master in vocational education ("majster odbornej výchovy"), which represents education of a total duration of at least 12 years, comprising 8 years of basic education, 4 years of vocational education (complete vocational secondary education and/or apprenticeship in the relevant (similar) vocational training or apprenticeship course), professional experience of a total duration of at least 3 years in the field of the person's completed education or apprenticeship and supplementary pedagogical ...[+++]study at the faculty of pedagogy or at the technical universities, or complete secondary education and apprenticeship in the relevant (similar) vocational training or apprenticeship course, professional experience of a total duration of at least 3 years in the field of the person's completed education or apprenticeship, and additional study of pedagogy at the faculty of pedagogy, or by 1 September 2005 specialised education in the field of special pedagogy provided for in the methodology centres for masters in vocational education at the special schools without supplementary pedagogical study.

The new directive certainly responds to the change in the situation which has taken place over the last twenty-five years as regards women's employment and vocational training and replaces an outdated legislative framework which has done what it can to combat discrimination against women, serious infringements of the principle of equality, higher unemployment rates, the exclusion of women from numerous professions and the general division of the job market along gender lines.

The aim of the common framework of objectives is to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of Article 127 of the Treaty by pursuing a series of objectives such as: - improving the quality and innovation capacity of Member States' vocational training systems and arrangements; - developing the European dimension in vocational training and vocational guidance; - promoting lifelong training so as to encourage ongoing adaptation of skills to meet the needs of workers and undertakings, contribute to reducing unemployment and facilitate personal development; - giving all young people in the Community who so wish the possibility of o ...[+++]ne or, if possible, two or more years of initial vocational training after their full-time compulsory education, leading to a vocational qualification recognized by the competent authorities in the Member State in which it is obtained; - encouraging specific vocational training measures for adults without adequate vocational qualifications, in particular adults without adequate education; - promoting equality of access to initial and continuing training for persons disadvantaged by socio-economic, geographical or ethnic factors or by physical or mental disabilities; special attention must be given to persons affected by several risk factors likely to cause their social and economic exclusion; - supporting vocational training policies in such a way that all workers in the Community have access to continuing vocational training throughout their working life without any discrimination; - promoting equality of opportunity as regards access for men and women to vocational training and their effective participation therein, in particular so as to open up new areas of work to them and encourage them to return to work after a career break; - supporting activities aimed at developing linguistic skills as part of vocational training measures; - promoting the development of vocational guidance facilities with a view to providing every in ...

Under the common position, the aim of the common framework of objectives is to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of Article 127 of the Treaty by pursuing a number of objectives such as: - improving the quality and innovation capacity of Member States' vocational training systems and arrangements; - developing the European dimension in vocational training and vocational guidance; - promoting lifelong training so as to encourage the ongoing adaptation of skills to meet the needs of workers and undertakings, contribute to ...[+++] reducing unemployment and facilitate personal development; - giving all young people in the Community who so wish the possibility of one or, if possible, two or more years of initial vocational training after their full-time compulsory education, leading to a vocational qualification recognized by the competent authorities of the Member State in which it is obtained; - encouraging specific vocational training measures for adults without adequate vocational qualifications, in particular adults without adequate education; - supporting vocational policies in such a way that all workers in the Community have access to continuing vocational training throughout their working life without any discrimination; - promoting equality of opportunity as regards access for men and women to vocational training and their effective participation therein, in particular so as to open up new areas of work to them and to encourage them to return to work after a career break; - supporting activities aimed at developing linguistic skills as part of vocational training measures; - promoting the development of vocational guidance facilities in order to guarantee life-long high-quality vocational guidance for all.

6. The Council emphasizes the importance of vocational education and training policies along the lines indicated above and agrees that Member States' policies should include the following aims, in line with national systems and traditions: (a) promoting investment in vocational education and training which will specifically lead to relevant, recognized or validated qualifications; (b) developing close links between school-based and enterprise-based vocational training, as coherent vocational education and training programmes in schools and enterprises are well calculated to ensure relevant training and qualifications; (c) providing better opportunities for disadvantaged young people and adults, where appropriate, to take advantage of reco ...[+++]gnized up-to- date practical vocational training, which will improve their chances of joining the labour market; (d) developing co-operation between the national and local authorities, employers and unions, enterprises and others, in accordance with national practice, on the overall updating of qualifications and specifically on initiatives designed to increase further training offers; (e) including broad-based general subjects in the vocationally-oriented training system, for the purpose of fulfilling the broader qualification requirements of the future and strengthening the mobility of the workforce; (f) improving the quality of vocational education and training, especially by improving training of trainers; (g) strengthening vocational education systems through improved guidance services, with a view to enhancing the awareness and motivation of individuals; (h) strengthening innovation and applied research, with a view to supporting modernization, adaptability and quality in vocational education and training; (i) strengthening the European dimension in initial and continuing training, in order to facilitate the mobility of young people and adults within the single market.

training policy and training strategies of enterprises in developing the skills of their workforce; management, organisation and forms of continuing vocational training in enterprises; the role of social partners in ensuring continuing vocational training in the workplace; access to continuing vocational training, its volume and content, especially in the context of economic activity and enterprise size; specific continuing vocational training measures of enterprises to improve the skills of their workforce; chances for employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to acquire new skills, and the particular needs of SM ...[+++]Es in the provision of training; the effects of public measures on continuing vocational training in enterprises; equal opportunities to access continuing vocational training; specific continuing vocational training measures for people at a disadvantage in the labour market; continuing vocational training measures geared to different types of employment contract; expenditure on training: funding levels and funding resources, incentives for continuing vocational training; evaluation and monitoring procedures.