general, basic skills or vocational education for adults, usually taking place beyond initial or compulsory education

education or training that combines periods in the workplace with time spent in more formal education or training environments; the period of alternance can vary and can be weekly, monthly or yearly

longer-term alternance training which involves both time at the workplace and periods spent in an education or training centre; apprentices are most often contracted directly by the employer and receive a remuneration (wage or allowance) directly from them

methods and processes used to establish the extent to which a learner has attained particular knowledge, skills and competence

skills that enable active participation in working life and society, such as reading, writing, mathematics, ICT and communication skills

process of issuing a certificate, diploma or title which formally attests that achieved learning outcomes have been assessed and validated by a competent body against a predefined standard

proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in work or study situations, and in professional and personal development

education or training that takes place beyond initial or compulsory education and training, or following entry into working life, which aims to improve or update skills for personal or professional development

inventory of activities related to the design, organisation, planning and delivery of education and training, including the definition of learning objectives, programme content, and delivery and assessment methods

combination of factors which enable individuals to access, remain in and progress within employment

learning that occurs in an organised and structured environment (e.g. education or training institution, on-the-job) and that is explicitly designated as learning in terms of objectives, time or resources; formal learning is intentional from the learner’s point of view and typically leads to validation and certification

learning resulting from daily activities related to work, family or leisure; informal learning is not organised or structured in terms of objectives, time or learning support and, in most cases, is unintentional from the learner’s perspective

general or vocational education and training carried out in the initial education system, usually before entering working life

basic and new skills required to live in a contemporary knowledge society; in the European Commission recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning, the eight key competences comprise: communication in the mother tongue; communication in foreign languages; competences in maths, science and technology; digital competence; learning to learn; interpersonal, intercultural and social competences and civic competence; entrepreneurship and cultural expression

the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning; the body of facts, principles, theories and practices that is related to a field of work or study

learning embedded in planned activities not explicitly designated as learning (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support). non-formal learning is intentional from the learner’s point of view

vocational training provided in a normal work situation or environment; on-the-job training can constitute the whole programme of training or can be combined with off-the-job training

the formal outcome (certificate, diploma, title) of an assessment process which is obtained when a competent body determines that an individual has achieved learning outcomes to given standards and/or possesses the necessary competence to do a job in a specific area of work; a formal qualification confers official recognition of the value of learning outcomes in the labour market and in education and training and can be a legal entitlement to practise in certain trades or professions

process of granting official status to skills and competences either through the award of qualifications (certificates, diploma or titles) or through granting equivalence, credit units or waivers

imbalance where the level or type of available skills does not correspond to labour market needs; skills mismatch can refer to a surplus or a lack of knowledge, abilities and competences

the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems

theoretical or practical training for teachers, trainers, tutors and others operating in a full-time or occasional teaching or training role

non-vocational skills such as creativity and critical thinking that can be acquired in education, employment or leisure activities and which are easily transferable from one environment to another

process of confirmation by an authorised body that an individual has acquired learning outcomes measured against a relevant standard comprising four distinct phases (identification, documentation, formal assessment and certification) which may lead to a partial or full qualification; process of confirming that assessed learning outcomes correspond to specific outcomes which may be required for a unit or a qualification

education and training which aims to equip learners with the knowledge, know-how, skills and/or competences required in particular occupations or more broadly on the labour market

all forms of voluntary activity, whether formal or informal, in which participants (volunteers) act under their own free will, according to their own choices and motivations and do not seek financial gain

acquisition of knowledge and skills through carrying out, and reflecting on, tasks in a vocational context, either at the workplace or in an education or training institution