On Vocational Education

 HR:

Zakon o strukovnom obrazovanju („Narodne novine“, 22/2013)
Zakon o obrtu („Narodne novine“, broj 143/2013.)
Pravilnik o načinu organiziranja i izvođenju nastave u strukovnim školama („Narodne novine“, broj 140/2009)
Pravilnik o postupku i načinu polaganja pomoćničkog ispita („Narodne Novine“, broj 63/2014)
Pravilnik o postupku i načinu izdavanja dozvola (licencija) za izvođenje praktične nastave i vježbi naukovanja („Narodne novine“, broj 37/2015.)
Pravilnik o minimalnim uvjetima za ugovore o naukovanju („Narodne novine“, broj 63/2014.)
Odluka o donošenju Programa za stjecanje pedagoških kompetencija za strukovne učitelje, suradnike u nastavi i mentore („Narodne novine“, broj 8/2016)
Pravilnik o uvjetima i načinima nastavka obrazovanja za višu razinu kvalifikacije („Narodne novine“, broj 08/2016)
Zakon o radu („Narodne novine“, 93/2014)
Pravilnik o poslovima na kojima se ne smije zaposliti maloljetnik („Narodne novine“, broj 89/2015)
Pravilnik o poslovima na kojima maloljetnik može raditi i o aktivnostima u kojima smije sudjelovati („Narodne novine“, broj 62/2010)


VET Development Programme 2016-2020
Strategy of Education, Science and Technology (HR)
Zakon o Hrvatskom kvalifikacijskom okviru (HR)

EU:

Fact sheets on the European Union: Education and Vocational Training
Education and Training 2020 – ET 2020

Copenhagen Declaration 2002
Maastricht Communique 2004
Helsinki Communique 2006
Bordeaux Communique 2008
Bruges communique 2010
Riga Conclusions 2015

Duration of education in vocational schools depends on the type of curriculum and can last from one to five years. After finishing vocational school, a student can be included into the labour market or fulfil certain conditions in order to continue his education at the secondary or tertiary level.

Programmes of secondary vocational education can be:

• four or five-year programmes which prepare students for labour market or continuation of their education at higher level;
• three-year programmes which prepare students for working in the field of industry, economy and crafts;
• programmes for acquisition of lower level qualification of secondary education which are, by organizational and performance characteristics, similar to the three-year vocational programme;
• special education programmes for students with disabilities which provide lower or secondary level of education for students with disabilities.

Source:  MZO

In school year 2016/2017 in upper secondary schools there are 103 four-year and 134 three-year programmes
The total number and names of all programs are available at the link.

Upper secondary schools, class units and students, beginning of 2016/2017 school year.
Source: Croatian bureau of statistics

Škole Schools			Razredni odjeli Class units	Učenici Students		Ponavljači Repeaters
ukupno Total	samostalne Self-contained	školske jedinice/odjeli School/class units		ukupno Total	učenice Female  students	ukupno Total	učenice Female  students
Tehničke i srodne Technical and related schools	258	64	194	3 323	75 486	36 026	1 040
Državne State	247	62	185	3 257	74 397	35 458	1 029
Privatne Private	9	2	7	48	647	262	9
Industrijske i obrtničke Industrial and crafts schools	194	22	172	1 651	30 310	10 201	1 225
Državne State	192	22	170	1 646	30 266	10 195	1 223
Privatne Private	2	-	2	5	44	6	2

List of schools that are running vocational education programs:

• List of state schools
• List of religious schools
• List of private schools

Source: MZO


Number of students of secondary schools (including repeaters) by grades and sex, beginning of 2016/2017 school year.
Source: Croatian bureau of statistics

