2022
6 new professions in the classification of occupations of industrial education
1 February 2022
Fitter of Fair and Exhibition structures, Technician of Services for the Fair and Exhibition Industry, Woodwork Automation and Assembly Technician, Industrial Insulation Technician, Ship Electro-automation Technician and Yacht Industry Technician are 6 new professions introduced to the classification of professions of industrial education. The Minister of Education and Science signed a regulation on this matter. Introduction of new professions is a response to labour market needs.
The Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry has proposed the introduction of new professions Fitter of Fair and Exhibition Structures and Technician of Services for the Fair and Exhibition Industry to the Minister in charge of construction, spatial planning and development and housing, pointing to the shortage of workers in the trade fair and exhibition industry. Training of future professionals and specialists in the construction of trade fair and exhibition stands and stage structures will be conducted for companies providing technical services for trade fairs, conferences, concerts and other artistic events. In the fitter's profession, training will be provided at Stage I sectoral vocational schools, and in the technician's profession - at technical schools, and in the future also at Stage II sectoral vocational schools.
Introduction of the profession of Woodwork Automation and Assembly Technician results from the demand for medium technical staff in the woodwork industry. The initiative to create a new profession came from the Association of Manufacturers, Suppliers and Distributors "Polskie Okna i Drzwi". The dynamically developing woodwork sector, which has a high share in exports, needs educated staff at the technical level, with skills in electronics and automation. So far, training for this sector was only possible in the occupation of carpentry fitter at the level of vocational secondary school. The new profession of Woodwork Automation and Assembly Technician will be able to be trained in technical secondary schools and sectoral vocational schools on the basis of the profession of a Woodwork Technician.
The introduction of the profession of Industrial Insulation Technician was made at the request of the minister responsible for economy, as a result of such a demand made by the Polish Association of Industrial Insulation Contractors. The possibility of training in the new profession is a result of the demand for middle management staff in the industrial insulation sector. Up to now education for the needs of this sector has only been possible in the profession of industrial insulator at the level of the industry vocational secondary school. Modern technologies and insulation materials as well as new tasks in the field of energy efficiency assessment of industrial installations require training of specialists at the technical level. The training in the profession of Industrial Insulation Technician will be carried out in technical secondary schools and in industrial sectoral vocational schools on the basis of the profession of Industrial Insulation Technician.
The new profession of Ship Electro-automation Technician was introduced at the request of the minister responsible for maritime economy, at the initiative of the employers' organisation "Konfederacja Lewiatan". The profession is a response to the shortage of specialists in electrical installations and automation in the shipbuilding industry. The analysis of the database of advertisements for seafarers on national industry Internet portals and portals of agencies recruiting crew members for sea-going ships shows that there is significant demand on the labour market for personnel educated at the technical level in the field of electrical automation in this sector. Training as a Ship Electro-automation Technician will be available at technical secondary schools and at two-year post-secondary schools.
The introduction of the profession of Yacht Industry Technician to the educational system was made at the request of the minister responsible for maritime economy and inland navigation, at the initiative of the employers' organisation "Pracodawcy Pomorza". The need for the introduction of this profession is related to the lack of medium-level technical staff in the yacht and motor boat manufacturing industry and the demand for such specialists. The yachting industry in Poland consists of approximately 900 companies and employs over 35 thousand people, which places it in a leading position in Europe and worldwide. The production of yachts and boats can hardly keep up with orders due to the lack of specialised technical staff. The training in the new profession Yacht Industry Technician will supplement the existing offer of training in the profession of yacht and boat fitter and will be implemented in technical secondary schools and sectoral vocational schools on the basis of the profession of Yacht and Boat Fitter.
It will be possible to provide qualification courses and vocational skills courses in qualifications identified in the newly introduced professions, with the exception of the profession of Ship Electro-automation Technician.
The regulation comes into force on 1 September 2022.
2021
4 new occupations added to the classification of occupations of industrial education
Reform status: approved, 4 February 2021
Roofing Technician, Stylist Technician, Robotics Technician and Podologist are the 4 new occupations introduced to the classification of occupations of industrial education: The Minister of Education and Science signed a relevant regulation on this matter. Introduction of new professions to the classification serves as a response to labour market needs.
