Tag: training

Member states must increase efforts to help workers learn the skills needed to do the jobs that will be created in growth sectors in the coming years, according to the European Commission, which yesterday (23 November) adopted its 'Agenda for New Skills and Jobs'.

The economic crisis is exacerbating Europe's skills crisis as some companies shift from offering sure employment and become less inclined to invest in training, according to Olga Strietska-Ilina, a skills policy specialist at the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Despite growing unemployment, millions of jobs across the EU cannot be filled, according to Rudi Thomaes, the CEO of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium. Europe's workers do not have the right skills to meet the needs of modern businesses, he said. 

EU member states are not making sufficient efforts to tackle early school leavers and encourage life-long learning in order to meet the targets agreed as part of the 'Lisbon Strategy' for jobs and growth. However, good progress has been recorded regarding the number of maths and science graduates, according to a 2007 progress report issued by the Commission.

Leitch report warns that far-reaching reforms in skills-training are essential if the UK and Europe are to avoid "undistinguished mediocrity".

Francesco Vanni d'Archirafi is the new Chairman of 'Junior Achievement - Young Enterprise Europe' (JA-YE). He has set ambitious goals: he wants to increase the number of young people JA-YE reaches with its business and enterprise education programmes from the present 1.7 million a year to more than 5 million.