Europa: Gemeinsam für attraktivere Berufsbildungssysteme
Working together for more attractive VET systems
At a meeting at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
in Berlin on 2 September, Federal State Secretary Cornelia Quennet-Thielen and
Cedefop Director James Calleja discussed Cedefop's future role and synergies on
validation of informal and non-formal learning, acquisition of digital skills
for new jobs, governance of EU skills anticipation and matching
systems.
Also taking part were Peter Thiele, Head of Division Policy
Issues of Initial and Continuing Vocational Training at the BMBF, Cedefop's Head
of Communication Gerd-Oskar Bausewein and Cedefop expert Kostantinos
Pouliakas.
The delegations shared insights into how vocational education
and training (VET) could become a more attractive learning sector to help more
people acquire skills needed to make them employable, but also to ensure that
Europe supplies a competitive workforce to the labour market to generate more
new jobs, continuous training and better matching between qualifications and
skill needs. Unemployment and lack of basic skills still severely undermine
competitiveness and social cohesion.
Another topic was the ongoing
discussion about the New skills agenda for Europe and Cedefop's future role. The
skills agenda will provide new and diverse challenges for VET stakeholders.
Cedefop will support the frameworks that will make implementation in Member
States easier by striking a balance between its strategic multi-annual
objectives of creating new knowledge, sustaining policy analysis and brokering
knowledge among stakeholders.
Increased communication outreach activities
are important to support more attractive VET systems. Both sides agreed that
Cedefop’s role as a catalyst on a European level is crucial, and sharing
expertise, good practice, common tools and activities a step towards supporting
European VET in the areas of skills, qualifications, outreach activities and
advocacy.
Meeting with social partners
The Cedefop delegation also had an exchange of views on the skills agenda and
Cedefop's strategic multi-annual objectives with Barbara Dorn, Confederation of
German Employers' Associations (BDA), Mario Patuzzi, German Trade Union
Confederation (DGB), Christian Sperle, German Confederation of Skilled Crafts
(ZDH) and Barbara Fabian, Association of German Chambers of Industry and
Commerce (DIHK). The meeting was held at the BDA premises in Berlin.
As a
tripartite agency, social partners play a key role in Cedefop's Governing Board
and in the activities that the agency organises in Thessaloniki and in Member
States. The high-level delegation of German social partners was briefed on
Cedefop's proposed new tasks as a result of a revised Founding Regulation, the
project on governance of European Union (EU) skills anticipation and matching
systems as well as the ongoing outreach activities, particularly the
communication support of the European VET skills week in close collaboration
with the European Commission.
The special relationship between Cedefop
and social partners offers added value in the promotion of VET systems that
bridge the divide between education and training and the labour market. Cedefop
is at the interface between education and employment, and social partners have a
pivotal role in encouraging learning in workplaces, in sharing innovation with
education and training institutions and in making work-based learning a reality
in processes leading to qualifications. More Erasmus+ funding will enable
employers, particularly SNEs and training providers, to establish a closer
rapport that could lead to more work experiences for young people in industries
closer to their community.
The German social partners reiterated their
support to Cedefop's work which is now more visible and addressing more closely
their needs to make VET more attractive and relevant to employment.
Mr
Calleja said: 'Meetings such as the ones we had today confirm my belief that
working together we will make VET systems more attractive. Closer cooperation
among all European and national stakeholders will accelerate a more
contextualised European response to VET reform and skill proliferation. But
capacity-building of policy-makers and training providers cannot be ignored if
they are expected to act on VET issues without delay. Evidence shows that in
countries where VET systems are strong, unemployment is low, employers become
more entrepreneurial and reskilling and upskilling a lifelong learning
process.'
Quelle: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training - Cedefop, Europäisches Zentrum für die Förderung der Berufsbildung, cedefop.europa.eu , News, 05.09.2016