Page 2 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2013-autumn

ples in other countries. Many tion that is too academically towards assisting policy makers
participants at the event ex- oriented, where the students do in their coordination of education
pressed considerable concern not start their hands-on training and training and, in the exit
about the situation of VET in until after completing one or two questionnaire, the great majority
Iceland. First of all, only 14% of years of school. Finally, it was of participants indicated that
upper secondary school stu- pointed out that the compulsory they wanted to continue being a
dents at present choose VET schools average grades are part of that discussion.
and secondly, the dropout rate lower for VET students than for Further information (in Iceland-
from school is considerably students going in for general ic), photos etc. can be found at
higher than in general educa- education and training. The http://www.lme.is/page/Samtal_
tion. The reasons for this are not drive towards a university de- um_Erasmus.
known but one of them might be gree is very strong in Iceland
that in many programmes, it is and ambitious students want to
difficult to find a workplace make sure that their path to- Dóra Stefánsdóttir – Euroguidance
where students can complete wards university is smooth and Iceland
their training. Another could be without difficulties. The event is
what many described as educa- seen as a first of many steps

Private companies prefer experience from abroad

A Danish study shows that a CV which includes studies or an internship abroad is a major ad-
vantage, when private companies recruit new employees. The employers envisage that stays
abroad will become even more important in the future.
The Danish Agency for Higher cent of the companies consider abroad advances the students’
Education has asked private international outlook and inter- job opportunities by ensuring
employers about which experi- cultural understanding as very them skills and qualifications
ence, qualities and quali- important or important skills that are not only attractive to-
fications the companies are when they recruit graduates day, but will also be in high de-
looking for in graduates, both from a higher education. It con- mand in the future.
now and in the future. The study firms that graduates with inter- Room for improvement
was based on an electronic sur- national experience are very
vey which was sent to 1,076 attractive for employers. The In Denmark, the number of
private companies in Denmark companies value com- Erasmus students has been
with a response rate of 31 per munication skills, foreign lan- growing over the last few years.
cent. The purpose of the study guage skills, international out- However, in 2011 only 17 per
was to uncover the occupational look, intercultural understanding cent of all Danish students had
relevance and value of the quali- and willingness to adapt. studied or taken an internship
fications which students acquire Study and work abroad expe- abroad as part of their studies.
during periods abroad and de- rience will become even more The target for 2020 is that 50
termine how important study important in the future per cent of graduates from Dan-
and work abroad experience is ish higher education institutions
for employers when they are The experience and quali- should have spent one or more
recruiting employees. fications which students develop semesters abroad. The Danish
during studies and work abroad Minister for Science, Innovation
Students develop important are attractive in today’s labour and Higher Education, Morten
qualifications abroad
market and, according to the Østergaard, expresses his vi-
The study showed that 50 per majority of the companies, inter- sion for the future: that all Dan-
cent of the private companies national experience, internation- ish students will have an inter-
would prefer an employee who al outlook and intercultural com- national element in their study
had completed a study period or petences will become increas- programme.
internship abroad. During a stay ingly important in the future. 50 A translation of the report can
abroad, the students acquire per cent of the companies en- be found at:
highly relevant experience and visage that studies completed http://fivu.dk/en/euroguidance/p
qualifications which are in de- abroad will become even more ublications-and-fact-sheets/
mand when companies recruit important when they recruit em-
graduates. The study also ployees in the future. Thus, a
showed that more than 70 per study period or an internship Trine Helledie and Birtha Theut –
Euroguidance Denmark