Centre for Renewable Energies and Industrial Maintenance Internship programme – Internship Regulation.

Initiative focus

This initiative is the regulation governing the programme internship which in fact is a series of interlinked tools applied during the internship period.

Target group

Public and private apprenticeship practitioners that are considering how to certify informal craftsmen for the benefit of a higher degree of quality of informal apprenticeship

Employers’ associations representatives seeking to introduction more structure to informal craftsmen apprenticeship engagement.

Informal craftsmen engaging in informal apprenticeship.

Introduction

The Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) is a project implemented by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the European Training Foundation (ETF). SIFA is co-funded by the Bundesministeriumfür wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) and the European Union (EU). SIFA aims to promote the occupational prospects of young Africans through the support of innovative skills development programmes and in close cooperation with the private sector as an integral and key stakeholder in the creation of jobs. One of the key activities of SIFA is the creation and dissemination of knowledge  on topics relating to employment-oriented skills development through exchange and dialogue formats. These take place through the African Skills Portal for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (ASPYEE) and through regional and continental event formats such as Africa Creates Jobs (ACJ). Learning offerings, knowledge products and tools shall support SIFA’s audience in facilitating skills development on the continent. SIFA’s audience includes political decision and policy makers, private sector associations and other entities, TVET practitioners and other stakeholders involved in skills development and youth employment. The final beneficiaries of the programme activities are African youth. The African Union’s (AU) Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Decade Plan of Action focuses strongly on enhancing the quality of apprenticeships and engaging with the private sector. SIFA supports the implementation of the action plan and, via its ASPYEE portal, disseminates knowledge on existing approaches towards implementing apprenticeships in Africa, including lessons learnt.

A comprehensive overview of the varying apprenticeship tools in the form of approaches, models, procedures, forms etc. that are used in the African countries and easily accessible is missing. Easily accessible apprenticeship supporting tools and guidelines shall enable governmental TVET authorities, skills development practitioners in the private sector, TVET colleges, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and Development Partners (DP) to improve the design and implementation of apprenticeship programmes and initiatives.

It is against this background and guided by a research and mapping concept that SIFA has supported the identification of practical tools applied that has facilitated the advancement and implementation of apprenticeships in selected AU member states. This paper is part of a series of papers presenting and discussing apprenticeship-facilitating tools used within a diverse selection of apprenticeship programmes implemented in different AU member states. The papers' introductory TVET sections do not claim to be exhaustive. They serve solely to provide context for the sections presenting the apprenticeship programmes and tools. The tools do not necessarily represent the most advanced tools but rather robust examples that could be applied by apprenticeship projects at different stages of their advancement.

It is in this context that apprenticeship in Cabo Verde has been surveyed to identify practical apprenticeship facilitating tools. Out of the many possibilities, two apprenticeship programmes and associated tools are presented and discussed.

The TVET system of Cabo Verde³

Following the four-year-long second cycle of primary education, graduates can enter TVET at technical schools. These schools are offering two years vocational programmes (level IV) within various vocations covering the service, industrial, and artistic sectors. These programmes are qualifying graduates for the labour market. After completing these two years programmes (10th year) graduates can progress on two-year vocational specialisation courses leading to a professional qualification (level V).

Within general secondary education, a few vocational training opportunities exist. Three vocational units are offering vocational programmes at general secondary schools leading to a qualification of a lower level (level III) them the above-mentioned programmes. In addition, nine municipalities offer five vocational specialised programmes within Irrigation, Agri-food and Fruit Growing, Cheese Making, Canalizations and Fishing.

At present reforms to the TVET system is considered based on two scenarios.

1. For the first scenario, called “condensed”, is a vocational route that will have a structure identical to that of the general education route and can be completed in a four-year cycle from the 9th grade onwards It will be aimed at qualifying graduates for the labour market This option should be able to award a secondary education diploma (year 12) and a level IV professional qualification, in accordance with the National Qualifications System.
2. The second scenario, called “tendential”, will be based on two sequential cycles consisting of level III (1st cycle) and level IV (2nd cycle) vocational qualifications. In this scenario, once the 1st cycle has been successfully completed, students will be able to (i) enter the labour market or (ii) continue in the 2nd cycle, which should be able to award a secondary education diploma, allowing them to continue their studies in areas related to higher education.

Source:    Plano Estratégico Da Educação Cabo Verde, 2017-2021. https://minedu.gov.cv/media/plano/2020/10/05/Plano_Estrat%C3%A9gico_da_Educa%C3%A7%C3%A3o.pdf

Apprenticeship in Cabo Verde

Formal apprenticeship

In addition to the TVET programmes, four internship programs exist in the country, namely the:

1. Business Professional Internship Program (PEPE), which is the largest programme will place interns in the productive sector – both private and public companies/entities.
2. Professional Internship Programme in Public Administration (PEPAP)  aims to provide a new opportunity for young people looking for their first job, young graduates who are unemployed and young people employed but not in a job that does not correspond to their area of training and level of qualification. The programme will allow young graduates who are up to 30 years old to undertake paid professional internships in Public Administration services and bodies. Graduating interns will be given priority when applying for a relevant job in the public sector.
3. Professional Internship Programme for Information and Communication Technologies (PEPIT). The PEPIT programme aims to fill the gaps of IT professionals in a context of strong technological transformation. ICT for market needs in terms of key skills and consolidated experiences; the promotion of self-employment, the incubation of projects in the areas of ICT.
4. Professional Internship Programme for Social Inclusion (PEPIS).

Informal/traditional apprenticeship

Informal apprenticeship is offered within families where skills are transferred from one generation to the next and when local artisans take on an apprenticeship. Models that follow what is seen in most other African countries.

An example is the Jov@Emprego project , financed by the Government of Luxembourg, the ILO and its local partners carried out various activities to integrate young people into the labour market. The project reached out to women entrepreneurs, in particular to those with low incomes. A pilot project was implemented to strengthen the capacities of 50 entrepreneurs in the informal market of Praia called 'Sucupira'. It supported the growth and formalisation of the entrepreneurs’ businesses. The project developed a practical entrepreneurs manual.

Acknowledging the importance and accessibility of informal apprenticeship to a large number of youth recognition of prior learning (RPL) is seen as a way to formalise gained skills. As maintained by the Decree-Law No. 54/2014 of 22 September on VRCC;

"People acquire, with their life experience, namely in professional activities, knowledge and skills relevant to the exercise of many activities. These skills can and should be formally certified and, if necessary, complemented with training adapted to individual needs, thus promoting access to higher levels of qualification. “

Source:    Decree-Law No. 54/2014 Regula o sistema de reconhecimento, validação e certificação de competências (RVCC) professionais adquiridas e desenvolvidas ao longo da vida, nomeadamente em contextos de trabalho
http://iefp.cv/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Novo_RJGFP_DL_N53-2014_de_22_Setembro.pdf

The National Qualification System (NQS) and the legal framework governing TVET is opening for RPL opportunities as part of the ‘Validação de Reconhecimento e Certificação de Competências’ (VRCC) [Competencies Recognition, Validation and Certification].

The VRCC facility is available to people over 25 years of age having at least five years of work experience. Only accredited entities can be engaged in VRCC which should follow a four-step process.

Source:     African Continental Qualifications Framework. MAPPING STUDY. Country Report – UPDATE 2021. Working Paper. CABO VERDE. SIFA. Skills for Youth Employability Programme’ by Author: Eduarda Castel-Branco. European Training Foundation – ETF. October 2021 https://acqf.africa/resources/mapping-study/cape-verde-country-report-update/@@display-file/file/Cabo%20Verde_NQF%20UPDATE%202021.pdf

The Programme: Centre for Renewable Energies and Industrial Maintenance Internship programme

The Centre for Renewable Energies and Industrial Maintenance (CERMI) is a public business entity established with the objective is to promote knowledge and skills development skills in the field of renewable energy and industrial maintenance.

