Newsletter 1/2020

Welcome to the first European Vocational Skills Week 2020 newsletter. In this edition, we will be updating you on the European Commission’s first preparations for the Week.

This year is the Fifth Anniversary of the European Vocational Skills Week. We will be paying particular attention to two issues high on the agenda of the new European Commission – green and digital. Look out for a multi-month communications where we hope you will be involved to help spread the VET message again. 9 to 13 November in Berlin, here we come!

European Vocational Skills Week 2020 - Register your event again soon!

Many of you know that you can register your event/activity to associate with our annual European Vocational Skills Week. You can do so again this year! The Commission will be providing you with this opportunity soon – make sure you get your event in early, and especially if you are organising one within the next couple of months! The Week may not be until November, but our campaign begins NOW.

The European Vocational Skills Week Ambassadors are back in 2020!

It has become a tradition: a network of Ambassadors are supporting the promotion of the European Vocational Skills Week every year. It started with eight Ambassadors in 2016, and gradually increased to as many as 27 Ambassadors last year. All of them helped us in promoting the Week and disseminating messages around VET.

They are all role models with a VET "story to tell". As highly credible resources, they can efficiently promote the attractiveness and excellence of vocational education and training, including to an audience that would be difficult to reach for the European Commission or national authorities.

We are counting on the Ambassadors in 2020 also. While we intend to keep many of those who helped the campaign in previous years, we will also try to bring in new Ambassadors. We hope to introduce them to you all before the summer. Do follow their progress – we will keep you informed!

European Awards for Vocational Education and Training Excellence 2020

This year again we will show-case and recognise committed people in VET by conferring awards.

We are looking for VET providers, teachers, trainers, companies, apprentices, organisations and others who create outstanding projects.

Help us to showcase excellence in the green and digital economy by promoting projects, strategies, and activities by competing for an award from the fifth European Vocational Skills Week.

Get ready! We will soon be publishing the applications time line.

Skills Agenda on the Agends... and other initiatives

As conversations at the Week this year will focus on the Commission’s 2020 policy initiatives in VET, we will be using this newsletter to regularly update you on these. With a new Commission and financial framework, this will be a busy year!

On 14 January 2020, the Commission presented its Communication on “A Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions”, which announces an updated Skills Agenda and a proposal for a Council Recommendation on VET.

The updated Skills Agenda will build on the current one. New actions will be announced, as well as others that take existing actions further.

The VET Recommendation will emphasise the need for skills to manage the green and digital transitions. It will lay down a strategic vision, the principles of quality and excellence in VET, mobility and internationalisation. Tools and instruments to support these elements will be included. The EU role with be clarified, including that of Cedefop and the ETF.

Join the conversation

Now that we’re acquainted lets continue the conversation on social media. Use #EUVocationalSkills and #DiscoverYourTalent to follow the conversation online.