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Learning while working
58 Success stories on workplace learning in Europe

Social partners are also mobilising resources and sharing responsibilities
in relation to training provision, the analysis of qualification shortages and
employment forecasts through jointly governed bipartite or tripartite sectoral
training funds, built on compulsory training levies. For instance, sectoral
training funds cover a wide range of areas, such as core-specific sector
competences, as well as more transversal skills that can apply to different
sectors, as discussed in the previous chapter. Sectoral training funds can
shape the analysis of skills needs and strategies for human resources
development, as well as align learning provision to specific sector needs
in different ways. First, training funds may support preparatory activities on
skill forecasting and training needs at both enterprise and sectoral level.
Second, some sectoral training funds are already covering activities related
to the training of trainers, who have a key role in ensuring quality and
relevance of training, making them aware of changes in work organisation
and occupational profiles, as well as of emerging training needs (Cedefop,
2008f). Further, certifying training providers and courses, in particular those
to be subsidised by sectoral funds, is likely to make training provision more
responsive to sectoral changes.

4.3. Motivating employees to pursue

workplace learning

The career guidance and learning initiatives that are featured in this section
were all developed in dialogue with employees, employee representatives,
human resources specialists, management and experts in continuing education
and training, taking the needs of employees into consideration without losing
sight of employers’ demands for skill development. They can be considered
as ‘success stories’ in developing flexible learning opportunities and support
services to increase worker participation in continuing training.
Although trade unions on the whole tend not to recognise career guidance
for employed workers as part of their overall aims and responsibility, unions
have developed innovative and transferable practices to motivate workers to
take on learning. However, there is little evidence that trade unions are raising
guidance related issues in collective bargaining (Eurofound and Cedefop,
2009; Cedefop, 2010c). Despite its importance in widening access to learning
at the workplace, guidance is the pillar of the social partners’ framework of
action that has received least attention and both employers and trade unions
could do much more in this area. The success stories described in this