- The project “Toward market-based skills for sustainable energy efficient construction – TRAINEE”, being part of the European “Horizon 2020” program and the European Union initiative for capacity building and promotion of skills in the construction sector, continuously works toward achieving its primary goal – development of qualified workforce, prepared to tackle the challenges of sustainable energy efficient construction and stimulates a rise in the market value of the required skills, pointed out Jadranka Arizankovska, senior advisor at the Economic Chamber of Macedonia, at a press conference.
The activities of the Knowledge and Skills Management Center, which is part of the Project, involve a Call with two different qualification schemes that give rise to certification of the acquired skills and knowledge, namely: non-formal trainings that follow developed training programs and procedure for recognizing prior education acquired from non-formal or informal learning, subject to certification.
- In order to implement this entire process of validation of non-formal and informal learning in the Project, an Implementation Methodology for the process was developed. The Methodology groundwork was prepared in the scope of the Project “Build Up Skills BEET – Training for Construction Workers 2014-2016”, which was successful and resulted in 967 certified construction workers with skills in applying measures for EE construction. This Call covered the occupations from the third and the fourth level of the NQF. The project Methodology concerning the validation of non-formal and informal learning is upgraded with procedures for quality assurance and it will be tested on occupations with higher degree of qualifications, such as engineers, added Arizankovska.
Dr. Risto Janevski, President of the Energy Association of the Economic Chamber of Macedonia, pointed out that the Project is already delivering engineer trainings for design of solar collector and photovoltaic systems. The process of recognition and validation of prior knowledge and skills, as part of the lifelong learning and continuous upgrade, primarily contributes to the personal and professional development of the candidates, providing an official recognition of the achievements of the individuals, thus allowing them to employ or continue their formal education, but also improving their options and possibilities for career advancement.
- With the possession of a certificate, the demand for the workers on the labor market will exponentially increase and will make the employers that employ certified workers more competitive. The possession of a certificate is also significant to both the workers and the companies due to provisions of series of European directives, explained Dr. Janevski.
Prof. Dr. Lihnida Georgievska Stojanovska, professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, and a Project partner, highlighted that the Project provides for validation of non-formal and informal learning through recognition of prior knowledge and skills with a certificate for over 360 workers. The registration of candidates is carried out after the candidate determines that they acquired the required knowledge, skills and competences for any of the listed occupations in the course of their previous work experience and/or independent learning. These skills, knowledge and competences are named Learning Results and published in the document “Detailed information and guidelines on the process of recognition of prior knowledge and skills”, posted on the Project website http://trainee-mk.eu. Due to the rising interest in the Project, the application period has been extended up to and including 13 March 2020.
The Call will involve certification of candidates from the following occupations in the construction sector:
- Electrical installation fitter with skills in implementation of energy efficiency measures;
- Heating, cooling and ventilation fitter with skills in implementation of energy efficiency measures;
- Plasterer with skills in implementation of energy efficiency measures
- Roofer with skills in implementation of energy efficiency measures
- Joiner with skills in implementation of energy efficiency measures
- Fitter of solar thermal collector systems;
- Engineers with skills in design of solar thermal collector systems;
- Fitter of photovoltaic systems and
- Engineer with skills in design of photovoltaic systems.
One candidate may apply for recognition of knowledge and skills in one or several occupations.
- The submitted applications will be reviewed and assessed by an Evaluation Commission, composed of certified evaluators (trained within the Project), which is in complete accordance with the Draft-Law on Adult Education. If the submitted evidence of competence is not sufficient, the candidates may be summoned for an interview and/or verification of the knowledge and skills, underscored Dr. Georgievska Stojanovska.
The Certification Body, part of the TRAINEE Project, will be issuing the certificates to the workers and engineers and these will be valid in the scope of the Project, whose results are acknowledged by the European Commission and therefore, the certificates will be issued in Macedonian and in English language.
