Many innovations in vocational education, like workplace learning (Malloch, Cairns, Evans and O'Connor, 2010), are studied from a Western/Northern perspective, which is understandable given the focus of the researchers in the field of innovation in vocational education. However, there is a growing body of educational research in Eastern-Africa (Teferra, Dalelo and Kassaye, 2009). But, attention for vocational education in research is still limited, as the emphasis in education at least in Uganda and Ethiopia is on general education. However, attention for Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the apprenticeship system and workplace learning is increasing. Various international development programs include workplace training and development. Different approaches are being employed, but when it comes to workplace learning, the competence and outcome-based learning approaches have been prevailing during the last decade (Arguelles and Gonczi, 2000; Van Halsema, 2008).

The objective of this paper is to study the introduction of competence-based education in two East-African countries, Uganda and Ethiopia, and to evaluate the effectiveness of principles for competence-based workplace learning, by looking into stakeholders’ perceptions and labour market effects.

The research questions are: How do the various stakeholders perceive the implementation of competence-based education and to what extent influences this learning approach labour market entry and career perspectives of graduates?

The sector concerned is floriculture in Uganda and horticulture (including floriculture) in Ethiopia. Large quantities of produce from these sectors are being exported to Europe in closed (cool) supply chains. Most of this is being traded via flower and food auctions in Western-Europe.

As mentioned above, education and learning in Uganda and Ethiopia is mainly general of nature. There is only limited attention for work-related education and learning. This holds for the primary and secondary level of education, but also for higher education. The effect of this is that graduates from higher education are knowledgeable about certain content matter areas, but that they are not really equipped with know-how which enables them to apply their knowledge in practice. This limits their socio-economic potential.

This study fits in a research program on competence development. Various researchers from this research program, but also others (author, Lans, Verstegen, Biemans & Meijer, 2007; author, Weigel and Collins 2007; Biemans, et al, 2004; Biemans, et al, 2009; Brinkman, et al 2007; Du Chatenier, 2007; Eraut, 2009; Hughes and Cairns, 2009; Karbasioun, et al, 2007; Lans, 2009; Lans, et al, 2009) have pointed at the essence, strengths, challenges and pitfalls of the concept of competence-based education and learning.

Wesselink (2010) and her co-workers have developed a matrix of comprehensive competence-based vocational education, in which the notion of workplace learning plays a key role. The matrix consists of eight principles and four implementation levels. Sturing (2008) recently expanded the matrix in het PhD-project and made it more specific for the current context of competence-based vocational education.

The notions of professional development, multi-stakeholder social learning, and the principles of competence-based education have been employed during the study which is reported in this paper.

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