OECD Skills Strategy Slovak Republic 9264716831, 9789264716834

Table of contents :
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Note
Abbreviations and acronyms
Executive summary
OECD-Slovak Republic collaboration on the OECD National Skills Strategy project
Key findings and opportunities for improving the Slovak Republic’s skills performance
Priority 1: Strengthening the skills of youth (Chapter 2)
Priority 2: Reducing skills imbalances (Chapter 3)
Priority 3: Fostering greater participation in adult learning (Chapter 4)
Priority 4: Strengthening the use of skills in the workplace (Chapter 5)
1 Key insights and recommendations
Skills are key to responding to the challenges and opportunities associated with demographic change, digitalisation, and globalisation
The possible automation of jobs is a serious challenge for the Slovak Republic
Demographic change and globalisation deepen the challenges
Skills are key to building an adaptable and resilient economy and society
The OECD Skills Strategy project in the Slovak Republic
Key themes for the Slovak Republic’s skills system
Performance of the Slovak skills system
Developing relevant skills
The performance of young people and the inclusiveness of the education system could be improved
Tertiary education has expanded rapidly, but challenges remain
The comparatively strong foundational skills of adults could be supported by a stronger culture of adult learning
Many adults are not motivated to learn, and barriers to participation are high
Using skills effectively
Labour market performance has improved, but there are significant imbalances
Skills could be used more effectively in workplaces, especially to raise productivity
Innovations in workplaces and the broader economy could support effective skills use
Strengthening the governance of skills systems
The effectiveness of strategies, policies and reforms is often compromised by weak implementation
The whole-of-government approach to skills policies could be strengthened
Policy context in the Slovak Republic
Priority areas and recommendations
Priority 1: Strengthening the skills of youth
Opportunity 1: Increasing enrolment in pre-primary education, especially among vulnerable groups
Opportunity 2: Supporting schools and teachers in their work with vulnerable students
Opportunity 3: Building a strong teaching workforce
Overview of recommendations
Priority 2: Reducing skills imbalances
Opportunity 1: Improving the dissemination of information on labour market and skills needs
Opportunity 2: Strengthening the responsiveness of students and their families to labour market needs
Opportunity 3: Strengthening the responsiveness of secondary VET and tertiary education institutions to labour market needs
Opportunity 4: Moving from “brain drain” to “brain gain”
Overview of recommendations
Priority 3: Fostering greater participation in adult learning
Opportunity 1: Improving the governance of adult learning
Opportunity 2: Increasing the participation among adults out of work
Opportunity 3: Supporting the capacity of employees and firms to engage in adult learning
Overview of recommendations
Priority 4: Strengthening the use of skills in workplaces
Opportunity 1: Creating the conditions to facilitate the adoption of HPWP in Slovak firms
Opportunity 2: Providing incentives and support to Slovak firms for the adoption of HPWP
Opportunity 3: Enhancing the governance of policies and strategies that affect skills use
Overview of recommendations
References
Annex 1.A. OECD Skills Strategy Dashboard: Slovak Republic
Characteristics
Indicator selection
Method for the calculation of aggregate indicators
Annex 1.B. Strategies and recent reforms in the Slovak Republic related to skills and education
Notes
2 Strengthening the skills of youth
Introduction: The importance of strengthening the skills of young people in the Slovak Republic
Overview and performance of the education system in the Slovak Republic
Overview of the Slovak education system
The performance of the Slovak Republic
Opportunities to strengthen the skills of youth in the Slovak Republic
Opportunity 1: Increasing enrolment in pre-primary education, especially among vulnerable groups
Improving the availability of pre-primary schools in disadvantaged regions
Recommendations for improving availability of pre-primary schools in disadvantaged regions
Lowering the perceptional and financial barriers that prevent disadvantaged groups from enrolling in pre-primary education
Recommendations for lowering the perceptional and financial barriers that prevent disadvantaged groups from enrolling in pre-primary education
Opportunity 2: Supporting schools and teachers in their work with vulnerable students
Providing targeted support to vulnerable students
Recommendations for providing targeted support to vulnerable students
Identifying schools and students at risk
Recommendations for identifying schools and students at risk
Opportunity 3: Building a strong teaching workforce
Enhancing the practical aspects of curricula in initial teacher training
Recommendations for enhancing the practical aspects of curricula in initial teacher training
Improving the professional development of teachers
Recommendations for improving the professional development of teachers
Supporting teacher career advancement
Recommendations for supporting teacher career advancement
Overview of recommendations
References
3 Reducing skills imbalances
The importance of reducing skills imbalances
Overview and performance for reducing skills imbalances in the Slovak Republic
Overview of the current arrangements for reducing skills imbalances
Generating and disseminating information on labour market and skills needs
Building a responsive education system
Attracting workers from abroad