The regulation will come into force on the 1st of September 2021.
2020
Vocational education and training in the school year 2020/21
Reform status: new institution launched, September 2020
Education in stage II sectoral vocational schools will commence on the 1st September 2020. These schools offer graduates of stage I vocational schools (and for several years also graduates of existing basic vocational schools) the opportunity to obtain a technician qualification (after passing a vocational examination in a given occupation) along with an upper secondary school-leaving certificate (after passing the Matura secondary school leaving examination).
As of the 1st of September 2020, the educational offer of schools providing vocational education and training was expanded to include 4 new occupations: welding technician, railway vehicle technician, railway vehicle mechanic and ceramics decorator.
On the Integrated Educational Platform epodreczniki.pl, in the Career Counselling tab, the first pool of multimedia materials, supporting the process of career counselling (videos, occupation-related information and VR materials) presenting 76 out of 219 occupations of sectoral vocational education, was placed. These materials, which have been developed under EU projects (for students in grades 7 and 8 of primary schools, as well as for secondary school students and adults), can be used when making decisions about the choice of future profession as well as the direction of further education. In addition, 45 multimedia materials for children in early childhood education have been made available in the same tab, introducing them to the world of professions and occupations.
New Folk University Support Programme for 2020-2030
Status: adopted by the Polish Government, 18 June 2020
The new programme aims at supporting existing Folk Universities, reformulating their educational mission and establishing new institutions.
Folk universities by definition prepare for active involvement in social life and help their learners to cope with contemporary challenges. The programme covers a wide scope of intervention including: development of professional and social competences of the young unemployed, education and counteracting of digital exclusion of senior citizens, promotion of employability, validation of qualifications, support to folk culture as a means of building local communities’ identity, shaping of responsibility for „local homelands” and development of local leaders.
The folk university settings are to be institutions based on the so called Grundtvig concept with an open, friendly atmosphere aiming to support personal development and social activity. Such settings will become attractive to less active individuals and offer them an opportunity for a better life. The Programme corresponds with the basis of current policy on development of adult education, which aims to support, among other things, active involvement and cultural creativity understood as a learning outcome.
Basic Outline of theFolk University Support Programme for 2020-2030 (Program Wspierania Rozwoju Uniwersytetów Ludowych na lata 2020-2030 (PWRUL):
- The Programme’s Budget: 100.000.000 PLN (9.3 million PLN a year for the period of 2020-2030)
- Five priorities:
- Priority 1. Infrastructural and programme support to the existing folk universities
- Priority 2. Support for the establishment of new and reactivation of former folk universities
- Priority 3. Support for networking and cooperation between folk universities and promotion of Grundtvig type education
- Priority 4. Support for the development of civic education and preservation of heritage in local communities
- Priority 5. Technical support.
A Chance – New Opportunities for Adults
Status: under implementation, June 2020
The Foundation for the Development of the Education System in partnership with the Educational Research Institute are implementing the project “A Chance - New Opportunities for Adults”. The project is in line with the 2016 Council Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults; it is co-financed by the European Social Fund and will be completed at the end of 2021.
The main aim of the project is to support adults with a low level of skills, knowledge and competences who are not eligible for support under The Youth Guarantee programme.
The project will offer beneficiaries flexible opportunities to improve their literacy, numeracy, digital and social competences, and the option to progress to higher levels of the Polish Qualifications Framework. These objectives will be achieved by developing effective models that will reach and motivate individuals from selected target groups, and by offering them tailored-made learning programmes, skills assessment and the validation of achieved learning outcomes.
The project has three phases:
- The first phase (1.10.2018–31.07.2019) included qualitative research and an analysis of current initiatives (e.g. projects, surveys, reports, strategy documents), the selection of priority target groups as well as the development of specifications and requirements for tailored models supporting adults with a low level of basic skills.
- The second phase (1.08.2019–30.06.2021) is focused on developing these tailored models by eligible entities chosen in an open call for grants; the best ones will be piloted.
- The third phase (1.07.2021–31.12.2021) will focus on preparing recommendations to the government to be used in developing coherent strategies for raising adults’ basic skills. They will include conclusions from the piloted models and will cover such aspects as the effectiveness of the pilot projects, the cost effectiveness of the interventions, and best practices.
