How to start WBL

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The most common form of Work-based Learning in Bosnia and Herzegovina is based on alternate learning in schools and practical training in companies which can range between one and three days per week during the school year.

The school determines the criteria for choosing companies. It crates a network for cooperation and exchange of information between schools and companies and prepares the necessary documentation (contracts, guidelines, checklists, questionnaires). It identifies the programmes, or parts of programmes, which will be trained in the companies. The school defines the competences the students need to achieve and ways this can be measured…

Initially the schools identifies the respective sector companies operating in the municipality, region and nationwide. After its identification, the school staff responsible for contacting and establishing cooperation with the business proposes the partnership to the company. The companies interested for such partnership sign the Memorandum of Cooperation where the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved are defined. For its implementation, the school in close collaboration with the business drafts the implementation plan to be implemented based on the criteria defined in the Memorandum.

“In-Company Training programs,” “Business Membership Organizations” (BMOs) development, “Retail Internship Scheme” development, and the establishment of “Local VET employment networks” are the mechanisms considered into the successful WBL implementation as well offering the knowledge and skills in real work situations to the students and future employees.

According to these documents, to implement WBL, the schools should undertake the following concrete steps…

At the time of the launching of the Call for Enrolment, the Ministry of Education, VET Centre, VET schools, parents, students and companies are informed about VET curricula and VET schools which will offer work-based learning, as well the allowed number of students to attend WBL.

Prior to the beginning of the academic year, based on enrolled VET curricula, the school management specifies those curricula whose practical training could be implemented via work-based learning. The VET school principal is obliged to organize meetings with potential employers in order to identify whether they are interested to start work-based learning…

Standards for delivery of practical student training at employers defines the steps that all companies and all VET schools need to follow:

• The school prepares a list of companies for performing practical training according to occupations.
• The criteria for allocating places for practical training are determined by the school itself, from professional asset.
• Some companies themselves send a request to the school to include students for practical training
• In some schools the teachers themselves are looking for practical training companies

Before the school year, the school introduces it’s “offer of educational profiles the school has to the future students and parents, by their official website, “open door”, as well as visits of primary schools.

The school also organizes meetings with potential employers/companies which wish to participate in WBL, e i.e. which can offer positions where WBL can be performed. During the meetings the companies are introduced to the curriculum as well as with their obligations in the education process…