Global Skills Marketplace

The Global Skills Marketplace (GSM) offered a series of interactive and engaging seminars that ran throughout the day on Friday October 7, 2011. GSM sessions were 50 minutes each, dedicated to global skills issues and were offered as part of the overall WorldSkills Premiere Experience (WSPE) - an international conference and event programme that brought together leaders from around the world to network, share best practices and learn from others.

The one-page Global Skills Marketplace timetable is available here
The full programme for the Global Skills Marketplace is available here.

08.00 – 09.00 Registration and refreshments
09.00 – 09.50 Round 1 – Choose one session from Round 1 – note, there is one session that runs over Round 1 and Round 2 time slots
10.05 – 10.55 Round 2 – Choose one session from Round 2
10.55 – 11.15 Tea and coffee break
11.15 – 12.05 Round 3 – Choose one session from Round 3
12.05 – 14.00 Lunch
13.00 – 13.50 Round 4 – Choose one session from Round 4
14.05 – 14.55 Round 5 – Choose one session from Round 5
15.00 - 16.30 - Complimentary session - WorldSkills Foundation - 'What it means to be a WorldSkills Advocate'

Round 1/2: 9.00-10.55am

1/2A - This session will take 2 time slots

Title: Skills for Success: Partnerships, Training and Youth Promotion as the backbone of economies around the world. Four countries' approaches.

Synopsis: Creating partnerships and working with youth is the backbone of economies around the world. Different countries/regions approach vocational education and training in different ways, but all have a similar goal - creating partnerships that support youth and in turn have positive economic impact.

Theme: Best Practices, Industry Involvement, Partnership

Speakers: Mr Timo Lankinen, Director General of the Finnish National Board of Education/President of Skills Finland & Mr. Markku Jokela, Development Director, Savo Consortium for Education, Finland; Dr. Ursula Renold, Director General of OPET, Switzerland; Dr. Ge, Director General of Vocational Education and Adult Education Division in the Ministry of Education China, David Cragg, Deputy Chairman of WorldSkills London, UK.Panel facilitated by Robert Schwartz, Harvard University, USA

Round 1: 9.00-9.50am

1B - Title: From NEET to Work. Action with support from the European Social Fund

Theme: Innovation and effective practice.

Synopsis: This session will provide an overview from the Young People's Learning Agency of how, since 2007, ESF employment and skills projects in England have helped young people NEET into further educaiton and work, plus a case study from a project that has had particular success

Speakers from: The Young People's Learning Agency, The Asphaleia Organisation, the European Commission, chaired by Wendy Violentano, Deputy Director European Social Fund Division.

1C - Title: NETCAM, Technology for tomorrow's education, training & assessment. Online live demonstration

Synopsis: An account of the JERICHO project that set out to increase the number of school leaveers and young offenders taking up apprenticeship opportunties by providing a virtual experience of traning and workplace environments.

Theme: Effective approaches

Speakers: Jon Winter, Chief Executive, S&B Automotive Academy; William Lewis, Head of Innovation, Learning and Skills Improvement Service, UK.

1E - Title: From Mutual Understanding to Mutual Recognition through the European Qualification Framework

Speakers: John Mountford, International Director Association of Colleges, Tellervo Tarko, Development Manager, Finnish Association for the Development of VET and Manfred Polzen, Senior Policy Advisor Affairs Sectoral VET Platforms and International Affairs, MBO Raad, Rene Van Schalkwijk

1F - Title: An Innovative Education-Industry Partnership

Synopsis: Innovation in construction for higher skills required to support global demands. This education-industry partnership is designed to provide construction firms with a new generation of skilled apprentices. Currently being evaluated as a future model for all apprenticeships in Wales, This shared scheme is unique in Wales and a positive effect is being seen

Theme: Education/Industry partnerships

Speakers: Mr Anthony Rees, Association Manager, CCTAL; Mr Barry Liles, Principal/Chief Executive Coleg Sir Gar, UK

2B - Title: Effective Practice. European Social Fund award winning projects that make a difference

Synopsis: National award winning European Social Fund employment and skills projects share how they have effectively promoted equality and sustainable development within their skills and employment provision - the lessons they have learned and the outcomes they have achieved

Theme: Innovation and effective practice

Speakers: 5 Awards will be given followed by 3 presentations: Juliette Green, Director, Women's Wisdom; Susan Bundy speaking on behalf of Cornwall Works for Learning Disability; Charles Jackson, Managing Director, Robert Jackson, Training Manager and Sidonie Richardson, Training Co-ordinator from the Recycling Lives Project

2C - Title: The Edge Hotel School - an intriguingly different experience of higher education

Synopsis: An intriguingly different experience of higher education - this school demonstrates a new method of providing highly skilled staff for the future of the industry

Theme: Effective Approaches, New models of education delivery

Speakers: Jane Samuels, Project and Operations Manager, Edge, UK; Peter Jones, Project Director, Edge Hotel School, UK

2D - Title: For the industry by the industry - the Skillset Tick of Approval

Synopsis: This session will explore the development and delivery of a UK-wide strategy to put industry at the heart of training and education delivery by developing an industry brand and quality process for all types of education and training programmes in the creative industry.

