Cedefop’s second European skills and jobs survey (ESJS2) emerges as a powerful tool for the digital transition of Europe's labour markets and economies supporting policy formation on skill gaps and needs, a major conference organised by the Agency established.
Cedefop’s second European skills and jobs survey (ESJS2) emerges as a powerful tool for the digital transition of Europe's labour markets and economies supporting policy formation on skill gaps and needs, a major conference organised by the Agency established.
The online conference, which spread over four days between 9 and 14 December attracting hundreds of participants, aimed to discuss with the European policy and expert community, social partners and a wider group of stakeholders the main findings of Cedefop’s second ESJS focused on digitalisation and skill mismatches in Europe.
The event's keynote speaker, Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides, the 2010 Nobel Prize laureate in economics, Regius Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, Professor of European Studies at the University of Cyprus and founder of the London-based Institute for the Future of Work, discussed innovation, growth and workers transitions, concluding that we can, indeed, control the many new avenues for progress that digital technologies are opening up, and that more skills across the workforce are needed in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
'Both companies and governments have an important role to play here, through the provision of good jobs and restructured education and skills,' he emphasised.
The participants' views
The European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit underlined that new evidence from Cedefop’s ESJS2 is setting Europe on course for a human digital transition, while Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel pointed out that 'our research shows that only a skills revolution will help the European Union (EU) and the Member States achieve the goals set for the end of the decade and beyond.'
Digitalisation is more about disruption and job restructuring, and an ever-growing demand for upskilling and reskilling of adult workers. The future is about people just as much as it is about technology.
The notion of ‘skill’ in a digital context is moving towards more holistic and hybrid skill profiles, in which interpersonal and other problem-solving skills blend with digital skills. More attention ought to be paid to artificial intelligence literacy as a future skill.
Robust skills intelligence makes a difference and helps mitigating skill mismatches and align expectations with labour market realities both for young people and employed adults.
The role of demand side factors in skill mismatch must be better understood – such as workplace practices that may influence continuing vocational education and training (CVET).
There are clear winners and losers of the digitalisation race; the ESJS2 evidence has highlighted the marked inequalities underpinning workers’ attitudes to new digital technologies, skill gaps and access to digital skills training.
It was also announced that, ahead of the European Year of Skills 2023, Cedefop will continue exploring the new ESJS2 data and will make them available to the research community to stimulate exchange, work with the European Training Foundation (ETF) to create a truly international dataset comprising of over 35 countries and further develop its other skills intelligence tools, such as the Skills OVATE database, to extract new insights about emerging digital skills in EU labour markets.
ReferNet, Cedefop's network of institutions which provide information on national vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies around Europe, celebrated 20 years of successful cooperation with a dedicated event in Thessaloniki on 9 November, followed by its annual plenary meeting (10 and 11 November).
ReferNet, Cedefop's network of institutions which provide information on national vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies around Europe, celebrated 20 years of successful cooperation with a dedicated event in Thessaloniki on 9 November, followed by its annual plenary meeting (10 and 11 November).
During a memorable evening at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, participants watched a message from European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and listened to an inspiring presentation by futurist Fabienne Goux-Baudiment, offering an insightful look into the future of education and society as a whole.
Slovak member Juraj Vantuch's great contribution to the network over the years was also recognised. Mr Vantuch received the first ReferNet partnership award from Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel.
‘Tremendously successful’
Mr Siebel opened the event with a look back at the network’s rich 20-year history. ‘What a great and purposeful 20 years this has been,’ he exclaimed, adding that ‘booming interest in exchanging knowledge and views on VET and skills helped shape the network.’ He also noted that ReferNet and the Copenhagen process, aiming to establish common European objectives and reform national VET systems, were born in the same year – 2002.
According to the Cedefop Executive Director, ‘From the experience of the first 20 years it is clear that we are dealing with a cooperation based on mutual benefit – a win-win situation. ReferNet’s tremendously successful contribution so far makes the network one of Cedefop’s most cherished enterprises as we face and plan for the years ahead.’
Addressing the ReferNet partners, Cedefop Head of Department for VET and Qualifications Loukas Zahilas highlighted that ‘we are a group of people, a group of Europeans, representing all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway, sharing the same vision of working for a better VET.’
