What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country)?
Validation of experience (validation des acquis de l’expérience - VAE) allows individuals to obtain a partial or complete degree or certification by proving their work experience. According to the VAE website, validation of experience is possible for any individual with at least one year of experience directly related to the certification. Validation can take place by the awarding of a diploma, title or professional qualification certificate registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications (Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles - RNCP)
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
The Validation of Experience system was established with the passing of national legislation in 2002 and has been maintained through decrees since then. It has a clearly defined legal framework and is embedded in the legal rights of individuals. The VAE operates nationwide and is recognized throughout Europe.
The French system facilitates the recognition, validation and accreditation of non-formal and informal learning outcomes by providing a route towards qualification for individuals who have engaged in and completed a learning experience without receiving some form of certification. Employees can develop their careers and engage actively in growing their professional expertise. Validation includes evaluating the individual candidate’s portfolio and results in the achievement of a full or partial qualification.
Employees have a legal right to training leave to pursue recognition through the VAE system. Employers can initiate collective VAE processes for groups of employees. Such processes may also be implemented by individuals seeking employment.
VAE in France applies to many different types of qualifications, whether they are more vocationally oriented or products of general education, including qualifications given or accredited by government ministries and sectoral qualifications such as Certificats de Qualification Professionnelle (CQP).
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
VAE is operated by the department responsible for lifelong learning (currently the Department of Work, Employment, Professional Training and Social Dialogue). Implementation depends on the ministry awarding the diploma or qualification certificate
Validation of competences based on work experience is performed by a committee of academics and professionals that assesses whether the candidate is able to obtain the certificate of qualification.
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
Workplace learning and skill acquisition are the driving forces behind effective human resource management. The experience recognition framework allows workers with little or no educational qualifications and limited access to professional development to engage in skills training and increase chances for promotion.
The VAE system connects individuals with the wider European education system and labour market: the qualifications it leads to are found in France’s national qualification directory (RNCP) and correlates to levels three to eight of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Furthermore, VAE is widely regarded as a strong system because its qualifications are equal in value to those achieved by participants of formal vocational education and training (VET) programmes. The validation procedure is comprehensive and includes the identification, documentation and assessment of learning outcomes, followed by an official certification of learning awarded by a jury. By 2017, more than 307,000 qualifications had been awarded as a result of VAE, and approximately 1,300 qualifications were accessible through the system.
References:
Eurydice. 2018. France: Validation of non-formal ad informal learning. [Online] Available at: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/france/validation-non-formal-and-informal-learning_en [Accessed 10 September 2020].
Le Portail de la Validation des Acquis de L'expérience. n.d. Vous êtes un particulier : Qu’est-ce que la VAE ? [online] Available at: http://www.vae.gouv.fr/vous-etes-un-particulier/vous-etes-un-particulier-qu-est-ce-que-la-vae.html [Accessed 10 September 2020].