A NEGLECTED WIN-WIN-WIN THAT WANTS TO BE REVIVED

Since Romanian universities have become mere diploma mills, which actually provide the only truly valuable thing: the paper that conditions the employment of a young person on the labour market, since the problem of qualified labour force on the Romanian market has become a really urgent one, since children, parents and employers have understood that what you really need to succeed is experience, the pride of being a university graduate, but unemployed in front of a vocational school student, qualified in a job at an optimal age, who can support himself, has started to pale.

The time has come for the law to re-enact the introduction of dual education in Romania, and recently there are also projects funded through the NRRP that call on the whole community to show responsibility and realise the long-term benefits of vocational education.

Currently, under Order No. 3.663 of 13.02.2023, the Ministry of Education, as coordinator of reforms and investments funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), is extending the submission of projects on the Projects.pnrr.gov.ro platform for the period 20. 02.2023 – 07.03.2023 under the call PNRR/2022/C15/MEDU/I6/Pilot programme for the development of regional consortia for dual education under Investment 6- “Development of 10 regional consortia and development and equipping of 10 integrated vocational campuses”.

What is a dual learning consortium?

A non-proprietary form of association, with the role of contributing to the development of dual learning, with complete pathways for qualifications in demand on the labour market.

Within the Consortium, pupils and students can acquire level 3 – 8 qualifications, according to the National Qualifications Framework approved by the Romanian Government Decision no. 918/2013, with subsequent amendments and additions.

The consortium is made up of the following types of entities: a. accredited state/private higher education institutions; b. accredited state/private pre-university education units; c. administrative-territorial units (UAT); d. economic operators.

For the dual system training of pupils/students, study and practical training contracts for pupils/students in dual education shall be concluded between the pupil/student, respectively the parent, guardian or legal guardian of the minor pupil/student who has not reached 18 years of age, the economic operator and the educational unit/institution, which contract establishes the rights and obligations of the parties.

Companies that have already implemented this model of vocational training know very well that there are some costs involved in the implementation. Besides the costs of providing material conditions (machinery, equipment, raw materials, consumables, energy), ensuring health and safety at work, occupational health examinations and compulsory medical examinations for pupils and students; incurring the costs of liability insurance in case of accidents, damage or injury caused during practical training, depending on the field of activity, at the economic operator, for pupils and students, providing pupils and students with a scholarship, there is also the cost of time. The success rate of such a project often depends on the company’s involvement in the community, on the desire of its representatives to positively influence the generations of young people with whom they work. In this respect, companies liaise with the school, the county inspectorates and the Ministry of Education. Dual education involves two entities responsible for the vocational training of the student – the school and the economic agent – and each must fulfil its responsibilities. Companies also have a say in the examination of students and in their career prospects. The employability rate of graduating students depends on the seriousness with which the two partners carry out their training mission.

At this moment the Romanian market seems to be divided in two: companies that still do not know the details or have not found out at all about this opportunity to train their qualified human resources and companies that are not interested in investing in human resources, they only complain that graduates are not well prepared, that they go abroad, that the state does nothing to increase the value of human resources.

But there are success stories around the country where partnerships between the state, school inspectorates and companies have worked and where the life of the whole community is changing. It is certainly a lesson in social responsibility that we would like to see implemented and promoted more often.