| Technical Vocational Training - The Technical - Vocational Training that O.A.E.D. provides aims at:
- the creation of specialized manpower,
- the normal integration of young people in the Labour Market,
- the transition from training to productive procedure and
- the meeting of needs in professional qualifications, which are created by the continiously changing demands of the Labour Market.
The Organization as one of the main bodies of the Vocational Training in Greece, has undertaken an extended task so as to respond to the development needs of the country (particularly of enterprises, self-employment and Public Sector) and to contribute in an effective way to the E.U. implementation of E.U. directives but also to enhance in the long run, the employment opportunities of the individuals. A complete programme of Initial and Continuing Vocational Training Programmes is implemented through a network of 52 Vocational Training Units. The number of the students attending classes in the Initial Training, which has already been increased to 9.500 students from 5.500 who attended classes the previous years is indicative of the organization intensified activity, while the Continuing Training goal, where the Organization already run mainly programmes of a 6 - months duration, is the doubling of the unemployed who are trained from 10.000 who are today, to 20.000. The operation of Employment Promotion Centres which will turn the unemployed to Vocational Training Units, create perspectives for a new way of approach of O.A.E.D. in the materialization of individualized training. Also, O.A.E.D. in the framework of the Operational program of the Continuing Vocational Training, materialized programmes for the employees and self-employed and undertakes the materialization of many of its activities (integrated actions of intervention, employment promotion activities for the acquisition of vocational experience) which, if materialized, demand significant support actions for infrastructure. Programmes of Continuing Vocational Training are implemented in the O.A.E.D. Vocational Training Centres in cooperation with the Local Administration as well as programmes for employed people aiming to improve their skills and certify their abilities. Programmes enabling Transition from Vocational Training programmes and programmes against Social Exclusion are already being implemented. Technical - Vocational Training of O.A.E.D. is based on R.D. 3/6.6.52, of L.D. 212/69, of R.D. 405/71, of L.709/77, of L. 1346/83, of L. 1566/85, of L. 1836/89, of L. 2009/92, of L. 2434/96, of L. 224/94, of L. 2639/98 and of L. 2640/98. Concisely, the target groups of the training activity of O.A.E.D. are: Initial Training - young High School graduates,
- young who havent graduated from High School,
- young Lyceum graduates.
Continuing Training - Long-term unemployed,
- Non long-term unemployed, who do not receive the Unemployment Benefit,
- Self-employed (Small family enterprises which employ from 1 to 5 persons),
- S.M.E.s with aim to improve their access to training, young scientists.
Τhe foundation of specialized Centres for Planning of Vocational Training will provide the scientific support which is necessary. At the same time, a significant task is carried out, through the establishment of the «Fund for Employment and Vocational Training». Except all above, mentioned it is necessary for the Organization to be prepared in order to take advantage of all possibilities, which are offered by the Third Community Support Framework by proceeding to all necessary changes, who have already been enacted and also preparing new ones. According to the Law 2434/1996 the administrative decentralization of Training Units has been legislated, which is considered to be necessary for the absorbtion of funds and the effectiveness, according to prevailing conditions. The adaption of the education and training systems in the new needs of the Labour Market is faced as a matter of strategic importance, which has to be accomplished in time and effectively, as well. In all Training Units of O.A.E.D. has been established the essential equipment for the Data Processing which operates today in the Attica basin in four Training Units and in Administration Building. Summing up, the Organization: - increases significally the dynamic aspect of its activities,
- upgrades the quality of all the programmes,
- creates new structures (National Body for Continuing Training),
- undertakes new subjects (Fund for Employment and Vocational Training),
- is being prepared for the effective implementation of the Third Community Support Framework.
The last ascertainments, so by the analysis of National Policies of the Member-States of the European Union (as resulting from Multiannal Employment Programmes), as by the last directives for employment, which have been stated at the Summit Conference in Luxembourg, emphasize the need to develop Secondary Vocational Training, Initial Training, as well as and the broad implementation of Apprenticeship system. In the framework of the national policies for Training and Employment and the directives of European Union, O.A.E.D. modernizes the Apprenticeship Programmes and adapts those in the framework of the Training Reformation (Technical Vocational Schools, - Apprenticeship), and it has as its main targets: - the most effective intervention in the Labour Market,
- delivery of training to an increased number of people interested,
- the amelioration of Apprenticeship with the creation of vocational models of practical training for specific places of work.