‘Awakening vocations and training’
In his video message, Mr Schinas congratulated ReferNet on its anniversary and talked about the upcoming European Year of Skills 2023.
‘Skills are what allow people to excel and businesses to grow. They enable us to navigate a crisis, adjust to change and recover. They are key to our competitiveness but also to the cohesion of our societies,’ he said, adding that ‘our ultimate objective is to empower people and allow them to be better equipped to manage their lives.’
The Commission Vice-President stated that 2023 will be ‘a year of growth and collaboration, of synergies between our regions, business communities, SMEs and academia. Fundamentally, it will be a year of awakening vocations and training.’
Concluding, he argued that ‘in Europe we need a skills revolution and we need it now, but one that at the same time leaves nobody behind.’
Education in a ‘liquid world’
Ms Goux-Baudiment presented the notion of a ‘liquid world’. She talked about the great historical transitions of human societies, looking into the current trends and what can be a bright future, with education playing a vital part.
Regarding the challenges to education in a disruptive socioeconomic environment, she maintained that the great transformation leading to development model X.0, which is characterised by liquidity, calls for new tools and solutions. Education will prepare free individuals, ‘liquid’ people claiming a new freedom. The goal is to bring freedom while keeping social cohesion to enable the great transformation.
The annual meeting
The ReferNet partners gathered again the following day at the Cedefop premises for their two-day annual plenary meeting. They all expressed their delight that they were able to meet again in person following the coronavirus pandemic.
European Commission’s Manuela Geleng outlined the latest VET policy developments. She reiterated that the Commission relies on the expertise of Cedefop, its sister EU agency, the European Training Foundation, and ReferNet in monitoring the progress of the national implementation plans (NIPs) on VET.
George Kostakis, Cedefop coordinator of the VET policies and systems team, presented the soon-to-be-released ‘Timeline of VET policies in Europe’.
Cedefop experts also presented adjusting policy reporting to the countries’ NIPs, inspiring national news on VET for European policy-makers and practitioners, an introduction to the ad hoc activity on improving understanding of qualifications in online job advertisements, and a comparative analysis of ReferNet reports on teachers and trainers in a changing world.
In open space sessions, on both days, participants discussed how they would like ReferNet to develop in the next 10 years.
Wrapping up proceedings, Cedefop Director Jürgen Siebel paid tribute to Sylvie Bousquet who has been ReferNet coordinator throughout its 20-year history.
Marking 20 years after the Copenhagen Declaration, the milestone in European cooperation on vocational education and training (VET), a two-day conference highlighted the findings of Cedefop's research on the overall direction European VET is taking and what this implies for the future.
Marking 20 years after the Copenhagen Declaration, the milestone in European cooperation on vocational education and training (VET), a two-day conference highlighted the findings of Cedefop's research on the overall direction European VET is taking and what this implies for the future.
Opening the event, Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel noted that ‘VET systems are indeed changing to stay relevant. And while most countries move forward through small steps, as revolutions are rare in our area, the long-term implication is the emergence of modernised and more flexible VET systems able to serve learners of all ages and with different needs.’
VET is gradually being marginalised by changing skill needs and the enlargement of the footprint of general and academic education, or
it is actually expanding, responding to the needs of labour markets for work and practice-based skills.
These two tendencies, it was concluded, still coexist at the current juncture, and the jury is still out on whether one shall prevail over the other or they will continue on their parallel ways.
Invited speakers analysed the emerging role of VET in a global, European and national perspective and addressed the key challenges, opportunities and dilemmas for the future. During a session dedicated to the 20 years of European cooperation in VET, chaired by Cedefop Head of Department for VET and Qualifications Loukas Zahilas, the challenges and success stories of European joint work in this area were highlighted.
Cedefop research 'a strong basis'
Cedefop experts Jens Bjørnåvold, whose distinguished career at Cedefop came to a close at the event, and Anastasia Pouliou presented the Agency's research as part of the Future of VET project, while four break-out sessions discussed:
the review and renewal of VET content
changes in VET delivery
changes in assessment
the link between initial (IVET) and continuing VET (CVET)
Speakers noted that the perspectives developed in the Cedefop research programme provide a strong basis for further developing comparative methodologies, that the quality and attractiveness of VET should be strengthened in the future and that, while this will require a change in the overall conceptualisation of VET, it will also require systematic investment in research, by adding resources, building networks and strengthening cooperation.
