The role of social partners in the governance of Dual Vocational Education and Training System: The Portuguese case

Abstract

Portugal has been referred as one example of lower levels of integration of social partners in the governance of education and training systems (Sanz de Miguel, 2017). There is lack of research about the effectiveness of the governance of the only program close to the Dual VET concept: the Apprenticeship system. A pilot project of Dual VET ran from 2012 and terminated in 2016 without substantial evaluation. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the role social partners have in the governance of the existing Portuguese Apprenticeship system. We carried out extensive review of the scientific and grey literature about Dual VET for youngsters in Portugal, as well as database queries to official statistical sources. Our research reveals a complex formal role: The employment agency IEFP provides funding for Apprenticeship and negotiates with the main social partners the allocation of the Single Social Tax for its regional centres. Indirectly, many social partners are formally involved in the general VET governance participating in various coordination and monitoring structures of the National System of Qualifications and other regulatory agencies (IEFP and ANQEP). In this article we also discuss possible causes for the failure of the pilot Dual VET, which took effect within the scope of a curricular review of the primary and secondary education.

How you value shapes whom you value: The contribution of apprenticeships to sustainable development goals

“…Coordination of actors involves the navigation of overlapping and divergent aspirations (Bosch and Charest, 2008) and coalitions (Busemeyer, 2012). It can involve conflict and even failure of programmes (Peliz et al, 2021). In addition, the coexistence of several apprenticeship logics (Markowitsch and Hefler, 2018) and changes in traditional institutional models (Thelen and Busemeyer, 2012) can reveal opportunities for change exemplified in Austria opening up and institutionalising an alternative pathway to higher education (‘ lehrausbildung’ ) for young people without regular apprenticeship positions (Pernicka and Hefler, 2015).…”