	Učenici Students
	ukupno Total		I. razred 1st grade		II. razred 2nd grade		III. razred 3rd grade		IV. razred 4th grade		V. razred 5th grade
	svega All	ponavljači Repeaters	svega All	ponavljači Repeaters	svega All	ponavljači Repeaters	svega All	ponavljači Repeaters	svega All	ponavljači Repeaters	svega All	ponavljači Repeaters
Tehničke i srodne – ukupno Technical and related schools – all	75 486	1 040	18 214	387	18 273	336	18 562	235	19 166	81	1 271	1
Učenice Female students	36 026	361	8 397	156	8 492	110	8 870	69	9 284	26	983	-
Državne State	74 397	1 029	17 966	381	17 992	334	18 315	234	18 907	79	1 217	1
Privatne Private	647	9	158	6	179	2	146	-	164	1	-	-
Vjerskih zajednica Religious community	442	2	90	-	102	-	101	1	95	1	54	-
Industrijske i obrtničke – ukupno Industrial and crafts schools – all	30 310	1 225	9 598	662	10 533	435	10 055	128	124	-	-	-
Učenice Female students	10 201	335	3 112	175	3 585	125	3 380	35	124	-	-	-
Državne State	30 266	1 223	9 586	661	10 514	434	10 042	128	124	-	-	-
Privatne Private	44	2	12	1	19	1	13	-	-	-	-	-

Statistical data on vocational education and training in the EU is available on Eurostat website.

On this page, we have outlined the relevant materials from projects and initiatives that deal with the subject of training of in-company mentors for working with apprentices.

In Croatia, according to Vocational Education Act (Official Gazette No 30/2009) and Act on Trade (Official Gazette No 143/2013) a person conducting practical teaching in the apprenticeship has to acquire pedagogical competence to be an in-company mentor, or to pass the test, which proves the basic knowledge on teaching of the students. According to Program of acquisition of pedagogical competences for vocational teachers, teaching assistants and mentors, person conducting practical teaching in the apprenticeship should complete the special program in duration of 225 hours and gain 60 ECTS points. This program greatly hampered mentorship-licensing process and it is not in accordance with the possibilities of employers.

Below we list examples of practices from EU countries that have successful apprenticeship systems. To enhance the status, qualifications and core competences and to improve professional development opportunities for in-company trainers, many countries have evolved sector-based and national initiatives. All programs have some similarities although the implementation models are quite different.
Materials provide overview of key features of the apprenticeship systems governance and regulations, roles of social partners and companies, financing, training and teaching, and attractiveness and excellence of VET.

Croatia is yet to do a complete analysis and profile of in-company mentors.

European Commission (2017) Teachers and trainers in work-based learning/apprenticeships

Thematic working group set by the European Commission in cooperation with Cedefop(2012) In-company trainers: competence requirements, certification and validation

EU project (2016): The Apprenticeship Toolbox development

EU country specific reports: Supporting teachers and trainers

Cedefop (2010): Professional development opportunities for in-company trainers

Cedefop: Teachers and trainers’ professional development

Cedefop (2014): Guiding principles on professional development of trainers in VET

There is broad strategic consensus in Europe that work-based learning helps young people gain the skills that can improve their employability and facilitate the transition from school to the labour market. Despite the numerous and strong evidence that apprenticeship can be an effective way of addressing labour market imbalances, there are obstacles to establishing quality education systems.

Towards a better understanding of the apprenticeship schemes, supporting the stakeholders in the implementation of vocational education development strategies and the promotion of apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning, of particular importance is the activity of reporting: to give an overview of successful policies, qualitative and quantitative data, good practice examples and to discuss different elements of apprenticeships.

Below we list some recently published documents on vocational education and training that are relevant to the implementation of Cap4App project activities and may be of interest to others.


OECD (2017), Striking the right balance: costs and benefit of apprenticeship

European Commission (2017), Business cooperating with vocational education and training providers for quality skills and attractive futures

European Commission (2017), Teachers and trainers in work-based learning/apprenticeships

ILO (2017), ILO Toolkit for Quality Apprenticeships. Volume I: Guide for Policy Makers

OECD (2017) Incentives for apprenticeship

Cedefop,The changing nature and role of vocational education and training in Europe