A more efficient match between firms' demand, VET supply and human capital capacities through bottom-up, participative governance

Abstract

One of the main challenges facing EU territories is the development of strategies to better adapt to changing global socio-economic trends. Lifelong education and training is a main strategic tool and a key component in the achievement of EU goals. One component of the lifelong education concept is Vocational Education and Training (VET), aimed at closing the gap between workers' skills and qualification and changing demand in labour markets. Although local partnerships seem to be an adequate tool to implement VET strategies, some authors identify obstacles that can be attributed to bad practices. Thus, more evidence is needed to support the idea that local development and public-private partnerships are optimal organisational environments for the design and implementation of VET strategies and actions at local and sub-regional levels. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an analysis of the state of the art as regards local VET partnerships in Europe and to provide recommendations for the process of initiation and management of expert VET partnerships. © 2013 Nicolaus Copernicus University Press. All rights reserved.