Modelling the Centers of Vocational Excellence

Dimitar Hristov

This article is a continuation of our series of blog articles on excellence in vocational education and training. In it, we focus on the characteristics of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs). At the held on 30.10.2024 workshop of experts in the field of vocational training, the question of what CoVE's model would be suitable for Bulgaria was considered and discussed. The issue became relevant in connection with the participation of the cluster and two more organizations from Bulgaria in the international InvesTech project. Excellence in learning is the goal of all education and training systems both within and outside the European Union (EU).

The VET Initiative (CoVEs) aims to support a paradigm shift in the way vocational education and training (VET) interacts with economic and social partners in a given local context, closely embedded in local innovation ecosystems, while working with hubs in other countries through international cooperation platforms.

The EU's concept of excellence in vocational education and training is characterized by a holistic learner-centred approach where vocational training:

• is an integrated part of skills ecosystems, contributing to regional development, innovation, smart specialization and cluster strategies, as well as specific value chains and industrial ecosystems.
• forms part of the knowledge triangle in close cooperation with other sectors of education and training, the scientific community and business - expansion to the Quintuple Helix is ​​now mandatory (academic community, industry, public sector, civil society, and environment).
• enables learners to acquire both vocational (job-specific) and key competences through the provision of high-quality VET that is supported by quality assurance;
• builds innovative forms of partnerships with business and is supported by continuing professional development of teaching staff, innovative pedagogical methods, student and staff mobility and VET internationalization strategies.

What is a Center of Vocational Excellence (CoVE)?

It is a partnership-based VET network organization forming an ecosystem of excellence and innovation to provide high-level skilled professionals needed in national and international labor markets and to contribute to the development of national and regional economies.

A CoVe achieves its objectives by bringing together and collaborating with local/regional partners such as initial and continuing VET providers, higher education institutions including universities of applied sciences and polytechnics, research institutes, science parks, innovation agencies, companies, other employers, chambers and associations, social partners, social enterprises, sector skills councils, professional/sectoral associations, national and regional authorities and development agencies, employment services, qualifications authorities, social inclusion and reintegration organizations etc.

Such a CoVE stimulates the development of local business and innovation by working closely with companies (in particular SMEs) on applied research projects, establishing knowledge and innovation centers and supporting the entrepreneurial initiatives of its trainees.

What are the characteristics of CoVEs?

• Focus: CoVEs are designed to provide comprehensive professional development for individuals working in specific industries or functional areas. They aim to meet a wide range of skills and knowledge needs by providing a combination of training, education and practical application opportunities.
• Scope: CoVEs typically have a wider range of training programs and services than traditional Vocational Training Centers (VET). These can include vocational training, higher education, research, innovation and collaboration with industry.
• Target Audience: CoVEs serve professionals working in specific industries or functional areas, as well as students seeking to enter these fields. They can also serve as continuing professional development centers for those working in these industries.
• Duration: Training programs at CoVEs can range from short-term to long-term, depending on the complexity of the subject and the level of skills being taught. These can include both intensive training sessions and more extended educational programs.
• Certification: CoVEs may offer various forms of certification or recognition of completion, depending on the nature of the training programs. They may also partner with academic institutions to offer formal degrees or diplomas.

Taxonomy of Centers of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs)

At least five types of CoVEs are known in practice:

1. New and independent VET service provider

Such a center is created from scratch in a new urban or even rural area and may be isolated and unconnected to existing institutions. It can be located in a new or existing building, on suitable own grounds or in an existing industrial area. Business (from a given industry) should be involved in the creation and co-financing of such a CoVE from the outset. Its early engagement will ensure effective public-private management of the center that will be aligned with both business goals and government policies.

2. An independent training organization or institution seeking to expand its functions and offer a wider range of training services

CoVE is an existing training organization that has served an industry and/or is geographically located in a growing industrial area. Leveraging its resources and already established network, this organization can act as an engine of excellence and innovation for the VET network, contributing to methodological developments, research and capacity building in VET as a whole at national, regional and inter-regional levels.

3. Part of an institution or organization offering educational products and services

CoVE is created as part of already existing assets that are refined and functionally organized. The model is suitable for higher education institutions or training institutions that are already recognized as high-level performers. The new center becomes a benchmark and an example of good practice in excellence/innovation, based on its effectiveness and because it benefits from the reputation held by the educational establishment or institution to which it was created.

4. A network organization for transferring excellence and innovation values ​​to the VET community

CoVE is an existing institution, organization or agency that coordinates a network of leading training providers and has built close links with industry. This can be a leader in methodological developments, in innovative training practices, or in the introduction of new equipment, technologies and innovations. A network of excellence can be extremely valuable to more quickly identify industry needs for innovative solutions related to national and regional priorities. Such a network often has an international dimension.

5. Multi-profile or multi-sectoral VET providers

Multi-sectoral education providers acting as regional development centers offer high-level qualifications in occupations linked to more than two main economic sectors. Such VET providers contribute to the diversification of training while avoiding overlap in the provision of training for the same specialties or profiles in different institutions, thus avoiding inefficient competition between educational institutions.

Below is an example block scheme of a Type 3 CoVe in the ICT industry:

The relationships between these blocks can be described as follows:

• Training Center is a unit of an University and/or of a Center for High Technology (CHT) and it receives requests for training from students, businesses and partners in a given industry (e.g. in ICT).
• The Training Center uses the existing offices and laboratories, which provides the necessary physical environment and equipment for conducting training; it develops the curriculum, content, learning materials and validation system, adapts the curriculum to the specific needs of learners and engages instructors and trainers to conduct the trainings and organizes the validation of the acquired knowledge and skills.
• The Career Center supports trainees (students) throughout the entire educational process.
• An organization from the Innovation Hub and/or a Cluster creates opportunities for cooperation and knowledge exchange with industry and in networks, conduct marketing and promote CoVE and its training programs, attracting new students, trainees and partners.
• The Financial Department of the university (or CHT) manages the income and expenses of CoVE, ensuring its financial sustainability.
• The university's Technical Department ensures the functioning of CoVE's IT infrastructure and provides technical support.

This conceptual model provides insight into the main components of CoVE and their interrelationships, helping to visualize the information flows and logical connections between them. There is serious work to be done to adapt this model to the needs of the project and its concretization in Bulgaria.