1. A European Skills & VET agenda for greater employability Gregorio de Castro DG Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Mobility

2. …Mobilise EU instruments to further develop the skills of the European workforce by promoting Vocational Education and Training and lifelong learning… Commissioner Marianne Thyssen Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility

3. Unemployment rate still close to record highs in many MS and wide differences among countries

4. Structural unemployment: Beveridge curve EA and EU Source: European Economic Forecast spring 2015

5. How did we get here? large under-use of available skills, with 20% of EU tertiary graduates and more than 45% of third-country nationals with tertiary education being employed in low or medium- skilled occupations LABOUR SUPPLY unfit and under- utilised SKILLS RECOGNITION & VALIDATION insufficient LABOUR DEMAND is not being satisfied SKILLS SHORTAGES & MISMATCHES Recruitment costs and reduced competitiveness Dormant human capital Limited mobility

6. Youth unemployment Work-based learning in VET AT, DE, DK CZ NL FI, LU, FR, UK SK, HU EE, EL, ES, IE, IT, PL, PT BE, SI, SE Illustration based on a comparison of the level of youth unemployment (4 th quarter 2011) in relation to the share of students participating in work based learning at ISCED 3 level programmes (Cedefop) MS with more work-based learning have less youth unemployment Are apprenticeships the silver bullet? www.ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships- alliance VET graduates tend to find a job faster than those with general education* Graduates of work-oriented programmes spend less time without work* *Quotes from Cedefop publication "From education to working life", 2012

9. 1.Promoting work-based learning in all its forms 2. Implement quality assurance mechanisms in VET 3. Maximising access to training and qualifications for all through initial and continuing VET 4. Strengthening key competences, in particular digital skills 5. Continuous professional development of VET teachers, trainers and mentors VET Priorities national level Riga 22 June

10. VET Reform agenda at EU level  Encourage uptake of European Credit System for VET (ECVET)  EU platform for European Associations of VET providers  Revamp Sector Skills Alliances  Supporting cross-border quality VET programs

11. LOT 1 Identifying skills needs € 4 M 9 Projects Key Action 2 Cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices Large scale partnerships between education and training establishments and world of work LOT 2 Developing trans-national VET content € 14 M 8 Projects ERASMUS + VET Specific Calls for Proposals 2016 Sector Skills alliances

12. Your first EURES Job Targeted mobility scheme - Boost access to a first job, traineeship or apprenticeship abroad -Help tackle mismatches and shortages in key sectors -Call open until 26 June 2016 -€ 8 m for 2 projects -Goal is 3.000 placements over 24 months -Multi stakeholder consortia

13. European Alliance for Apprenticeships Improving quality Strengthening supply Enhancing the image Photo: World Skills Leipzig 2013

14. Communication Skills for Employability 2015/16 1. W HAT SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE ? 2. H OW TO VALIDATE AND RECOGNISE SKILLS ? 3. H OW TO BOOST SUPPLY OF RELEVANT SKILLS ?

15. Eskerrik Asko! Gregorio.de-castro@ec.europa.eu