The European Year of Skills, coming immediately after the European Youth Year, throws sharp focus on the principal international organisations. The eponymous ‘years’ help put the spotlight on their respective ambitions, efforts and policies in unleashing youth potential, cultivating inclusive skills and anticipating labour market needs by the creation of an educated, diverse and well-trained youth cohort. This is consistent with one of the Sustainable Development Goals which advocates for the strengthening and ramping up of education and skills development by a ‘substantial increase in the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills.’Skills are the gateway to new opportunities for today’s youth.
The theme for this year’s model is “Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future.”
As the ETF (European Training Foundation) articulates “It highlights the essential role that teachers, trainers and other educators play in providing skills for youth to transition to the labour market and to actively engage in their communities and societies.”
Acknowledging the fast and dizzying pace of change in today’s world, their mandate underlines the important level of skills development: we must ensure everybody has access to education and training in order to gain the skills and knowledge that are crucial in our transition to greener, more digital and inclusive societies.
Increasingly, the European Commission, the ILO and the OECD are laying greater emphasis on ensuring that skills development and policies are designed to be inclusive: addressing the needs of diverse populations, including vulnerable groups, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and individuals facing social or economic marginalisation. There is also an equally urgent need for the creation of structured dialogue platforms between, and amongst, donors, governments, international organisations and the affected youth populations. This will help towards ensuring that the supply side of programmes and policies responds to the demand side, thus avoiding any mismatch between skills development and job opportunities.
More collaboration amongst the institutions in the design of their initiatives can help them profit from the economies of scale, shared best practices and abetting more coherence and cohesion.There still remains many stations between ambition and realisation. A recent statement, produced by members of the EU Consultative Group for Young People with a Migration Background, highlights the problems of one vulnerable group and points the way towards a resolution of some of those problems.
“Recognising & developing the skills of young migrants is crucial to protect our rights, enhance our sense of belonging and enable us to contribute to sustainable development in their countries of origin and destination.”
‘Everyone’s skills should be valued and given opportunities to grow. We, migrant youth, bring diverse skill sets that can stimulate innovation and respond to labour market needs. However, the unfortunate reality is that we are compelled to work below their skill levels. This is due to an interplay of factors such as language barriers, discrimination, lack of access to education and non-recognition of their qualifications and experience. In OECD countries, migrants with tertiary-level education are overrepresented in low-wage jobs. Across the EU in 2021, the over-qualification rate was 39.6% for non-EU citizens, compared to 20.8% for EU citizens.
Recognising and developing our skills is a win-win for everyone. On the one hand, it opens up opportunities to migrants for decent, meaningful work and safe migration pathways. This enables us to find work in the formal economy, raise our standard of living and strengthen our sense of belonging, purpose and self-worth. On the other hand, migrants can alleviate labour shortages and contribute to innovation and sustainable development in Europe through participation in the workforce.’
Actions that can be taken include:
- Acknowledge the value and contributions of migrants at all skill levels by facilitating the formal recognition of prior learning and qualifications to improve employability.
- Assess migrants’ existing skills against labour market gaps and emerging opportunities, including in efforts towards economic recovery and the transition to green economies, to prevent skills mismatches.
- Address the skilling, reskilling and upskilling needs of migrants with the involvement of public institutions, civil society and the private sector. Work-based learning, including quality apprenticeships for youth, can enable migrants to earn an income, meet their needs and support their families during this transition. Complementary services such as childcare are needed to encourage increased participation of migrant women.
- Promote safe and legal migration pathways to ensure newcomers’ access to meaningful jobs in the formal economy that provide social security benefits and enable them to contribute to society.”
A relatively new champion of youth is the EEAS who suggested some different prisms through which to view the role of youth in today’s fast-changing world convulsed by cataclysmic wars, climate change, energy insecurity and the constant movement of peoples.
“Born into a world they did not create, many young people step up as volunteers, advocates, and entrepreneurs, dedicating themselves to protect the well-being of their planet, countries, and communities. Growing up in a different era, they have a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities of the present and their innovative thinking enables them to approach problems with creativity, open-mindedness and foresight.
Today, youth are at the forefront of movements advocating for social justice, environmental sustainability, and equality.The young generation has brought renewed energy to the concept of ethical leadership recognising it as a vital skill in forging a better tomorrow for all. Prioritizing human rights, fairness, and social justice in decision-making and actions, confronting systemic biases, championing diversity and inclusion, and creating inclusive spaces where every individual’s contributions are valued, are key leadership skills that represent this generation’s aspirations.”
The challenge now is to move from rhetoric to action.
