Skills are undoubtedly the most valuable tool for a person, especially in the framework of not only securing, but also being successful in a job position. The importance of learning and training is not a new discovery. As the world keeps evolving and changing and as green and digital transitions have entered our lives, adjusting and keeping up to date with the corresponding, and not only, advances is a must nowadays.
The European Commission‘s Skills Agenda promotes sustainable competitiveness, resilience and social fairness. Before the world had the time to recover from the economic crisis, the COVID-19 arose with its overwhelming effects. The need to explore and take advantage of the technology further became fundamental in order to find our way through the crises.
So, what is the Agenda seeking? To enhance existing skills and provide training in new skills (upskllling-reskilling). And how are these goals being pursued? By promoting and ensuring that lifelong learning and training is available throughout European countries and regions, no matter their form, such as cities or rural areas.
The European Commission’s plan expands over 5 years, starting from 2020, and entails 12 actions. Skills are placed “at the heart of the EU policy agenda”, with both businesses and people benefiting from their enhancement. People will be more properly equipped to enter and remain active in the labour market, and businesses will employ trained and educated personnel, ensuring their success and sustainability, therefore securing their job positions. Let’s take a look at some of these actions:
- Strengthening skills intelligence, by registering and having access any time to “real-time” information on the demands on skills, by using big data analysis of job vacancies
- Rolling out the European Universities initiative and upskilling scientists, by “building long-term transnational alliances between higher education institutions”
- Skills to support the green and digital transitions, by promoting the development of a core set of skills and enhancing digital skills
- Increasing STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) graduates and fostering entrepreneurial and transversal skills, and specifically focusing on young women
- Skills for Life, where adult learning is supported on thematics like financial, health and environmental literacy.
At Cowork4YOUTH, our priorities are on enhancing the opportunities for young people, especially long-term unemployed and women, to find a job that is not defined by precariousness. Since skills are an important tool for achieving better work conditions, our project supports and closely follows these actions.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1196
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