Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, published a paper entitled “Overview on traineeship arrangements in the Member States”.

This EU-wide study commissioned by DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities provides a comprehensive and comparative overview of traineeship arrangements, including legislative/regulatory and quality assurance frameworks, in all 27 Member States. In the current period of high rate of unemployment in some Member States, traineeships represent an EU means to find a solution to that situation.

In the European framework, traineeships are seen as an effective means to let young people know the world of work, as well as facilitate their transition from education (or a period of inactivity or unemployment) to employment.

However, there are also growing concerns across the EU about the quality and fairness of traineeships as well as their effectiveness as a school-to-work transition mechanism.

This study was conducted by a consortium involving the Institute of Employment Studies (IES, UK) as the lead co-ordinator, the Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale (IRS, Italy) and the Bundesinstitut fur Berufsbildung (BIBB, Germany) as key partners as well as a network of regional and national experts.

The study’s methodological approach combined a range of qualitative methodologies including stakeholder interviews at both EU and national levels; a quasi-systematic literature review; a comparative mapping exercise based on information collected in each Member State; and case studies.

For the purposes of this study the following five types of traineeships were examined:
• Traineeships which form optional or compulsory part of academic and/or vocational curricula (i.e. traineeships during education);
• Traineeships in the open market which, after completion of studies, provide graduates with work-related experience before they find stable employment;
• Traineeships as part of active labour market policies (ALMPs) for unemployed young people with the explicit aim to facilitate their labour market transition;
• Traineeships which form part of mandatory professional training, e.g. law, medicine, teaching, architecture, accounting, etc.;
• Transnational traineeships.

Any ENNA members who have members working in the field of education are invited to inform them about the publication.

For further information please visit http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/news/20025.aspx