The main products developed during the project’s first phase are presented below. This phase had a conceptual and research character, its objective was to develop the main premises for implementing the next phases of the project “A Chance – New Opportunities for Adults”.
2019
Local Knowledge and Education Centres - continuation
Reform status: continuation of a successful project launched as a pilot in 2017, October 2019
Continuation of a project initiated by the Ministry of National Education in 2017 and co-funded with European funds. In the framework of the pilot project, 50 Local Knowledge and Education Centres have been created in 13 provinces across the country. After a very good reception of the first 50 centres, the Ministry decided to continue the project and establish 100 more centres from 2020 on.
Local Knowledge and Education Centre is an additional function adopted voluntarily by a school, which involves activation of the local environment to improve the skills of its adult population. Schools are one of the widest existing networks of social services. The task of the centre is to use this natural position of a school and open access to programmes for adults especially to people living in small and remote towns and villages or neglected city districts. Schools act as local centres and offer parents and other adults opportunity to develop basic skills and key competences, which are the foundation for lifelong learning. The offer is based on prior identification of the specific needs of adults in the local environment. The quality of the needs analysis has a direct effect on the social response to the programme.
Governmental Programme for the Social Activitiy of Seniors in years 2014-2020 – update 2019
Reform status: programme, 2014-2020
Governmental Programme for the Social Activity of Seniors in years 2014-2020 is a major multiannual initiative. Its aims at the improvement of level and quality of life of the elderly for good ageing with the involvement in social activities. The Programme aims to involve NGOs to work with seniors and encourage their engagement. In total the Programme’s budget includes 280 million PLN, 40 million a year.
NGOs and other entities working for the elderly can apply for funding between 20 and 200 thousand PLN in the framework of 4 priorities:
- Education of seniors (15% of allocated funds) – this priority includes development of educational offer for seniors, using the potential of peer to peer learning, development of innovations in education, including non-formal and informal forms of education, promotion of so called competences voluntary work, encouragement of use of new technologies and counteracting e-exclusion among the elderly.
- Social activity promoting integration within the senior community, and integration between old and young (25% of allocated funds) – it includes development of various forms of activity by the elderly with the use of existing social infrastructure (e.g. public libraries, cultural centres) and involving the younger generation in common initiatives which helps to build mutual understanding and development of social skills.
- Social participation of the elderly (20% of allocated funds) – it includes implementation of various measures towards increasing involvement of the elderly in public, social, economic, cultural and political life, contributing towards development of civic society.
- Social services for the elderly (40% of allocated funds) – it includes implementation of various measures towards development of different forms of support via increased accessibility and improved quality of social services for the elderly.
Legal basis
Uchwała Nr 237 Rady Ministrów z dnia 24 grudnia 2013 r. w sprawie ustanowienia Rządowego Programu na rzecz Aktywności Społecznej Osób Starszych na lata 2014-2020 http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WMP20140000052/O/M20140052.pdf
Competition results 2019:
https://www.gov.pl/web/rodzina/wyniki-otwartego-konkursu-ofert-w-ramach-rzadowego-programu-na-rzecz-aktywnosci-spolecznej-osob-starszych-na-lata-2014-2020-edycja-2019-2
New regulation on vocational examination and vocational qualification examination procedures
Reform status: approved, 28 August 2019
New regulation applies to all forms of vocational examinations. Main differences between the new regulation and previous regulations in force are as follows:
- Written part of vocational examination will be implemented exclusively with the use of the electronic examination system
- Practical part of the vocational examination and vocational qualification examination will involve participation of technical assistants. Technical assistants are to be nominated by school/training institution heads, and employers. They can be either teachers, or not, but in any case should be holding relevant qualifications or skills necessary to operate the examination stations. Technical assistant is responsible for proper functioning of specialist equipment, machines and all necessary equipment used during the practical part of the exam
- Before taking the practical vocational examination students will have open access to exam questions/ tasks database.
The regulation stipulates two dates for declaring the will to take the vocational and vocational qualification exams - 15 September and 7 February.
First vocational exams in one separate qualification (based on the classification of vocations for sectoral vocational schools) will take place in 2020.
