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Collecting data and information on labour market needs and skills trends is not sufficient to design and sustain responsive and efficient vocational education and training (VET) programmes and skills formation systems. Economies and societies need robust skill anticipation methods and trusted skills intelligence to translate data into actionable insights that support the skills revolution. This policy brief reviews trends in skills anticipation in Europe and explains how it contributes to more learning and better matching. It builds on Cedefop's monitoring of national skills anticipation systems and practices in the EU-27, Norway and Iceland and input from Cedefop's ReferNet partners.

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In 1997, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) began a project to produce financing portraits of the vocational education and training (VET) systems within the individual Member States of the European Union (EU). This report focuses on Ireland and provides a qualitative description of the movement of funding through VET structures, identifying funding sources and allocation mechanisms. This information is combined with quantitative data on expenditure for different training types, particularly initial vocational training, continuing vocational training and training for the unemployed. As there is no legal definition of vocational training in Ireland, for the purposes of this report, all programs with a vocational emphasis undertaken after compulsory schooling have been included within the scope of vocational training. The authors also stress that the data provided in the report is not comprehensive for all VET funding in Ireland due to the lack of a comprehensive, reliable source. However, the information presented for initial training and training for the unemployed is representative of the majority of these types of training as nearly all of it receives public funding. Show less

Over recent decades, online job portals have become important recruitment and job search tools. Beyond assisting skills matching, the job vacancies these portals gather can also be used to analyse labour market trends in real time, generating evidence that can inform education and training policies and help ensure that people's skills meet the needs of rapidly changing workplaces. These insights can complement skills intelligence based on information collected via traditional methods, such as Cedefop's Europe-wide skills forecasts, the European skills and jobs survey, and the European skills index. This booklet outlines the main features of online job vacancies and the key characteristics of Cedefop's new system to collect and analyse them. It accompanies the first release of results based on the collection and analysis of online job vacancies in seven EU Member States.

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'Skillset and match' is Cedefop's magazine promoting learning for work. This special issue looking at European vocational education and training (VET) post-2020. It includes: Exclusive interviews on the challenges ahead with the Education Ministers of the previous and current EU Presidency holders, Croatia and Germany, and of Cedefop's host country Greece; A report on the joint Cedefop/European Training Foundation high-level conference which discussed ways to enhance European cooperation in VET; Messages from the speeches at the conference of European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas and Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit; An article on the joint discussion paper by Cedefop and European Training Foundation (ETF) which explores the challenges and opportunities for VET in the next decade; Cedefop Executive Director's editorial on why VET is centre stage in the coronavirus pandemic era. Readers can also browse through the latest Cedefop publications and upcoming events.

Edited excerpts from publisher's website. Show less

This report presents an overview of key trends in adult learning in the workplace in Europe. It takes stock of previous research carried out by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) between 2003 and 2010 and identifies key topics for adult learning: governance and the learning regions; social partner roles in lifelong learning policies; training in small and medium enterprises (SMEs); cost-sharing mechanisms to support continuing training; vocational education and training (VET) teacher and in-company trainer emerging roles; changing competence requirements and professional development; older workers' learning needs; lifelong guidance; and validation of non-formal and informal learning. The report recognises the central role of the workplace in lifelong learning and employment strategies. In this report, four driving forces for adult learning policies and strategies at the European, national, regional and sectoral level are discussed: (1) public strategies that combine a range of support measures, services and incentives with the aim of both widening access to learning opportunities in the workplace and increasing adult participation in education and training, with guidance and counselling playing a fundamental role; (2) the social partners' contributions to developing and expanding learning provision in the workplace; (3) sectoral initiatives and partnerships led by enterprises, in which skill development is a means to stimulate innovation in enterprises and economic growth, and to anticipate and manage sectoral changes and restructuring, with a specific focus on SMEs; and (4) the professional development of in-company trainers, to expand the quality and relevance of skill development initiatives for the workforce. The report concludes that widening learning opportunities in the workplace does not require only that continuing training opportunities are increased and better tailored to the needs of both employees and employers, but also that working practices in enterprises are transformed in a way that stimulates learning. It is equally important to offer workers opportunities to develop their competences and to make sure that these are later applied on the job and beyond. Show less

