Mapping and analysis of relevant vocational education curricula completed within the Digital Response to Unemployment Problems in Western Balkan project

With the aim of improving labour market relevant skills and advancing vocational education and training (VET) by building capacity and developing advanced STEM-based curricula, partner organisations from Lithuania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro and Germany launched the project Digital Response to Unemployment Problems in Western Balkan (DRUPWB). A key activity of the project is developing a non-formal curriculum in four modules: virtual assistants, programming (basic level), self-employment, and starting and running a small business. The first step in building that curriculum is analysing and mapping the non-formal vocational education and training curricula already in place, with each partner organisation responsible for reviewing and analysing the situation in its own country.

The analysis and mapping was carried out in several key phases that ensure a systematic and thorough approach. The first phase involved making contact with the relevant vocational education and training (VET) providers in each participating country. This step allowed key information to be gathered and a network of partners to be built, which helped both the data collection and the analysis itself. Once contact was established, representatives of the VET providers were interviewed. The interviews gathered detailed information about the existing curricula, their structure, content and how they are implemented. This part of the process is crucial for understanding how current educational programmes actually work and how successful they are, as well as the challenges providers face. The third phase covered research into and analysis of the existing curricula. Experts carried out detailed research to build a clearer picture of the educational programmes on offer and to identify best practice and innovative approaches in educating and training young people. The research was followed by finding and selecting at least three examples of curricula from each participating country. Those selected are representative examples that best illustrate the range and the success of the educational approaches in use in the region. Each was analysed in detail to identify its strengths, its weaknesses and the scope for adapting it to future labour market needs. That expert analysis gives a better understanding of the structure, the methodology and the applicability of the existing educational programmes.

The results of the research are brought together in a final document containing a comprehensive overview of the data collected and a thorough analysis of the curricula mapped. It is available on the project website: https://digital-response.eu/2024/05/04/analysis-and-map-of-existing-non-formal-educational-curriculums-of-vet-programs-in-participating-countries/ The document serves as the basis for developing and adapting the curricula further within the project, making sure they are relevant and effective in preparing young people for the demands of the modern labour market.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.