Participants agreed that the next phase of Cedefop’s work on the future of VET, starting in 2023, could play a significant part in taking research in the field forward.
Cedefop is inviting employees, employers, students (young and adults) and individuals not currently employed to take part in a survey about the added value of microcredentials.
The role of microcredentials in facilitating learning for employment is a major study commissioned by Cedefop. Its aim is to contribute to a better understanding of the role played by microcredentials in supporting labour-market-related and employment-relevant education, training and learning. The project findings will offer new knowledge on the characteristics of microcredentials, their added value to individual learners and employees, as well as their impact on existing qualifications and recognition systems.
A key focus of the study is to understand the relevance of microcredentials for the individual learner and the conditions that need to be met for them to support learners in navigating their careers through life and across different areas of education and employment. Capturing the voice of individual holders as well as education or labour market receivers is important.
To this end, four surveys (addressed to different target groups) are being conducted. Respondents are invited to complete a short questionnaire to record their experiences and perceptions of microcredentials’ role in supporting lifelong and life-wide learning. The surveys are available in 8 languages (English, Dutch, Finnish, German, French, Polish, Spanish and Slovenian).
Cedefop supports the distribution of the questionnaires and encourages individuals to respond to obtain a wide cross-section of views.
The survey will remain open until 15 January 2023 but please submit your responses as soon as possible.
If you require content-related information, you can contact Cedefop experts Anastasia Pouliou Anastasia.pouliou [at] cedefop.europa.eu or Iraklis Pliakis Iraklis.pliakis [at] cedefop.europa.eu
For any other information: Greta Kirdulytė (Project Manager, PPMI) greta.kirdulyte [at] ppmi.lt and microcredentials [at] ppmi.lt
A coordinated and systematic approach to skills training is needed to ensure that all Europeans can face the challenges of the green and digital transitions, Cedefop and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) emphasised at their Fourth policy learning forum on upskilling pathways on 16 November.
A coordinated and systematic approach to skills training is needed to ensure that all Europeans can face the challenges of the green and digital transitions, Cedefop and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) emphasised at their Fourth policy learning forum on upskilling pathways on 16 November.
The forums allow countries to learn from one another and explore ways to improve training for adults with low skill levels.
Laurenţiu Plosceanu, President of the EESC Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, told the 90 participants that ‘COVID-19 has resulted in an unprecedented change in the world of work. The need for digital skills has become more visible. Equipping people with the skills needed to keep up with the changing world of work must be a priority.’
At least 50 million adults in Europe lack basic literacy, numeracy and digital competencies. Some 128 million require upskilling and reskilling, according to Cedefop estimates.
In addition, workplaces are offering fewer opportunities to upskill workers, making Cedefop’s role more crucial, argued the Agency’s Head of Department for VET and Skills Antonio Ranieri. The European Pillar of Social Rights set a target that at least 60% of all adults should participate in training every year by 2030.
Cedefop Deputy Director Mara Brugia said: ‘While low-skilled adults deserve special attention, it is essential that all adults have the chance to develop and upgrade their skills, regardless of their labour market status and socioeconomic background. This is a prerequisite if we want to ensure that they can manage frequent transitions and succeed in their lives and careers.’
Thematic country reviews
The event was an opportunity to discuss the preliminary findings of Cedefop’s thematic country reviews on upskilling pathways for low-skilled adults, in France and Italy.
Cedefop expert Lidia Salvatore outlined the project which will continue with reviews in Croatia and Spain in 2023.
The first results showed the importance of local organisations and partnerships in reaching out to ‘the invisibles’ – people most at risk of social exclusion – and highlighted the importance of turning ad hoc projects into sustainable initiatives.
‘There are many programmes, tools and funds offering upskilling opportunities. It is a challenge for any adult to navigate this jungle of offers,’ said EESC member Tatjana Babrauskiene.
However, opportunities for up- and reskilling varied across Member States and implementing the Recommendation’s three steps – providing skills assessment, personalised learning offers and skills validation – requires the strategic coordination and cooperation of many partners.
