INTRODUCING THE STRUCTURE AND EXPERIENCE OF COLO (ASSOCIATION OF CENTERS OF EXPERTISE ON VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, TRAINING AND THE LABOUR MARKET)

This project was conducted for the sectors of tourism and food within the context of MATRA and G2G programs that the Netherlands led in order to assist the EU candidate states. Organized with COLO, which is an umbrella organization promoting the Dutch qualifications system, the aim of this project was to introduce to VQA and its stakeholders the competence-based qualification structure of Netherlands and draw the outline of a qualification model which includes social parties and corresponds with the Turkish education system along with the labour market.

VQA staff, stakeholders of VQA in the sectors of food and tourism and the Sector Committee members were selected as beneficiaries for the project “Introducing the Structure and Experience of COLO (Association of Centers of Expertise on Vocational Education, Training and the Labour Market) and its Members”. Within the context of the kick-off meeting, experts from the Netherlands Qualifications Institute COLO, from Aequor that operates in the food sector and from Kenwerk that operates in the tourism-accomodation sector, visited VQA between the dates of April 6-8th 2009.

A 5-day study visit was conducted between the dates of June, 15-19 2009 with VQA and representatives of the social parties in order to observe on spot the implementation of the qualification system in Netherlands. A second study visit was realized within the context of the project by the VQA technical team between the dates of September,7-11 2009. During this visit, issues such as data-entry to the qualifications database, testing and certification, accreditation of educational institutions were studied.

The closing meeting of the project, which was the last activity, was conducted on November 5, 2009. Experts from COLO, Aequor and Kenwerk, the stakeholders of tourism and food sectors related to the project, social parties, universities, vocational schools, private companies and the VQA staff attended the closing meeting.