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With the days getting shorter and the light getting dimmer, many of us want to get into “cocooning” mode, or “hygge” as the Danes call it.
If the atmosphere in Scandinavian homes is renowned for being warm and comfortable, what about when it comes to professional training?
As you can see, the polar cold doesn’t scare me. This month, I decided to brave the snow to continue my European tour of vocational training and share with you my discoveries in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Is the question of how to finance professional training sweeter when mixed in a hot cup of a comforting beverage?
That’s what we’ll be looking at in this article. Are you well equipped with gloves, hat and scarf? Let’s hit the road!
No, no and no. Norway isn’t just the land of fjords and salmon. Behind the picture postcard image, there are also companies with employees who need training to develop their skills. And no, not all Scandinavian countries are alike. Each one has its own specificities when it comes to professional training, even if all of them favor in-house training over external training.
I may surprise you, because from a political, economic and social point of view, the Nordic model is often talked about and successful. That said, just because Norway promotes gender equality and social mobility doesn’t mean that its management of vocational training is any less liberal. Just because citizens are willing to pay high taxes for one of the best education systems in the world, it doesn’t mean that the state also invests heavily in vocational training. In fact, as in the UK and Germany, the majority of vocational training is financed by companies. Norwegian companies are therefore among the European countries that spend the most on training costs. And it’s also one of Europe’s lowest unemployment countries, boasting a highly qualified workforce.
From what I’ve seen, it’s a system that works! So it’s time for me to hit the road again, to visit their Swedish neighbors.
No, no and no. Ikea isn’t the only company in the country. And while Norway and Sweden may share aurora borealis and Viking legends, when it comes to vocational training, the funding system is changing dramatically. This time, it’s neither companies nor mutual funds that have the upper hand, but the public sector.
As training courses are mainly state-funded, the duration of training is also very different from other European countries. While Scandinavia is not renowned for its gastronomy, in terms of training too, employees can be left wanting, as courses are rather short and often delivered by popular universities.
Logically, if we look at the share of corporate investment in educational costs, Sweden is at the very bottom of the ranking (contrary to its geographical position on the world map 😂).
I’m now back on the road and on the ferry to head a little further south and arrive in Denmark, very curious to see whether training management is closer to Norway or Sweden. And no, no and no, Lego isn’t the only company in the country!
Brick by brick, I came to the following conclusion: the vocational training system is halfway between mutualized funds and public financing. Let me explain. In fact, in Denmark, the social partners play a major role in shaping vocational training by organizing short courses known as AMU.
Are you sure you want me to give you the full name and not just the abbreviation? Arbejdsmarkedsuddannelser. Translation into French: formation sur le marché du travail. Now that’s clearer, isn’t it? The AMU scheme, aimed at less-educated citizens, is designed to help skilled and unskilled workers develop their professional skills. The system serves the interests of individuals, companies and society as a whole.
I can tell you that, of all the countries I visited on my European Tour, Denmark is undoubtedly the gold medal winner. Within the European Union, Denmark is a model when it comes to lifelong learning, employability and professional mobility. However, there’s no mystery to these results. It’s the European country that invests the most in professional training!
I’m back from Scandinavia with stars in my eyes, and I hope you are too.
If you missed the previous stages of my journey, it’s not too late! Articles are still available.
Tour d’Europe de la formation professionnelle part 1
Tour d’Europe de la formation professionnelle part 2
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