BASIC VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN DK (Labour Market Training)
The purpose of the adult vocational training programme (AMU) is
- to contribute to maintaining and improving the vocational skills and competences of the participants in
accordance with the needs on the labour market and to furthering competence development of the
participants
- to contribute to solving labour market restructuring and adoption problems in accordance with the needs
in the labour market in a short and long term perspective.
Particular characteristics of the program:
Responsive to labour market and societal shifts – direct link to business and trade unions
Tripartite governance: State, trade unions and employers
Nation-wide program - Provided by state schools
Developing comprehensive education and training “packages” which enabled gradual completion
Succes in upskilling unemployed workers – first male unskilled, then also female, finally broader target
group.
Linked with and to some extent limited by traditional industrial sectors
Issues/challenges:
The role of the social partners: From national, collective to local, more fragmented governance
Balance between the responsivity to labour market needs and structured educational programs
Practice based training under the dominance of an academic/scholastic discourse
Responding to societal shifts and labour market:
1960 – “oil-crisis”:
High level of employment. Transformation from agricultural to urban society – training unskilled workers
for industrial manufacturing work in a taylorist environment (basic technical skills – socializing for factory
life – work intensity - prescribed simple operations). Metal industry, shipbuilding, assembling work
(electronics), meat industry textile industry, gradually including new areas like industrial construction work,
plastic industry, furniture. .
Target group: At first adult, unskilled male workers with some work experience, later also unskilled women.
From mid 1970’es, responding to “Oil Crisis” og unemployment:
New Basic labour market integration courses for marginalized groups (young people, unskilled women,
immigrants. Combining technical training, general education and support for labour market integration.
Target group includes also skilled workers who are getting redundant due to technology and structural
changes
From around 1990
High employment and technology development. New areas of training: Transportation and logistics,
catering, welfare services – now also covering sectors of public employment. Basic skills training developing
into full modular packages, in some areas on a level like crafts education. New educational goals,
emphasizing cultural techniques, social competences(collaboration, self regulation).Target groups are now
much broader: Men and women, with different previous work experience, some acquiring new vocational
skills, some updating skills in their present employment. Substantial activity in introducing new digital
technologies (CNC machines in metal and wood industries, CAD in construction,
2000’es
Increasing influence of new public management and market regulation – increased fees to be paid by
individuals or employers.Labour market policy increasingly oriented to policing unemployed workers. Adult
training centers merge with (much bigger) vocational schools, primarily dedicated to young people entering
labour market. Modular organization and market regulation (training on demand). Staff in adult training
integrates with vocational school staff.
New proactive units to monitor labour market and anticipate new needs for education and training, but
with limited power and no executive functions