Theme: Industry partnerships

Speakers: Kate O'Connor, Executive Director, Skillset; Chris Wensley, Project Director, Skillset, UK

2E - Title: Learning in the workplace is a union matter.

Synopsis: Trade unions and union learning reps are playing an active role in the development of skills and knowledge in the workplace. As an integral part of the workforce development programme, Union Learning Reps can help both individuals and organisations develop.

Theme: Trade Unions, Best practices

Speakers: Mr Tom Wilson, Director, Union Learn; Mr Barry Francis, Regional Manager, Union Learn, UK, Mervi Ylitalo, Workers Education Association, Finland.

2F - Title: India: A Global Vocational Education & Training Marketplace in the making

Synopsis: India is uniquely placed in the world today with more than 55% of the population being below 35 years of age. This represents the ' great demographic divide'. Government policy is being re-written to reap the economic & leadership benefits of these demographics. Hear about the programs and projects that are being initiated and get a feel of the USD 20 Billion business opportunity that India's VET market represents.

Theme: Policy and Programmes

Speakers: Sanjay Shivnani, President & CEO, CL Educate Ltd, Satya Narayanan, Chairman, CL Educate Ltd, India

Round 3: 11.15 - 12.05pm

3A - Title: A tale of two mega cities, London and Sao Paulo

Synopsis: Both London and Sao Paulo are both dynamic and powerful cities, responsible for driving the economies of their respective countries. Both have major financial and marketing sectors and young populations. Discussion of the plans that these cities have to maintain and improve their standing as major economies with skills acquisition as a crucial contributor.

Theme: New workforce, global economies

Speakers: Bridget Rosewell, Chief Economic Advisor to Mayor of London; Professor Alcides Leite, Professor of Economics at Trevisan Business School, Brazil.

3B - Title: The Future of WorldSkills: Tapping into global youth networks.

Synopsis: How do we tap the existing communications culture of our youth to advance and share the mission and vision of WorldSkills organizations around the globe? What it means to be a youth spokesperson and what youth are doing to move the skills movement forward.

Theme: Best Practices, Youth Engagement

Speakers: Youth from around the world: Omar Munie, NL, Harry Smith, UK, Elena Melekos, USA, Emad Madha, USA. Panel to be chaired by Tjerk Dusseldorp, President, WorldSkills International.

3C - Title: Generation 'i' - the 21st Century Apprentice. Listening to the messages of young people - implications for apprenticeship development programmes

Synopsis: Giving the 21st centure apprentice a voice; from an apprentices' perspective the presentation will explore what it means to be a member of 'Generation i' and how an integrated approach to apprenticeship training can positively impact on apprecitce retention, attainment and progression.

Theme: Best practices

Speakers: Jez Anderson, Head of Apprenticeship Development; Brathay, UK, Apprentices: Richard Davies - ESSAR Oil (UK) Ltd and Jamie Reid, Kimberly-Clark, UK 3D - Title: Partnerships in education and employment- Cisco

Synopsis: In order to smooth pathways between education and employment there is a need for new partnerships between academic institutions and the workplaces. These partnerships can help to ensure equity of access and recognition of the balance between vocational and academic pathways. The panelists will discuss the nature of successful partnerships and draw on examples from some of the work Cisco is engaged in.

Theme: Best practice, Industry involvement

Speakers: Dr. Michelle Selinger, Education Director, Cisco UK, Panelists: Gary Coman, Director, Technical Advocacy, Cisco Networking Academy; Professor Derek Godfrey, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Buckinghamshire New University; Mak Sharma, Head of School for Computing, Telecommunications and Networks, Birmingham City University.

3E - Title: What are they thinking? Images and perceptions of European citizens of the Vocational Education and Training Path

Synopsis: A unique EU-wide survey of almost 27.000 citizens was completed to find out their atttitudes towards vocational education and training as a learning pathway. Find out the results.

Theme: Research, VET Policy

Speakers: João Delgado, Head of Unit for Vocational education and Training Policy and Leonardo da Vinci Programme, European Commission, Belgium.

3F - Title: How to give employers a real voice in skills development - international experience within and outside the sectors body system.

Synopsis: This seminar will feature an international policy dialogue on employer engagement within national skills strategies. The speakers, representing four countries from four different continents (United Kingdom, India, South Africa and New Zealand) will share their own experience with addressing the challenge of giving employers a real voice as part of national skills development agendas, within and outside the sectors body system, and ways in which these challenges have been or could be addressed.

