Im Jahr 2014 konzentriert die europäische Agentur ETF (European Training Foundation) ihre Aktivitäten auf die Bereiche Jugendbeschäftigung und Verbesserung von beschäftigungsrelevanten Qualifikationen.
Youth jobs and better qualifications at the centre of ETF action in 2014
The new year is the first of the ETF Mid-term Perspective 2014-17. This multiannual work programme sets out the ETF's goals and the expected impact with the horizon of 2020. Through our actions, we want to bring about more effective VET policy making with better governance, increased employability and enhanced social and territorial cohesion.
In 2014 the ETF's main actions fall into two broad areas: youth employment and more relevant qualifications.
Fostering progress in youth employment
In 2014, the ETF will foster progress in youth employment by supporting entrepreneurial communities through a new dedicated initiative, and entrepreneurial individuals through Small Business Act assessments in the partner countries. Both activities promote proactive, innovative approaches for youth employment.
These entrepreneurship initiatives - which involve multiple stakeholders operating on different territorial levels - are closely linked to the ETF's support for multilevel governance. The ETF will continue investing in good multilevel governance of VET systems.
Another new project will review the migrant support policy measures implemented globally from the perspective of skills and employment, and assess their cost-effectiveness and impact. As a result of the project, an inventory of support measures as well as country case studies (Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Morocco and Tunisia) will discuss the policy implications for the EU.
More relevant qualifications
Governments and stakeholders in the partner countries are increasingly seeking to make qualifications more relevant to the workplace to promote lifelong learning and gain international recognition at a time of globalisation and population mobility.
The ETF will explore the relevance of national qualifications frameworks (NQF) as reform tools, facilitate their design and assist in capacity building for national authorities and social partners to enable them to lead and control their own reforms.
In the EU enlargement countries, the ETF will actively contribute to the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The ETF's regional project in the countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean will focus on sector qualifications in construction and tourism. In eastern Europe, ETF activities will engage employers and other stakeholders in developing occupational standards and establishing sectoral bodies.
Communicating results and facilitating policy learning
To share the results of the work and to provide policy-learning opportunities for the partner countries, the ETF will hold two international conferences.
The first conference on 8-9 April 2014 will examine how countries in transition are using national qualifications frameworks to reform their qualifications systems. Central to discussions will be the EQF, which has a major influence on the partner countries.
The second conference in the third week of November 2014 will share policy lessons and explore the interconnected themes of multi-level governance, entrepreneurial learning, and entrepreneurial communities. More details about these events will come soon.