For the first time, a Director of Cedefop has been invited to make a statement to the opening session of a European Economic and Social Committee plenary meeting . On 30 September 2009 Aviana Bulgarelli will participate in the opening panel, Employment and vocational training in the context of the economic crisis in which European Commission President Manuel Barroso, among others, will also take part.
In her statement, Ms Bulgarelli will argue that vocational education and training policies have a major role to play in overcoming the crisis and balancing the weaknesses of the labour market, especially in the long term. In times of crisis it is especially important to anticipate which skills will be needed for the recovery, and to update the skills of both unemployed and employed citizens in due time. In recent years, Cedefop has received wide recognition for its work on forecasting and anticipating the demand and supply for skills; this work continues apace with an analysis of the gap between demand and supply (mismatch) and how to tackle it.
The Economic and Social Committee is a consultative body which gives Europes socio-occupational groups a platform on EU issues. The Committee brings together representatives of Europes organised civil society, including trade unions, employers and other interest groups.