Innovative education for a green future

Innovative education for
a green future
7
Agricultural education centres (AOCs)
Innovative education for a green future
Green education: AOCs offer vmbo-green (pre-vocational secondary education) training as
well as a broad range of mbo (senior secondary full-time vocational education) courses relating to plants, animals, greenery, flowers, nutrition, nature, recreation and the environment.
There are a total of 13 AOCs operating at some 100 locations throughout The Netherlands.
Vmbo-green training is also provided by a number of comprehensive schools, in a green
department.
The vmbo course provides general training,
primarily using plants and animals to provide students with a fertile, motivational
learning environment. The mbo course includes areas of study such as food technology, landscape management, horse
management, flowers and design, (paraveterinary) animal care, sport and recreation,
care and the environment and (agricultural)
technology. Green training is increasingly
being combined with non-green sectors,
e.g. for jobs on ‘community care’ farms or
in green retail. AOCs also provide course
and contract education, as well as ‘EVC’
certification routes that provide recognition
of acquired competencies.
All green training involves a lot of practical
work in co-operation with the green businesses in the area. Students generally find
jobs quickly once their vocational training
is complete.
The green sector is important for the Nether­
lands. It is one of the top five countries in
the world in terms of agricultural product
exports. The expertise to be found in the
Netherlands is also among the best in
the world. The AOCs play a key role in
exporting this expertise; most AOCs maintain active contact with countries all over
the world. AOCs have long been running
foreign exchange programmes for their
students.
An increasing focus on nature, the environment and (the origins of) our food is helping
the green sector to blossom as never before.
Well-trained workers are an absolute must.
The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature
and Food Quality is responsible for determining the content of green educa­tion. The
AOCs are subject to the regulatory framework of the Dutch education system.
The AOC Council
Institutions providing green vocational education are united under the umbrella of a
sector organisation: the AOC Council. The council represents the collective interests
of all AOC schools, in particular with regard to politics, ministries, business and
social organisations. The council is also an important meeting place for the governors, managers and workers within the AOCs; they can come together to share
information, support one another and exchange views on important topics. In short:
they can gain inspiration for green education. There is also co-operation in the form
of projects in which the institutions can take part. In addition, the AOC Council also
takes care of national public relations. The AOC Council’s professional bureau is
located in Ede.
The international activities of AOCs are co-ordinated on two levels. The MBO Raad
(The Dutch Council for Vocational and Adult Education) provides general information
services. More specific activities are discussed in the internationalisation platform
co-ordinated by the AOC Council. This platform also acts as a reference point for
foreign schools and institutions looking for information or further contacts.
Vmbo-green
The AOCs have a total of 76 vmbo
establishments, plus a further 33 comprehensive schools that offer vmbo-green
training. There has been strong growth in
the uptake of vmbo-green since 2000.
The strength of this type of training is in
the broad range of study areas it offers,
combined with a motivational green
environment. Around 35,000 students are
currently enrolled on vmbo-green courses.
Students can learn about technology, care
work and economics in an inspirational
environment centred around plants and
animals. On top of the basic foundation,
they can choose to branch out into (agricultural) technology or economics, flower
arranging, animal husbandry and care,
green spaces, plant cultivation and food
technology. An inter-sector programme is
also available; this allows students to study
a combination of all areas. Combinations
with the other sectors (technology, economics and care work and wellbeing) will
also be available in the near future. As
AOCs provide both vmbo and mbo courses, there are excellent tie-ins with the mbogreen. However, the broad range available
means that students often end up pursuing
different areas of study. Around 40% of students who opt for mbo select an mbo-green
course; the remainder select an alternative
area of study. The vmbo-green course
offers a basic vocational route, a framework vocational route and a mixed route.
A few schools offer theory-based training.
Mbo-green
The mbo-green course features a broad
range of training for the green sector. It offers all four mbo levels and both routes: the
‘day-release’ route (BOL) and the ‘on-thejob’ route (BBL). Around 25,000 students
are currently enrolled on mbo-green cour-
The worlds of the mbo-green
The mbo-green covers 8 ‘worlds’ that are relevant to the experiences of a young person
aged between 16 and 20. Within these individual ‘worlds’, students can select various
courses:
Surprising Nature:
Culture technology, water management, environmental management, forest & nature
management, tree cultivation and ornamental plant cultivatio
Animal Friends: Animal husbandry, animals & health, veterinary assistant, horse management and
equestrian sports
Good Food:
Plant cultivation, nutrition and cattle breeding
Mighty Machines:
Technician/driver and contract work
Dynamic Design:
Flowers & design and interiors & styling
Outdoor Life:
Garden, park & landscape, town & landscape design, sport, recreation & tourism
Big Business:
Green retail, wholesale & logistics and commercial companies
Natural Health:
Nature & health and care work & the environment
Green vocational training is very practice-oriented. Students go on numerous work placements and undertake practical tasks with companies from the area. A system has been in
place since 1997 that recognises training companies. Companies can receive accreditation as training bodies from Aequor (a knowledge and communication centre for food
and the environment). There are also a number of practical centres in The Netherlands
that are fully equipped to serve the green sector. In these centres, students can practise
on high-tech equipment or take care of the most exotic of animals. The practical nature of
green education makes it a good fit with the new skills-based qualification structure of the
mbo.
