Bridging the Skills Gap between Work and Education

This text takes up the debate about matching vocational education with the labour market, and shows progress in terms of theoretical models, tools (transformation and matching processes), and learning environments. The contributions address the concepts of qualifications and skilling, the role, strengths and weaknesses of practical training, models and processes of becoming skilled, and whether or not one should try to plan the content of vocational programmes in accordance with changing qualifications requirements and skill needs in the labour market is the essential question. The search for effective tools, techniques and transformation models to bridge the skills gap between vocational education and the labour market has produced scenarios, policies, matching models, skill models, and best practices and experiences. The similarity in solutions, showing up the need for core or key skills, the necessity of embedding learning skills in authentic and guided learning environments, shows a perspective of research and developmental work to be tested in schools and in workplaces, to find better curricula for a better skilling.