Professional Training: Putting an End to Prejudices
7 November 2008
Read by 1491 persons
Text: "Avoid confining young people to menial jobs as cheap labor"
Involving businesses in developing programs
Creating bridges with academic education
"WHAT place should professional training occupy in a national education system?" This was one of the main topics discussed during the 3rd scientific meeting on "evaluating the quality and equity of education and training systems," organized on April 20 and 21 in Rabat by the National Evaluation Agency under the Higher Council of Education. This topic was addressed by Eric Verdier, research director at the CNRS at the Laboratoire d'économie et de sociologie du travail (Aix-en-Provence, France). To address this issue, the French researcher focused on the experience of Maghreb countries, which, in his view, have made progress in professional training. First observation: it is poorly perceived by young people and their families because it is intended to absorb less brilliant students who cannot continue their academic studies. Candidates therefore end up in training centers by default and not by a well-considered choice, the researcher points out. But the situation in Morocco and Algeria differs. In the former, training is marked by selectivity: 1 place for 5 candidates. While in Algeria, it is mass placement.
Therefore, under these conditions, professional training poses a problem of confidence among employers about the ability of these young people to successfully master the profession and the activities of the company. For Eric Verdier, the major challenge will be "to see how to ensure good quality training for these young people so that they meet the requirements of employers."
On this point, the speaker puts forward several recommendations to make training a path of professional advancement and not social relegation. First of all, it is necessary to strengthen the links between the institution, the student, and employers. The latter should be involved in the development of training programs in consultation with trainers. This is to enable them to meet their real needs in terms of jobs and skills. It is also necessary to promote structured work-study programs where young people can have different statuses: apprentices, interns... "And also clearly define what the young person must do with the aim of developing their skills and avoid confining them throughout their professional career to menial jobs as cheap labor," adds Verdier. Not to mention creating, through bridges, a qualitative continuity between on-the-job training and institutionalized work-study programs. For the French researcher, the promotion of professional training goes through the quality of its services with a system of periodic evaluation. This is a challenge that concerns the education system as a whole.
Published on April 23, 2010
Posted online on April 27, 2010
L’Economiste
Involving businesses in developing programs
Creating bridges with academic education
"WHAT place should professional training occupy in a national education system?" This was one of the main topics discussed during the 3rd scientific meeting on "evaluating the quality and equity of education and training systems," organized on April 20 and 21 in Rabat by the National Evaluation Agency under the Higher Council of Education. This topic was addressed by Eric Verdier, research director at the CNRS at the Laboratoire d'économie et de sociologie du travail (Aix-en-Provence, France). To address this issue, the French researcher focused on the experience of Maghreb countries, which, in his view, have made progress in professional training. First observation: it is poorly perceived by young people and their families because it is intended to absorb less brilliant students who cannot continue their academic studies. Candidates therefore end up in training centers by default and not by a well-considered choice, the researcher points out. But the situation in Morocco and Algeria differs. In the former, training is marked by selectivity: 1 place for 5 candidates. While in Algeria, it is mass placement.
Therefore, under these conditions, professional training poses a problem of confidence among employers about the ability of these young people to successfully master the profession and the activities of the company. For Eric Verdier, the major challenge will be "to see how to ensure good quality training for these young people so that they meet the requirements of employers."
On this point, the speaker puts forward several recommendations to make training a path of professional advancement and not social relegation. First of all, it is necessary to strengthen the links between the institution, the student, and employers. The latter should be involved in the development of training programs in consultation with trainers. This is to enable them to meet their real needs in terms of jobs and skills. It is also necessary to promote structured work-study programs where young people can have different statuses: apprentices, interns... "And also clearly define what the young person must do with the aim of developing their skills and avoid confining them throughout their professional career to menial jobs as cheap labor," adds Verdier. Not to mention creating, through bridges, a qualitative continuity between on-the-job training and institutionalized work-study programs. For the French researcher, the promotion of professional training goes through the quality of its services with a system of periodic evaluation. This is a challenge that concerns the education system as a whole.
Published on April 23, 2010
Posted online on April 27, 2010
L’Economiste