Course and contract education
The AOCs provide course and contract education for professionals and hobbyists. These
take the form of courses on, for example, occupational health and safety, crop protection,
safety, animal husbandry and flower arranging. The AOCs also have considerable success
with various EVC routes — often in co-operation with business.
The Dutch education system
Senior secondary vocational full-time education and apprenticeship training at AOCs
prepare students of 16 and older for 4 levels of achievement, corresponding to the
EU levels I, II, III and IV and based on the length of the course: 1, 2, 3 or 4 years
of study.
• Level I: assistant craftsman
• Level II: junior craftsman
• Level III: independent craftsman
• Level IV: executive/foreman
The selection of the vocational level depends, among other things, on the level the
students have achieved during their pre-vocational or general education. It also
depends on whether they wish to attend full-time education or part-time with practical
work. The latter is possible in the apprenticeship training system, as for a few years
students enter into an apprenticeship contract with an employer(s) from one or more
companies or farms. One or two days a week, these students receive general and
vocational education at an AOC.
Where to find AOCs
List of AOC addresses
AOC Oost
P.O. Box 190, 7240 AD Lochem
T. +31 (0)573 - 22 20 66
F. +31 (0)573 - 22 20 67
I. www.aoc-oost.nl
Citaverde College
P.O. Box 960, 6040 AZ Roermond
T. +31 (0)475 - 38 17 91
F. +31 (0)475 - 33 39 20
I. www.citaverde.nl
Prinsentuin College
P.O. Box 6956, 4802 HZ Breda
T. +31 (0)76 - 572 39 00
F. +31 (0)76 - 572 39 10
I. www.prinsentuin.nl
Groenhorst College
P.O. Box 245, 6710 BE EDE
T. +31 (0)318 - 67 56 11
F. +31 (0)318 - 64 04 20
I. www.groenhorstcollege.nl
AOC Friesland
P.O. Box 675, 8901 BL Leeuwarden
T. +31 (0)58 - 253 40 00
F. +31 (0)58 - 253 40 99
I. www.aocfriesland.nl
Helicon Opleidingen
P.O. Box 72, 5280 AB Boxtel
T. +31 (0)411 - 67 76 18
F. +31 (0)411 - 68 58 45
I. www.helicon.nl
AOC Terra
P.O. Box 17, 9700 AA Groningen
T. +31 (0)50 - 529 29 29
F. +31 (0)50 - 529 29 28
I. www.aoc-terra.nl
Lentiz Onderwijsgroep
P.O. Box 3040, 3130 CA Vlaardingen
T. +31 (0)10 - 43 49 925
F. +31 (0)10 - 43 46 545
I. www.lentiz.nl
Wellantcollege
P.O. Box 177, 3990 DD Houten
T. +31 (0)30 - 63 45 100
F. +31 (0)30 - 63 45 151
I. www.wellant.nl
Edudelta College
P.O. Box 451, 4460 AW GOES
T. +31 (0)113 - 24 63 60
F. +31 (0)113 - 24 63 61
I. www.edudelta.nl
AOC De Groene Welle
P.O. Box 552, 8000 AN Zwolle
T. +31 (0)38 - 46 71 120
F. +31 (0)38 - 42 23 436
I. www.groenewelle.nl
Clusius College
Havinghastraat 11, 1817 DA Alkmaar
T. +31 (0)72 - 51 47 666
F. +31 (0)72 - 51 47 660
I. www.clusius.nl
Landstede Beroepsopleidingen, afd. MAO
P.O. Box 242, 8100 AE Raalte
T. +31 (0)572 - 85 80 00
F. +31 (0)572 - 85 80 10
I. www.landstede.nl
Comprehensive schools that offer vmbo-green
training: Vereniging Buitengewoon Groen
P.O. Box 1592, 3800 BN Amersfoort
T. +31 (0)33 - 45 34 238
F. +31 (0)33 - 45 34 353
I. www.groenkennisnet.nl
For further information about green mbo courses, please visit: www.groenonderwijs.com.
Willy Brandtlaan 81
6716 RJ Ede
P.O. Box 458
6710 BL Ede
T +31 (0)318 - 648 900
F +31 (0)318 - 641 184
E [email protected]
I www.aocraad.nl