Join the Committee of Regions and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships as they discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on apprenticeships.

Time: 10:30 – 12:00 CEST

During the webinar, expert speakers will explore the role of regions and cities in ensuring the delivery of quality apprenticeships throughout the EU.

COVID-19 has seriously disrupted standard education and training activities, including Vocational Education and Training (VET) across Europe. This has been particularly affected by the fact that practical training such as work-based learning and apprenticeships have been suspended in most sectors.

The COVID-19 crisis has underlined the need for a paradigm-shift on skills, highlighting the urgency to make apprenticeships more resilient and fit for future changes. This includes considering ways to make apprenticeships work in a climate of green and digital transitions and demographic change.

The webinar panellists will analyse which sectors are most affected and explore the situation at the local and regional level. They will also reflect on possible solutions to mitigate the disruption of apprenticeships and ensure recovery from the social-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The panel discussions will be followed by a Q&A session.

About the Speakers

Petra Jendrich

After receiving the general higher education entrance qualification, Petra Jendrich started a dual vocational education. In 2012, after several years of experience at a vocational school including school management, she became Head of Division “Vocational Education and Training” at the Senator for Education in Bremen. In 2018, Petra Jendrich left Bremen to work as Head of Department “Vocational Schools and Securing the Supply of Skilled Workers” at the Ministry of Education in Rhineland-Palatinate. Since 2016, she is Chair of the Committee “Vocational Education and Training” of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK).

Ricardo Lamandrid

Rikardo Lamadrid Intxaurraga has been the Technology and Advanced Learning Director within the Department for Education of the Basque Government since 2017. His Directorate is responsible for VET Excellence, the training of VET teachers, the STEAM strategy in VET centres, the applied innovation in them in cooperation with SMEs, the promotion of an active participation of them in European Programmes and EU Agenda/partners, and coordinating the Presidency of EARLALL on behalf of the Basque Government’s Department of Education. Prior to joining the Basque Government, he worked as a VET teacher and was the principal of Aretxabaleta VET Integrated Centre. Besides, he was the Vice-President of IKASLAN GIPUZKOA (Association of VET public centres in Gipuzkoa), from 2015 to 2017.

Chiara Riondino

Chiara Riondino is the head of unit in charge of VET, Apprenticeships and Adult Learning at the European Commission. She is responsible for working together with Member States, social partners and stakeholders to develop and implement policies that help people develop the skills they need in life and in the labour market, and to improve the effectiveness, quality and attractiveness of vocational education and training and adult learning. Chiara has previously worked as policy coordinator for employment policies and policy assistant to the Director for Employment in the Commission. In this context, she focused mainly on employment opportunities and challenges in the changing world of work, active labour market policies and fair working conditions. She also worked more broadly on taking forward the European Pillar on Social Rights. Before joining the Commission, Chiara worked in both the private and the public sectors, including as Head of Unit in the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Virginia Elena Raggi

Virginia Elena Raggi is an Italian lawyer and politician serving as Mayor of Rome since 2016.
Member of the Five Star Movement (M5S), Ms Raggi is the first woman to be elected as Rome Mayor. Virginia Raggi has advocated for women’s rights and pledged to make Rome more environmental and improve social sustainability. In 2013, she was elected as City Councillor. For her entire term, she was part of the Commission for Culture, Employment and Youth Policies, as well as the Commission for Social Policies and Health. As a mayor, her main priorities are environment, accessibility, urban regeneration, sustainability, social inclusion and innovation, listening and participation.

Csaba Borboly

Csaba Borboly is the president of Harghita County (RO) and member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) since 2012, the European institution with a mission to best represent the interests of regional and local institutions and communities. He is a member of the ENVE Commission for Environment, Climate change and Energy and the SEDEC Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture. He is the rapporteur of the CoR Opinion on Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. The aim of this opinion is to formulate proposals in the field of adult education, training, to promote the employment of young people and their place in the labour market.

How to participate

Register to join the webinar until Monday 28 September 2020 at 12:00. When registering, participants will have the option to submit questions or discussion points. Between 10 and 15 questions will be selected to be discussed during the session.