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One of Cedefop’s main priorities is to support EU Member States and social partners in further developing and improving vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning policies and practices. To be able to do this systematically, Cedefop has launched a series of policy learning forums on a range of subjects. The aim is to establish a continuous process of sharing and learning where initial policy learning events are followed up through continued cooperation.
Europe’s labour force is getting older, but not enough adults participate in learning. In 2014, just over 10% of adults (aged between 25 and 64) participated in lifelong learning, well below the European Union’s (EU’s) target benchmark of 15% by 2020. There are signs that more employers are providing training, but other changes are needed to encourage adults to learn more.
By 2020, employment in the European Union (EU) is forecast to be back to its 2008 pre-crisis levels (Figure 1). But the overall picture masks differences between countries on the rate of job growth and the types of jobs that will be available, highlighting the varied challenges for vocational education and training systems across countries and sectors.
‘Our role as a European Union agency is to act as a catalyst and facilitate apprenticeship programmes,’ said Cedefop Director James Calleja at the ministerial meeting which endorsed the Riga conclusions on vocational education and training (VET) on Monday.
Cedefop celebrated 40 years’ contribution to vocational education and training (VET) in Europe and 20 years in Greece with the opening of an exhibition on its history (11 June) and a conference (12 June). Friends and stakeholders, Commission representatives, Governing Board members, and present and former staff were invited to the festivities.
Eurolib, the collaboration group of libraries of the EU institutions, EU agencies and services, held its 2015 general assembly on 21 and 22 May at Cedefop in Thessaloniki, Greece. Discussions mainly focused on library management tools, collaboration and information sharing.
Reform of training systems under the voluntary European framework for cooperation in training, known as the Copenhagen process, has improved training in Europe. However, the full benefits of the changes made still need to be felt by people and enterprises.
Since 2010, all countries have been actively reforming their vocational education and training (VET) systems, following objectives set out in the Bruges communiqué. Even countries with strong training systems, such as Germany, France Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Malta, Austria, Finland and the UK, have all adapted existing and introduced new measures since 2010. Others such as Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, Poland and Romania have improved their systems and made up ground over the period.
Τα κράτη μέλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και οι κοινωνικοί εταίροι έχουν επωφεληθεί από το έργο του Cedefop, του Ευρωπαϊκού Κέντρου για την Ανάπτυξη της Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης, στη 40χρονη πορεία του, σύμφωνα με τον Διευθυντή του οργανισμού, Τζέιμς Καλέγια.
Vocational education and training (VET) reform is opening up new routes for people into employment and for enterprises to develop the skills of their workforce to compete. However, reform still has some way to go for VET to meet 21st century expectations. But progress is being made, argues Cedefop Director James Calleja* on the occasion of the European agency’s 40th anniversary.
The challenges of the 21st century require new approaches to learning for work. Vocational education and training (VET) in Europe is evolving, but we need a clearer vision of what modern VET systems should look like.
This was the central message of Cedefop Director James Calleja’s* presentation to the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs committee, in Brussels today.
Κατά την πρώτη του επίσκεψη στο Cedefop ο νέος υφυπουργός Παιδείας Γεώργιος Γεωργαντάς διεμήνυσε στους υπευθύνους του οργανισμού τη διάθεσή του για ουσιαστικότερη συνεργασία με στόχο την επίλυση των προβλημάτων που αντιμετωπίζει η επαγγελματική εκπαίδευση στην Ελλάδα.
Cedefop presented its work to the Greek Parliament, for the first time, on 23 October. A delegation headed by Director James Calleja addressed MPs of the Education and Social Affairs select committees and answered questions on the agency’s contribution to the development of vocational education and training (VET) and its cooperation with Greek authorities and VET institutions.
Η συμβολή του Cedefop στην ανάπτυξη της επαγγελματικής εκπαίδευσης και κατάρτισης και η συνεργασία με τις ελληνικές αρχές και οργανισμούς ήταν το θέμα κοινής συνεδρίασης των κοινοβουλευτικών επιτροπών Μορφωτικών Υποθέσεων και Κοινωνικών Υποθέσεων, στην οποία αντιπροσωπεία του ευρωπαϊκού κέντρου παρουσίασε το έργο του και απάντησε σε ερωτήσεις βουλευτών.
‘Europe’s true problem is not one of a deficit of skills, but primarily a deficit of creation of good quality jobs,’ Cedefop Director James Calleja told the European Parliament of Enterprises on Thursday in Brussels.
The issue of permeability between different sections of education was the subject of two speeches Cedefop Director James Calleja gave at international conferences in September.
Last May, Cedefop held an expert workshop on how credit transfer systems can open doors between vocational and higher education. Participants investigated how credit transfer systems work in practice, and sought complementary and alternative solutions to the challenges these systems face.
Cedefop report finds that to best serve individuals, validation of non-formal and informal learning must take experience of companies into account.
Head of Area Enhanced Cooperation in VET and Lifelong Learning Mara Brugia has been appointed to the post of Deputy Director by Cedefop’s Governing Board. Ms Brugia will take up her new duties on 1 September 2014. She will replace outgoing Deputy Director Christian Lettmayr who is retiring at the end of August.
Qualifications that correspond to level 5 of the European qualifications framework (EQF) appeal to learners as they open up prospects on several fronts - immediate employment, career advancement, and further learning.
Early findings of a Europe-wide Cedefop study of the effect of vocational education and training (VET) on the dropout rate reveal that this effect is largely positive.