The European Vocational Skills Week
Raising the attractiveness and image of VET
through quality and excellence
Brussels, 10 October 2016
1
Joao SANTOS, European Commission,
Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Unit E3, Vocational training, Apprenticeships and Adult learning
DG EAC
1) Why do we need a European Vocational
Skills week?
2) What are we doing about it?
3) How can you get involved?
http:/ / europa.eu/ !mj73VR
Content of Presentation
2
Why do we need a European
Vocational Skills week?
3
DG EAC
• 2015 Riga Conclusions:
"Raise the attractiveness and improve the image of VET"
• VET is a "smart" choice for learners Opportunities for quality employment, attractive and challenging careers, upskilling and reskilling (cVET)
• VET is a "smart choice" for companies Play and active role in "building" the skills you need
Supports innovation and competitiveness
Provides excellent recruiting opportunities
• Networking and partnerships
• Contribute to European VET "identity"
Why do it ?
4
DG EAC
• Focus on Excellence and Quality
• Activities at EU level but mainly national/local level (e.g. Open Days)
• Focus on both i-VET & c-VET
• Involve all VET stakeholders
• VET Ambassadors successfull careers of VET learners
• Awards for excellence Euroskills, Apprenticeships, etc.
• Communication campaign supporting stakeholders events/activities
How will it be done ?
5
DG EAC
Examples :
• open doors or family days
• workshops, conferences, skills shows
• national/regional/local skills competitions or awards ceremonies
• launch events for new on-the-job training programmes
• ambassadors to share their career success (e.g. top chefs, gardeners, chocolate makers, engineers, sports people)
• job and employment tradeshows with hands-on activities
• photo or video competitions for VET learners
• workplace ask-an-expert sessions / celebrity days
• media campaigns, also involving role models among youngsters and successful VET graduates (VET Ambassadors)
• online and social media activities (web, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook)
What type of event/activities ?
6
What are we doing about it?
7
DG EAC
What have we done so far: 1) a visual identity with a slogan to be used in the
context of events/activities registered through the events map
2) a promotional leaflet on the European Vocational Skills Week
3) a guidance document to support the organisation of activities related to the initiative
4) a short video announcing the Vocational Skills week (available end September)
5) A dedicated website for the initiative
Communication Kit Phase 1
8
DG EAC
Visual identity
9
DG EAC
Guidelines and toolkit
10
DG EAC
The Vocational Skills Week webpage
http://ec.europa.eu/social/VocationalSkillsWeek 11
DG EAC
The Vocational Skills Week registration form
12
DG EAC
The Vocational Skills Week events map
13
DG EAC
• A 5 minute TED-like talk video on VET.
• 4 best practice video interviews with organisations announcing their participation in the Week
• Promotional material
• Raise awareness, mobilise, disseminate communication kit
• Mapping of events and activities
• Ex-post evaluation and reporting
1 short video on Excellence VET centres/ companies and another on how VET improves lives of Apprentices/ VET learners/ Adults (DGCOMM)
Communication Kit Phase 2
14
DG EAC
Overview of the VET Week
15
EuroSkills Göteborg 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klJ3k8aUD4w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A484gWvOIUg
DG EAC
The Brussels events
• The opening ceremony (5/12) Commissioner visits VET centre and companies in Belgium
• The Adult Skills Conference (6+7/12) focus on Skills Guarantee, upskilling, reskilling (+8 workshops)
• The EQAVET Annual Forum (7/12) Quality a key factor to raise attractiveness (+learner tracking)
• The VET Business Forum (8/12) Focus on Business-education partnerships (+5 workshops)
• The closing ceremony (9/12) Highlights of the week, awards, and what next…
Erasmus+, ESF projects, Photo exhibition (6 to 9/ 12)
16
How can you get involved?
17
DG EAC
1) Inform and mobilise sector stakeholders, social partners, national authorities managing EU Funds supporting skills and qualifications, etc., to organise events and activities contributing to raise the attractiveness of VET.
2) Incentive the registration of those events and activities on the web page of the European Vocational Skills Week: The European Vocational Skills Week
3) Participate and contribute to events and activities, both in Brussels and in the member states
Registration allows organisations to make full use of the communication package and the visual identity.
Ex-post evaluation of initiative will be based (to a large extent) on registered events.
How can DG's contribute to the initiative ?
18
