are provided to offset these wage costs. For 
example,  in  France,  all  enterprises  (including  public  establishments)  employing  apprentices 
for at least one month can benefit from a tax credit. In the Netherlands, an annual budget of 
200 million Euros is set aside to provide a subsidy for apprenticeships (companies receive a 
subsidy payment per student, per year). In Sweden, despite apprentices not receiving a salary, 
companies  receive  an  incentive  payment  for  providing  apprenticeship  placements  (5,000 
Euros per apprentice per year). 

In  some  cases,  the  costs  of  financial  incentives  can  also  fall  on  employers,  with  either  all 
employers  or  some  employers  contributing,  typically  through  a  levy  on  a  percentage  of 
turnover or payroll. Funds from contributions may be used to support training in general and 
apprenticeships in particular. For example, in Denmark114 and France, all employers share the 
costs of apprenticeships. In Austria, Germany and Switzerland, levies are collected by sector; 
while in England (United Kingdom), only larger employers contribute. 

Employers also face costs in complying with requirements to provide trainers and/or mentors 
for apprentices. Again, requirements vary by country but in some cases these individuals are 
required  to  undergo  training  to  perform  this  role.  There  may  also  be  an  opportunity  cost  if 
time is taken away from other duties. For example, in Germany if the trainer does not have 
the  required  qualification  they  must  undertake  a  course  and  pass  a  test  to  obtain  a  licence. 
There  may  also  be  restrictions  on  how  many  apprentices  an  individual  can  support.  For 
example, in Estonia, there is a requirement that each mentor within the employer organisation 
can  support  a  maximum  of  four  apprentices.  In  Sweden,  however,  companies  offering 
apprenticeships do not have to fulfil any specific requirements or pass any validation process, 
neither are they obliged to provide a tutor for the apprentices (although they are advised to do 
so). 

There  is  also  a  cost  associated  with  the  training  for  apprentices  which  is  delivered  by  an 
educational  institution  or  training  provider.  The  source  of  funding  for  this  element  varies 
although the key question is how the introduction of a quality framework impacts on delivery. 
Some countries specify the amount of time which apprentices must spend in  training and/or 
other  measures  to  ensure quality, although it is generally implied that adherence to national 
educational  standards  or  qualifications  frameworks  will  be the  primary means  by  which  the 
quality of the off-the-job training component will be assured. 

112 It should be noted that a new approach is being developed in Sweden where apprentices in the industrial sector will be 
employed by the company and will receive a salary (with 50% to be paid by the employer and the rest by the public sector). 
The pilot project will be launched in autumn 2017. 
113 https://www.bibb.de/en/25852.php 
114 In Denmark, this is set through the Employers’ Reimbursement Fund. This refunds employers for their apprentices’ wages 
while they attend college. Employers have to pay in whether or not they have apprentices. Source: Cedefop/Refernet 

70 

 
 
                                                            
2) Administrative costs 

Administrative costs can be divided into one-off (or set-up) costs and ongoing (or repeated) 
costs. At national level, development of quality measures has tended to involve some form of 
planning or preparation and the same would be true for an EU level framework (although the 
costs of the latter would perhaps be expected to fall on the European Commission rather than 
national  actors).  For  example,  in  Ireland,  QQI  (Quality  and  Qualifications  Ireland)  has 
developed statutory guidelines, released in June 2016, which all apprenticeships must adhere 
to.  These  guidelines  outline  the  roles  and  responsibilities  of  different  parties  and  come  at  a 
time  when  work  is  underway  to  develop  new  apprenticeships  following  a  10  stage  process 
which involves representatives of key stakeholder groups forming a consortium to develop an 
occupational profile which forms the basis of the programme. There is also a central process 
of  coordination  to  ensure  that  there  is  only  one  statutory  national  programme  for  each 
occupation (with no duplication/overlap). Courses cover a broad spectrum of skills and so link 
to more than one occupation. 

Examples  of  ongoing  administrative  costs  include  the  collection  and  analysis  of  monitoring 
data and production of reports. For example, in Germany, each year the responsible Ministry 
produces  a  report  and  undertakes  a  survey  with  a  sample  of  enterprises.  In  Sweden,  the 
Agency  responsible  for  apprenticeship  undertakes  an  annual  survey  with  a  sample  of 
apprentices. In the Netherlands, SBB monitors employers on an ongoing basis. Every time an 
apprenticeship is finished a monitoring questionnaire is sent to the company.  

There are also costs involved in coordinating and supporting the various actors involved in the 
apprenticeships process. In Estonia, the Ministry has a team of four staff at a central location 
and  a  further  15  at  local  level  to  support  VET  (with  a  proportion  of  their  time  spent  on 
implementing  the  quality  requirements  for  apprenticeships).  These  posts  are  part-funded  by 
ESF  and  it  is  intended  that  they  will  only  be  required  in  the  short-term  while  the  system  is 
being  introduced  and  developed.  These  members  of  staff  support  education  providers  in 
setting  up  agreements  with  employers  and  apprentices.  In  Austria,  apprenticeship  offices 
(located in the economic chambers of the provinces) act as intermediary bodies on behalf of 
the  Ministry  and  are  responsible  for  issuing  declarations  to  employers  which  want  to  offer 
apprenticeships as well as the supervision of training companies, recording of apprenticeships 
and  examinations.  These  offices  are  supported  by  Regional  Advisory  Boards  on 
Apprenticeships. In Ireland, there is a network of training advisors who visit companies that 
want to register an apprentice and assess their suitability; ongoing monitoring visits also take 
place  (with  the  frequency  dependent  on  the  number  of  apprentices  employed  by  each 
company). 

Employers  and  training  providers  also  incur  administrative  costs  related  to  their  agreement 
with and obligations to the apprentice. A proportion of this cost relates to tasks which would 
be completed for any employee or learner. However, a feature of some quality frameworks is 
the  need  for  an  agreement  between  each  apprentice  and  the  employer  and/or  education 
provider  which  implies  an  additional  administrative  cost.  For  example,  in  Finland  the 
apprentice  and employer  sign  a contract which sets out the agreed terms and also key tasks 
(including the education provider and studies to be undertaken). In Estonia, there is a need for 

71 

 
 
a specific agreement between the school, the student and the employer; although the costs of 
preparing such agreements are likely to lessen over time as schools develop relationships with 
employers. 

