Quavets in Bath

Notes from the meeting in Bath:

Present:  Ólafur Jónsson, Jarl Ove Glein, Maria Marçalo , Marián de Villanueva, Raimonda Celkiene,  Ausra Krupaviciene, , Carla Miguéns, Peter Skinner, Andy Willcox, Teresa Vintém, Berit Baardstu, Mark Andrews, Mercedes Carreño, Tamar Awad, Einar Freyr Magnûsson 

Apologies: Geoff Scaplehorn; Rasa Zygmantaite Agenda for meeting: The draft agenda circulated prior to the meeting was amended in order to be more focused on achieving specific objectives and outcomes.  It was agreed that the first day would be extended to ease direct travel to evening venue. 

1. Introductions PS welcomed everyone to Norton Radstock College and explained the domestic and fire drill arrangements.   He explained the importance of the 2 days being focused on clarifying the project tasks and making progress with the questionnaires.  He gave a warm welcome to several new delegates who were at the meeting, representing the specialist areas of construction and tourism.  Delegates were divided into the two ‘theme groups’ that would work together over the next 2 days and PS launched an ‘ice breaker’ exercise that was undertaken to introduce all members to everyone else in the meeting.  

2. Review of the project objectives, the minutes and actions from Madrid meeting. To summarise his understanding of the project so far, PS went through the following:

• The aims of the project details were defined and reviewed.
• The minutes from the Madrid meeting.
• The actions from Madrid were discussed.
• The details of National Qualifications available from several countries, although there is no national system in some countries and some others are under development.  The UK system is well developed.

• Vocational skills
• Vocational knowledge
• Personal skills
• Social skills
• Experience

The Spanish representatives stated that many Spanish workers are not formally qualified but are highly experienced and the questionnaires developed would need to take this into account.  The theme groups also agreed upon the sub-sector skill area they would choose to focus on and at what level, based upon what is available in each country.  The Construction group chose Painter (at Level 3) and the Tourism group chose Receptionist (at Level 3). 

3. Theme Group Activity: Identification of the characteristics of a skilled house painter and a skilled hotel receptionist. The meeting split into the 2 sector themed groups, each including representatives from each partner nation.  The groups drafted out lists of skills under the main skill category headings.  

After the group activity each group presented their work to the whole group.

Group 1 presented their understanding of the skills and competences for a  “Skilled Level 3 House Painter”

Group 2 presented their understanding of the skills and competences for a  “Skilled level 3 Hotel Receptionist” 

Points of interest from group work:

1. Not all countries have a National Qualification framework.
2. There are major differences in the level of detail provided in the definition of qualification levels, for example a level 3 Hotel Receptionist in Spain is defined by 12 pages of fine text, in other countries there is nothing.
3. There are differences in the qualification levels from country to country. 

The following model was suggested to help the identification of the skills and competences required for any type of “Skilled worker” regardless of the job or sector, but also showing potential sources for the information required.

4. Qualification InformationThere followed a discussion about what information can be gathered from the analysis of qualification details.  It was agreed that by considering the examples of qualifications for the particular jobs each group were focusing on, a common list of practical/technical competencies could be created that would broadly describe the typical level 3 painter or receptionist.  

Agreed Actions:1. By end of March each partner to submit their qualification details/competences for level 3 House painting and Hotel receptionist.2. Mark Andrews to collate all House painter qualifications, Olafur to collate all Hotel Receptionist qualifications.3. By Easter Mark and Olafur will publish back to the group the results of this work.4. By end of March, each group will provide Olafur and Jarl copies of their level 2 and 3 qualifications for Chef and Health Care. At the Reykjavik meeting the group will review and refine this information and the sector specialists will have the opportunity to select one or more common roles/levels/qualifications. 

5. Visit to the college’s Construction UnitThe group were taken to the college’s new construction unit and given an introduction to the work there by Mark Andrews - the Construction Coordinator.  Group members had the opportunity to tour the facilities and speak to students and staff. 

6. Theme Group Activity – Review and design of the questionnairesThe group split back into their 2 groups to conduct this task.  Each team was provided with sample draft questionnaires that had been supplied by the Lithuanian and Icelandic teams for each target survey group:  Employers, Work Supervisors, Tutors and Students.The group used these draft questionnaires and their own knowledge to identify what should be included in the proposed questionnaires.  After the group activity each group fed back their presentation. The general headings and content for Employer questionnaires identified by the teams is detailed below. 

Apologies: Geoff Scaplehorn; Rasa Zygmantaite The meeting started with a review of the first day’s activity and results.

PS summarised what he thought the key issues were, and that, in his view, there was a risk that the questionnaires would become too complicated.  Having discussed this issue with Olafur, it was proposed that a more simple version would use the main skill categories as the key questions with a list of items beneath each that respondents would be asked to choose and prioritise say 3 from. 

7. Theme Group Activity  – Completion of the Questionnaire The group again split into the 2 work groups and finalised the question headings and the sub questions. Each group presented back its findings, which were broadly similar.  Then working as one large team the meeting worked collectively to design a draft questionnaire. Once the design was completed the draft questionnaire was checked by group activity considered its use for House Painter and Receptionist. This activity confirmed it is possible to use one questionnaire for each profession and each target response group within the project scope.  One group had some additional questions to add for particular respondent groups - like employers or students etc.