SER warns against mismatch between MBO and business
The Social Economic Council (SER) is concerned about secondary vocational education (MBO). Developments in the business world are going so fast that the courses need to be more flexible than they are now.
Photo: TechniekBeeldbank.nu
The SER states that in one advice to the government that was published today. Especially MBO level 2 students who go to school and also follow internships (BOL) have to learn broader skills. Think of social communication skills and the so-called learning to learn. This group of students finds it more difficult to find work after the training. She is also more often unemployed or receives (long-term) flexible contracts.
SER chairperson Mariëtte Hamer cites young immigrants as an example. They would often opt for administrative training. “But that work is now disappearing. We would like to talk to young people much sooner about which professions are developing. Where is work? And what does such a profession look like? Because young people often have a very wrong picture of that and that's why they don't choose it." Says Hamer in het NOS Radio 1 News from November 17.
Teacher on internship
In order to better prepare students for further education in higher professional education, MBO teachers should do internships at higher professional education. The progression from MBO to HBO is too limited at 5 percent, according to the SER. Conversely, HBO lecturers must also learn more about MBO to make their education more compatible.
Incidentally, MBO students who work at a work placement company and at the same time go to school for a small part (BBL) do much better on the labor market. However, the number of BBL students has been declining for a while. Last year the SER made further recommendations to get more students enthusiastic about this type of education.
Pretty broad advice
The problem with this latest advice from the SER is that it is quite broad. It concerns the entire MBO sector: all four levels, two types of learning pathways (BOL and BBL) and also everywhere in the Netherlands. In addition, various themes are discussed. The job market opportunities and study choices, but also the work pressure among teachers, discrimination against immigrant students and vulnerable young people in the entrance training.
“There is no such thing as 'secondary vocational education'. That also makes it difficult to get a clear picture of what the SER advises exactly ”, Tamar van Gelder responds. AObdriver for secondary vocational education. The fact that all kinds of conclusions can be drawn from the advice was apparent from the first reports in the media. For example, NOS headlined this morning: 'SER concerned about MBO, job opportunities are declining'. Dagblad Trouw interviewed Mariëtte Hamer under the headline: 'Keep learning new things, even after graduation'. And the AD wrote that the SER especially calls for companies to get involved in MBO.
In the advice, the Council is indeed a fan of 'hybrid education', a collective term for mixed forms of education and business. In practice, these can be small businesses at the school that carry out real assignments from the professional field, to students who work in companies as 'colleagues in training'. AObboard member Van Gelder thinks hybrid education is a good idea, but emphasizes that the team must make substantive choices. “They know how best to translate the paper reality - the qualifications for example - into education: into what has to be done within the class time? But then they must be given the time and space to do so. ”
Abolish the hourly standard
It is striking that the SER also suggests to abolish the hours standard. Instead, there must be a legal requirement that the MBO training 'leads to economic independence'. Former Minister of Education Marja van Bijsterveldt thought that MBO students would be taught a thousand hours instead of 850 hours. This new standard was introduced in 2014. Van Gelder of the AOb spoke about it this week with secondary vocational education teachers: “You can deviate from the hours standard if you give good reasons for this. But in practice, teachers cannot do that, they do not get the trust. The board is inclined to think: just do those 1000 hours, then we'll be seated safe. "
Finally, the SER insists on 'lifelong learning'. Due to automation, robotization and other technological developments, MBO students are not ready when their studies have been completed. Government-funded MBO institutions must therefore cooperate with non-government-funded organizations, according to the SER. Think of companies that, for example, give courses to employees. Van Gelder: “We must in any case prevent non-subsidized education from being financed with public money. But I do fear that this will become a diffuse market. ”
The full SER report is here download.
