Assessing and Certifying Occupational Skills and Competences in

Vocational and technical education and training systems (VOTEC) across OECD countries operate differently because of their histories. Today, however, they face similar challenges. Adapting and expanding VOTEC programs is recognized as key to developing a highly skilled workforce, the bottom line of performing economies. Expanding numbers in vocational and technical training, its growing cost and the trend toward decentralisation are all focusing interest on the ways skills can be assessed and certified. Approaches to assessment and certification will have to evolve in response to changing skill requirements, diverse exepctations of young people, and the growth of adult training. Whether acquired in schools or in the work environment, skills and qualifications must be visible and portable in national labor markets and across countries. The implications of this changing context for qualifications sytems, certification procedures, learning processes and labor mobility: this publication considers all these aspects and describes different approaches to assessment and certification in a number of OECD countries.