Commission announces 2017 VET week – adopts initiative to boost apprenticeships in Europe

Following the success of the first European Vocational Skills Week, the second edition will take place from 20-24 November 2017. This is a European Commission initiative aimed at making vocational education and training (VET) for quality skills and jobs more attractive. It includes events in participating European countries, including Malta. Stakeholders taking part in the Week have the chance to share examples of excellence in VET.

Meantime, the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships. This initiative is part of the New Skills Agenda for Europe, launched in June 2016. It also ties in with the  European Pillar of Social Rights, which foresees a right to quality and inclusive education, training and life-long learning.

The Commission has identified 14 key criteria that Member States and stakeholders should use to develop quality and effective apprenticeships. This initiative will help increase the employability and personal development of apprentices and contribute towards a highly skilled and qualified workforce responsive to labour market needs.

Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, Valdis Dombrovskis said: “Taking on an apprenticeship is often the necessary stepping stone for a young person to be propelled into his or her career. Today we come with proposals to further improve this valuable training experience, so it benefits both employers and learners. While respecting the diversity of education and training systems in Member States, our ultimate goal is to facilitate the integration of young people in the labour market.”

Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, Jyrki Katainen said: “By providing direct links between theory and practice, between education and the labour market, quality and effective apprenticeships are concrete ways to help young people to enter the world of work and stand strong in life, whilst strengthening Europe’s human capital. This is key to boosting the competitiveness of our societies and economies.”

Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, said: “We want to make sure that young people learn the skills they need for work. Apprenticeships are the ‘Gold Standard’ in vocational education and training. Two out of three apprentices move straight into jobs after finishing their education. With today’s new framework, we define what makes apprenticeships shine. Once adopted, the framework will ensure that both learners and employers benefit from quality apprenticeships.”

To assess the quality and effectiveness of an apprenticeship, the proposed Framework proposes seven criteria for learning and working conditions: (1) Written contract; (2) Learning outcomes; (3) Pedagogical support; (4) Workplace component; (5) Pay and/or compensation; (6) Social protection; (7) Work, health and safety conditions.

The Framework also proposes seven criteria for framework conditions: (8) Regulatory framework; (9) Involvement of social partners; (10) Support for companies; (11) Flexible pathways and mobility; (12) Career guidance and awareness raising; (13) Transparency; (14) Quality assurance and graduate tracking.
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18.10.2017

Commission adopts initiative to boost apprenticeships in Europe

The Commission supports the implementation of these criteria through relevant EU funding. The European Social Fund alone contributes up to €27 billion to education and training, and the EU supports apprenticeships also through various other instruments.

