SKILLS FOR 21ST CENTURY IN EUROPE.

Cedefop.europa. European quality framework for apprenticeships

Europa. Skills Development and Employability in Europe: The New Skills Agenda Brussels, 8 September 2016

Key points from discussion:

Performance of education system: Why do so many people lack basic skills despite ten years of compulsory schooling? The OECD survey for adults aged 25 and older reflects the performance of education systems in the past. While some countries indeed showed challenges in their education systems, this might have changed. Therefore, it is key to carefully identify existing problems in each country.

Low-skilled: How does the OECD define low-skilled? OECD has developed a definition and methodology which is published online. This includes testing, for example, by having people read pill labels and find key information.

Non-formal and informal learning: How can skills be made better visible? It is important to strengthen systems for validation of skills acquired through non-formal and informal learning including volunteering and learning at the workplace. This would be very relevant for low-skilled (in terms of basic skills) who may have acquired considerable skills on the job.
All European tools needed for quality skills validation are available at the Cedefop web- portal. So, it is about implementing the related Council Recommendation of 2013 in the Member States.

Healthcarestudies. BSc Veterinary Medicine: MALTA

EUROPASS

The Europass tool is currently mainly used by young people with high levels of education, the “low-hanging fruit”. However, more disadvantaged groups with lower levels of educational attainment, older people, those long-term unemployed and recently arrived migrants often do not know the Europass and consequently cannot benefit from the tool to record their skills. In order to improve this situation, Europass should be promoted at national and local level through public employment services, career guidance centres and similar structures. There is a need to convince those actors to use Europass. At European level, a one-stop-shop that integrates a wider set of European tools and services in the area of skills and qualifications (e.g. a tool for self-assessment of entrepreneurship) may also help to further promote and facilitate the use of Europass, similarly to an increased collaboration between the different contact points for those initiatives at national level.