On Thursday 20 June, in the framework of the SENA Convention, ILO/Cinterfor organised a videoconference focused on the recognition of certificates and credentials, with the participation of international experts in technical education and vocational training.

Catalina Estévez, head of the Area of Articulation with Technical Education at ChileValora, gave a presentation on the institution's model, highlighting the importance of agreements with higher education institutions to promote flexible training and labour trajectories.

The expert detailed the three main lines of work of ChileValora: technical-professional secondary education, technical-professional higher education and inter-institutional articulation. She also explained how the agreements with higher education institutions allow labour skills certifications to be recognised in the admission to technical careers, thus promoting flexible training and labour trajectories.

From Helsinki, Finland, Karita Blomquist, expert from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Education and Training (CEDEFOP), shared the European perspective on the recognition of qualifications. Blomquist explained the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and its role in facilitating comparability and transparency of qualifications across countries. "The EQF is a fundamental tool to support mobility and mutual recognition of qualifications in Europe, allowing workers and learners to move freely and validate their competences in different contexts," Blomquist underlined.

Main Barriers Identified

According to the results of the live survey, the main barriers to the development of certificate recognition mechanisms include the lack of clear policies, the low articulation between education and work, and the lack of certificate assessment criteria. "It is crucial to work on these aspects to facilitate the recognition of qualifications and promote more inclusive and accessible vocational training," Blomquist concluded.