Fostering people’s mobility by developing a Regional Qualifications Framework for the PA
Fostering people’s mobility by developing a Regional Qualifications Framework for the PA
The objective of the project was to develop a Pacific Alliance Regional Qualifications Framework (RQF). This involves promoting educational, training, and labour mobility among PA countries, which is achieved through mechanisms for the recognition of learnings, whether obtained formally (through studies) or informally (through work experience).
A qualifications framework makes it possible to classify qualifications into different levels and to compare them at a regional level. In this case, the aim is to establish equivalences between qualifications in order to improve their recognition in the region, and to thus ensure a certain level of socio-economic resilience for people, considering the migratory movements observed in the PA.
The results of this project were achieved in collaboration with the PA Technical Groups on Education (GTE) and Labor (GTL), the Pacific Alliance Network of Qualifications Framework Specialists (REMCAP), the Pacific Alliance Network of Labour Qualifications and Certifications (RECCL), the Inter-American Center for Knowledge Development in Vocational Training (ILO/Cinterfor), the Ministries of Education, Labour, Mining and Energy, and the Extractive Sector.
DISCOVER PROJECT A07.2
SERVICES PROVIDED
This project produced a report, An Overview of the Pacific Alliance Certification Systems, to provide an overview of the certification systems and frameworks that already exist in the PA. This highlighted the importance of using inclusive language in qualification frameworks as a task for the future.
In addition, 13 working groups were organized to discuss quality assurance mechanisms in each of the PA countries and ensure confidence in the classification of different qualifications. In these virtual roundtables, participants identified the differences and similarities between the national qualifications frameworks and developed a roadmap to set the criteria for building the RQF.
With the technical assistance provided by the Inter-American Centre for Knowledge Development in Vocational Training, under the International Labour Organization (ILO/CINTERFOR), an RQF, specifying scopes, correlation criteria, principles, and descriptors (through a partnership agreement with the consortium), was developed. In parallel, a pilot project was carried out to apply the RQF to the tourism sector, which already had classifications for qualifications in all four PA countries.
It's something to be proud of!
Development
of 1 Regional Qualifications Framework, comprising 8 levels, for the four countries
Execution of 1
agreement with ILO/CINTERFOR
Organization of 13
working groups with REMCAP and 3 country rounds. One of the working groups was aimed at analyzing how to integrate GE into qualification frameworks.
Testimonials
What are the next steps for the Ministry of Labour now that the National Qualifications Framework is finalized ?
“From the perspective of the Ministry of Labour, we are very interested in quickly seeing what benefits citizens would have so that the need to follow through on the National Qualifications Framework can be seen.”
Nadiejda Quintana Vasallo
Coordinator of the National Qualifications Framework, under the General Directorate of Standardization, Training for Employment, and Certification of Labour Competencies, Ministry of Labour, Peru
OUTCOMES
Identification of a basic structure for the RQF
To achieve this, the partners used the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) as a guide, with eight levels of qualifications from the education and labour sector in three areas:
1) knowledge;
2) skills; and
3) autonomy and responsibility.
Agreement on a process for the implementation of the RQF in the PA countries
This includes the recognition of qualifications and the use of mechanisms for the portability of qualifications across the region.
Development of a roadmap to identify systems in the PA countries and correlate them
Mexico and Peru are in the process of developing their national frameworks, but these do not yet include qualifications. In the future, they could recognize those of Chile or Colombia or develop shared processes among PA countries to specify the competencies required in priority sectors. The next steps are to recognize equivalent qualifications and reach out to the relevant stakeholders:
1) training institutions, so they can create programs with these qualifications that could be recognized across the region;
2) employers, so they can recognize people who have these qualifications;
3) immigration authorities, so they can inform people moving between countries about the recognition they can get for their experience;
4) the community at large, because this is a very powerful tool for equity and inclusion.
TESTIMONIALS
Hear what they say about it
Andres Jaramillo Advisor to the National Qualifications Framework team of the Ministry of Education, Colombia
