On the 1st of July, 2020 the European Commission (hereafter –EC) presented two initiatives – Youth Employment Support package and the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience.

Youth Employment Support package contains three proposals to provide a ‘bridge to jobs’ for the next generation. Firstly, the EC strengthen the Council Recommendation on the Youth Guarantee and within “Bridge to jobs” will:

  • Expand the targeted age group to 24-29 year olds;
  • Widen the outreach to more vulnerable youth groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities and the disabled.
  • Ensure better matching the needs of companies with the right skillsets
  • Provide tailored guidance and mentoring

Also the EC proposes Council Recommendation on vocational education and training. The new proposal aims to make systems more agile, attractive, and fit for the digital and green economy. Finally, the EC proposes to relaunch the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. The Alliance brings together national and regional authorities, businesses, trade unions, education and training providers.

The European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience is built around 5 following areas:

  1. Calls for collective actions, mobilising business, social partners and stakeholders, to commit to working together, in particular within the EU’s industrial eco-systems.
  2. Identifies the financial means to foster investment in skills.
  3. Defines a clear strategy to ensure that skills lead to jobs.
  4. Helps people build their skills throughout life in an environment where lifelong learning is the norm.
  5. Sets ambitious objectives for up and reskilling to be achieved within the next 5 years.

The Agenda also includes 12 actions:

  1. A Pact for Skills
    2. Strengthening skills intelligence
    3. EU support for strategic national upskilling action
    4. Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Vocational Education and Training
    5. Rolling out the European universities initiative and upskilling scientists
    6. Skills to support the green and digital transitions
    7. Increasing STEM graduates and fostering entrepreneurial and transversal skills
    8. Skills for Life
    9. Initiative on Individual Learning Accounts
    10. A European approach to micro-credentials
    11. New Europass Platform – now launched!
    12. Improving the enabling framework to unlock Member States’ and private investments in skills

More information here and here.