Legal basis: https://legislacja.rcl.gov.pl/projekt/12322834
Regulation on core curricula for trade occupations and additional vocational skills
Status: approved in May 2019
On May 16, 2019, the Minister of National Education signed the regulation on core curricula for trade occupations and additional vocational skills in the scope of selected trade occupations. The regulation will enter into force on September 1, 2019. The regulation defines core curricula for 215 occupations included in the classification of trade occupations divided into 32 sectors as well as additional vocational skills in the scope of selected occupations. The new core curriculum regulation differs from the previous one in terms of its structure and contents. The new document covers the criteria for validation of learning outcomes, as it features the requirements, which validate the achievement of learning outcomes in a given occupation. The new structure is transparent both for students and teachers. Students can learn the requirements taken into consideration during examinations leading to the award of qualifications, i.e. what knowledge and skills they need to acquire. Teachers also have clearly set requirements, which will help them develop the assessment criteria. The new core curriculum introduces new occupations postulated by employers, such as computer programming technician, catering assistant, flexo print machine operator, and yacht and boat fitter. The document also features a proposal for additional vocational skills, which schools can choose as an optional offer for a given occupation. For example, students undergoing training to become hairdressing technicians can learn the basics of make-up artist occupation or master the basics of barbering. IT technicians can acquire additional skills in the scope of web security or Python programming. A waiter can obtain additional qualifications as a bartender, and gardener can master viticulture. Students preparing for obtaining qualifications in printing occupations can learn 3D modelling. The provisions of the regulation will be applied starting on:
- school year 2019/2020 -- the first grade of lower secondary trade schools, which starts on September 1, 2019 or on February 1, 2010; semester 1 of post-secondary schools; first grade of the four-year secondary technical schools and first grade of five-year technical schools;
- school year 2020/2021 -- semester 1 of upper secondary trade schools.
In subsequent years, the core curricula will be taught in subsequent grades and semesters of the above mentioned schools. The regulation has been signed and sent for publication. The document has been posted on: https://legislacja.rcl.gov.pl/projekt/12321762.
Local Knowledge and Education Centres
Reform status: pilot project completed, new phase to be announced in 2019
Local Knowledge and Education Centres is a project focussing on preparing schools in disadvantaged areas for the operation in the capacity as education and activation centres for adults. Schools participating in the project develop: (1) lifelong valid universal skills (key competences); (2) non-formal education offer, the contents of which are based on the diagnosis of adult learners’ needs in the local community. Flexible offer caters for limitations to adult participation in education; (3) cooperation networks of individuals, organisations and institutions promoting adult skills. These activities are based on the potential of formal education. However, their effectiveness may depend on abandoning the school-centric approach, which discourages adults from participating in training based on solutions, which they know from schools.
Local Knowledge and Education Centres is a project initiated by the Ministry of National Education and co-funded with European funds under Knowledge, Education, Development Operational Programme. The project focusses on preparing selected schools in disadvantaged areas to function as local education and activation centres for adults. Their target group are adults with limited access to education who find it difficult to adapt their basic skills and other key competences to the changes in the labour market and society. It also aims to develop effective models for taking action in local community on behalf of adults in need of support in terms of skills and to develop methods and tools for the teaching staff at schools, which expand their education offer to parents and other adults in local community.
Since autumn 2017, 50 such centres have been established in 13 provinces. The highest concentration of them (6-8) can be found in the following provinces: Dolnośląskie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie and Wielkopolskie. The majority of centres were established in small localities. The establishment of these centres was coordinated by three promoters with experience in running projects on a regional scale. The promoters were selected in a competitive procedure (in accordance with the rules for implementing KED OP). The establishment of the centres was preceded by a pilot project. Based on the experience gained, a new competition will be launched in the first half of 2019 with the aim to establish 100 more such centres.
VET reform continues
Reform status: approved for implementation, March 2019
The proposed amendment to the „Law on School Education” Act has been approved for implementation. The amendment includes, among others, the right to establish and supervise schools and settings for all the ministers responsible for particular vocations. The Ministry of National Education explains this measure in terms of co-responsibility of economy–related ministries for vocational education. New settings for vocational education in out-of-school forms will be established within the education system – Vocational Education Centres (Centra Kształcenia Zawodowego). They will be established starting 1 September 2019 on the basis of existing Practical Education Centres and Professional Development Centres.