Towards a future that works - the Committee on Labour Market Participation recommends an ePortfolio for all workers

The Dutch Committee on Labour Market Participation has formulated a series of recommendations for getting more people into work in the Netherlands and improving the operation of the labour market. The Committee’s most significant conclusion is that the Dutch labour market is about to undergo drastic change:

1. over the course of the coming decades, there will be more work to do but fewer people to do it;
2. globalisation will increase the requirements regarding the level of knowledge and adaptability of the labour force. The Netherlands needs everybody – quickly! – and everybody must be constantly employable.

Among the recommandations, the fifth one is related to the ePortfolio as a mean to improve imployability:

5. Improve employability. In order to increase employability, we make a number of recommendations for employers/employees, the education sector, and the benefits agencies.

• Digital e-portfolio. Every member of the labour force will be entitled to a digital e-portfolio, i.e. an electronic inventory of their competencies, diplomas, experience, and accreditation of prior learning (APL). This will give people a better understanding of their position on the labour market and their career prospects, and of any need they have for further training.
• Periodical talent analysis. Talent analysis and APL procedures must be introduced on a large scale, with maximum use being made of the e-portfolio. The right to a periodical analysis of one’s competencies and the right to APL assessment must be included in collective labour agreements, with mandatory arrangements for a “best-effort” obligation on the part of employees to undertake training.

The full document is accessible here.

French regions embrace the ePortfolio

Following a call for tenders by Region Lorraine entitled "Réalisation technique d'un e-portfolio (portefeuille de compétences numérique individuel) en région Lorraine : espace Web à accès sécurisé" (Technical realisation of an ePortfolio in the Lorraine Region) published this last July, a new call for tenders was published 12 August by Region Basse-Normandie: "mission d'assistance à maîtrise d'ouvrage : orientation tout au long de la vie - expérimentation d'un dispositif d'accompagnement - création d'une maquette de e.portfolio régional" (Creation of a prototype for a regional ePortfolio).

NB: if you intend to respond, French language is mandatory.

The idea of a territorial approach to ePortfolios promoted by EIfEL (Un portfolio régional au service du développement et de la valorisation des personnes, des organisations et des territoires) is taking root in France, several years after Wales oppened the way with Careers Wales Online (2003) offering an ePortfolio to every Welsh citizen as the mean to support the development of a learning country.

During the Maastricht ePortfolio conference (22-24 October 2008), the regional ePortfolio theme will be addressed during several sessions, with representatives of regional ePortfolio initiatives from Wales, UK, Minnesota, Austria and France to discuss the foundations of future ePortfolio national and régional policies as well as international co-operation.

References to these call for tenders can be found on the official journal's Web site