Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
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CHAPTER 12<br />
Guiding <strong>and</strong> counselling adults in Portugal: new opportunities for a qualification 237<br />
qualification pathways, or low capability of the initiative to mobilise women.<br />
In terms of age (Figure 12.4), there is a slight increase in the number of<br />
older adults among c<strong>and</strong>idates guided to RVCC processes. This trend mirrors<br />
growth in the number of enrolments at new opportunities centres, showing<br />
that the work being done is reaching its target audience – the adult population<br />
of working age. It is in the group of over 44 that involvement of adults in the<br />
initiative has proportionally grown.<br />
From analysis of guidance in terms of c<strong>and</strong>idatesʼ employment status<br />
(Figure 12.5), there has always been a greater tendency towards shorter<br />
training pathways (such as RVCC processes) among the employed. However,<br />
guidance of the unemployed towards this training modality is increasing. This<br />
change reflects, perhaps, increasing unemployment rates in Portugal which<br />
has resulted not only from sector-based reconversion of the Portuguese<br />
economy (which has been in effect since 2000), but also, over the past three<br />
years, from the ongoing international economic <strong>and</strong> financial crisis which has<br />
had repercussions in many countries around the world. This increase in RVCC<br />
processes has also been due to specific measures aimed at reintegrating the<br />
unemployed into the workplace by improving their educational <strong>and</strong><br />
professional qualifications through coordinated qualification <strong>and</strong> employment<br />
measures. Data for enrolment rates at new opportunities centres show that<br />
these centres started off by mainly attracting those in work <strong>and</strong> that it was only<br />
later that the unemployed also began to enrol in increasing numbers.<br />
These data also show a slight increase in the category ʻothersʼ among those<br />
guided to RVCC processes. Given that most are retired people, this training<br />
modality seems to be suitable to, <strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong>ed by, adults outside the labour<br />
market.<br />
Analysing both gender <strong>and</strong> age group (Figure 12.6), of particular note is<br />
the slight increase in the number of older women among c<strong>and</strong>idates guided<br />
to RVCC processes. The 2001 census data (INE, 2009) show a higher number<br />
of low-qualified women among <strong>ageing</strong> groups, so accreditation of prior<br />
learning (via RVCC processes) can be seen as a suitable choice of <strong>ageing</strong><br />
women to achieve higher levels of qualification.<br />
In terms of age, there is also a progressive increase in the number of older<br />
adults among c<strong>and</strong>idates guided to training offers outside new opportunities<br />
centres (Figure 12.7). This trend mirrors growth in the number of enrolments<br />
at centres, <strong>and</strong> also shows growing preference of <strong>ageing</strong> workers for longer<br />
<strong>and</strong> more structured training pathways (such as EFA courses). These older<br />
workers are, in most cases, the least qualified, <strong>and</strong> therefore have to attend<br />
more structured <strong>and</strong> conventional training programmes.