Recent Developments
With the COVID-19 crisis and the subsequent policy response measures, numerous developments and changes have been implemented in apprenticeship since.
To compensate the temporary decline in the apprenticeship offer during the lock-downs, and thus support apprenticeship seekers in difficulty to find a training period, a temporary extension of the contracting period by two months and the expansion of dual apprenticeship tracks in public training centres (CNFPC) have been put in place. Also, apprenticsphip candidates can pre-register at the VET providers even if they did not yet conclude an apprenticeship contract, to tackle the risk of early leaving at the first threshold.
In order to foster enterprises’ participation during the crisis, the Ministry of Education, Childhood and Youth has also introduced an extraordinary financial incentive for training companies, ranging from 1.500 Euros per apprentice for maintained contracts, over to 5.000 Euros for re-employing laid-off apprentices. The aim of this measure was to actuate the creation of new apprenticeship posts and to foster participation.
Furthermore, the one-year programme “Fit fir d’Léier” (ready for apprenticeship) has been introduced at the National Training Centres (CNFPC) since 2020. This programme is offering learners, who could not find a training company, an upskilling course to foster their competences and thus enable them to enter the first year of apprenticeship in the following year.
For graduates detaining an upper secondary school leaving diploma (diplôme de fin d’études secondaires, EQF 4) or a Technician’s Diploma (DT, EQF 4), the new programme “Diploma+” has been developed, offering a customised flexible program of certified modules, aimed at bridging the transition between school and employment or higher studies. The modules reach from transversal to every-day skills, such as empowerment training, time and project management, green mobility, digital skills, etc.
To respond to the increasing demand for training in green technologies and green skills related to electro-mobility, new programmes are currently under development.
To foster learners’ employability, and swiftly adapt IVET response to innovation and labour market skill needs, additional standardised certifications such as KNX or ICDL are introduced as part of IVET programs. These certifications are valued by employers and can be capitalised on the labour market.
Responding to the ongoing digital transition and the need to adapt the apprenticeship offer accordingly, a new technician’s programme in smart Technologies has been introduced.
This digital transition is further ensured, for CVET, with the launch of the Digital Learning Hub (DLH) in 2022, a new public IT learning facility in Luxembourg, providing continuous education in various pedagogical forms. The DLH is fostering creativity, peer learning & entrepreneurship and constitutes a meeting point for learners and IT professionals. The DLH is built on four pillars, being Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Design Thinking and Coding.
The Ministry of Education, Childhood and Youth is constantly mainting efforts to ensure high quality education. Currently, evidence-based monitoring is further developed and will be of increasing importance.
For further reading: