Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) collects information on enterprises’ investment in the continuing vocational training of their staff. Continuing vocational training (CVT) refers to education or training measures or activities which are financed in total or at least partly by the enterprise (directly or indirectly). Part financing could include the use of work-time for the training activity as well as financing of training equipment.
Information available from the CVTS is grouped around the following topics:
- Provision of CVT courses and other forms of CVT (training/non-training enterprises)
- CVT strategies
- Participants in CVT courses
- Costs of CVT courses
- Time spent in CVT courses
- Characteristics of CVT courses
- Assessment of CVT activities
The CVTS also collects some information on initial vocational training (IVT).
Some basic methodological explanations are available on the Statbel website.
Other additional methodological information is available on demand or in the quality report.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
100%.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Quality indicators are available at the national level.
11.1. Quality assurance
Quality indicators are available at national level to guarantee the overall quality.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Weaknesses:
Large quantity of questions - the survey is long (in general an enterprise needs +- 1 hour to answer the survey).
The survey regroups multiple choice questions, polar questions, open questions and semi-open questions. This complicates the survey.
For the most part the survey can be completed by the person who is responsible for training and staff, but some questions require help from other services/departments (time consuming).
Survey is organised on a voluntary basis.
Strong points:
It gives us a good picture about professional training activities in the enterprises.
A survey for enterprises with at least 10 persons employed in the private sector and not for micro-enterprises.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Besides Eurostat, the Belgian CVTS data are also frequently used by national policy makers, by social actors like employers’ associations and trade unions and by researchers.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Users' needs are explored and taken into account when designing the national questionnaire.
12.3. Completeness
100%, as Statbel covers all the NACE-sections stipulated by the CVTS-Regulation.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
100%.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overestimation of participation rates is possible because of self-selection effects (non-training enterprises may not respond to the questionnaire).
13.2. Sampling error
Stratified simple random sampling, strata defined by SP_NACE, SP_SIZE and region.
Grossing-up procedure is executed in two steps:
non-response correction by post-stratification on sampling strata;
calibration on two variables, namely the number of enterprises and the number of persons employed according to the administrative register.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
See table 13.2.1 "Sampling errors - indicators" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3. Non-sampling error
See the following items for more information on the non-sampling errors.
13.3.1. Coverage error
For sampling, the statistical business register is used.
The primary data source for the Belgian CVTS is the National Social Security Database (containing all enterprises with persons employed).
The statistical business register is updated each quarter. To avoid over-coverage, Statbel has used the version of February 2021 to draw the sample. This version gave an exhaustive overview of all enterprises employing at least 10 persons in the calendar year 2020.
See table 13.3.1 "Coverage error" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
There is no over-coverage.
See table 13.3.1.1 "Over-coverage - rate" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
There are no measurement errors to report.
13.3.3. Non response error
Unit non-response is probably due to the nature of the survey. We guess that a lot of non-training enterprises do not answer the questionnaire (self-selection bias).
The most challenging questions to be answered, are the quantitative variables about costs and hours of training.
To reduce unit non-response, Statbel took several actions: first a reminder was sent to all non-responding enterprises, secondly there were telephone contacts and finally some (larger) enterprises were visited by a representative of Statbel.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Unit non-response = 53.6%.
Grossing-up procedure is executed in two steps:
non-response correction by post-stratification on sampling strata;
calibration on two variables, namely number of enterprises and number of persons employed according to the administrative register).
See table 13.3.3.1 "Unit non-response - rate" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
See table 13.3.3.2 "Item non-response - rate" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
13.3.4. Processing error
Data collection is done via Blaise software (CAWI).
Data editing and cleaning are done in SAS, as well as lots of quality checks (especially the consistency between reported costs, training hours and number of persons employed).
Corrections in the data file are done when the enterprise reports more or less persons employed compared to the number of persons employed available in the registers (i.e. mergers, splits, etc...).
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data is available 18 months after the reference period.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Time lag first results is 18 months.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Time lag final results is 20 months or more.
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2 "Project phases - dates" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
Countries should transmit data to Eurostat no later than 18 months after the end of the reference year.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Fully comparable. There are no deviations from CVTS 6 concepts and definitions or deviations from the CVTS 6 questionnaire.
No additional variables related to COVID-19 were collected.
See table 15.1 "Comparability - geographical" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
CVTS 6 is comparable with previous waves, namely with CVTS 3, CVTS 4, CVTS 5.
See table 15.2 "Comparability - over time" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
CVTS 6 is comparable with previous waves, namely with CVTS 3, CVTS 4, CVTS 5.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
See table 15.3 "Coherence - cross-domain" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
CVTS results can be used together with AES and LFS results, but they are not fully comparable.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
CVTS results for a given reference year are based on the same microdata and results are calculated using the same estimation methods, therefore the data are internally coherent.
Cost information is not available yet.
Burden on respondents is high (especially for the quantitative variables).
17.1. Data revision - policy
There is no revision of the CVTS data.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
CVTS 6 is mainly based on survey data, but for some variables (A1, A2tot, A2m, A2f, A4 and A5) the statistical business register has been used.
See table 18.1 "Source data and data collection" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Every 5 years.
18.3. Data collection
CAWI is used as tool for the data collection. CAWI stands for computer assisted web-interview.
See also table 18.1 "Source data and data collection" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
18.4. Data validation
The web survey carries out some first checks as soon as the respondents enter their data. These checks do not ‘block’ and discourage respondents from continuing to fill out the survey, but they allow them to verify the information they have entered and correct it where necessary. After all, respondents fill out the survey on a voluntary basis.
Post-coding was done by a coding team at the central and regional offices (for which a special training was organised before starting the coding activities). Post-coding of the paper questionnaires was done straightforward, via the coding programme. Post-coding of the open questions from the web survey was done by the coding team in separate Excel-sheets that were afterwards imported into the SAS files.
18.5. Data compilation
Not applicable.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
The highest imputation rate is observed for the variable C1tot: 0.32%.
See table 18.5.1 "Imputation - rate" in annex "BE - QR tables CVTS 2020 (excel)".
The Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) collects information on enterprises’ investment in the continuing vocational training of their staff. Continuing vocational training (CVT) refers to education or training measures or activities which are financed in total or at least partly by the enterprise (directly or indirectly). Part financing could include the use of work-time for the training activity as well as financing of training equipment.
Information available from the CVTS is grouped around the following topics:
- Provision of CVT courses and other forms of CVT (training/non-training enterprises)
- CVT strategies
- Participants in CVT courses
- Costs of CVT courses
- Time spent in CVT courses
- Characteristics of CVT courses
- Assessment of CVT activities
The CVTS also collects some information on initial vocational training (IVT).