3) Implementation follow-up costs 

Roles,  responsibilities  and  actions  in  respect  of  monitoring  and  implementation  follow-up 
vary by country. In Germany, Chambers are responsible for the quality of apprenticeships and 
works  councils  also  have  obligations  to  assure  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  within  their 
organisations (although SMEs generally do not have works councils and so are missing this 
layer of quality assurance). All companies that provide apprenticeships are obliged to comply 
with relevant Training Obligations and could be prosecuted if they fail to do so. In Estonia, it 
is the schools which have a role in overseeing compliance and the responsibility to take action 
if  an  employer  does  not  meet  their  obligations.  In  Denmark,  the  Ministry  of  Education 
supervises college apprenticeship provision and trade committees monitor employers’ training 
provision. 

In  some  cases,  the  company  has  to  be  accredited  in  order  to  offer  apprenticeships.  In  the 
Netherlands, for example, companies have to pass a validation process at the outset and renew 
this  every  four  years,  the  costs  of  which  are  funded  by  the  public  sector.  SBB  is  the 
organisation  in  charge  of  validation  and  ensuring  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  and  every 
year  60,000  accreditations  are  renewed.  The  total  cost  to  the  public  sector  of  this  quality 
assurance for apprenticeships is estimated at around 40 million Euros at present. In the event 
that  apprentices  or  schools  complain  about  the  quality  of  any  placement,  SBB  initiates  a 
process to review the validation awarded to the company and may suspend it. 

5.4.1.2 

 Assessment of potential benefits 

The following framework is based on a systematic assessment of the types of benefits which 
would be expected to  be associated with  the provision  of good quality apprenticeships. The 
benefits of apprenticeships have been explored by a number of studies and research has also 
considered  the  factors  which  determine  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  although  it  is  not 
possible to determine the value which is added by specific quality criteria. 

Table 3: Overview of benefits 

Type 

Description 

Notes 

Economic benefits to 
apprentices 

Direct 

Economic benefits to 
employers 

Apprentices receive wages (although this is not a common practice 
in all Member States) and apprenticeships improve young people’s 
employability.  In  the  long  term,  those  who  participate  in 
apprenticeships gain flexibility and mobility and are more likely to 
receive training and upgrade skills later in life.  

Employers  will  benefit  from  the  productive  contribution  of 
apprentices during their period of apprenticeship and even beyond 
if the apprentice will remain in the training company. Additionally, 
apprenticeships  help  to  mitigate  against  skill  shortages  and  can 
also support efforts to upskill and retrain existing staff. 

Fiscal benefits to the 
state: 
  This may include 

Changes  in  welfare  payments  and  tax  receipts  are  a  transfer 
payment (due to the corresponding impact on participant incomes). 
However, the fiscal impact is interesting to assess as it will help to 

72 

 
 
offset the cost of delivery to the public sector.  

saving in benefit 
payments and 
increase in tax 
receipts. 

Wider economic 
benefits  

Improved  educational  attainment  levels  would  be  expected  to 
contribute 
improved  worker  productivity  and  potentially 
improved labour market functioning and competitiveness. 

to 

Indirect 

Wider social benefits  

This  relates  to  the  potential  societal  benefits  resulting  from 
increased  skills  (and  perhaps  employment)  levels,  such  as 
increased social inclusion and the benefits to the next generation.  

Spill-over effects on 
third parties  

It is possible that the intervention may result in positive effects on 
the  demand  for  apprenticeships  more  widely,  with  resulting 
benefits for participants.  

Employers  benefit  from  the  contribution  made  by  apprentices  during  their  period  of 
apprenticeship  (and  beyond  if  they  are  recruited).  Other  benefits  identified  in  research115 
include reduced costs of recruitment and integrating new staff into the company. Additionally, 
the  OECD116  explains  that  employers  offering  apprenticeships  enhance  their  reputation  as 
they may be seen as contributing to the common good. This may indirectly increase profits if 
companies  seen  as  socially  responsible  are  more  likely  to  sell  their  products  and  services. 
However, as the author points out, these benefits are difficult to measure. 

The report published by BusinessEurope (2016)117 finds that there can be a gain if apprentices 
are  subsequently  retained,  as  additional  payback  comes  in  terms  of  immediate  productivity 
upon  graduation,  fostering  an  enterprise  culture  and  higher  employee  loyalty.  According  to 
this report, in many cases companies see apprenticeships and the responsibility to train young 
people as a challenge which motivates them to review their processes and check that each of 
their processes is of high quality, which helps to improve their overall production or service 
quality. Additionally, apprenticeships help to avoid skill shortages and can be seen as a very 
useful approach to upskill and retrain internal staff. 

Well-designed  apprenticeship  schemes  help  meet  enterprises’  skills  needs  and  appropriately 
take  into  account  costs  in  order  to  encourage  enterprises  to  invest  in  apprenticeships.  Cost-
benefit  analyses  of  apprenticeships  have  been  carried  out  in  Germany118,  the  United 
Kingdom119  and  Spain120.  The  studies  demonstrate  that  benefits  for  employers  will  vary 
depending on factors such as the duration of the apprenticeship scheme and time spent in the 

115  For  example,  Ecorys,  IES  and  IRS  (2013).  The  effectiveness  and  costs-benefits  of  apprenticeships:  Results  of  the 
quantitative analysis 
116 OECD (2017). Striking the right balance: Costs and benefits of apprenticeship, OECD Education Working Papers, No. 
153, OECD Publishing, Paris 
117 Business Europe (2016). ibid 
118 Dionisius et al. (2008). Cost and Benefit of Apprenticeship Training: A Comparison of Germany and Switzerland, IZA DP 
No. 3465, available in http://ftp.iza.org/dp3465.pdf  
119  McIntosh,  S.  (2007).  A  Cost-Benefit  Analysis  of  Apprenticeships  and  Other  Vocational  Qualifications,  DfES  Research 
Report 834 
120  Walter  and  Muhlemann  (2015).  Apprenticeship  training  in  Spain  –  a  cost-effective  model  for  firms?,  Bertelsmann 
Stiftung, available at 
http://www.fundacionbertelsmann.org/fileadmin/files/Fundacion/Publicaciones/ROI_web_EN.pdf  

73 

 
 
                                                            
 
enterprise,  the  wage  of  the  apprentices,  the  retention  of  apprentices  and  support  in 
administrative management. 

Work undertaken in Germany has estimated the costs and benefits of apprenticeship training 
to employers. This shows that in the short-term the costs generally outweigh the benefits but 
over  time  this  situation  changes,  particularly  as  hiring  apprentices  once  their  training  is 
complete  can  lead  to  substantial  savings  in  recruitment  costs  and  help  companies  to  better 
meet  their  demand  for  skilled  workers.  Overall,  the  study  concludes  that,  in  normal 
circumstances, apprenticeship training yields a net benefit for employers121. 

