Aligning Educational Outcomes to Boost Employment and Workforce Employability

Abstract

Since the beginning of the recent economic crisis, the unemployment rate, especially among youngsters, has reached painfully high levels in Spain. As education plays a central role in preparing individuals to enter the labor force, as well as equipping them with the skills to engage in professional development, it is time to analyze the job-education match. This chapter focuses on the role of public education policies in advancing the employability of lifelong learners. A deep understanding of what is required by the labor market needs to be matched by a common understanding of the learning outcomes achieved in education. This chapter explains how the Catalan education system is working to align education and job requirements. By showing best practices and initiatives, this chapter offers a perspective relevant to educational policy makers.