MIKROKREDENCIJALI ZA CJELOŽIVOTNO OBRAZOVANJE I ZAPOŠLJIVOST – IZAZOVI I PRILIKE U REPUBLICI HRVATSKOJ

Abstract

Digital technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are changing the way people live and work. The workplaces that will disappear due to automation and trends triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic will be replaced by the creation of new jobs and new professions over the course of the current decade (digital and green transformation). In such conditions, the unequivocal emphasis of educational institutions is on lifelong learning - providing learning opportunities for everyone, every person, regardless of the period of life they are in and regardless of the stage in their career. For individuals, the imperatives are: continuous learning and self-development, strengthening socio-emotional, especially technological and higher cognitive skills as well as adaptive and lifelong career development. An efficient and effective response to these challenges is provided by micro-credentials (micro-qualifications) as short forms of training that imply a more flexible way of acquiring and recognizing knowledge, skills and competences, related to the Croatian Qualifications Framework and the evaluation of acquired knowledge and skills (sets of learning outcomes) confirmed by a public document. The voucher system was introduced as a mechanism to encourage the participation of unemployed and employed persons in lifelong learning and to ensure a quality workforce for employers.