Three pillars to drive employability skills to our students

The job market is buzzing with opportunities, across sectors such as technology, healthcare, construction, occupational health and safety, to name just a few.

Education and training institutes can make the most of this golden opportunity by offering Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) aligned with the European Skills/Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) framework.

Imparting practical skills and work readiness is the hallmark of TVET. It has the potential to integrate skilled experts into labour markets globally. By aligning their courses with expected competency outcomes, TVET educators can enhance the quality of courses, creating opportunities for improved employability, productivity and better livelihoods.

The European ESCO framework provides an excellent guide to support the process of skill and competency mapping to job roles and occupations.

You can assess your education levels on the ESCO website. Select the occupation, skills/competencies or qualification to identify the core skills, which are required to meet industry-specific needs. Matching your courses to the ESCO levels will position your institution, as well as students, to meet global standards.

In this blog post, we’ll show how TVET and ESCO provide the pillars to help bridge the rising skills gap, and also take a closer look at how Certif-ID aims to be at the forefront of this movement using blockchain-powered digital certificates.

Pillar 1 – TVET, an indispensable tool to build skills for a digital world

With everything going digital, the impact on employees and companies is huge. The expanding urbanisation has led to a rise in creating knowledge-based economies. And the key to building knowledge-based societies is highly skilled professionals.

This latest change put TVET in the spotlight – its ability to focus on skills development and position students to succeed in the labour market. With hands-on training, technical professionals can acquire not just the theoretical knowledge related to a subject, but also the practical skills that can be used on the job from day one.

Pillar 2 – ESCO, key to improve course design and provide gateways for mobility

As jobs evolve, descriptions of its required skills and competencies also need to change. ESCO presents available knowledge of the labour market and describes qualifications across borders in a usable way.

It breaks down qualifications in terms of knowledge, skills and competencies, helping institutions develop relevant training and courses. Ultimately, you can use ESCO to gain information (power) and prepare your graduates to land jobs across Europe.

You can develop new training programmes in sync with the ESCO framework, provide distance learning solutions and mitigate skills shortages in various sectors.

In addition to relevant skills training, ensuring that your certification is recognised internationally is a plus.

Pillar 3 – Use digital certificates to ensure the credibility of learning outcomes

TVET providers can assess learning outcomes based on skills developed in workshops,

laboratories and apprenticeships, and present professionals with blockchain-powered digital certificates.

Blockchain-powered digital certificates act as proof of skills and competencies. It can be verified by anyone with access to it. The QR code and verification link makes the digital certificates fraud-proof. This is a win-win for both educators and employers.

Educators can solidify their reputation of training skilled experts. They can rest assured knowing that the digital certificates they have issued on blockchain are safe. In addition, educators can save huge amounts of time and money by eliminating manual certificate issuing and verification processes. Employers can verify a candidate’s digital credentials instantly and make hiring decisions with more confidence.

Certif-ID: Brining the three pillars (TVET, ESCO & digital certificates) together

Certif-ID’s mission is to level the field for TVET providers, working professionals and recruiters. It is built on the ESCO framework and powered by blockchain technology. The platform provides a secure environment, enabling seamless transition of skilled professionals from training to employment.

Also read: Verify academic credentials with confidence on Certif-ID https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/verify-academic-credentials-with-confidence-on-certif-id/

Here’s how Certif-ID works: TVET institutions can sign up to the Certif-ID platform, create their profile, list courses, create batches, add students and issue digital certificates to graduates. Recruiters with access to a digital certificate can assess a candidates’ skill levels and validate them instantly.

It really is that simple!

As Certif-ID is powered by blockchain technology, only registered institutions can issue blockchain-based digital certificates to students. The digital certificates are issued directly to students’ email addresses and Certif-ID profiles (SkillPass).

Blockchain ensures that a digital certificate is secure. It removes any room for manipulation.