P4 Skilled and socially inclusive region
4.2. More aligned vocational education and training (VET) programmes in the Central Baltic region
Central Baltic
01.12.2015 - 31.03.2019
€1 160 123
€966 049
ENDED. The project ITSVET aims at developing a model for providing ICT security skills on the vocational education level. Reports show that demand for ICT security professionals has grown faster over the past five years than demand for other ICT jobs. Thus, the objective of the project is to meet the needs of the region’s employers through developing a VET model for the ICT security specialists to reduce the skill gap of the labour market in the Central Baltic region. The consortium brings together ICT employers, vocational education institutions and vocational education regulatory bodies.
In practice the project performs a research to identify the needed competences for ICT security specialists in the Central Baltic labour market. Based on the results the project develops a new curriculum for vocational education schools in Estonia, Latvia and Finland. To make this a ready-to-go model, learning materials and a teacher’s guide will be developed and the future teachers of this curriculum will be trained. All three participating vocational schools will run a pilot of the developed curriculum in their school.
Developing a joint curriculum will lead to further integration of the Central Baltic region labour market due to enhanced mobility of students and employees as well as raised awareness about the developed curriculum.
Tehnikahariduse Edendamise Sihtasutus
Country: EE
Partner budget: 116.822 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 99.298 EUR ERDF
BCS Koolitus AS
Country: EE
Partner budget: 195.596 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 166.256 EUR ERDF
Tallinna Polütehnikum
Country: EE
Partner budget: 184.436 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 156.770 EUR ERDF
Rīgas Tehniskā koledža
Country: LV
Partner budget: 184.171 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 156.545 EUR ERDF
Helsinki Business College
Country: FI
Partner budget: 200.547 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 150.410 EUR ERDF
Latvijas Informācijas un komunikācijas tehnoloģijas asociācija - LIKTA
Country: LV
Partner budget: 124.033 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 105.428 EUR ERDF
SA Innove
Country: EE
Partner budget: 154.519 EUR
Amount of ERDF funding: 131.341 EUR ERDF
Sihtasutus Kutsekoda
Country: EE
Eesti Infotehnoloogia ja Telekommunikatsiooni Liit
Country: EE
Expected results
Gathering and interpreting evidence of ICT Security skills needs on the labour market will result in a occupational qualification standard project (OQSP) which is the official input for developing a new VET curricula.
Result 2 - Curricula in four languages
Based on the OQSP the ICT Security curricula will be developed. The result will be a EQF level 5 continuing VET curricula that has the prerequisite for a EQF level 4 course. The capacity of the curricula will be set according to the OQSP but it is estimated to be around 30-60 credits (0,5 - 1 year). The specific content and the length will depend on the input got from the labour market.
The curricula will be developed in english and localized for Estonia, Latvia and Finland.
Result 3 – Learning resources
Current projects aim is to have a ready-to-go course. In order to reach this the curricula specific learning resources need to be prepared. The existing materials will be gathered and missing pieces will be developed. The final result will be in estonian, latvian and finnish.
Result 4 – Skilled and competent VET institution teachers
In order to have a running VET course we need to have competent teachers. Firstly a teacher training syllabus will be developed according to the new curricula and the then the training will be conducted. The training will consist of in-class training, independent learning and practice in relevant ICT companies.
Result 5 - Teaching plan
Teachers will develop the curriculums teaching plan as a group work durng the training. The plan will include the teaching methods, relevant resources and methodologies.
Result 5 – Piloted and evaluated curriculum
The selected parts of the developed curricula will be piloted in all three vocational schools. Based on the feedback the needed changes will be made to the curriculum and learning materials.
Achieved results
ICT security skills on the vocational education level
The ICT Security Specialist curriculum was developed in English and localized for Estonia, Latvia, and Finland. 8 VET schools from Estonia, 5 schools from Latvia and 12 schools from Finland have been involved in project activities and teacher training and are preparing themselves to use the developed curricula.
Most important outcomes:
- Competence-based occupational standard for ICT Security Specialist EQF level 5.
- ICT Security Specialist curriculum for level EQF 5 in English, Estonian, Finnish and Latvian. Curriculum was piloted in all participating countries (EST, FIN, LAT) before issuing the final version.
- Learning Resources, especially practical Lab Manuals focusing on 26 most relevant ICT security topics for EQF 5 level specialists. These learning resources can be used for any VET or ICT training provider to use as is or to modify and use partially.
- Skilled and competent VET institution teachers: Teachers from 25 VET institutions were trained. To support teachers in introducing and teaching the curriculum Teacher handbooks were developed and launched in the form of a web source.
The project communicated directly with all main target groups: employers/SME's were addressed to define the skills gaps, VET students as main endusers were involved in direct training while piloting the curriculum and learning materials and VET teachers were engaged in teacher training and teachers' manual development. The electronic channels were for informing about international dissemination events, SME feedback survey, and teacher training.
The specific technical issues are subject to quick changes, but, as the curriculum consists of independent lab manuals, it should be easy to make changes in these.
Project has reported already clear interest from VET schools from the Netherlands, UK, and Spain, to introduce the concept also to their countries and to widen the scope of ICT security curricula to non-ICT students also.
- Competence Standard
- ICT Security Specialist curriculum
- Learning Resources
- Skilled and competent VET institution teachers
- Piloted and evaluated curriculum