The vocational courses offered by CERMI focus on the vocational areas of Installation and Maintenance (IMA), Metalworking (MET) and Production, Transport and Distribution of Electric Energy (PTE), and Refrigeration. The courses are taught both at the centre and the company. The internship part is mandatory, with its own curricular and classification. It is carried out in close cooperation with the company and is coordinated and monitored by the CERMI Training Coordination Unit (UCF). The vocational courses within IMA, for example, has a duration of around 14 months (1,800 hours), of which about 20% are internship training in a company.

The training is undertaken by teachers holding a Certificate of Pedagogical Aptitude (CAP) recognised by the Employment and Professional Training Institute (IEFP). The company should assign an internship tutor who will accompany the intern and be the contact to the CERMI’s Internship Monitors. The registration of activities/tasks in the internship book is done by the intern to help them in the elaboration of the final report of the internship. The booklet must be stamped and signed by the tutor before being handed over to CERMI.

After completion of the entire internship course, successful graduates will receive a recognised certificate.

The Tool: Regulation on the Internship Curricular

For implementing the internship courses, CERMI has developed a Regulation on the Internship Curricular governing the internship programme, which includes eight items (instruments) aimed at facilitating the internship programme at a relevant quality level. The development and maintenance of the instruments formed part of the design phase and their application is an integrated part of implementing the internship programmes - from its beginning (internship protocol), through to the contract and to monitoring reports and evaluation.

The Internship Regulation’s e-tools are:

1. Internship Protocol Model
2. Internship Agreement Model
3. Internship Programme Model
4. Internship Monitoring Report Template
5. Internship Report Template
6. Internship Logbook Model
7. Intern Evaluation Form Templates (Form for tutor; Form for Monitor)
8. Model of Assessment Questionnaire by the Intern

Internship regulation

The internship regulation consists of eight interrelated instruments that together regulate the traineeship part of the courses by setting the standards related to the curriculum and the functioning of the on-the-job training as part of a compulsory component of the whole curriculum in each occupation. Procedures have been developed for the internship that relate to the various form templates. These procedures are:

1. Compliance by the trainee with the total number of hours allocated to the internship and admission to the modules in accordance with the curricular project of the course;
2. Signature of the internship agreement by all parties involved;
3. Indication of the Internship Monitor;
4. Internship Program, prepared by the Monitor in consultation with the Coordination Pedagogical of CERMI and Hosting Entity mentioning the activities to be developed;
5. Applicants for internships will be classified preferably by the partial curriculum classification of the courses they are attending and may be distributed among the internship locations taking into account the vacancies mobilised and available.
6. Presentation of the Final Report by the intern, with the activities effectively developed during the internship;
7. Completion of the Intern's Evaluation Form by the tutor appointed through the host entity;
8. Issuing of the Internship Declaration by the Host Entity informing the workload and the activities to be developed during the internship;\
9. Evaluation of the Internship Report by the monitor;
10. The evaluation of the curricular internship is expressed on a scale of zero to twenty points;
11. Issuing a Declaration of Internship by the CERMI Pedagogical Coordination, through the presentation of the documents listed above, duly signed by the respective responsibilities.

1.    Internship Protocol Model

The Internship protocol aims to establish the necessary conditions between CERMI and the companies for the implementation of the apprenticeship programme. This will frame the part that is to be conducted by CERMI and the learning activities to be carried out by the trainees during the internship at the companies. Companies can be public institutions or private companies having cooperation agreements or protocols with CERMI. The protocol will cover:

Companies can be public institutions or private companies having cooperation agreements or protocols with CERMI. The protocol will cover:

1. The joint planning and execution of internship activities;
2. The assessment and enhancement of theoretical and practical knowledge in the area of professional training, and
3. The effective learning experience of concrete real work tasks of relevance to professional training.