Performance of the Slovak Republic
Overview of skills imbalances in the Slovak Republic
Explaining the underlying dynamics in skills shortages and skills mismatches
Opportunities to reduce skills imbalances
Opportunity 1: Improving the dissemination of information on labour market and skills needs
Strengthening the dissemination of information from SAA tools to all users
Recommendation for strengthening the dissemination of information from SAA tools
Opportunity 2: Strengthening the responsiveness of students and their families to labour market needs
Improving the direct dissemination of information to students and their families
Recommendations for improving the direct dissemination of information to students and their families
Expanding career guidance in schools and universities
Recommendations for strengthening career guidance in schools and universities
Opportunity 3: Strengthening the responsiveness of secondary VET and tertiary education institutions to labour market needs
Supporting recent reforms in secondary VET institutions
Recommendations for supporting the recent reforms in secondary VET institutions
Strengthening incentives to align tertiary education with labour market needs
Recommendations for strengthening incentives to align tertiary education with labour market needs
Opportunity 4: Moving from “brain drain” to “brain gain”
Attracting Slovak workers from abroad
Recommendations for attracting Slovak workers from abroad
Attracting foreign workers from abroad
Recommendations for attracting workers from abroad
Overview of recommendations
References
4 Fostering greater participation in adult learning
Introduction: The importance of fostering greater participation in adult learning in the Slovak Republic
Overview and performance of the adult education system in the Slovak Republic
Overview of the Slovak adult education system
Performance of the Slovak Republic
Opportunities to foster greater participation in adult learning in the Slovak Republic
Opportunity 1: Improving the governance of adult learning
Further improving the Slovak Republic’s long-term adult learning strategy
Recommendations for further improving the Slovak Republic’s long-term adult-learning strategy
Improving co-ordination across ministries, levels of government and stakeholders
Recommendations for improving co-ordination across ministries, levels of government and stakeholders
Opportunity 2: Increasing the participation among adults out of work
Providing high-quality and accessible training
Recommendations for providing high-quality and accessible training
Strengthening the outreach of labour offices
Recommendations for strengthening the outreach of labour offices
Opportunity 3: Supporting the capacity employees and firms to engage in adult learning
Designing targeted incentives that reflect labour market needs
Recommendations for designing targeted incentives that reflect labour market needs
Targeting tax exemptions at SMEs
Recommendations for targeting tax exemptions at SMEs
Overview of recommendations
References
5 Strengthening the use of skills in workplaces
The importance of the effective use of skills for the Slovak Republic
Overview and performance of skills use in the Slovak Republic
Overview of current arrangements for skills use in the Slovak Republic
Performance of the Slovak Republic
The use of skills in workplaces
The adoption of HPWP in the Slovak Republic
Flexibility and autonomy at work
Teamwork and information sharing
Training and development
Benefits, career progression and performance management
Opportunities to improve the effective use of skills
Opportunity 1: Creating the conditions to facilitate the adoption of HPWP in Slovak firms
Creating a supportive working environment for employees
Recommendations for creating a supportive working environment for employees:
Strengthening the skills and motivation of management staff
Recommendations to strengthen the skills and motivation of management staff:
Developing entrepreneurial attitudes from early on in the education system
Recommendation for developing entrepreneurial attitudes from early on in the education system:
Opportunity 2: Providing incentives and support to Slovak firms for the adoption of HPWP
Raising awareness of skills use, workplace practices and support programmes
Recommendations for raising awareness of skills use, workplace practices and support measures:
Strengthening and expanding support measures to firms
Recommendations for strengthening and expanding support measures to firms:
Leveraging employer groups, clusters and sectoral associations for the adoption of HPWP and to facilitate knowledge spillovers
Recommendations for leveraging employer groups, clusters and sectoral associations for the adoption of HPWP and to facilitate knowledge spillovers:
Opportunity 3: Enhancing the governance of policies and strategies that affect skills use
Strengthening visions, strategies and action plans for the growth and innovation of firms and workplaces
Recommendation for strengthening the visions, strategies and action plans for the growth and innovation of firms and workplaces:
Applying a whole-of-government approach and engaging stakeholders in policies that affect skills use
Recommendation for applying a whole-of-government approach and engaging stakeholders in policies that affect skills use:
Enhancing the adoption of HPWP in the public sector to raise effectiveness and efficiency
Recommendations for enhancing the adoption of HPWP in the public sector to raise effectiveness and efficiency:
Overview of recommendations
References
Annex A. Engagement
Workshop moderators and note-takers
OECD missions to Slovakia
Mission 1: Skills Strategy Seminar
Mission 2: Assessment mission
Mission 3: Recommendations mission
Annex A. Engagement