OECD launches PISA-VET assessment framework

The OECD, in collaboration with over 100 experts, employers, and international partners including WorldSkills, has launched its groundbreaking international large-scale assessment of vocational education and training.

During an insightful webinar with leading experts in skills development, the OECD launched the framework that will guide the development, pilot, and implementation of the first internationally standardised assessment for Vocational Education and Training (VET).

The PISA-VET framework is a joint effort between 13 countries as well as more than one hundred experts, employers, and international partners, including WorldSkills.

The programme builds on the OECD’s experience with its PISA initiative, which has for decades been providing comparative data on the performance of school-level students to help countries drive educational reform.

Existing information on VET only covers enrolment, qualification, and labour market outcomes. Despite VET's key role in ensuring that young people and adults have the skills required by societies and labour markets, the lack of comparative data makes it difficult to understand why some VET systems are more successful in fuelling economic growth.

PISA-VET will compare skills levels in programmes across countries, helping teachers and policymakers to improve their systems and make them more relevant, inclusive, and attractive.

The framework of the assessment is intended to guide the work of those involved in the further development of PISA-VET, help policymakers understand the purpose and the appropriate use of the assessment results, and inform researchers and educators about methodological choices.

During his opening remarks at the launching webinar on 19 March 2024, Deputy Secretary General of the OECD Yoshiki Takeuchi recognised the need for collaboration in professional skills measurement.

“I would like to particularly highlight the contribution of WorldSkills to the initiative,” said Mr Takeuchi, as he also acknowledged the important role of businesses as partners, and as employers for vocational programmes. “Employers' understanding of skills needs, the expectation of graduates, and their experience of training VET learners will provide crucial information to design a relevant and credible assessment.”

Following opening remarks, a panel of leading experts provided a comprehensive understanding of how the landscape of vocational skills and education can be redefined collectively.

Read more about PISA-VET on worldskills.org.