Welcome to the last newsletter of the 6th edition of the European Vocational Skills Week. We also take this opportunity send our best wishes to you and your families for happy holidays and success in 2023!
We thank all of you for your interest, support and collaboration. We are excited to share our results with you. EVSW counted 1,387 events, including dozens of webinars. Our activities covered 33 countries and soared online, reaching 29 million social media users.
We encourage you to continue to create, support and inspire the very best practices in Vocational Education and Training (VET), through events by local, regional and national organisations, and other VET partners.
Let’s keep talking on social media. Use #EUVocationalSkills and #DiscoverYourTalent to follow the conversation online.
When European leaders and social partners gathered in Gothenburg five years ago, they agreed on a ‘social summit for fair jobs and growth’. The meeting preceded the proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (social pillar) by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council in November 2017.
As the fifth pillar of the economic and monetary union, the social pillar serves as a compass for updating the EU's welfare states and labour markets to the new realities of life and work in the 21st century.
Today, we mark the 5th anniversary of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Since the Pillar was proclaimed, the Commission has put forward more than 130 initiatives to implement the values proposed in order to deliver a fairer Europe that is truly inclusive and full of opportunities.
2 years and 1,000 members: Pact for Skills
The Pact for Skills has expanded, and now includes 1 000 members! The 1 000th member, the European Heating Industry (EHI), received a warm welcome from Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit during a special session organised as part of the European Employment and Social Rights Forum (16-17 November).
Bringing together public and private organisations, the Pact aims to equip the youth of Europe with the skills to compete in today’s rapidly changing labour market. Members of the Pact have access to knowledge of upskilling and reskilling needs, advice on relevant funding instruments to boost the skills of adults in their regions and countries, and partnership opportunities within our growing community.
Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2023
The 2023 Erasmus+ call for proposals and Programme Guide have been published! The Guide is available online, in a user-friendly and accessible format to make it easier to find information, and as a PDF file to download.
Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe. There are approximately EUR 495 million available for vocational education and training (VET) mobility, the highest budget ever dedicated to this purpose. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, the Digital Education Action Plan, and the European Skills Agenda and reinforces the European Pillar of Social Rights.
EAfA on how to promote apprenticeships for SMEs
The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) organised a live discussion on how to promote apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on 14 December. Participants discussed policy, campaigns and the different instruments used to involve SMEs in apprenticeship programmes across Europe.
The discussion featured Valentina Guerra (Social Affairs and Training Policy Adviser, SMEUnited) as a keynote speaker and a panel made up of representatives from SMEs and regional and national VET entities. They presented the benefits of apprenticeships, how to design a communications strategy and how to approach learners and companies.
The 9th EAfA online training module on Communicating Apprenticeships
The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) launched its latest online training. The 9th online training module provides an overview of what attracts potential apprentices and serves as a collection of ideas, practices and examples for communicating apprenticeships to different target groups.
2022 Forum on Vocational Excellence in San Sebastian
The 2022 Forum on Vocational Excellence took place on 15 and 16 November 2022 in San Sebastian, Spain. This first international meeting of partners involved in initiatives on vocational excellence included panel discussions and parallel sessions covering some of the most pressing issues from smart specialisation to social inclusion.
Webinar: How to promote VET as a path for reskilling and upskilling
“We need better cooperation with companies as they know best what kind of skills are needed, we need to match this with people’s aspirations and we need to attract the right people.” So said Ana Carrero Yubero, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
She was addressing the 4th Info Day webinar on 24 November. Presenting initiatives supporting VET, she explained the link between upskilling and reskilling, and the recently announced European Year of Skills 2023. This event was organised for VET providers, Adult Education Providers, Public Employment Services, and other interested stakeholders such as National Contact Points.
More VET stories from across Europe
It’s story time! Check out our four latest VET stories online. Read about an IT apprentice in Valencia; a volunteering opportunity to empower women in need through VET; employment opportunities in the great outdoors for young people from Spain, Ireland and Poland; and small electric cars in Slovenia.
Don’t forget to link your VET event or activity to #EUVocationalSkills Week 2022 (the Week), as long as it takes place within this calendar year. Join the hundreds of VET events now linked to the Week and cross promote your VET event or activity. We will provide you with a myriad of resources and information to help you promote your happening.
Discover exciting VET events to upskill and reskill in line with the twin green and digital transition and other areas of VET – all focused on helping you achieve your goals.
Don’t wait!
Check out VET events around Europe and neighbouring countries
National Contact Points (#NCPs) have been instrumental in the success of the #EUVocationalSkills Week! They have pulled out all the stops getting people on board and have truly supported local VET event organisers to get their message out and gain publicity for their events.
Inspire others to discover their passion or calling in life by posting your unique VET story. Help others follow in your footsteps.
#EUVocationalSkills | #DiscoverYourTalent.
Explore our wonderful library of engaging VET stories on the 2022 European Vocational Skills website
Get networking on the European Vocational Skills Week’s networking tool. Here’s your chance to forge new links and create new initiatives with like-minded VET partners.
Subscribe to EU Social Newsletter!
EU employment and social policies bring practical benefits to citizens, for example, in finding a job, moving to another Member State for work or other reasons, upgrading skills, etc. Stay up to date with the latest news, events and activities in DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusions and the European Social Fund.
