Working in Belgium - Vocational training

The following are involved in organising vocational training in Belgium: the Federal State, the Communities and the Regions (the government), the social partners, companies, and training bodies.

1. The Regions

Today it is primarily the Regions that are authorised to regulate vocational training, as they have close links with employment (job placement, occupational rehabilitation, supplementary vocational activities). The public employment services play a vital role in organising and offering vocational training. The regional training centres provide training to job-seekers (e.g. as part of the guidance plan) and to employees as part of their continuous training.

In addition to managing and financing the public employment services, the Regions also have their own systems of training support. These measures generally involve the Region paying some of the training costs or paying a premium to companies who use training programmes. The Regions also provide grants to recognised institutions that develop socio-economic integration activities in the non-profit sector.

2. The Communities

A number of Community actions contribute towards vocational training policy through education channels, financed and organised by the Communities, such as education for social promotion, second-chance education, correspondence courses that allow you to sit examinations organised by the examination boards of the Communities.

3. Sector level

Companies are becoming more actively involved in vocational training policy by tailoring the training courses on offer to the specific needs of companies.

4. Training bodies

The main bodies involved are: The public training bodies, the VDAB in the Flemish Region, FOREM in the Walloon Region, the ADG for the East Cantons, and the RDBB in Brussels Capital Region.

There is a system of training cheques whereby subsidies are provided for a number of training schemes. 

The education circuits, mainly education for social promotion as well as universities and colleges (initiatives for education programmes outside normal hours). The sectoral training centres are open to employees in the sector and to job-seekers who wish to join that sector.

Certain companies (mostly larger ones) organise their own training.

General

There are many initiatives through which training courses can be followed. Discuss the matter with your employer, the employment services, schools and other training centres. Subsidies and study leave for employees are also available. The condition will generally be that you are sufficiently fluent in the language to follow the course. There are also many different language courses.

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Text last edited on: 08/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2007
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