The  most  direct  benefit  for  apprentices  is  the  wage  they  receive  during  the  apprenticeships 
(which  is  correspondingly  a  cost  to  employers).  According  to  the  literature,  apprenticeships 
also enhance young people’s employability and increase their future employment prospects.  

Better prospects on the labour market for apprentices 

In European countries where the apprenticeship system is most developed, young people have 
better  labour  market  outcomes  than  in  other  countries122,123,124.  In  addition,  national  studies 
based  on  individual  data  also  find  evidence  that  apprenticeships  ensure  smoother  transition 
from school-to-work compared to vocational school-based education, or compared to entering 
the labour market immediately after compulsory education. Apprenticeship graduates (16-35 
year-olds)  are  less  likely  to  be  unemployed  than  those  who  have  not  completed  upper-
secondary  education,  and  have  similar  chances  of  being  employed  as  those  who  graduated 
from  post-secondary  programmes125.  Apprentices  achieve  better  job  matches126;  higher 
wages;  shorter  periods  of  unemployment  before  finding  a  first  job127,128,129  or  a  longer 
duration  of  first  job130  compared  to  individuals  with  low  educational  attainment  or  school-
based vocational education.  

121 https://www.bibb.de/en/25852.php 
122 Van der Velden, R., Welter, R., Wolbers, M. (2001), ‘The Integration of Young People into the Labour Market within the 
European Union: the Role of Institutional Settings’, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market Working Paper 
n.7E 
123  Quintini,  G.,  Martin,  S.,  (2006).  ‘Starting  Well  or  Losing  their  Way?  The  Position  of  Youth  in  the  Labour  Market  in 
OECD Countries’, OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, n. 39, OECD, Paris 
124  Quintini,  G.  and  T.  Manfredi  (2009),  ‘Going  Separate  Ways?  School-to-Work  Transitions  in  the  United  States  and 
Europe’,  OECD  Social,  Employment  and  Migration  Working  Papers,  No.  90,  OECD  Publishing,  Paris, 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/22171770044 
125 Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013). ibid 
126 Ryan, P., (2001), ‘The school-to-work transition: A cross-national perspective’ Journal of Economic Literature, 39 (1), 
34–9 
127  Ryan,  P.,  (1998)  ‘Is  apprenticeship  better?  a  review  of  the  economic  evidence’,  Journal  of  Vocational  Education  & 
Training, 50(2), 289-329 
128 Bonnal, L., Mendes, S., Sofer, C. (2002). ‘School-to-work transition: Apprenticeship versus vocational school in France’, 
International Journal of Manpower, 23 (5), 426–442 
129 Parey, M. (2009), Vocational Schooling versus Apprenticeship Training. Evidence from Vacancy Data 
130  Bellmann,  L.,  Bender,  S.,  Hornsteiner,  U.  (2000).  Job  tenure  of  two  cohorts  of  young  German  men  1979-1990:  An 
analysis  of  the  (West-)German  employment  statistic  register  sample  concerning  multivariate  failure  times  and  unobserved 
heterogeneity, IZA Discussion Paper, n. 10 

74 

 
 
 
                                                            
McIntosh  (2007)131,  in  a  study  based  in  United  Kingdom,  also  found  higher  wage  levels 
among  those  who  hold  an  apprenticeship  qualification  than  those  who  only  completed 
elementary education. 

According  to  the  OECD132,  young  apprenticeship  graduates  earn  more  than  similar  adults 
with  education  below  upper-secondary  level  and  more  than  those  who  graduated  from 
academic  upper-secondary  education  (and  have  no  higher  qualifications).  In  contrast,  they 
earn less than those with post-secondary and tertiary education and training. Analysis of the 
apprenticeship  system  following  the  2003  Biagi  Reform  show  how  being  an  apprentice 
increase  the  probability  of  obtaining  a  permanent  contract;  16%  higher  if  compared  with 
young fixed-term workers133. 

In the long term, those who participate in apprenticeships gain flexibility and mobility and are 
more  likely  to  receive  training  and  upgrade  skills  later  in  life.  Apprenticeships  also  help  to 
make qualifications more widely available and help individuals to develop or change career. 
For example, in Germany the unemployment rate of skilled workers was 6.6 percent in 2009 
and  fell  to  5  percent  in  2012,  while  the  unemployment  rate  of  unskilled  workers  was  19.0 
percent in 2012134. 

Finally,  Ecorys,  IES  and  IRS  (2013)135  highlight  that  non-monetised  benefits  result  from 
increased  happiness  and  satisfaction  because  of  the  intrinsic  value  of  work  for  individuals 
(‘doing work for its own sake’), improved long-term wealth, health and family circumstances 
due 
to  not  having  undertaken 
apprenticeships. 

improved  socio-economic  position  relative 

the 

to 

However, it is important to note that the apprenticeship-related advantages tend to be higher 
at the beginning of working life and then decline or even disappear over the longer term. 

Estimates from Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013)136 taking into account cross-country calculation 
of Eurostat LFS micro-data and LMP databases indicate that one percentage point increase 
in  apprenticeship  coverage  rate  is  associated  with  a  0.95%  increase  in  youth 
employment  rate,  and  a  0.8%  reduction  in  the  youth  unemployment  rate.  Such  studies 
confirm  the  positive  benefits  that  apprenticeships  entail  for  individuals  and  for  society  as  a 
whole, while underestimating further non-monetary benefits for individuals and firms, such as 
individual  well-being  and  fresh,  innovative  ideas  in  the  workplace.  In  the  long  term, 
apprenticeships  schemes  help  to  reduce  unemployment  rates  and  increase  productivity,  and 
encompass benefits including better health and lower criminality rates.  

131 McIntosh, S. (2007). ibid 
132 OECD. (2017), ibid 
133 Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013). ibid 
134 Business Europe (2016). ibid 
135 Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013). ibid 
136 Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013). ibid 

75 

 
 
 
                                                            
5.4.2  5.4.1.3 Key variables for estimating costs and benefits 

This section considers how the size of the apprenticeship sector and existing arrangements for 
quality and effectiveness at national level have an impact on potential costs and benefits from 
a European Framework.  

Estimating the size of the apprenticeship sector 

For the purposes of the Recommendation apprenticeships are understood as forms of formal 
vocational  education  and  training  schemes  that  combine  substantial  work-based  learning  in 
companies and other workplaces with learning based in education or training institutions, that 
lead  to  nationally  recognised  qualifications.  In  most  cases  these  are  characterised  by  a 
contractual relationship between the apprentice, the employer or the vocational education and 
training institution, with the apprentice being paid or compensated for his/her work137. 

