SBB, the foundation for cooperation on vocational education, training and the labour market

Guaranteeing sound vocational education is a shared responsibility for vocational education and the labour market. Within the Foundation for Cooperation on Vocational Education, Training and the Labour Market (SBB), education partners together with the social partners work on optimising the links between vocational education and the labour market. As a result of this cooperation, the Ministry of Education can rely on sound advice, where education and labour market speak with one single voice. At the end of the day, this is the best possible outcome for students in Senior Secondary Vocational Education and Training (VET), and the companies subsequently employing those students. SBB is responsible for the Dutch VET qualifications structure, examinations, work placement and the offer of training programmes. Full descriptions of VET qualifications in Dutch are available on www.kwalificatiesmbo.nl As (international) mobility of workers and students increases, this raises questions about transparency and the value of (foreign) qualifications. In order to deal with these issues, SBBs Department for Credential Evaluation provides policy advice about the comparability between Dutch and foreign VET qualifications and systems. Furthermore it issues the (Europass) Certificate Supplement, one of the European instruments for the transparency of diplomas and competences. The Certificate Supplement (CS) provides a brief and practical description of the content and background of the obtained VET diploma, in Dutch, German On the website of Europass http://europass.cedefop. europa.eu the so-called National Reference Points (NRP) for VET in all European member states are mentioned, such as SBB in the Netherlands, the Bundesinstitut fr Berufsbildung (BIBB) in Germany and the Nationales Europass Zentrum (NEC) in Austria. It is the task of the NRPs to issue (Europass) Certificate Supplements on VET diplomas in the home country. and English. This information gives employers and educational institutions a clear picture of the training programme, skills and competences. It is a useful instrument for those who want to be informed in a quick and reliable way on the diploma, whether obtained in the home country or abroad. Certificate Supplements on Dutch VET diplomas can be found in the above mentioned languages on the website of SBB: cs.s-bb.nl

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