This booklet addresses the ongoing shift to learning outcomes in European education and training policies and practices. The current text builds directly on the comprehensive comparative study (to be published separately) conducted by Cedefop in 2007, covering 32 European countries that participate in the Education and Training 2010 programme. Interest in learning outcomes has widened from the domain of pedagogy to include other settings, notably governance of education and training systems. This main conclusion of the 2007 study was based on extensive research covering developments in general education, vocational education and training and higher education. This research took as its point of departure the following three sets of questions: (1) Conceptual clarification: how can the concept of learning outcomes be made clearer, particularly when used in conjunction with terms such as competences and learning inputs? How is the term used in different countries, cultures and subsystems of education and training? (2) Learning outcomes as an aspect of policy reform: which policy initiatives linked to learning outcomes can be identified in European countries and how do these influence strategies at national, local and institutional levels?; and (3) Learning outcomes impacting on practical reform at the levels of institutions and learners: what is the effect of learning outcome approaches at the micro level of learners in their institutions - whether schools, workplaces or another learning situation? This short extract - focusing on the conceptual basis and main developmental trends - aims to introduce the theme and the challenges facing it.

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The greening of the European economy, as outlined in the [European Union] EU 2020 strategy, will have profound effects on the labour market and the development of the skills of the European population. This report claims that the main factors slowing down adaptation to the green economy and the development of necessary skills are the failure of employers to demand new qualifications, and the uncertainty surrounding regulations and policies. Learning providers also report difficulties in meeting the needs of employers and understanding what organisations' skill needs are. Overall, there is limited evidence that green policies have become part of the mainstream of skills development and hiring policies. There is clearly a potential for policy makers and social partners to raise awareness and take common action. This study on green skills and environmental awareness in vocational education and training identifies the main challenges and priorities. It also makes recommendations on how the labour market can be helped to respond to emerging skill needs. The study further investigates the links between skill needs and the responses of learning providers.

Abstract from Cedefop website. Show less

Between 1998 and 2008, occupational polarisation emerged for the first time in Europe not only in terms of low- and high-paid jobs: labour demand rose for both high-skilled and elementary jobs. Much of the phenomenon of labour-market polarisation can be traced to macroeconomic trends and structural changes in sectors. The rising supply of non-national workers is also a factor in this, while technological and task content changes seem to play a minor role. In light of the continuous shift towards a tertiary-based economy, together with the predictable changes in consumption models and lifestyle of European societies, it is likely that a relative increase of elementary occupation is bound to persist also in the near future. However specific policies, including vocational education and training, could potentially favour a process of occupational upgrading in the future, reducing the polarisation trend.

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This publication gives a snapshot - end 2007 - of European developments in validation of non-formal and informal learning. While some countries are making substantial progress others have yet to put in place approaches for individuals to have their non- and informally acquired experiences identified, assessed and/or validated. European developments are therefore described as strongly differentiated. This report identifies factors which promote and prevent developments in this field. The following issues are covered: (1) national motives for pursuing validation of non-formal and informal learning; (2) validation in the European policy context; (3) characteristics of the validation process and its relation to qualifications systems; (4) developments in Europe in validating non-formal and informal learning; and (5) elements of a validation strategy for 2010 and beyond: key issues influencing further development of methods and systems of validation.

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Europe must focus more on skills than ever before. Skills to adapt and to shape the jobs of tomorrow are essential for Europe’s citizens and businesses to speed up economic recovery. Equally, adequate skills are needed to respond to long-term challenges to compete in the global market, sustain innovation in ageing societies and address climate change. But will the skills that Europe’s citizens have match those needed? Cedefop’s new skill demand and supply forecast up to 2020 sets the scene for anticipating future trends. The aim of this report is to provide policy-makers, employers, skills providers, employment services and individual learners with better information to make more informed decisions. Europe is on its way to an economy where services and knowledge- and skill-intensive occupations will prevail. But even in occupations that are decreasing, substantial employment opportunities will remain as older generations leave the labour market and need to be replaced. It is evident from the forecast that Europe not only needs to step up investment in education and training, but also encourage employers to use better the skills and talents of their staff. The forecast suggests that aggregate demand and supply trends across countries are converging in the medium to longer term, but we need to dig deeper to grasp what is really going on. Changing skill needs, job polarisation and skill mismatch interact in complex ways. The forecasts in this report shed some light on these phenomena, but better data are urgently needed for more analysis.

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