By using the term «Apprenticeship are meant the programmes of Initial Training (Technical and Vocational) which are addressed to High School graduates. They are classified as Secondary Education and their duration varies from 4 to 6 semesters. These programmes are materialized to the Vocational Training Units or to enterprises. The implementation of the Apprenticeship programmes is expanded to Greek subjects who return to Greece for permarent residence and employment and also to foreigners who were born and live permanently in Greece or to subjects of the Member-States of E.U. The Apprenticeship System combines the theoretical along with practical training (Dual Sustem). In the framework of the new school structure the creation of Information and Advisory offices in any Apprenticeship School of O.A.E.D. has been planned, which will orientate and inform the young people for the opportunities of Training and Employment. Two Offices already operate in the Vocational-Training Centre in Moshato and in Ioannina, in the framework of the community initiative YOUTHSTART and the approach methologies of young, which will come out from the experience of the 2 Offices, will be implemented on all the offices of Vocational - Technical Training Centres. Eventually, the equipment needed for the schools of Apprenticeship was given special attention in order to be sufficient to the training needs. Training - The Dual System is a system of alternate training put into practice in Schools of Apprenticeship of O.A.E.D. and replaced the system of Apprenticeship which run until 1984 (employment of students in morning hours at the places of practical training, attending of classes during the afternoon and evening hours in the Vocational Training Centres of O.A.E.D.),
- During the time of training, students attend Theoretical and Practical Lessons in the Vocational Training Centres of the organisation for five (5) days a week and totally 37 hours a week,
- During the second and third year of training students attend monthly practical lessons in the Vocational Training Units of the organization for one (1) day the week and rest of the days, are being occupied in the place of the practical training (employers).
Practical Training follows a programme which lasts 6-7 hours in private enterprises, in positions relative to apprentices specialisation. O.A.E.D. cares for finding employing Enterprises close to the Vocational Training Centres of O.A.E.D. in order to facilitate the students. Apprentices who receive practical training, sign a contract with the employer for the whole period of the Employment - Apprenticeship. The apprentices of the Training Centres receive wages by their employers during the whole period of their practical training - employment. Incentives are offered by O.A.E.D. to employers (in private and in public sector) in order to increase the number of the apprentices who are occupied. The best vocational consolidation that O.A.E.D. offers, is the possibility of proper acquisition of skills. Social security The students receive Social Security provisions by Social Security Foundation and their employer, which pays entirely for the contributions that are required. It has to be mentioned that until they acquire the pressupossitions necessary to the Social Security Foundation, they receive complete medical care on O.A.E.D.s expenditures. The students beyond the normal vacation are also entitled to a student vacation of 30 days, with renderings. Student Boarding Schools The Organisation takes care for board and lodging, according to their schools students. Thus, in this Boarding Schools, the students whose residence is far away from the centre, are priority list, as well as those who need it more, such as the immigrants children, who receive board and lodge for free. At the same time Social Workers look after for the adaption of the students in their new surroundings and they help them to face and solve any problems which might have. The students of the other Centres, which do not have Boarding Schools and their families live away from School as well, have the facility to be boarded in restaurants of the town with coupon of board, which is provided by O.A.E.D. and covers a part of the expenditures of the board. Specialisations per Sector
Continuing Training The institution of the Continuing Training aims at the service of the needs of unemployed who need a specialization, in order to look for a job, but also the employees, whom the acquisition of a specialization will facilitate their professional ascent. A basic orientation of O.A.E.D. is the development or the specialization of the existing programmes of continuing training so as to make the Vocational Training intervention in the labour market most effective, and the covering with training services of the biggest number possible of those who are interested. So the work placement and even better the providing one are becomes easier. The main goals of the Organization, concerning the Continuing Training, for the next years are: - The introduction of new technologies and new methods of work in the programmes at Continuing Vocational Training,
- The development of advisory, for the development of human resources,
- The creation of specialized programmes of small duration for the unemployed who receive the allowance, in cooperation with the Employment Promotion Centres-Basic way of intervention in the Labour Market- through the vocational counselor, who in cooperation with the appropriate Vocational Training Centre, will move on in placing of unemployed in short - run vocational programmes relevant to the «skills deficit», which are presented by the specific unemployed,
- Modernized and bigger duration of programmes, for those who do not receive any allowance and have to update their skills, because they are out of the productive procedure for a long time.
