Understanding

Teachers who teach in vocational education and training have generally completed a vocational education programme in the teaching subject and have taken afterwards higher education. In addition, teachers are required to have at least five years of professional experience./typo3/

There are no requirements for teachers to have a pedagogical qualification prior to their employment. Pedagogical training is provided as part-time in-service training and is based on interaction between theory and practice. It is provided by the National Centre for Vocational Pedagogy (Nationalt Center for Erhvervspædagogik, NCE), a centre of excellence collecting, producing and disseminating knowledge on vocational pedagogy. NCE provides the tertiary level diploma degree programme in vocational pedagogy (Diplomuddannelsen I Erhvervspædagogik) (60 ECTS points), as well as several further education courses for VET teachers and other programmes. This programme was introduced for all teachers employed in IVET (vocational upper secondary education and training) and AMU (adult vocational training) after 15 January 2010 and replaces the previous teacher training course (Pædagogikum). The objective is to improve teaching skills to a level equivalent to teachers in compulsory education with a professional bachelor’s degree. The new programme is the equivalent of one year full-time study (60 ECTS). It is, however, generally conducted as a part-time study to root training in practical teaching experience./typo3/

New teachers must enrol in the programme within one year of gaining employment at a VET college or AMU centre. The programme must be completed within a period of six years. The programme was developed by the National Centre for Vocational Pedagogy with cooperation of an advisory group comprised of representatives of teacher associations and college management organizations’ as well as the Ministry of Children and Education. There are three compulsory modules and two optional as a final examination project./typo3/

In the field of vocationally oriented adult education, while both subject specific qualifications and professional experience are formally requested, no specific pedagogical qualifications are required before entering the profession. However, since January 2011, enrolment in a diploma programme specifically for teachers within vocational education and training and labor market training, has been required no later than one year after entering employment within the sector, and the diploma programme must be completed within six years. For vocationally oriented adult education corresponding to the tertiary education level in the mainstream education system, i.e. further adult education, Diploma education and Master education, there exists specific criteria to be met by prospective teachers in order to be employed by relevant educational institutions, but no specific competences in teaching of adults are required before employment./typo3/

Teachers and trainers at academies of professional higher education and university need to be qualified at a higher education level than the level of completion of the education program which they teach. (For example, teachers who teach a bachelor program must have a master degree etc.) After lecturers have been accepted at the University, they are obliged for four years to attend an accompanying course on pedagogical and didactic content. The course focuses on teaching and research and development. After four years, the result of the course will be evaluated by a committee, appointed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education. The lecturer must demonstrate teaching ability, including the ability to develop, organize and conduct professional or vocational education. If the committee feels the work of the lecturer to be sufficient, the person is appointed senior lecture.

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References

_{CEDEFOP REFERNET Denmark, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (2012): Denmark. VET in Europe – country report.}

_{URL: http://libserver.cedefop.europa.eu/vetelib/2012/2012_CR_DK.pdf, [30.04.2013].}

_{Department of Curriculum Research Aarhus University (2011): Adult Learning Teachers as Learners.}

_{URL: http://edu.au.dk/fileadmin/www.dpu.dk/institutfordidaktik/cursivskriftserie/Cursiv_6.pdf, [30.04.2012].}

_{The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Educational Support, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education (2012): OECD-review. Skills beyond School. National Background Report for Denmark.}

_{URL: http://fivu.dk/en/publications/2012/files-2012/oecd-review-skills-beyond-school-denmark.pdf, [30.04.2013].}

_{The Ministry of Children and Education (n.y.): Initial vocational education and training programmes.}

_{URL: http://eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/Upper-secondary-education/~/media/UVM/Filer/English/PDF/Fact%20sheets/101221_Initial_Vocational_education_and_training_programmes.ashx, [30.04.2013].}