On 9 and 10 November, the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) took part in European Vocational Skills Week 2020 by holding a live online event on the topic of green and digital skills in apprenticeships.

© European Commission

The European Commission considers the green and digital transitions to be crucial in the context of adopting a COVID-19 exit strategy and preparing for ‘the new normal’. With this event, EAfA gave its members and interested stakeholders the chance to discuss how the vocational education and training (VET) sector is contributing to the greening of the European economy and society. The online event was attended by over 800 participants, including national and European policymakers, social partners, education providers, NGOs and businesses.

The event took place over two days and consisted of two live discussions and a high-level event.

Live discussions: Skills for the green economy and digital skills in apprenticeships

Here are some highlights from the two live discussions on 9 November:

• Cedefop outlined that green skills can be divided into two categories: job-specific skills that contribute to the production and operation of the green economy, and transversal skills that raise environmental awareness in society.
• ENAIP NET highlighted that green skills do not belong to any specific sector and must be mainstreamed through all organisations to shape citizens’ behaviour.
• The European Public Services Union spoke of the importance of social dialogue and collective bargaining. It also highlighted how sectoral consultations and cross-sectorial coordination can serve as platforms for sharing green practices in apprenticeships.
• Inercia Digital emphasised the value of going beyond curricular and academic criteria in training processes, and instead focusing on pragmatic professional skills.
• The European Commission encouraged VET stakeholders to make the most of the unprecedented levels of upcoming EU funding to meet the need for upskilling and reskilling created by the green and digital transitions.

High-level event on the green and digital transitions

The high-level event that took place on 10 November included the following highlights:

• Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, congratulated EAfA members on reaching 1 million pledged EAfA apprenticeships and reiterated the importance of apprenticeships in equipping Europe with the right skills for the future.
• The European Apprentices Network focused on the importance of achieving a green transition that is socially fair, includes young people, and ensures access to work and social protection for all.
• OpenClassrooms explained how an all-online training model enables apprentices and companies to start a training programme whenever and wherever they wish, thus helping to scale up apprenticeship schemes.
• Empleando Digital presented how digital skills can be mainstreamed in existing employment programmes and how vulnerable groups can benefit from courses in basic digital skills involving technologies such as virtual reality.
• The International Labour Organization presented its current work on global apprenticeship standards, the role of the informal economy and the need to reduce the widening digital divide to ensure effective and efficient apprenticeships.
• The European Commission presented the priorities of the renewed EAfA, which include a stronger focus on green and digital apprenticeships, and the 2020–2021 Action Plan.

You can watch the recordings of the live sessions below:

• Live discussion 1: Skills for the green economy
• Live discussion 2: Digital skills in apprenticeships
• Panel discussion 1: Green transitions
• Panel discussion 2: Digital Transitions

Download the event report from the ‘Related documents’ section below.