The programmes of Continuing Vocational Training, which are materialized by O.A.E.D. in the Panhellenic Network of its Training Centres: - Programmes of Continuing Vocational Training for Unemployed,
- Pilot programmes for Vocational training for young people who have dropped out of the typical educational system,
- Pilot programmes for Vocational Training of unemployed who are registered in the Unemployment Live Register of O.A.E.D.,
- Pilot programmes for the Training for self-employed who need training or specialization in the new demands of their professions.
The programme is addressed to self-employed of various branches and it intends to their training or retraining in topics of new technology and regulations, financial administration and organising of work. The interested ones, through their Unions show their interest for further training and define the thematic fields. O.A.E.D. designs the relevant analytical programme, which varies from 45 to 150 hours and implements it, using the facilities of Vocational - Technical Training Centres. Many Branches aim at implementing programmes of Vocational centification, which are regulated by various Ministerial Decisions such as the terms and presuppositions of the specific programme. It also has the responsibility to design and handle the following programmes: - Programme enabling the transition from Vocational Training programmes for unemployed,
- Programme of in-work Training for employees, within the framework of the National System of Certification.
Supplementarily should be mentioned, that the operation of pilot Continuing Vocational Training programmes, such as the training in the form of «mock firms» has been recently regulated. Specialisations per Sector
«On the Job» Training (In - work training) The transitory programme «of the In-work» Training after its reformation which suspended its implementation for a period of 2 years, includes activities for the completion and the improvement of vocational skills of the employee, in order to adapt themselves in the changing demands of Labour Market. It is addressed to enterprises which occupy 100 persons and more and enterprises which operate under the same title, have similar subject and occupy at least 100 persons in total. The enterprises can submit an application for a common activity, so as an enterprise is defined to be responsible. The enterprises contribute 40% of the amount required while O.A.E.D. and the European Social Fund covers the rest 60% of the necessary financing. Enterprises having to design and submit their proposal are given the possibility of transnational cooperation as well. The programme is implemented all over Greece in 63 branches of enterprising activity and involve 268 vocational specializations. The enterprises have to fulfill some presupossitions, to guarantee the good performance of the programme and submit their «curriculum» and their suggestion which is evaluated, as well as their possibility to materialize it and the mode of materialization. Eventually, the evaluation is being done by the Consultative Committee. The applications are promoted under priority, according to the available resources according to their evaluation. Institutes of Vocational Training In the framework of the National System of Vocational Education and Training, O.A.E.D. established and operates 36 Institutes of Vocational Training which run programmes which are not classified in the Typical Educational System. The goal of these programmes is delivering of any kind of Initial or Further Vocational Training ensuring to trainees the aquisition of corresponding qualifications and the possibility of obtaining of the Vocational Training Diploma after the succesful certification of those qualifications. Those who are already employed, can obtain additional professional skills. The Institutes of Vocational Training programmes include specializations which address to candidates in a level of Lyceum graduate, Technical Vocational Schools of B period but also and High School graduate. The studies duration depends on the categorization: Those who have the leaving certificate of General and Technical - Vocational Lyceum study 4 semesters, the Technical Lyceum graduates with specialization in their sectors, semesters and the graduates the Department of specialization of the Unified Lyceum of including the specialization, it is one semester. High School graduates are obliged to 2 semesters of attendance (Institute of Vocational Training level I). Each year of training is consisted of two semesters of training - winter and summer - each one includes 14 weeks of training. The trainees have to attend theoretical, practice and mixed subjects. Their evaluation takes place with the conduct of progress tests during the semester and with the conduct of final exams at the end of the semester. The trainee who complete succesfully the training, takes a Certification of Vocational Training in the exams of Vocational Training Certification for the acquisition of the diploma of the Secondary level Vocational Training. The Vocational Training Diploma that the Lyceum graduate can get, is recognized in all Member-States of E.U. as well. An additional motive for the trainees, constitute the provisions (scholarships, books buying, money rewards), which is the return of the system coming from the fees paid. The students receive social security at the 4th semester as well, which involves the practical training in the specialization which is necessary, even if this is optional. The Institutes of Vocational Training at O.A.E.D. are equiped appropriately, so as to respond effectively to the Labour Market needs as those occur according to the development of technology. Specialisations per Sector |