5-day seminar leads to common and unambiguous framework
In the Erasmus+ KA2 project LOASA (Learning Outcomes in Accordance to the Skills Agenda), 5 partners from the world of work have teamed up with 5 vocational education and training (VET) institutions to co-develop units of learning outcomes that are based on ECVET principles and align with the New Skills Agenda for Europe.
The participating VET organizations, all members of the Europea network, are:
- Yrkesakademin – vocational vollege of Ostrobothnia in Finland
- Sastamala Municipal Education and Training Consortium (SASKY) in Finland,
- Jordbrugets Uddannelsescenter Aarhus in Denmark,
- Centro Integrado de Formación y Experiencias Agrarias (CIFEA) in Murcia, Spain
- Wellantcollege in the Netherlands
The project members recently met in Doorn, the Netherlands for their first transnational meeting, including a 5-day working seminar guided by European ECVET expert Mr. André Huigens. The result is a collectively developed, common and unambiguous framework to build the units of learning outcomes on.
Aim of the LOASA project
The LOASA project aims to reduce the skills gap in the labour market and increase the employability of workers by co-developing units of learning outcomes that are based on ECVET principles and contributing to the main topics of the New Skills Agenda for Europe and further develop this European agenda.
New Skills Agenda for Europe
In June 2016 the European Commission adopted a New Skills Agenda for Europe to make sure that people develop the skills necessary for the jobs of today and tomorrow. This task is essential to boost employability, competitiveness and growth across the EU.
The New Skills Agenda for Europe has 3 priorities:
- Improving the quality and relevance of skills formation;
- Making skills and qualifications more visible and comparable;
- Improving skills intelligence and information for better career choices.
Whom will benefit from LOASA?
By creating units of learning outcomes that are based on ECVET principles and align with the New Skills Agenda for Europe, the LOASA project serves three target groups:
- VET-students and employees on the lower and middle levels (roughly EQF levels 2, 3, and 4);
- Excelling students who seek additional challenge (in the context of fostering excellence on all EQF levels);
- Employers who need transparency of skills.
The aimed impact
Potential long term benefits of the LOASA project results include:
- a reduction of the skills gap on the labour market;
- increased employability of VET students and workers on lower and middle EQF levels;
- fostering excellence in vocational education and training;
- the exchange of knowledge between VET and industry (both sectoral and regional);
- a better understanding by VET students and teachers of the skills that businesses require;
- units of learning outcomes as a tool for human resource policy.
Rationale of the project 
Europe is facing several major challenges, including a fragile economy and high unemployment rates for youngsters under 25. There’s a huge skills gap on the labour market. 40% of European employers cannot find people with the right skills. This gap will continue to grow over the next years, especially in the green sector and for workers on lower and middle EQF levels.
Need for reskilling and upskilling
Technological progress and globalisation require adaptable people and different skills than before. The skill sets required in both old and new occupations are transforming how and where people work. This means:
- the creation of additional jobs e.g. in pollution control;
- substitution of employment e.g. in the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy;
- elimination of jobs e.g. in the manufacturing or packaging materials;
- transformation of existing jobs e.g. through the greening of profiles and working methods.
At the moment, VET is insufficiently providing students with the skills the economy needs, and employers ask for more transparency of skills. Also, VET is not contributing enough to foster excellence by providing additional challenges to excelling students.
Additional info?
For more information, please contact
Mr. Jan Jeronimus, LOASA project manager