However, there are different types of vocational programmes at national level which combine 
work with  theoretical study to  promote employment and employability. Apprenticeships are 
typically  embedded  in  VET  programmes.  However,  not  all  VET  programmes  provide 
apprenticeships,  and  therefore  the  number  of  apprentices  cannot  be  approximated  by  the 
number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  VET  programmes  as  this  would  be  a  significant  overestimate. 
This makes it difficult to estimate the size of the sector at EU level.  

Eurostat  collects  statistical  data  on  number  “pupils  enrolled  in  upper  secondary  and  post-
secondary school and work-based learning programmes by programme orientation, sex, type 
of institution and intensity of participation”.  However, it lacks of data for 8 Member States in 
upper secondary level, and 12 Member States in post-secondary education level. For reasons 
of data accuracy and completion, the database is not sufficient in order to estimate the total 
number of apprentices at EU level.  

In  order  to  estimate  the  number  of  apprentices  across  the  EU,  three  potentially  relevant 
datasets have been identified and are summarised in the following table. 

Table 4: Data sources 

Source of data  Eurostat (education data) 

Eurostat (EULFS, 
demographic data) 

OECD (EULFS) 

Extracted on 

05/04/2017 

28/03/2017 

05/04/2017 

Sex 

Age 

Year 

Total 

15-24 

Total 

15-24 

Total 

15-24 

Eurostat: 2013 

Eurostat: 2013 

OECD: 2013 (last year 
with data) 

Definition of 
apprentice 

Pupils  enrolled  in  upper 
post 
secondary 

and 

Number  of  young  people 
employment  with 
in 

Number  of  young  people 
students  or 
that  were 

137 Cedefop (2014) Developing apprenticeships, Briefing note, May 2014 

76 

 
 
 
                                                            
non-tertiary 
secondary 
education  in  school  and 
work-based 
vocational 
programmes  

temporary contracts, being 
the reason ‘in education or 
training’  with  education 
attainment  levels  ISCED 
0-4 and no response 

in 

regular 
apprentices 
education during the last 4 
weeks  prior  to  the  survey 
interview  and  participated 
formal  workplace 
in 
the 
training 
during 
reference  week  of 
the 
survey  on  the  basis  of  a 
temporary contract 

Indicators 

  Upper secondary 

education - school and 
work-based vocational 
programmes 
(educ_uoe_enrs04) 
  Post-secondary non-
tertiary education - 
school and work-based 
vocational 
programmes 
(educ_uoe_enrs07) 

  Temporary employees 

by education 
attainment (ISCED 0-4 
and no response) 
(lfsa_etgaed) 
  Reason temporary 

contract (lfsa_etgar) 

  Participation in 
apprenticeships 
  Population 15-24 
years (Eurostat, 
demo_pjan) 

As none of the available datasets provide an exact match to the definition of an apprenticeship 
they  are  unable  to  provide  an  accurate  estimate  of  the  size  of  the  sector,  although  this  data 
could be expected to give some indication of the relative popularity of apprenticeships across 
different  Member  States.  Desk  research  and  interviews  have  also  highlighted  differences  in 
the definition of apprenticeships at national level.  

For  some  countries  the  data  differs  widely  among  the  three  datasets  (e.g.  Czech  Republic, 
Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and United Kingdom) whereas for 
others  differences  are  narrow  (Austria,  Cyprus,  Estonia,  France,  Germany).  None  of  the 
sources provide data for Bulgaria138 and Romania139. 

Further caveats which apply to this analysis are: 

  Use of cross-sectional data: this can only provide information on the stock of apprentices 
at a given point in time; some of these will drop out and will not achieve the qualification. 
The  number  of  young  people  enrolled  in  apprenticeships  can  also  dramatically  change 
over time as a result of policy shifts.  

  Reference  year:  the  most  recent  year  of  available  data  in  the  OECD  database  is  2013, 
while  Eurostat  provides data up to 2015 (although 2013 has  been  used for consistency). 
The estimates provided can be considered to be valid in 2016 if we can reasonably assume 
that participation is not likely to have changed substantially in recent years. In this regard, 
the data from Eurostat from 2015 do not vary dramatically compared to 2013. 

138 However, according to a report produced by Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013) in 2011/2012 there were 50,078 
placements/beneficiaries. 
139 However, according to the report produced by Ecorys, IES and IRS (2013) in 2012 there were only 60 
placements/beneficiaries. 

77 

 
 
                                                            
  Labour market conditions: the size of the population in apprenticeships will be impacted 
by the state of the economy as people will tend to enter the labour market at an early stage 
in economically buoyant conditions (and potentially participate less in apprenticeships as 
the opportunity costs would increase). 

Table  5:  Estimated  number  of  apprentices  -  estimate  of  number  of  students  in 
apprenticeship-type  studies  by  EU  27  Member  States,  secondary  education,  2009 
(thousands) 

Apprenticeship 
students (according to 
national definitions) 
(1)  

Apprenticeship-type 
scheme students (2) 

Total Apprenticeship-
type students (1+2) 

Austria  

Belgium  

Bulgaria  

Cyprus  

Czech Republic  

Denmark  

Estonia  

Finland  

France  

Germany  

Greece  

Hungary  

Ireland  

Italy  

Latvia  

Lithuania  

Luxembourg  

Malta  

Netherlands  

Poland  

Portugal  

Romania  

Slovakia  

Slovenia  

Spain  

Sweden  

132.0 

22.2 

1.3 

0.3 

- 

95.0 

0.6 

70.0 

427.7 

1,659.3 

14.0 

45.6 

26.2 

644.6 

0.4 

0.3 

7.3 

0.7 

171.9 

- 

14.6 

- 

2.0 

64.2 

- 

7.0 

170.0 

613.3 

163.5 

0.9 

347.4 

- 

- 

181.9 

605.6 

25.4 

- 

10.9 

30.0 

976.6 

34.9 

22.4 

6.0 

7.0 

351.8 

851.1 

110.0 

- 

- 

- 

271.3 

170.9 

302.0 

635.6 

164.8 

1.2 

347.4 

127.7 

0.6 

251.9 

1,033.2 

1,684.7 

14.0 

56.5 

56.2 

1,621.2 

35.3 

22.7 

13.3 

7.7 

523.8 

851.1 

124.7 

- 

2.0 

64.2 

271.3 

177.9 

78 

 
 
 
United Kingdom  

European Union (27)  

279.7 

3,686.9 

749.1 

5,700.2 

1,028.8 

9,419.8 

Source: European Commission (2012), Apprenticeship supply in the Member States of the European Union 

This classification provides some indication of the relative importance of apprenticeships and 
also the extent to which an established apprenticeship system or sector is already in place.  