‘We need to invest in partnerships and infrastructure. Reaching the low-qualified requires working together with social partners and civil society and with those who do not traditionally focus on upskilling,’ said the European Commission's David Kunst, adding that, as the Commission has made 2023 the European Year of Skills, it should be used to provide impetus for further initiatives.
A crucial step has been made towards documenting the experiences and needs of those who teach and learn in vocational education and training (VET) and initial VET (IVET) throughout Europe, which would become a valuable tool in the hands of policy-makers aiming at high-quality evidence-based policies in the field.
During Cedefop's third Policy learning forum (PLF), titled 'Assessing the feasibility of a pan-European survey of VET teachers and trainers', which took place online on 22 and 23 November, around 80 participants reviewed the findings of the feasibility study that started in 2021 and discussed different scenarios about upscaling the survey in IVET to all European Union countries, Norway and Iceland.
Participants included representatives from ministries, European sectoral social partners for education, the European Commission (EC), national social partners, OBESSU, the European Parents’ Association and European Associations of VET providers as well as school principals from the pilot countries: Austria, Croatia, Greece, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Spain.
A key aim of the feasibility study was to test the methodology of a pan-European survey by recording the difficulties faced and lessons learned and also pointing to a better understanding of the conditions that need to be in place for a successful upscaling of the survey.
Understanding the challenges ahead
Welcoming participants, Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel noted that the findings of this European survey can help teachers, learners and policy-makers to understand the challenges that lie ahead for VET and IVET, while Antonio Ranieri, Head of the Agency's department for VET and skills acknowledged the great support in carrying out this study of the advisory group set up by Cedefop and composed of ministry representatives from the pilot countries and European sectoral social partners for education.
Cedefop expert Irene Psifidou, coordinator of the Agency's work in this project, presented the key findings of the feasibility study, along with research and policy analysis centre PPMI's Gerda Burneikaite and Ockham IPS' Director Simon Broek. She noted that the European survey that Cedefop wishes to launch is unique in its nature, as it will reveal how well teachers, trainers and principals feel they are prepared for their highly demanding professions.
A detailed presentation of the conditions for a future EU-wide survey sparked lively debate on the methodology, scope and the key incentives to motivate the participation of schools and trainers.
Cedefop Deputy Director Mara Brugia highlighted the added value of the EU survey:
'Existing statistics and surveys at national level in IVET are often not systematic and, in any case, do not offer comparable data across Europe. At the same time, existing international surveys do not offer a specific focus on VET. This planned survey may allow us to monitor the access, the quality and effectiveness of continuing professional development for teachers and trainers in participating countries.'
EU Agencies have the know-how and the potential to support the European economy and society make the green transition happen. This was a key message of the Cedefop-Eurofound online knowledge-sharing seminar ‘Skills and quality jobs as drivers of a just green transition’ on 12 December, with experts from over 15 members of ...
EU Agencies have the know-how and the potential to support the European economy and society make the green transition happen. This was a key message of the Cedefop-Eurofound online knowledge-sharing seminar ‘Skills and quality jobs as drivers of a just green transition’ on 12 December, with experts from over 15 members of the EU Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (EU-ANSA).
Becoming a climate neutral economy by 2050 is one of the key targets of the European Green Deal, the EU’s growth strategy. The green transition is already changing employment, jobs, skills and training needs. Labour market research and high-quality skills intelligence – at EU, national, regional, local and sectoral levels – is instrumental.
Apart from achieving environmental goals and targets, the wider socioeconomic implications of the green transition must be considered to ensure it is just. Cedefop and Eurofound have been exploring the impact of environmental policy on skills, jobs, and vocational education and training (VET) for over a decade. Opening the event, Eurofound Executive Director Ivailo Kalfin called it ‘an example of good cooperation and sharing of expertise among the EU agencies.’
In his opening remarks, Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel echoed his counterpart and stressed that the seminar had a ‘crucial objective: to trigger exchange and discussion among Agencies. We hope to boost peer learning and enable the identification of synergies, common challenges and concerns for the road ahead.’