In addition, the HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1147” European Alliance for Apprenticeships has so far mobilised over 750,000 places for young people. At least 390,000 apprenticeships have already been offered under the HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1079” Youth Guarantee. Erasmus+ supports mobility for apprentices, including a new HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/node_en” ErasmusPro initiative aimed at supporting 50,000 placements of vocational learners in companies abroad for the period 2018-2020. Ends
18.10.2017
Il-Kummissjoni tħabbar il-VET Week għall-2017
Tadotta inizjattiva li tagħti spinta lill-apprendistati fl-Ewropa
Wara s-suċċess tal-ewwel Ġimgħa Ewropea tal-Ħiliet Vokazzjonali, it-tieni edizzjoni se ssir bejn l-20 u l-24 ta’ Novembru 2017. Din hi inizjattiva tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea mmirata biex l-edukazzjoni u t-taħriġ vokazzjonali (VET) isiru aktar attraenti għal ħiliet u impjiegi ta’ kwalità. Tinkludi avvenimenti f’pajjiżi Ewropej parteċipanti, inkluż Malta. Il-partijiet interessati li jieħdu sehem fil-Ġimgħa għandhom l-opportunità li jaqsmu eżempji ta’ eċċellenza fl-VET.
Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea adottat proposta għal Qafas Ewropew għal Apprendistati Effettivi u ta’ Kwalità. Din l-inizjattiva hi parti mill- HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1223” Aġenda l-Ġdida għall-Ħiliet għall-Ewropa, imnedija f’Ġunju 2016. Torbot ukoll mal- HYPERLINK “https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/deeper-and-fairer-economic-and-monetary-union/european-pillar-social-rights_en” Pilastru Ewropew tad-Drittijiet Soċjali, li jipprevedi d-dritt għal edukazzjoni, taħriġ u tagħlim inklużivi u ta’ kwalità tul il-ħajja.
Abbażi ta’ konsultazzjoni wiesgħa, ir-rakkomandazzjoni identifikat 14-il kriterju ewlieni li l-Istati Membri u l-partijiet ikkonċernati għandhom jużaw biex jiżviluppaw apprendistati effettivi u ta’ kwalità. Din l-inizjattiva se tikkontribwixxi biex iżżid l-impjegabbiltà u l-iżvilupp personali tal-apprendisti u b’hekk tikkontribwixxi għal forza tax-xogħol b’ħiliet speċjalizzati u kwalifikati għall-ħtiġijiet tas-suq tax-xogħol.
Valdis Dombrovskis, il-Viċi President għall-Euro u d-Djalogu Soċjali, responsabbli mill-Istabbiltà Finanzjarja, is-Servizzi Finanzjarji u l-Unjoni tas-Swieq Kapitali, qal: “L-apprendistat ta’ spiss hu meħtieġ għal persuna żagħżugħa biex tingħata spinta fil-karriera tagħha. Illum qed noħorġu bi proposti biex inkomplu ntejbu din esperjenza ta’ taħriġ ta’ valur, u b’hekk jibbenefikaw minnha kemm l-istudenti kif ukoll dawk li jimpjegaw. Filwaqt li nirrispettaw id-diversità tas-sistemi tal-edukazzjoni u t-taħriġ fl-Istati Membri, l-għan aħħari tagħna hu li tkun iffaċilitata l-integrazzjoni taż-żgħażagħ fis-suq tax-xogħol.”
Jyrki Katainen, il-Viċi President tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea għall-Impjiegi, it-Tkabbir, l-Investiment u l-Kompetittività, qal: “Bil-provvediment ta’ ħolqiet diretti bejn it-teorija u l-prattika, bejn l-edukazzjoni u s-suq tax-xogħol, l-apprendistati effettivi u ta’ kwalità huma modi konkreti kif ngħinu liż-żgħażagħ jidħlu fid-dinja tax-xogħol u jkunu stabbli f’ħajjithom. Dan filwaqt li jissaħħaħ il-kapital uman tal-Ewropa. Min-naħa tiegħu, dan hu kruċjali biex tingħata spinta lill-kompetittività tas-soċjetajiet u lill-ekonomiji tagħna.”
Marianne Thyssen, il-Kummissarju għall-Impjiegi, l-Affarijiet Soċjali, il-Ħiliet u l-Mobiltà tal-Ħaddiema, qalet: “Irridu niżguraw li ż-żgħażagħ jitgħallmu l-ħiliet li jeħtieġu biex jaħdmu. L-apprendistati huma l-‘Gold Standard’ fl-edukazzjoni u t-taħriġ vokazzjonali. Tnejn minn tliet apprendisti jkunu impjegati direttament wara li jispiċċaw l-edukazzjoni tagħhom. Bil-qafas il-ġdid tal-lum, qed niddefinixxu dak li permezz tiegħu l-apprendistati jibbrillaw. Ladarba jkun adottat, il-qafas se jiżgura li kemm l-istudenti kif ukoll min iħaddem jibbenefikaw minn apprendistati ta’ kwalità.”
Biex ikunu evalwati aħjar il-kwalità u l-effikaċja tal-apprendistat, il-Qafas propost qed jipproponi seba’ kriterji ta’ tagħlim u kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol: (1) Kuntratt bil-miktub; (2) Riżultati tat-tagħlim; (3) Appoġġ pedagoġiku; (4) Komponent tal-post tax-xogħol; (5) Ħlas u/jew kumpens; (6) Protezzjoni soċjali; (7) Kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol, is-saħħa u s-sigurezza.
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18.10.2017
Il-Kummissjoni tħabbar il-VET Week għall-2017
Tadotta inizjattiva li tagħti spinta lill-apprendistati fl-Ewropa
Il-Qafas jipproponi ukoll seba’ kriterji għall-kundizzjonijiet ta’ qafas: (8) Qafas regolatorju; (9) Involviment tal-imsieħba soċjali; (10) Appoġġ għall-kumpaniji; (11) Metodi flessibbli u iktar mobiltà; (12) Gwida u għarfien dwar il-karrieri; (13) Trasparenza; (14) Assigurazzjoni tal-kwalità u traċċar ta’ dawk li jiggradwaw.
Il-Kummissjoni tappoġġa l-implimentazzjoni ta’ dawn il-kriterji permezz ta’ finanzjament rilevanti tal-UE. Il-Fond Soċjali Ewropew waħdu jikkontribwixxi sa €27 biljun għall-edukazzjoni u t-taħriġ, u l-UE tappoġġa ukoll l-apprendistati permezz ta’ diversi strumenti oħra.
Barra minn hekk, l- HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1147” Alleanza Ewropea għall-Apprendistati s’issa mmobilizzat aktar minn 750,000 post għaż-żgħażagħ. Skont il- HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1079” Garanzija għaż-Żgħażagħ diġà kienu offruti mill-inqas 390,000 apprendistat. Erasmus+ jappoġġa l-mobiltà tal-apprendisti, inkluża inizjattiva ġdida ta’ HYPERLINK “http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/node_en” ErasmusPro mmirata biex tappoġġja 50,000 kollokament ta’ studenti vokazzjonali f’kumpaniji barra minn pajjiżhom għall-perjodu 2018-2020. tmiem