This event presented emerging findings from Cedefop’s study on individual learning accounts (ILAs) and discussed the future role of ILAs in financing adult learning, while responding to the EU’s ambition of increasing the number of adults who participate in training each year. An array of stakeholders - including research community, practitioners and government representatives - shared their views on these issues.
A skilled workforce is the motor of a prosperous green and digital economy, powered by innovative ideas and products, and technological developments. As labour markets evolve, people need to keep pace by upgrading their skills. New and better skills open up more opportunities and equip people to play an active role in managing transitions in the labour market and participate fully in society. Moreover, adult upskilling and reskilling can be powerful tools in promoting social fairness and inclusion for a just transition.
Individual learning accounts are a recognised policy instrument; they provide adults with financial support to help them access learning opportunities and increase individuals’ incentives and motivation to seek training. In 2022, the EU recommended that Member States consider establishing individual learning accounts as a possible means for enabling individuals to participate in labour-market relevant training. When establishing ILAs, the EU recommends putting in place an ‘enabling framework’ (including career guidance, validation, national registry of opportunities eligible for funding from ILAs and training leave) to promote the effective take-up of ILAs.
In response to the EU-level policy initiatives on ILAs, Cedefop launched a study to explore the potential for developing ILAs in selected EU Member States and provide support to stakeholders in designing and implementing ILAs. The study proposes an analytical framework identifying the key functions of ILAs, drawing on the Council Recommendation as its main reference. Using this framework, in-depth case studies were conducted in five selected EU countries - Germany, Estonia, Ireland, the Netherlands and Austria - offering a better understanding of the strengths and challenges of the current arrangements relevant for ILAs. Based on this analysis, the study formulates country-specific scenarios and policy reflections, as well as general policy guidelines for implementing ILAs.
Video recording
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Agenda
Times are indicated in CET.
| 10.00 – 10.05 | Welcome and introduction Jürgen Siebel, Executive Director, Cedefop |
| 10.05 – 10.15 | Individual learning accounts - a game changer for adult learning? Manuela Geleng, Director for Jobs and Skills, DG EMPL, the European Commission |
| 10.15 – 10.45 | Presentation of Cedefop study on Individual learning accounts - emerging findings Patrycja Lipinska, Cedefop and Günter Hefler, 3s, Austria |
| 10.45 – 11.15 | Panel discussion
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| 11.15 – 11.25 | Q&A |
| 11.25 – 11.30 | Final remarks and the way forward Antonio Ranieri, Head of Department for VET and Skills, Cedefop |
Speakers
 Marko Bekic is head of the department that implements individual support schemes and programmes at the Vienna Employment Promotion Fund (waff)/Counselling Center for Career and Further Education. The Counselling Center provides counselling and financial aid to employed residents of Vienna in order to assist them in improving their professional skills. Marko Bekic has a masters degree in political science from the University of Vienna. |
 Manuela Geleng works for the European Commission where she is currently the Director for Jobs and Skills in the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. She is responsible for the Future of Work file as well as Youth Employment, the implementation of the Skills Agenda and Vocational Education and Training policies. |
He specialises in cross-country comparative research on lifelong learning, with a particular interest in the fields of learning at work and organisations’ training policies. Regarding the latter, he has served in various projects for the European Commission, Cedefop and in large-scale comparative projects funded by EU research funding frameworks. View moreHe led the consortium working Cedefop’s project on the EU Member States’ responses to the Council Recommendation on individual learning accounts and he is currently serving in a senior expert role in Cedefop’s study on training funds. He holds a master degree in philosophy, sociology and political sciences from the University of Vienna, and a PhD in lifelong learning from the University of Klagenfurt. |
 Bernd Käpplinger is full professor for continuing education at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen since 2015. Previously, he was a junior professor for learning in the life course/enterprise-based continuing training at the Humboldt University in Berlin from 2010 to 2015. View moreAfter studying adult education, sociology and political science in Mainz, Cork, Nijmegen and Berlin, he worked between 2001 and 2010 at the German Institute for Adult Education and at the Federal Institute for Vocational Training, both in Bonn. |
She is responsible for research and policy analysis on VET financing. Her recent and current projects include financing CVET/adult learning with a focus on demand-side schemes, financial and non-financial instruments supporting training performance in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, individual learning accounts and training funds. View moreShe holds master degrees in economics from the University of Gdańsk, Poland and the University of Exeter, UK. |
 Antonio Ranieri is Head of Department for VET and Skills at Cedefop. He manages a team of European experts investigating skills trends and changes in the worlds of work and support the development and implementation of the Union policy in the field of vocational education and training. The Department work encompasses a wide range of research and policy analysis in two Cedefop strategic areas of operation, namely skills and labour market and learning and employability. View moreAn economist by training, Antonio has taught regional economics at the University of Rome since 2002. He also lectured at the National High School of Public Administration on cost-benefit analysis and public expenditure. Prior to joining Cedefop, in 2010, he was Head of Research and Studies at the public services authority of the Municipality of Rome. Until 2007, he was Head of Area at CLES, an independent centre of studies on labour market and economic development based in Rome. In this capacity, he coordinated a number of key projects of the organization, including monitoring and evaluation of large-scale EU funded programmes, research projects on the green economy, job and enterprise-creation, labour market analysis and skills development. |
 Mantas Sekmokas is currently engaged as an expert in research and policy analysis at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), with a focus on the topics of financing and statistics in VET. During his more than 20 years of work experience, he provided advice on data analytics and monitoring of VET, adult learning and skills policies to multiple international and national bodies, such as UNESCO, ILO, OECD, G7, European Commission, Nordic Council of Ministers, BMZ/GIZ and Skills Future Singapore agency (including nearly ten years of work for the European Commission), as well as the private sector. View moreHis academic background includes a MSc degree in Information systems and data science from the University of Amsterdam (UvA); a MSc degree in Cognitive and Decision Sciences from the University College London (UCL); a MSc degree in International Management from ISM University of Management and Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Vilnius University. |
As Executive Director, he is responsible for managing the Agency’s operations in accordance with the strategic direction of its tripartite Management Board. View moreJürgen has a background in human resources management with particular emphasis on learning and education, the strategic development and roll-out of work-based vocational education and training programmes, as well as related corporate social responsibility initiatives. In this context he has also collaborated with institutional actors at national, European and global levels. Before joining Cedefop in Thessaloniki, Jürgen served for 20 years in various leading operational and strategic HR roles in Siemens AG, mostly as senior manager with global governance or business partner responsibilities. Jürgen earned his MSc in economics at the University of Hamburg, and a PhD in business administration from the University of Vienna. |
 Annemiek Wortman is Head of Department, at the Dutch Department of Social Affairs and Employment. She is responsible for policy with regards to life long learning – including financing adult learning, work life balance and equal opportunities at the labour market. She also participated in the network of European Skills Coordinators, on behalf of The Netherlands. |
Günter Hefler has been a researcher and consultant at 3s Research & Consulting, Vienna, since 2003.
Patrycja Lipińska has worked as an expert at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) since 2005.
Jürgen Siebel, Executive Director of Cedefop, joined Cedefop from the private sector in September 2019.Event details
Downloads
Presentation "Cedefop study Individual learning accounts" (P. Lipinska, M. Sekmokas, G. Hefler)
Family photo
Cedefop study on ILA - case study Ireland (draft)
Cedefop study on ILA - case study Austria (draft)
Cedefop study on ILA - case study Germany (draft)
Cedefop study on ILA - case study The Netherlands (draft)
Cedefop study on ILA - case study Estonia (draft)
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