With the days getting shorter and the light decreasing, many of us want to get into “cocooning” or “hygge” mode, as the Danes say.
If the atmosphere in Scandinavian homes is known to be warm and comfortable, what about 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 professional training and share with you my discoveries in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Is the issue of funding professional training any sweeter when mixed in a hot cup of comforting beverage?
This is what we are going to see in this article. Are you well equipped with gloves, hat and scarf? So let's go!
First stop: Destination Norway
No, no and no. Norway is not just the land of fjords and salmon. Behind the postcard image, there are also companies with employees who need training to develop their skills. And no, not all Scandinavian countries are the same. Each has its own specificities in the field of professional training, even if all favor internal 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, it is not because Norway promotes gender equality and social mobility that the vocational training management is no 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 reality, as in the UK and Germany, it is companies that mainly finance vocational training. Norwegian companies are therefore among the European countries that spend the most on educational costs. And it is also one of the countries in Europe with the lowest unemployment rate and can boast a highly qualified workforce.
From what I can see, it's a system that works! So the time has come for me to get back on the road to visit their Swedish neighbors.
Second stop: Destination Sweden
No, no and no. Ikea is not the only company in the country. And although Norway and Sweden have the Northern Lights and Viking legends in common, when it comes to vocational training, the funding system is changing completely. This time, it is neither companies nor mutual funds that are popular, but the public sector.
As Training is mainly funded by the State, the duration of training is also very different from other European countries. If Scandinavia is not known for its gastronomy, in terms of training employees can also be left wanting because The courses are rather short and often provided by popular universities.
Logically, if we look at the share of business investment in educational costs, Sweden is therefore at the bottom of the ranking (contrary to its geographical position on the world map 😂).
Third stop: Destination Denmark
I have now taken the road and the ferry again to go back down a little further south and arrive in Denmark, very curious to see if the management of training is closer to Norway or Sweden. And no, no and no, Lego is not the only company in the country!
Brick by brick, I came to the following conclusion: the vocational training system is halfway between mutual funds and public funding. Let me explain. In fact, in Denmark, Social partners play a very important role in the construction of professional training by organizing short training courses called AMU.
Are you sure you want me to give you the full name and not just the abbreviation? Arbejdsmarkedsuddannelser. Translation into English: training on the job market. Ah, now we understand better, don't we?! The AMU device, which is aimed at less educated citizens, aims to help skilled and unskilled workers develop their professional skillsThis system meets the interests of individuals, businesses and society.
I can tell you that of all the countries I visited during my European Tour, Denmark undoubtedly takes the gold medal. Within the European Union, Denmark does model figure when we talk about lifelong learning, employability and professional mobility. However, there is no mystery in achieving such results. It is the European country that invests the most in professional training !
I'm coming back from Scandinavia with stars in my eyes and I hope you are too.
If you missed the previous steps of my journey, it's not too late! The articles are still available.
European tour of vocational training part 1
European tour of vocational training part 2
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