Fagbrev

Overview

A fagbrev (trade certificate) or svennebrev (journeyman's certificate) is the vocational qualification in Norwegian upper-secondary education. It is awarded after passing a fag- or svenneprøve (trade or journeyman's test). It is not a single national paper: the curriculum and the test are set for each trade (lærefag), and the regulations are overseen by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Utdanningsdirektoratet).

Levels or stages

The usual route for a four-year trade programme is the 2+2 model, which is two years in school (Vg1 and Vg2) followed by two years of apprenticeship (læretid, the Vg3 curriculum). Upper-secondary vocational training is offered in ten vocational programmes, including building and construction, electrical and computer technology, health and youth development, and technology and industrial production. A related scheme, lærekandidatordningen, is for pupils who are unsure they will reach full trade competence and need support. It is available in all ten vocational programmes.

Who can apply

Besides the normal route, a person with long and varied work experience can take the test as a practical candidate (praksiskandidat). This scheme gives no training. It gives a right to register for the test.

• Practice must be at least 25% longer than the set training route for the trade. For a four-year 2+2 trade this means at least five years.

• The practice must cover the main parts of the Vg3 curriculum for the trade.

• In special cases, shorter practice may be approved, for example in traditional crafts where practice is hard to gain.

• Ordinary work experience should preferably be at least two months continuous, with at least 50% gained in the last ten years. Relevant work-training, voluntary work and, exceptionally, practice gained in spare time can count.

Practical candidates who have not followed a normal training route must also pass a separate exam with subject code 3103 at Vg3 level. For some trades they must pass a separate Vg2-level exam too, as the curriculum states. This exam is also required of apprentices before the trade test.

Exam pattern

The trade test is taken by apprentices and practical candidates alike. It is overseen by a trade examination board (prøvenemnd) for the trade. The pages used here do not describe the test tasks, which differ by trade, so check the curriculum for your trade. The board may ask a practical candidate to suggest where and how the test is done, for example at their own workplace, and decides whether to follow the suggestion. Candidates with special needs have a right to adjustment of the test.

Marking and results

After a pass the county authority arranges for the fag- or svennebrev to be issued. A candidate who gets "not passed" can appeal the grade and formal errors in how the test was held.

Fees

Practical candidates pay an exam fee for the central exam and a test fee before registering for the trade test. Amounts and deadlines are set by each county authority (fylkeskommune), so check its website.

How to apply

A practical candidate follows these steps:

1. Register for and take the central exam, paying the exam fee.

2. Pay the test fee.

3. Send the registration to the county authority, with documentation of education and practice and proof of payment.

4. The county authority checks the documentation and the exam result, and decides whether to approve. The decision can be appealed.

5. The test board and the candidate agree when the test is held.

For adult training, the directorate says the curricula in 13 trades are split into modules, in any order, and the end competence is the same as the ordinary route.

FAQs