The practical training, structured in an individual training plan or itinerary of activities, takes the form of an internship and aims at the acquisition and development of technical, relational, organisational and career management skills relevant to the professional qualification needed for the world of work and lifelong training. CERMI will deliver to the company an individualised internship dossier containing the planning and programming of the internship tasks, the profile and the skills to be developed in the different training phases, as agreed between the CERMI, the company and the trainee.

2.    Internship Agreement Model

The internship contract is signed between the company, the trainee, and CERMI, regulating the contractual nature of the internship. The Internship agreement includes the basic conditions to be observed by the parties such as an internship program describing the objectives, content, schedule, period, timetable, place of performance of activities, ways of monitoring and monitoring the trainee, identification of those responsible for monitoring the host entity as well as the rights and duties of the various stakeholders. The internship agreement entered into must contain at least: 

• Identification of the trainee and the course;
• Identification and signature of the contracting parties: trainee and representatives of the host entity and CERMI;
• Explicit reference to the fact that the internship agreement results from an agreement or protocol ; 
• Mentioning that the internship will not entail any employment relationship;
• Total workload, schedule and duration of the internship;
• Daily working hours of the Internship are compatible with the working hours of the company;
• The objectives and internship plan;
• The obligation of the trainee to present a final report to the company and CERMI on the development of the tasks performed;
• Precise indication of the tutor who will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the trainee's performance during the internship period;

It is important to note that the completion of the internship does not automatically lead to an employment relationship between the intern and the company.

As a rule, the internship is not remunerated. Any remuneration, in whatever form, depends on the company's policy. However, the company may provide a travel allowance and/or a meal allowance, which will be specified in the internship contract and will depend on the intern's attendance and performance. The granting of such a financial benefit to the trainee is not a feature of the employment relationship.

Young people wishing to join the courses may identify a company willing to take them on as an intern. CERMI’s Pedagogical Coordination will review the interns’ proposed company to ensure an adequate level and conditions. Otherwise, it is CERMI that facilitates the internship by contacting relevant companies.

The internship agreement will come to an end when the internship period is over, and it may be terminated unilaterally by either the company or CERMI in the following situations:

1. At the request of the intern, clearly stating reasonable grounds, and notifying CERMI, which in turn informs the company;
2. In the event of non-compliance by the intern with the obligations entered into with CERMI and the company;
3. At the initiative of the company, if the intern fails to fulfil the obligations provided for in the internship agreement and violates the disciplinary rules in force within the company;
4. Failure to appear for more than 10% of the total workload of the internship;

If a situation that is described above occurs, the parties involved must be made aware of the facts that have taken place within five days.

3.    Internship Programme Model

The internship programme identifies the internship objectives, areas of development, intern assignments, planned activities and duration.

The Internship Agreement entered into must include at least: the identification of the trainee and the course; identification and signature of the contracting parties: trainee and representatives of the host entity and CERMI; express indication that the internship agreement arises from an agreement or protocol; mention that the internship will not entail any employment relationship and total workload, schedule and duration of the internship; the objectives and internship plan; obligation of the trainee to present a final report to the host entity and CERMI on the development of the tasks performed; a precise indication of the tutor who will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the trainee's performance during the internship period.

4.    Internship Monitoring Report Template

5.    The report is to be completed by the intern, who must report on how the internship went, what activities were carried out and how he/she monitors and evaluates his/her internship. After half of the internship, an internship report must be written. This is repeated at the end of the internship (see point 5 below). The monitoring report forms the basis for introducing improvements in the programme. This report contains the joint evaluation by the intern and the monitor:

• Internship Activities
• Internship Development
• Internship Monitoring
• Results Achieved in Terms of complementing Teaching and Learning

Internship Report Template

No later than 22 working days after the end of the internship, the intern should prepare an internship report and send it to the internship officer at CERMI. The intern must report how the internship went, what activities he/she carried out and how he/she accompanied and evaluated his/her internship. The report should cover the following areas:

• Internship Objectives
• Identification and Characterisation of Company
• Description of Activities Performed
• Results Achieved and Internship Self-Assessment
• Conclusions and Recommendations

The internship report is reviewed by the Internship monitor at CERMI and take action if necessary.