Cedefop expert Stelina Chatzichristou navigated attendees to the green observatory that encompasses the Agency’s ‘green’ work. Fellow expert Jiri Branka provided detailed information on Cedefop’s analysis based on online job advertisements. Eurofound’s Jorge Cabrita shared with EU-ANSA colleagues the Agency’s recent work on the role of social dialogue and job quality in the green and just transition and announced forthcoming work on those and other themes.
A panel of experts from the European Environmental Agency, EU-OSHA and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission discussed some of the key factors that Agencies should take into consideration in their work on the green and just transition in the short and the long term, such as the industry’s changing skill needs and the need to embed sustainability principles and goals from the design phase of policies and activities. Some similarities were identified with the countries where the European Training Foundation operates.
Adjustment and agility are necessary from the VET programme design level to the development of more comprehensive frameworks for skills and jobs in the green transition. The transition calls for a transformation of the state of play, so Agencies need to translate the implications into interactions and interdependencies between them.
The transition’s gender element, the urgency of considering vulnerable groups of learners and workers, as well as the health (physical and mental) and safety implications of the profound changes to the ways of production, new materials, new business models etc., were some of the points that gained traction.
Cedefop and Eurofound will assess the seminar outputs to inform the next steps of their collaboration in this thematic area that will include a policy brief and a social partners forum in 2024 on the impact of the green transition on skills and jobs.
Cedefop’s systematic work on tackling early leaving from education and training is at the heart of a renewed strategy by the European Union towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-30).
On 28 November, the EU ministers of education agreed on measures to reduce the share of those leaving education and training early and to bring down under-achieving in reading, mathematics and science, issuing a recommendation to the European Commission and Member States.
The recommendation invites governments, by 2025, to develop, or, where appropriate, further strengthen, an integrated and comprehensive strategy towards school success, including prevention, intervention and compensation measures for learners requiring additional attention and support.
Furthermore, suggests that Member States pay special attention to wellbeing at school, given that research indicates that emotional, social and physical wellbeing is important to enhance children and young people’s chances of succeeding in education and in life.
The recommendation further invites governments to back school leaders, teachers, trainers and other staff by helping them to acquire knowledge, skills and competences and providing support for continuous professional development, as well as adequate time, space and support to work effectively with all learners, including those at risk of exclusion, underachievement and early leaving.
This latest recommendation replaces a 2011 Council recommendation on policies to reduce early school leaving. Since 2010, the rate of early leavers has decreased by 3.9 percentage points. However, at 9.7 % in 2021 across the EU on average the share is still above the EU’s 9% objective, while the underachievement rate stands at 22.5% in reading, 22.9% in mathematics and 22.3% in science.
Cedefop's work to tackle early leaving
Monitoring and collecting quantitative and qualitative data at national, regional and local levels is an essential condition for designing and rolling out the new strategy, and this is where Cedefop's research work comes into play.
According to the recommendation, resources available in Cedefop’s VET toolkit for tackling early leaving can be used to promote networking between schools, as well as multi-professional learning communities at local, regional, national and international levels to promote mutual learning.
Moreover, the recommendation acknowledges the crucial role of Cedefop’s ambassadors for tackling early leaving in identifying and sharing successful practices.
While investing in skills will remain a crucial factor for the twin, green and digital, transitions, it will also be vital in the coming years to invest in jobs that are learning-intensive, that make use of the skills of young people and give them a springboard to a successful career.
This was the key message that Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel drove home during a meeting at the European Parliament, titled 'Right skills and quality jobs for young people in the European Year of Youth 2022'. The event was organised by Ceemet, the European employers’ organisation representing the interests of the metal, engineering and technology-based industries, and IndustriAll European Trade Union, a federation of trade unions representing manual and non-manual workers in various industries and activities.
Mr Siebel presented Cedefop's work on skills anticipation and the development of skills intelligence – powerful and actionable information that helps policy-makers, employers and individuals make the right education, training and skills investment choices:
Short term skills needs analysis, to understand emerging skills needs in the labour market, for example by analysing online job advertisements.
Long-term skills needs analysis: for instance, via forecasts, which typically look a decade ahead.
Analysis that examines the match between people and jobs, for example via employer and worker surveys to measure imbalances between skills demand and supply – skills gaps but also skills that are not used.