The panel will explore whether it may be possible to identify some common themes internationally which can facilitate improved employer engagement mechanisms and also reflect on some of the key findings from research City & Guilds commissioned for India to understand what lessons can be learned from international experience around employer involvement in skills development through sector skills bodies.

The audience will be invited to submit questions in advance (to a dedicated email address) and also able to do so during the session.

Theme: Policy, Research base, Best Practices

Speakers: International policy dialogue. Michael Davis, Chief Executive, UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), United Kingdom; Dilip Chenoy, Managing Director and Chief Executive, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), India; Ebrahim Boomgaard, ETQA Manager, Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA), South Africa; and Debbie Martindale, General Manager, Workforce and Business Development, the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation (ATTTO), New Zealand. Organised by City & Guilds

Round 4: 13.00 - 13.50pm

4A - Title: The future of education in Europe

Synopsis: For the first time in the UK, Ms. Vassiliou will present the new European education programme and the priorities the EU sees in the area of education. She will talk about how studying and working abroad benefits young people and how the European Union can help them make it happen.

Theme: Education Policy, Youth Mobility

Speakers: Androulla Vassiliou, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, European Union

4B - Title: New and Innovative Skills Policy and Practice: The Samsung case

Synopsis: The Samsung Internship Training Programme - international knowledge, know-how and training exchange. Best practices on training and employing talented youth and recognizing the young talented pool as a valuable resource to achieve economic prospertiry

Theme: Best practices

Speakers: Liz Yoon, Marketing Manager, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

4C - Title: Empowering the technical workforce with tools and technology

Synopsis: The current and new generation of technical workers face more complicated tasks installing & maintaining business, industrial and residential systems. With additional demands for productivity, changing industry practices and regulatory compliance in environmental, health and safety , tool and technology solutions are needed. Manufacturers are designing and developing new tools to help meet those demands by listening to the users and empowering the workforce. Come and learn about the issues, the process and solutions.

Theme: Emerging Technology

Speakers: Jos Meinima, Fluke Corp., Technical Director

4D - Title: Empowering communities and raising living standards in Malaysia through skills training and life long learning

Synopsis: The Malaysian government is serious about elevating the standards of living of the average Malaysian. The life long learning approach being developed and delivered through Community Colleges in Malaysia is important to develop learning communities across the country.

Theme: Lifelong learning, Best practice

Speakers: Mohd Tasuan Piahat, Lecturer, Selayang Community College, Malaysia

4E - Title: MoVE - What does Vocational Excellence look like? Sharing the Competitor experience

Synopsis: An active research project that investigates the characteristics and experiences of vocational excellence.What we can learn from WorldSkills?

Theme: Research, Effective Approaches

Speakers: Dr. Petri Nolelainen, Univeristy of Tampere, Finland, Dr. Helen Smith, RMIT, Australia, Dr. Susan James, SKOPE, University of Oxford, UK, Ken Mayhew, University of Oxford, UK

Round 5: 14.05 - 14.55pm

5A - Title: Meeting the Skills Challenge in the Arabic World

Synopsis: The importance of skills development to the stability adn prosperity of the Arab world is highlighted. The session will explore the skills challenges facing Arabic countries and showcase how British Council and Partners are helping to address these challenges

Theme: New and innovative skills policy and practice.

Speakers: Neil Shaw, Regional Skills Advisor, Middle East, Near East, North Africa; Melanie Relton, Regional Skills Manager, Middle East, Near East, North Africa, Emerite Skills and Scottish Qualiifcations Authority

5B - Title: Survival, Recover, Growth - Where do Apprenticeships fit in? Shaping the future, the Australian 'Group Training' way.

Synopsis: Strategies to consider when exploring skills shortage solutions and well as talent growth and retention. Discussion of the establishment of an Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) that facilitates the employment and education of new apprentices

Theme: Global Workforce, Apprenticeship training

Speakers: Ashley Langdon, General Manager MEGT(UK) Ltd and IMPACT Apprenticeships, UK/Australia

5C - Title: Eyes on the future - how emerging technologies will influence who we train, how we train and what we believe

Speakers: Carl Peters, Director of Technical Training, Lincoln Electric, USA; John Mendoza, 2011 AWS President, USA, Matthew Wallace, President & CEO, VRSi, Inc. USA.

5D - Title: The Dutch approach for demand driven Vocational Education and Training: Industry and education, the Dutch success story

Synopsis: The Dutch system of secondary VET is one of the most progressive in the world, industry is involved with programmng, curricula development, execution and assessment. The Ministry facilitates the process based on national policy but industry, social partners and schools decide the content.

Theme: Industry Participation, Effective Approaches

Speakers: Fred Van Koot, Manager International Affairs. Centre of Expertise Aequor, The Netherlands.

15.00 -16.30pm ** Please note, a complimentary session to learn about the WorldSkills Foundation

Title: WorldSkills Foundation - Come and discover what it means to be a 'WorldSkills Advocate'

Speakers: TBC