6.    Internship Logbook Model

The logbook is used to record training activities reporting against (i) Weekly Registration of Activities and (ii) Tasks of Intern Made (see figure below).

Source:    Regulamento De Estágio Curricular 2015. CERMI
Note:     The activity logbook shown above is an unofficial translation

7.    Intern Evaluation Form Template

The Intern Evaluation Form Template is in fact two forms– one for the internship tutor of the company and one for the internship monitor from CERMI. In accordance with the Regulation on the Operation of Vocational Training, the internship assessment includes the following:

1. The evaluation of the activities carried out during the internship;
2. The evaluation of the Internship Report.

For successful completion, the intern must obtain a minimum of 10 points on a scale from 0 to 20 in both of the two evaluations. The evaluation of the Internship Report is the responsibility of the CERMI Internship Monitor. The monitor will also use a rating from 0 to 20 points, according to the model presented.

7.1   Internship tutor form

It is up to the company tutor to:

• Welcoming trainees in the company, accompanying them in the exercise of practical training in the work context and facilitating their integration and adaptation in the Host Entity;
• Assess the overall evolution of trainees' learning with a view to evaluation;
• Evaluate the trainee's performance in the various dimensions, cognitive, affective, operational, motivational, and disciplinary;
• Fill in evaluation forms, as agreed between the parties involved.

In evaluating the intern, the tutor will do that according to the parameters shown in the box. It is relevant to note that the assessment includes both skills-focused parameters as well as more soft skills which are valued by employers. The tutor will rate the intern's performance from 0 to 20 points as can be seen from the below form.

7.2    Internship monitor form

It is up to the CERMI Monitor to:

• Prepare the internship plan, together with the company and the internship coordination;
• Development of programmed activities and maintain periodic meetings with their interns for guidance and compliance with the internship plan;
• Suggest ways of acting for the advisee and analyse them with the company, when necessary;
• Ensure that the dates stipulated for the delivery of reports are met by the intern;
• Evaluate the intern's performance, considering the development of the established program, the final internship report and the evaluation carried out by the intern's tutor at the company.

Similar to the tutor, the monitor should evaluate the intern from 0 to 20 points) using the parameters shown in the box.

Finally, the rating of the two evaluation forms is joint to give the overall evaluation. In the calculation of the final rating a weighting of 60% for company tutor assessment and 40% for the CERMI monitor. The calculation formula is, therefore, as follows: Module Final Grade = (EA x 0.6) + (RE x 0.4), which in turn will give the interns’ grade in accordance with the below grading table.

8.    Model of Assessment Questionnaire by the intern

In addition, an assessment questionnaire to be filled in by the intern is used. The assessment focuses on the following aspects:

• Follow-up by the Tutor
• Application of knowledge and techniques
• Acquisition of new knowledge
• Availability of means and equipment
• Satisfaction of the expectations that you initially had regarding the internship
• Monitoring by the Monitor
• Number of meetings with the Monitor during the internship
• Administrative support of the Internship Coordination
• Overall appreciation of the Internship

The Internship Curriculum Regulation provides a framework for CERMI internship programmes by offering a step-by-step description of the entire internship process and the distribution of responsibilities and roles. Providing such a consolidated framework provides a common frame of reference for the main stakeholders, namely the intern, the company and CERMI.

In addition, the regulations provide templates for the main steps of the internship process, which facilitates the implementation of internship programmes.

The application of any regulation governing apprenticeship/internship depends on the ability of those involved to apply and meet the requirements directly and indirectly imposed by the Regulation. Often companies - for good reasons - do not want TVET learning skills. TVET institutions should therefore be ready to support companies in the development of training plans that meet the requirements of the curriculum. They should also discuss and help identify practical work assignments that can impart the desired learning to the intern. 

Experience seems to indicate that keeping a logbook is challenging - especially if it has to be completed weekly. A standardised logbook that does not require much text to be filled in but instead makes use of closed questions or subject fields that only need to be ticked might address the problem.