Existing arrangements on quality and effectiveness at national level 

The report Cross-country overview of apprenticeships - Findings on EAfA140 analyses national 
commitments on apprenticeships and the progress on reforms related to activities to improve 
the  supply,  the  quality  and  the  image  of  apprenticeships  based  on  a  survey  of  government 
representatives  in  Member  States,  EFTA  and  Candidate  Countries.  These  findings  provide 
some indication of the baseline situation (i.e. the measures that have already been taken), as 
reported  by  the  country  representatives.  Focusing  on  activities  designed  to  improve  quality 
suggests that the most common action has been work to strengthen partnerships followed by 
design of qualifications to meet labour market needs, steps to raise the quality of training for 
teachers/trainers and changes to VET curricula. 

Table  6:  Main 
apprenticeships141 

type  of  activities 

implemented 

to 

improve 

the  quality  of 

Type of activity 

Countries mentioning this activity (out of 32) 

Strengthening partnerships between 
education and training providers and 
employers 

Introducing or improving mentoring and 
guidance at the work place 

AL, BE, BG, CY, CZ, EL, ES, DE, FR, HU, IE, LV, 
MT, ME, NL, NO, PL, RO, SK, SI, TK (22 in total) 

BE, FR, DE, HU, MT, NO, RO (7 in total) 

Raising the quality of training of teachers 
and trainers 

AT, BE, DK, FI, HU, LT, LUX, MT, ME, PL, RO, 
SI, SE (13 in total) 

Changes or modernisations related to 
VET curricula 

AL, AT, HR, DK, IE, LV, LT, MT, ME, NO, PL, 
SK, TK (13 in total) 

Improvements to assessment and 
certification of learning outcomes 

Accreditation of companies to ensure 
minimum quality conditions 

AL, CZ, DK, IE, LV, MT, PL (7 countries) 

AL, HR, LV, MT, ME, PL, TK (7 in total)142 

Design qualifications to meet labour 
market needs 

BE, BG, DK, EE, EL, IE, LV, LT, MT, NL, NO, PL, 
RO, TK (14 in total) 

Reducing barriers for the learner to 
access further education (permeability) 

AT, DK, FR, DE, IE, PL, SI (7 countries) 

140 ICF International (2016). Cross‐country overview of apprenticeships - Findings on EAfA 
141 ICF International (2016) 
142 From other sources it has become evident that also NL has an accreditation system. 

79 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Training standards based on learning 
outcomes 

AT, EL, LV, LUX, MT (5 countries) 

Other 

EL, TK ( 2 countries) 

In those countries with well-established quality frameworks, the cost of implementing an EU 
level framework is likely to be less significant than in countries that are currently lacking a 
quality framework. However, desk research has shown that the nature and scope of the steps 
taken  to  ensure  the  quality  of  apprenticeships  varies  from  country  to  country  and  further 
clarification of the content and coverage of the proposed EU level quality framework (and the 
extent to which it will be prescriptive about the standards to be attained as opposed to leaving 
this  to  be  determined  at  national  level)  will  be  required  in  order  to  fully  consider  the 
additional cost implications for Member States.  

5.4.2.1 

 Summary on costs and benefits 

The  previous  sub-sections  offer  examples  of  where  costs  have  been  incurred  in  relation  to 
compliance, administration and implementation follow-up of measures designed to assure the 
quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships.  

The  European  Framework  will  help  to  underpin  the  quality  and  effectiveness  of 
apprenticeships  across  Member  States.  The  additional  cost  to  Member  States  for  the 
implementation  of  the  Framework  will  largely  depend  on  two  factors:  the  size  of  the 
apprenticeship sector and on how far the requirements reflect measures which are already in 
place.  The  level  of  costs,  and  who  bears  them,  would  differ  depending  upon  the  specific 
details  of  the  quality  framework  which  has  been  put  in  place  (including  the  roles  and 
responsibilities of different actors), the size of the sector in the country and the cost-sharing 
arrangements in place.  

A  study  launched  by  the  Commission  to  provide  evidence  on  the  potential  impact  of  the 
implementation of the European framework in each Member State in terms of costs indicates 
that approximately 8 Member States are well advanced in having put in place systems which 
would  cover  most  of  the  criteria  mentioned:  Austria,  Denmark,  Germany,  Ireland,  Italy, 
Luxembourg, Slovenia and the UK. When including the Czech Republic, Malta, Netherlands, 
Slovakia, Spain and Sweden, 14 seem to have covered half or more of the criteria in one way 
or  another.  Given  the  many  variables  and  the  absence  of  any  supporting  data  to  allow  to 
approximate the implementing costs for each individual criteria, the study could not estimate 
the  additional  costs  that  would  be  triggered  for  individual  Member  States  to  adjust  their 
system as a follow-up to the European framework. Also, the costs will depend on the criteria 
finally agreed by the Member States and the indicators that need to be developed to measure 
implementation and progress.  

The  costs  should  be  considered  alongside  the  existing  research  evidence  which  shows  that 
under certain conditions the benefits of apprenticeships are likely to outweigh the costs; this 
includes evidence from Germany where an established quality framework is in place143. The 
OECD  emphasises  the  value  of  putting  in  place  well-designed  apprenticeships,  which  can 

143 https://www.bibb.de/en/25852.php  

80 

 
 
                                                            
provide  benefits  for  learners,  employers  and  society  at  large.  For  example,  the  apprentices 
will  have  a  smoother  transition  to  the  labour  market  and  employers  will  have  access  to  the 
right  skills  to  further  develop  their  companies.  This  leads  to  benefits  in  the  form  of 
employment and economic growth.  

Furthermore, it should be stressed that in the context of the EU policy framework for actions 
to  support  Youth  Employment  (ESF,  Youth  Employment  Initiative,  Erasmus  +  etc.), 
significant  funding  is  made  available  under  the  current  MFF  both  for  structural  reforms  for 
setting  up  quality  and  effective  apprenticeships  and  individual  support  to  key  stakeholders 
such  as  employers,  VET  providers,  trade  unions  or  apprentices  themselves.  The  European 
Commission  will  continue  to  support  the  reform  process  in  Member  States,  particularly  in 
relation  to  apprenticeships  respecting  the  criteria  regarding  the  learning  and  working 
conditions as well as the framework conditions through existing funding instruments. Under 
the  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds  (2014-2020),  some  12  billion  EUR  are 
foreseen for actions supporting the sustainable labour market integration of young people and 
6 billion EUR for vocational education and training measures, all of which could also cover 
support  for  apprenticeships.    Other  programmes  that  could  support  implementation  of  the 
framework  are  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF),  Erasmus+  (providing 
enhanced  opportunities  of  mobility  of  apprentices  and 
in 
apprenticeships,  as  well  as  mutual  learning  among  Member  States),  the  EU  programme  for 
the Competitiveness  of Enterprises and Small  and Medium-sized Enterprises (COSME), the 
EU  Programme  for  Employment  and  Social  Innovation  (EaSI),  and  the  Youth  Employment 
Initiative (YEI).144  

teachers  and 

trainers 

144 See Chapter 2.2, "EU funding" 

81 

 
 
                                                            
Annex 1 – Overview of key reference documents  

This table provides an overview of how the criteria on quality and effective apprenticeships  build on key reference documents elaborated previously by 
European institutions and stakeholders.  

OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 

1. Written 
contract  

2. Learning 
outcomes 

Article 3: 
Written and 
legally binding 
contract 
including main 
principles, credit 
points, guidance 
and clear 
evaluation 
criteria 

Article 1:  
A. should be 
primarily be a 
learning 
experience  

Article 2:  

Criteria for learning and working conditions 

2. Conclusion: 
of a written 
traineeship 
agreement  

9. Rights and 
obligations (e.g. 
confidentiality, 
intellectual 
property rights) 

0. 
Distinguishing 
features 

9. Apprentice`s 
working and 
learning 
conditions 

7. Formal 
contracts 

e) Strong work-
based high 
quality learning 
and training 
component 

1. Learning and 
training 
objectives 

10. Reasonable 
duration 

3. Training 
content and 
learning 
outcome 

10. 
Responsiveness 

7. Right balance 
company 
specific & 
general skills 
needs 

17. Ensuring the 

6. 
Responsiveness 
to labour 
markets  

8. Personal 
development 

4 .The contract 
should spell out 
the rights and 
obligations of 
the employer 
and apprentice  - 
working 
conditions and 
training 
perspective 

2. Respond to 
labour market 
needs and 
support personal 
development 

3. wide range of 

82 

 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

Length and tasks 
corresponding to 
learning 
objectives 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

to labour market 

3. Pedagogical 
support 

Article 1:  
A. should be 
primarily be a 
learning 
experience  

Article 2:  
Guidance of a 
competent 
supervisor 

5. Designate a 
supervisor for 
trainees 

6. Requirements 
and support to 
teachers and in-
company 
trainers 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 
content of VET 
programmes is 
responsive to 
changing skills 
needs in 
companies and 
in the society 

19. Fair, valid 
and authentic 
assessment of 
learning 
outcomes (link 
to quality 
assurance) 

10. Support 
companies to 
assign qualified 
trainers 
company 
trainers& tutors  

14. Raising the 
quality of VET 
teachers 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

and career 
opportunities 

16. Competence 
based / duration 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 
sectors and 
occupations 

5. Strong work-
based 
component 
should 
complement the 
specific on-the-
job skills with 
broader 
transversal & 
transferable 
skills 

15. Teachers, 
Trainers & 
Mentors 

Excellence – 4) 
Teachers & 
Trainers 
sufficiently 
trained and up-
to-date 

11. Support for 
teachers, trainers 
and mentors 

83 

 
 
 
OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 

20. Supporting 
professional 
continuous 
development of 
in-company 
trainers 

4. Workplace 
component  

Article 1: 
Provide 
recognised 
working 
experience 

e) Strong work-
based high 
quality learning 
and training 
component 

5. Pay and/or 
compensation 

Article 2: 
Right to receive 
reimbursement 
of costs + decent 
remuneration 
not below the 
EU poverty line 
or national 
minimum wage 

f) Adequate 
remuneration 

8. Clarify 
whether an 
allowance or 
compensation is 
applicable 

3. Training 
content and 
learning 
outcome 

0. 
Distinguishing 
features 

9. Apprentice 
working and 
learning 
conditions 

14. Balance 
between work-
based and 
school-based 
training  

9. Pay & Social 
protection 

5. substantial 
part of an 
apprentice’s 
training should 
be spent in the 
workplace 

6.A. should 
receive pay or 
compensation 
and commitment 
of the apprentice 

84 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

6. Social 
protection 

7. Work, health 
and safety 
conditions 

Article 3: 
Inclusion in 
social security 
system 

Article 3: 
1. Health and 
safety  

Article 3: 
Working hours  

f) Social 
protection 

7. Health and 
accident 
insurance 

6. Working 
conditions 

9. Apprentice 
working and 
learning 
conditions 

9. Apprentice 
working and 
learning 
conditions 

Criteria for framework condition 

9. Pay & Social 
protection 

10. Safe 
working 
environment 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 

4. „... including, 
where 
appropriate, the 
way in which 
apprentices are 
covered by 
social protection 

8. Regulatory 
framework  

Article 4.1: 
Legal 
framework and 
recognition of 
skills 

a) Regulatory 
framework 

9. Involvement 
of social 
partners 

Article 4.3: 
Partnerships 

b) National 
partnerships, 
social partners 

1. Place in the 
education and 
training system 

2. Governance 
structures 

2. Governance 
structures 

4. Cooperation 

1. legal 
framework 

2. Regulatory 
Framework 

Governance – 3) 
framework 
conditions 

1. Clear and 
appropriate 
regulatory 
framework 

2. structured 
dialogue 

3. Social 
partnership and 
governance 

Governance – 2) 
Involvement of 
enterprises and 

13. Partnerships 
are a pre-
condition for 

85 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

between 
learning venues 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 

3. strengthened 
role of social 
partners 

4. Systemic 
cooperation 
VET schools & 
companies 

18. Fostering 
mutual trust and 
respect between 
A. partners 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 
quality A. 

15. labour 
market needs to 
be taken into 
account 

16. involvement 
of relevant 
stakeholders 

15. Involvement 
of social 
partners 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

employers’ 
organisations  

Governance - 3) 
Involvement of 
social partners 

Meeting 
enterprises' 
skills needs – 2) 
mutual learning 
& exchange of 
knowledge and 
ideas 

Meeting 
enterprises' 
skills needs -3) 
National pilot 
actions to 
develop public-
private 
partnerships 
(digital skills) 

10. Support for 
companies 
(cost-sharing 
arrangements) 

f) Funding & 
cost-sharing 

5. Participation 
of and support 
to companies 

5. Sharing costs 
and benefits 

6. Support 

5. Equitable 
cost-sharing 
between 
employers & 

Governance – 4) 
Reduce the 
burden of 
accreditation 

7. Cost-effective 
set up enabling a 
return on 

86 

 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

11. Flexible 
pathways and 
mobility 

Article 3: 