Drawing on data harvested from Cedefop's research, Mr Siebel said that implementing the European Green Deal is forecast to bring 2.5 million extra jobs to Europe's economies by 2030, adding that another critical part of preparing for this transition, and of the research carried out by the Agency, is understanding what those jobs look like and how we can educate, train and upskill people to access them. Vocational education and training (VET) – he pointed out – is in an advantageous position to facilitate the twin transitions thanks to its immediate proximity to both the world of work and education.
'One of the key lessons from our work on the green economy is that we can and should do much better in marketing and 'selling' green jobs. In all sectors, people on the ground tell us that we need to overcome stereotypes (e.g. 'waste management jobs are dirty') and increase awareness of the many well-paying jobs and careers out there. We cannot afford not to do this, as skills shortages will delay progress towards a greener economy and society,' Cedefop Executive Director underlined.
He noted that not all green jobs are high skilled ones, pointing to the example of the waste management sector, where almost half are skilled manual or elementary jobs.
Mr Siebel warned that data suggest, despite the fact that digitalisation is an area where young people obviously have a clear advantage, in terms of the jobs they have they are often disadvantaged. This – he said – calls for fresh investment not only in skills but also in jobs that capitalise on the younger generation's digital savviness.
Cedefop has recently made a firm strategic commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030. The Agency’s objective is to cut down greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the lowest possible amount and compensate any remaining unavoidable emissions through carbon removal activities.
The European Commission has made a similar pledge, aiming to be climate neutral by 2030. Other EU agencies are also working towards the same direction. The EU as a whole aspires to be climate neutral by 2050.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the first step in Cedefop’s journey towards climate neutrality and sustainable corporate presence. This will be a process of transformation for the Agency under the umbrella of a broader environmental strategy; it will entail being mindful of reducing our impact on the climate and on the environment, as we continue our work to fulfil our mission.
To ensure accountability, Cedefop is planning to improve its environment management system, aiming to become EMAS certified.
This will require a series of actions in several areas, such as facility management, travelling and modes of working, to reduce both direct and indirect emissions. Some actions have already been implemented:
business travel has been cut down by at least 65% compared to 2019;
LED lighting replaced traditional lighting;
new energy-efficient window blinds were installed;
electric car chargers were made available to staff.
More have been decided on and will be implemented in 2023, such as upgrading the building insulation and installing photovoltaic panels.
The results of a dedicated study on ways to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 are expected to provide ideas for further actions and commitments to be made in areas such as:
The professional development of vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers is crucial to helping them perform their many tasks. It is now more important than ever for them to upgrade and update their own skills to be able, in turn, to instil (self-)confidence in their students, trainees and apprentices, ...
The professional development of vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers is crucial to helping them perform their many tasks. It is now more important than ever for them to upgrade and update their own skills to be able, in turn, to instil (self-)confidence in their students, trainees and apprentices, as well as offering them up-to-date knowledge and skills. This briefing note presents new evidence gathered by Cedefop on teacher and trainer initial training and continuous professional development, including many practical examples.
In the current, fast-changing education and labour market landscape, there is a need to promote more learner-centred strategies and to build bridges between initial and continuing vocational education and training (VET).
Cedefop’s latest briefing note on the future of VET provides insights into how training content and provision are changing to respond to labour markets’ rapidly evolving skill needs.
This report focuses on the role played by assessment in the delivery of VET. A key question is whether the objectives set in national curricula, by qualifications standards and in programme descriptions are improved or undermined by dominant assessment approaches.
An additional question is how assessment approaches address increasingly complex requirements in general knowledge and transversal skills and competences. Can current methodologies be relied on and do they provide a valid picture of achieved learning? The study provides important insights into the evolution of assessment for VET in Europe and can be used as a basis for developing future research in this area.
Better and smarter waste management is essential to achieving European Green Deal (EGD) ambitions. Stricter regulation, increased investment, and innovation in materials processing technology and circular economy solutions boost employment and transform skill needs in the waste management sector and beyond.
This policy brief reports on a Cedefop skills foresight study which looked at the occupations and skills that are central to greening waste management and the role vocational education and training (VET) can play in developing them.
