Practical Learning: “Gildeleren” in Drenthe, NL

A concrete example of cooperation between education and working place

Introduction

Practical learning/learning at the work place is designed to provide students with a more solid training that will enable them to have better opportunities in the labour market. In the following, you will find a description of practical learning – a close cooperation between the field of work and the field of education – for Education Service Care/welfare level two students at Drenthe College in the Netherlands. The experience shows that solid practical experience of a year, a richly stocked portfolio and available references lead to more chances of the labour market.

Why start with practical learning

The reason to start practical learning was a shortage of internship places for the Education Service Care/welfare level 2 in Drenthe. There was simply more demand than supply of internships in care. At the same time due to regional diversification and limited public transport, some internships remain sometimes unoccupied.

Students cannot start their internship regularly if no suitable internships places are available. This leads to delays in study duration and in some cases, students even drop out from the education (high dropout rate compared to level 3 and 4 courses). Besides there was a need for a qualitative upgrade.

In addition to a shortage of internships, there was also a need for a certain group of students to have a more intensive form of practical learning.  The youth unemployment in the region for persons without a start qualification is high. However, future labour market perspective for a qualified care worker seems better but this will of course depend on the developments in the disabled and the elderly care.

With practical learning, the students are provided with a solid training that will enable them to have a chance in the labour market. In addition, flow to a higher educational level will be a possibility for a number of students.

Goals of practical learning are:

• To get students acquainted with a care institution, which gives them an interest in this sector.
• Breeding pond for future (temporary) workers at level 2 and for future students at level 3 sphere
• Creating a win-win situation in multiple fields for both care education and care community with regard to labour, participation and training.
• Sustainable anchoring and continuous development.

The intended (side) effects are:

• More and broader professional expertise of graduates
• More high quality internships in a structured learning environment
• Better alignment of education and practice
• Developing curriculum together
• More continuation to Level 3 courses
• Reducing the number of early school leavers
• Higher Diploma-Yield
• Implementation of social responsibility
• Image enhancing function
• Guest lessons appropriate to the curriculum can be given by the care institution. This increases the internal involvement in the training of future personnel

Practical learning is characterized by:

• Intensive supervision of students by the teacher and practice trainer (master)
• Active role of the work supervisor by giving example, competence
• Teach, watch, stimulate, motivate, give feedback
• The practice trainer supports the work supervisors in their accompanying task
• Work guides focus on teaching craftsmanship.
• Education moves into practice, some generic subjects may require school education
• Lecturer is present daily and takes the personal accompaniment of students on the social/emotional level for his/her account
• There is daily accompaniment within the practical learning, there are short lines and a lot of structure is offered to the students

Implementation

Students are supported during their training course by:

• Supervisors/employees of the institution
• Practice Trainer(s) of the institution
• Teachers of Drenthe College

• The internship is 28 hours per week with traineeships between 7.30 and 21.00 (where necessary and in consultation weekends, school holidays and public holidays)
• An internship day consists of 7 hours a day. Learning schedule is made by mutual agreement between the institution and Drenthe College. Furthermore, the arrangements for interns apply as reflected in the legal regulations.
• The students meet the Dutch 1000-hour standard. The hours accountability is described by Drenthe College
• The learning activities correspond to the apprenticeship profile/educational offer of the training services care/wellbeing.
• One day a week is a lesson day (workshops). Education moves entirely to the institution. The teacher is daily in the institution and daily educational activities take place. The lesson day is given in the learning room (in the care institution) and the teacher is also present for coaching the students and gives advice/support to the working supervisors in the field of the right approach in educating students.
• If necessary the lessons for language and arithmetic can be offered at Drenthe College.
• Professionals of the institution may also be asked to provide a workshop.

Cooperation conditions

In practice, learning-rich internships are created for the healthcare student. The working supervisors within the institution are able to make the competences necessary to create the role of trainer, supervisor and evaluator. They are functionally coached by a practice trainer of the institution.

The work supervisors are able to share their experiences with each other

• These work guides/employees are able to guide interns in the workplace, are training prepared, give a good example and welcome feeling to the students.
• The work guides/staff will give students the opportunity to learn. They offer sufficient learning activities of a different nature.

The supervisors/employees are able – after an internal training – to provide guidance appropriate to vocational training.

A dossier is set up per work companion explaining which competences the work supervisor already has and which are taught in the coming years (also regarding inspection requirements from the education, in practice students must learn skilled escorts).

There is a meeting 2 times per year for the working supervisors with the aim of providing good work guidance to the students and also information transfer and reconciliation.

There is a learning room within the institution where lessons and workshops can be given and where (coaching) conversations take place. It is also the workplace for the teacher and the meeting place for the students (a home base for the students);

• Students are collected in the learning room at the start of the day.
• The lesson day is given in the learning room
• Students receive an internship fee and travel expenses in accordance with the legal regulations
• Method, code of conduct and vision of the institution play a central role in the education programme,
• It is important to create and maintain the level of support and training of organisations involved.
• The institution has a decisive voice in the adoption of the students.

For Drenthe College: 

• Care is taken for the agreed teacher occupancy for the agreed period;
• Teachers are used to the coaching of the students, support of work supervisors, as well as the provision of education
• The teacher is present 5 days a week and receives daily students in the learning room, together with the trainers
• The teacher takes the personal accompaniment of the students in social-emotional field for his or her account
• Absent students are called directly
• The interpretation of the free space of the curriculum is determined by mutual alignment; in the curriculum and beyond
• The teacher has regular consultations with the work supervisors
• The students have the school holidays, holidays and weekends free, however, where necessary they are asked to be present at their internship on these days.
• Drenthe College ensures good preparation of students on practical learning
• Drenthe College selects candidates for the “job application Speed-date”
• Drenthe College has an insightful apprenticeship system and ensures the presence of available legal documents
• Drenthe College takes care of Hepatitis B statement and charges the costs

For the students:

• Students are prepared to work according to a common timetable (between 7.30 and 21.00 hours) (not in the night)
• Students are motivated for an internship and have affinity with this target group
• Students have a good physical condition
• Students with other mother tongues are able to communicate with care seekers and colleagues
• Students meet the student profile, prepared by the college and the work place
• Students are only permitted if they can obtain a Statement of conduct.

Cost

Every organization of practical learning costs money, but it is something that makes it worthwhile to make the costs. Learning benefits beyond the intended objectives are:

• Increasing the expertise of employees in supervising students
• Improving the quality of care/services
• Increasing customer satisfaction
• Extension of care/services
• Increasing the self-resolving ability of the organization/department by introducing independent learning.
• Learning path for students

Example of a study week at the work place:

• Monday Lesson Day (8.30 to 15.45)
• Wednesday morning (8.30-11.45)
• Friday afternoon Intervision