Smooth 
integration in 
labour market 

4.1 Systems for 
certification and 
recognition 

4.1 Support 
youth labour 

c) Adequate 
integration 
through a 
system of 
recognised 
qualifications 
and 
competences 

d) Quality 
assurance and 
routes to 
progress 

(7) Facilitate 
cross-border 

13. Proper 
recognition 

15. Facilitate 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

7. Financing and 
cost-sharing 
mechanisms 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 
measures for 
SMEs 

8. Support for 
companies with 
no experience 

9. Support for 
companies 
providing A. for 
disadvantaged 
learners 

3. Training 
content and 
learning 
outcomes  

1. Place in the 
ET system 

11. Promoting 
permeability and 
other 
educational  
career pathways 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

public 
authorities 

procedures for 
enterprises 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 
investment 

8. Cost-sharing 
approach 

9. Support for 
SMEs 

Governance – 4) 
Flexible 
approach to the 
recognition of 
prior learning 

Excellence – 1) 
flexibility and 
permeability 

Excellence – 2) 
Higher VET 

4. Equal 
opportunities for 
all 

13. Solid 
learning base 

17. Certification 
& recognition 

18. Progression 

19. Recognition 
of informal and 
non-formal 
learning 

12. Different 
types and levels 
of education 
pathways incl. 
higher VET 

87 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVERVIEW - CRITERIA FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS 

European 
Framework for 
Quality and 
Effective 
Apprenticeships 

European 
Quality Charter 
on Internships & 
Apprenticeships 
(EYF) 
(2012) 

mobility 

Council 
Declaration: 
10 guiding 
principles 
(2013) 

mobility 
opportunities 

European 
Quality 
Framework for 
Traineeships: 
10 headings 
(2014) 

cross-border 
mobility and 
EURES 

12. Career 
guidance and 
awareness 
raising 

4.1 Promote 
exchange of best 
practices 

h) Opportunities 
for all, career 
guidance 

i) Awareness 
raising 

4. Promote best 
practices 

9. Apprentice 
working and 
learning 
conditions 

Cedefop 
analytical 
framework for 
thematic country 
reviews 
(2015) 

20 guiding 
principles for 
apprenticeships 
and WBL 
(ET2020 WG on 
VET)  
(2015) 

ETUC 20 
Quality 
Standards  
(2016) 

BusinessEurope: 
15 
Recommenda-
tions under 4 
headings  
(2016) 

ACVT Opinion 
(Annex): 12 
Elements on 
Apprenticeships 
and 4 on 
partnership 
approach (2016) 

20. Mobility at 
the national and 
European levels 

Excellence – 3) 
Enhancing 
mobility 

13. Career 
guidance 

12. Improving 
the image by 
promoting 
excellence 

15. Awareness-
raising activities 

11. Guidance & 
counselling 

Promoting 
apprenticeships 
– 1) , 2) Career 
guidance  

Promoting 
apprenticeships 
– 3) and 4) 
Promotional 
activities and 
campaigns 

10. Career 
guidance/counse
lling 

13. 
Transparency 

14. Quality 
assurance and 
graduate 
tracking 

14. 
Transparency 
requirements 

d) Quality 
assurance and 
Progress routes 

8. Quality 
assurance  

10. 
Responsiveness 
to labour market 

16. Clear 
framework for 
quality 
assurance 

12. Quality 
assurance 
procedures 

88 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 2 - Potential set of indicators  

Criteria for quality 
and effective 
apprenticeships 

Potential indicators 

1. Written contract  

2. Learning 
outcomes 

3. Pedagogical 
support 

4. Workplace 
component  

5. Pay and/or 
compensation 

  Does the contract with the employer cover the following: duration, employer's 
obligations, apprentices' rights and obligations, learning outcomes, pay, hours, 
holiday entitlement and termination? 

  Does the contract with the training institution cover the following: duration, 
apprentices' rights and obligations, learning outcomes and termination? 

  Are the learning outcomes broader than the needs of companies? 
  Are curricula regularly updated? Are they developed based on existing 

qualification standards and/or occupational profiles? 

  Are apprenticeship schemes developed in the light of future employment  needs 

reflecting national and/or  sectoral priorities? 

  Does the company assign a qualified staff member (tutor) to accompany 

apprentices? 

  Do apprentices have access to guidance and counselling services? 
  Do apprenticeships schemes ensure that teachers and trainers have access and 
support to continuing training to carry out their technical and pedagogical 
obligations both in training institutions and in companies? 

  Does the apprenticeship scheme contain guidelines for the coordination of 

work-based and school-based training? 

  Does the apprenticeship scheme indicate the percentage or training time (as part 
of work based learning) spent in the company? Does it provide for at least half 
of time to be spent learning in the workplace? 

  Does the training plan ensure that learning in the company covers the full set of 

practical skills and competences required for a qualification? 

  Do apprentices receive pay and/or compensation of indirect costs from the 

employer, as defined in the written agreement between the company and the 
apprentice?  
Is the pay or compensation compliant with collective bargaining agreements, 
and/or the national and/or sectoral minimum legal wage? 

 

  Do apprentices receive any other financial support? 
  Are apprentices exempt from paying tuition fees? 

6. Social protection 

  Are apprentices covered by social protection regulations? 
  Are the apprentices protected in case of company failure (e.g. bankruptcy) to 

provide the training? 

7. Work, health and 
safety conditions 

8. Regulatory 
framework  

  Are apprentices covered by health and safety regulations in the workplace, and 
are these regulations implemented? Are apprentices informed and trained in 
this field? 

  When appropriate, are apprentices provided with personal protective 

equipment? 

  Does the contract set the working hours?  

 

 

Is there a clear legal framework enabling apprenticeship partners to act 
effectively and guaranteeing mutual rights and responsibilities? 
In the event that different levels of legislation (e.g. national and regional levels) 
are involved, are the strategic and operational functions clearly defined and 
adequately allocated? 

89 

 
 
 
Criteria for quality 
and effective 
apprenticeships 

9. Involvement of 
social partners 

10. Support for 
companies (cost-
sharing 
arrangements) 

11. Flexible 
pathways and 
mobility 

12. Career guidance 
and awareness 
raising 

Potential indicators 

 

Is there a structured, continuous dialogue between all apprenticeship partners, 
including a transparent way of coordination and decision-making? 
  Do employers' organisations play a key role in engaging and supporting 

companies? 

  Are employer and employee representatives actively engaged at all levels? 

  Are apprenticeship schemes supported financially by public authorities? 
 

Is there a system of non-financial support to companies (especially SMEs)? E.g. 
support in the accreditation procedures 
Is there recognition, or even award, for companies that provide quality 
apprenticeships? 

 

  Are there mechanisms for the validation of prior learning – formal, non-formal, 

and informal? 

  Do apprenticeship schemes provide qualifications which are formally 

recognised within National Qualification Frameworks and/or the European 
Qualification Framework? 