This policy brief analyses country policies and practices in recognising learning outcomes acquired abroad by IVET learners on transnational learning mobility, whether within or outside Erasmus+.
The analysis covers the EU Members States, Iceland, and Norway. It is based on data collected in 2021 from Cedefop's ReferNet network for the mobility scoreboard.
SELFIE for schools is a free online self-reflection tool which supports schools going digital. Its questionnaires ask school leaders, teachers and students about their opinions on the use of digital technologies for teaching and learning.
In this paper, we examine whether digital competences of students vary more at the country, regional, school or individual level and what factors are associated with differences in competences at each level. The results show substantial variance at the school level but student digital competences are associated with other student-related factors, particularly digital infrastructure, pedagogy and assessments, and with school averages of these factors. Teacher-related variables are mostly insignificant and between-country differences are not important for the relationship between digital competences and other factors. Overall, the results show that individual level differences are the most important but composite peer effects also play a role in shaping digital competences.
The SELFIE tool gives vocational education and training (VET) schools the chance to see their position in the use of digital technologies for teaching and learning.
While available for various education levels, for the first time this paper focuses on the use of the tool by VET schools, aiming to validate the SELFIE tool for the VET sector using psychometrics in a cross-country setting. The results indicate that SELFIE for VET is a reliable tool with good psychometric properties.
Early leavers from education and training become generally disadvantaged socially and economically in later stages in life, so it is important to understand better the motivations for early leaving and provide adequate policy solutions.
This study analyses the factors that are most strongly related to the likelihood of leaving education and training early. It places special attention on migrant status, given the recent migration waves within and outside Europe, which are further exacerbated by the continuing war in Ukraine. To this end, we use the OECD most recent PISA data for 2015 and 2018 in a number of two-level logit regression models, including student- and school-level variables. The results show that migrant students do not differ structurally from EU natives in their likelihood of expected early leaving, implying that it is more important to focus on common factors.
This working paper presents results of an assessment of the representativeness of information collected from online job advertisements (OJA) in establishing the number of labour market vacancies in EU Member States.
Two external data sources were used, Labour force survey (LFS) and Job vacancies survey (JVS), available in most EU countries. The coverage biases in OJA data, in comparison to existing data sources, are evaluated at sectoral, occupational and geographic levels.
Fabienne Goux-Baudiment has dedicated her academic and professional life to the scientific study of future trends and the probabilistic foresight of the challenges that lie ahead. She speaks on episode 11 of Cedefop's Skillset and match podcast about the emerging faces of education and work, skills and aptitudes, and expla...
Fabienne Goux-Baudiment has dedicated her academic and professional life to the scientific study of future trends and the probabilistic foresight of the challenges that lie ahead. She speaks on episode 11 of Cedefop's Skillset and match podcast about the emerging faces of education and work, skills and aptitudes, and explains her view of what she terms 'liquid people'.
Keep abreast of developments, analysis and reflection on vocational education and training (VET), skills, qualifications, jobs and labour market trends by subscribing to Cedefop’s podcast series.
Hosting experts, policy-makers, social partners, VET practitioners and learners, this regular series sheds fresh light on all matters relating to the present and future of VET, the challenges ahead and the ways to tackle them.
Listen to all episodes here and on all major podcast platforms.
As he approaches retirement after 26 years of serving European vocational education and training (VET), award-winning Cedefop expert Jens Bjørnåvold shares his career experience, views and predictions on the future of VET, lifelong learning, validation of prior learning and qualifications. Will VET withstand the test of th...
As he approaches retirement after 26 years of serving European vocational education and training (VET), award-winning Cedefop expert Jens Bjørnåvold shares his career experience, views and predictions on the future of VET, lifelong learning, validation of prior learning and qualifications. Will VET withstand the test of the changing education and labour market landscape? Jens says he cannot imagine a society without vocational training and points to lifelong learning as a basic driver of future individual and collective development. He also assures us that he will continue to be involved in the field, only this time from his hometown in Norway. Listen to his fascinating insights.
Keep abreast of developments, analysis and reflection on vocational education and training (VET), skills, qualifications, jobs and labour market trends by subscribing to Cedefop’s podcast series.
