First European Vocational Skills Week

From 5 to 9 December 2016, the European Commission is organising the first European Vocational Skills Week to encourage people to discover, use and improve their talents and abilities through vocational training. More than 750 events are taking place across Europe.

During the European Vocational Skills Week, the Commission showcases high-quality initiatives in the field of Vocational education and training (VET) - ultimately to equip people with the skills they need in a fast-changing labour market.

The aim is to demonstrate the crucial role of Vocational education and training in supporting skills, jobs, innovation and competitiveness and for participants to discover how they can use and improve their talents and abilities through Vocational education and training.

Under the New Skills Agenda for Europe, presented in June 2016, the European Commission has given new impetus to the need for awareness-raising of young people, their parents, and all sorts of other learners, that Vocational education and training can be as attractive as a career as the traditional learning pathway from secondary school through to university. Through its European Vocational Skills Week, the Commission is putting the spotlight on Vocational education and training as an option which offers good employment quality, salary, and progression in working life. As such, Vocational education and training contributes to the Commission's strategic priorities on competitiveness, growth, and employment. Making Vocational education and training a first choice is a key element of the Commission's New Skills Agenda for Europe.

The Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen opened today the European Vocational Skills Week in Antwerp. Events at European level include a European Business Forum on Vocational education and training, a Conference on "Adult Skills", a European Alliance for Apprenticeships Stakeholder Meeting, a Vocational education and training Researcher Community Forum, a Vocational education and training/Professional Higher Education Providers Forum, and a Forum of Sector Skills Alliances & Councils. The closing of the Week will include the giving of prizes highlighting excellence and quality in various Vocational education and training categories, and dissemination of great projects that have received both EU and national funding.