Vocational qualifications for adults: laying the foundation for the validation of non-formal and informal learning
The Canton of Zurich’s Office for Upper-Secondary Education and Training is currently conducting a project entitled ‘Nach- und Höherqualifizierung im Rahmen der beruflichen Grundbildung’ (vocational qualifications for adults). The project is intended to establish the general conditions and processes needed for the creation and subsequent development of offerings specifically catering to the needs of people over the age of 25.
These offerings include, for example, a website serving as a first contact point for all interested individuals. One function of this site is to provide all interested persons with reliable information concerning formal, non-formal and informal learning that is taken into account towards acquisition of a desired vocational qualification. The website content should therefore enable adults to make informed decisions on how best to obtain the desired vocational qualification. However, standardised assessment of prior learning is a crucial first step and the reason for this sub-project. The aim is to first determine whether standardised assessment is feasible and, if so, to prepare standardised assessment tables for the following occupations: healthcare worker, electrician, logistician and possibly also bricklayer. Once these standardised assessment tables have been completed, they will be sent to the corresponding employer’s associations for approval.
First of all, an analysis of the situation and review of documentation will provide a general overview of the occupation in question. This will also enable identification of the target group that is either currently or potentially interested in obtaining vocational qualifications for the given occupation. This information will then serve as the basis for comparison of formal, non-formal and informal learning outcomes with the competence profile established for the occupation as well as with the content of two areas of instruction (vocational instruction; and language, communication and society instruction) covered in the VET programme for that occupation. A standardised assessment table will then be drafted for each occupation and submitted to the corresponding employer’s association for approval.
Practical applications
This project has two fundamental objectives. First of all, to evaluate validation of non-formal and informal learning practices to determine whether standardised assessment is feasible and whether the mechanisms developed could be applied to other occupations later on. Secondly, the creation of standardised assessment tables is intended to enable transparent and reliable validation decisions early on in a qualification process.