Vocational Training of Future Agricultural Specialists: European Experience
AbstractThe article focuses on vocational training of future agricultural specialists in the context of European experience. Thus, theoretical framework of the research has been thoroughly justified. It includes the prominent documents of European authorities such as the Charter of European Agricultural Education, CAP context indicators for 2014–2020, European Parliament’s publications, Eurostat statistics such glossary of farmers training level terms, as well as respected researches of many European scholars (A. Miceli, A. Moore, M. Mulder et al.). It has been found that European approach to organizing vocational training of future agricultural specialists is rather multiaspect and strives to fulfill educational needs of majority of learners, namely, through practical agricultural training, basic agricultural training and full-time agricultural trainings. It has been clarified that more and more young people realize the importance of the agricultural sector to the overall prosperity of the European Union; therefore they seek quality vocational training based on relevant vocational schools. It has been stated that European Union constantly develops various strategies for developing the agricultural sector, in particular through enhancing quality of future agricultural specialists’ vocational training. It has been defined that despite the fact that low incomes, certain risks, uncertainties in an economic environment due to globalization processes may somehow discourage younger generations to pursue career in agriculture, the CA implements different mechanisms for sustaining stable development of agricultural education. It has been specified that such countries as France and Germany regularly update the content of agricultural education so that it takes into account the trends in vocational training of future agricultural specialists opportunity and allows applying the most advanced teaching technologies, promoting knowledge significance, widening access to all levels of education, implementing a system of lifelong learning, individualizing agricultural education. It has been outlined that the prospects for further studies are seen in studying the most important aspects in the legal framework of the agricultural education system in innovative experience of European countries, the USA, Canada, Australia, etc.