  Do apprenticeships offer both horizontal and vertical pathways to career 

development, further specialisation or education at higher levels?  
  Do apprenticeship schemes provide opportunities for the mobility of 

apprentices at nationals and European levels? 

  Does the apprentice have access to career guidance from a qualified 

professional? 

  Do employers' organisations and, where appropriate, economic chambers 

provide information, guidance as well as motivation building actions targeting 
enterprises? 

  Are there strategies, initiatives in marketing apprenticeship and informing 

companies of the benefits of taking apprentices, related possibilities and 
available incentives? 

13. Transparency 

  Are there minimum requirements for companies willing to provide 

apprenticeships places and/or an accreditation procedure? 

  Publication of offers? 
 

14. Quality assurance 
and graduate tracking 

  Are training institutions and companies subject to quality assurance inspections 

carried out by independent bodies? 

  Does  the  quality framework ensure  a  regular  monitoring of  the  apprenticeship 
market, including anticipation of skills needs, and short-term and medium-term 
forecasts of supply and demand for apprenticeship places? 

  Are the responsibilities for quality assurance shared? Is it clear who is in charge 

of what aspects of quality assurance? 

  Do  the  public  authorities  produce  statistics  to  show  the  transition  rate  from 
apprenticeship  to  employment,  tracking  the  career  progression  of  the 
apprentices? 

  Are ex-ante and/or ex-post impact evaluation of apprenticeships in place? 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
Annex  3  –  Overview  of  apprenticeship  schemes  in  24  European 
countries 

Name of the apprenticeship scheme145 
(in the national language and English) 

Educational level or 
type of qualification at 
which the scheme leads 
to 

Grou
p 

Lehre / dualeAusbildung  [Dual apprenticeship] 

Upper-secondary 

Überbetriebliche Lehre  [Supra-company apprenticeship] 

Upper-secondary 

Formation en alternance [Dual training] 

Upper-secondary 

Deeltijdsberoeps Secundaironderwijs [Part-time vocational 
secondary education] 

Upper-secondary 

Leertijd [Apprenticeships for SMEs] 

Upper-secondary 

Νεα Σύγχρονη Μαθητεία [New Modern Apprenticeship] 

Upper-secondary 

Berufsausbildung [Dual VET] 

Lærlingeuddannelse [Apprenticeships] 

Töökohapõhineõppevorm [Workplace based learning] 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary and 
higher 

ΕΠΑΣ Μαθητείας ΟΑΕΔ [EPAS apprenticeships] 

Upper-secondary 

Formación profesional dual [Apprenticeships in Dual 
VET] 

FI 

Ammatillinen perustutkinto [Apprenticeship training] 

FR 

Contrat d’apprentissage [Apprenticeship contract] 

Contrat de professionnalisation [Professionalising 
contract] 

Jedinstven model obrazovanja [Unified Model of 
Education] 

Tanulószerződésenala pulóduálisszakképzés [Dual 
Vocational System Based On The Apprenticeship 
Training Contract] 

Apprenticeship 

Iðnmenntun [Apprenticeship] 

Apprendistato per la qualifica e il diploma professionale 
[Type 1] [Apprenticeship for a vocational qualification 
and diploma] 

Upper-secondary and 
higher 

Upper secondary and 
higher 

Upper-secondary and 
higher 

Sectoral scheme 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

AT 

AT 

BE-
fr 

BE-
nl 

BE-
nl 

CY 

DE 

DK 

EE 

EL 

ES 

FR 

HR 

HU 

IE 

IS 

IT 

IT 

IT 

Apprendistato professionalizzante [Type 2] [Occupation-
oriented apprenticeship] 

Sectoral scheme 

Apprendistato di alta formazione e ricerca [Type 3] 

Higher level and sectoral 

C146 

A 

B 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

E 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

E 

145 Source: Cedefop, See also chapter 3.2, in particular table 1. 
146 Apprenticeship type 3 in Italy also leads to non-educational qualification. 

91 

 
 
                                                            
A 

E147 

A 

A 

A 

B 

B 

B 

B 

D 

A148 

B149 

B150 

E 

F 

A 

A 

[Higher education and research apprenticeship] 

scheme 

Contrat d’apprentissage [Apprenticeship contract] 

Upper-secondary 

Amata māceklis [Craft apprenticeship] 

BeroepsbegeleidendeLeerweg [Dual pathway] 

Videregåendeopplæring, yrkesfagligeutdanningsprogram 
[Upper-secondary vocational programmes] 

Przygotowanie zawodowe młodocianych [vocational 
preparation of young people] 

Sectoral scheme 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Cursos profissionais [Professional VET programmes] 

Upper-secondary 

Cursos de apprendizagem [Apprenticeship programmes] 

Upper-secondary 

Cursos de educação e formação – CEF [Vocational 
courses at upper secondary level] 

Upper-secondary 

Educação e formação para adultos – EFA [Adult education 
and training] 

Upper-secondary 

Cursos de especialização tecnológica – CET 
[Technological specialisation programmes] 

Ucenicia la locul de munca [Apprenticeship at the 
workplace] 

Invatamant profesional in sistem dual [VET in dual 
system] 

Gymnasial larlingsutbildning [Apprenticeships in upper 
secondary] 

Post-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

Upper-secondary 

YA-anställningar [Work introduction agreements] 

Sectoral scheme 

LU 

LV 

NL 

NO 

PL 

PT 

PT 

PT 

PT 

PT 

RO 

RO 

SE 

SE 

SE 

Kompletterande utbildninga [supplementary 
apprenticeships] 

UK 

Apprenticeships (England, Wales, NI) 

UK 

Modern Apprenticeships (Scotland) 

Source: Cedefop 

Sectoral scheme 

Upper-secondary and 
higher 

Upper-secondary and 
higher 

Note: there are no mainstream apprenticeship schemes in BG, CZ, LT, SK, SI and MT 

147 A bilateral contract is signed between the apprentice and the master craftsmen/crafts company. The apprentice can receive 
salary (frequently from the apprenticeship second year) paid by the crafts master or the company during the apprenticeship, 
but it is not mandatory 
148 Since the introduction of Law No 179/2013, apprenticeship at workplace can be organised for qualifications at levels 2, 3 
and 4 on the NQF. Learners receive a salary paid by the firm. However, the firm may receive an amount equal to the salary 
from  the  state  budget  for  unemployment  insurance  monthly  and  upon  request  during  the  course  of  the  apprenticeship 
contract. 
149 Learners receive an allowance from the state budget (budget for education). 
150 The contract and remuneration are foreseen but not compulsory. In the 2016-2017 academic year 40 apprentices have an 
employment contract and a salary. 

92