Hosting experts, policy-makers, social partners, VET practitioners and learners, this regular series sheds fresh light on all matters relating to the present and future of VET, the challenges ahead and the ways to tackle them.
Listen to all episodes here and on all major podcast platforms.
ReferNet, Cedefop's network of institutions which provide information on national vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies around Europe, celebrated 20 years of successful cooperation with a dedicated event in Thessaloniki on 9 November at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, followed by its annual plenary me...
ReferNet, Cedefop's network of institutions which provide information on national vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies around Europe, celebrated 20 years of successful cooperation with a dedicated event in Thessaloniki on 9 November at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, followed by its annual plenary meeting (10 and 11 November).
ReferNet partners talk about what they have brought to the network and what the network has done for them as well as ReferNet's future role.
ReferNet, Cedefop's network of institutions which provide information on national vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies around Europe, celebrated 20 years of...
ReferNet partners talk about what they have brought to the network and what the network has done for them as well as ReferNet's future role.
ReferNet, Cedefop's network of institutions which provide information on national vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies around Europe, celebrated 20 years of successful cooperation with a dedicated event in Thessaloniki on 9 November, followed by its annual plenary meeting (10 and 11 November).
Cedefop and the OECD are organising their third joint symposium on Apprenticeship and the digital transition, on 15 and 16 June 2023 in Thessaloniki.
The event will explore the links between apprenticeships and the digital transition, and their implications for policy making, bringing together policy makers, practit...
Cedefop and the OECD are organising their third joint symposium on Apprenticeship and the digital transition, on 15 and 16 June 2023 in Thessaloniki.
The event will explore the links between apprenticeships and the digital transition, and their implications for policy making, bringing together policy makers, practitioners and researchers from around the world.
The call for papers on new research or analysis of practices on the topic is now published (22 July 2022). Selected papers will be included in the joint Cedefop/OECD publication on the same topics and/or will be presented during the 2023 symposium.
UPDATE: New deadline for abstract submissions: 15 November
Digital technologies have the potential to boost more inclusive and sustainable growth by spurring innovation, generating efficiencies and improving services. Digitalisation and automation, underpinned by advances in robotics, artificial intelligence and other digital technologies, have an impact on employment, changing skill needs and potentially resulting in skill mismatch. They also support the development of new forms of work and learning, such as platform or gig work, remote ICT-based work, distance or blended learning, crowdlearning.
As new or redefined skills may be required, apprenticeships, by being tightly linked to the labour market, can provide opportunities to develop the right skills for the digital transition, both for youth in initial education and for adults in need of upskilling or reskilling. They can support and foster the transformation processes triggered by digitalisation, at least in terms of new or redefined training content/learning outcomes. At the same time, digitalisation presents an opportunity for apprenticeships to adjust to new forms of training that are facilitated by new technologies.
The symposium will explore the link between apprenticeship and the digital transition in two strands:
A. What is the impact of digitalisation on the demand for apprenticeship training (e.g., in terms of new or redefined skills, occupations, programmes, curricula etc.)?
B. What is the impact of digitalisation on apprenticeship training supply (e.g., teaching and training methodologies, training of teachers and trainers to use new technologies etc.)?
Cedefop and the OECD will welcome abstracts on both strands. The call for papers is now published (22 July 2022).
Authors will have time until 1 November to submit their abstract.
A joint Cedefop/OECD panel will assess the abstracts and inform authors of the most relevant ones to develop full papers. If selected, papers will be (a) presented during the 2023 Symposium and/or (b) included in the subsequent joint Cedefop/OECD publication.
Key steps and dates for interested authors:
Launch of call for papers: 22 July 2022
Deadline for abstract submission: 1 November 202215 November 2022
Selection of abstracts: 15 December 2022
Deadline for draft full paper: 1 March 2023
Draft full paper review by Cedefop/OECD: 2 May 2023
Deadline for symposium presentations: 9 June 2023
Event: 15-16 June 2023
Deadline for full paper: September 2023 (provisional, tbc)
Expected publication date: January 2024 (provisional, tbc)
Registration of general participants will open in March 2023.
The 2023 Symposium continues the joint work of Cedefop and the OECD on apprenticeships. See more about our past events and publications:
