On 7 October, the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) held the live discussion ‘How can apprenticeships be used as a tool for social inclusion? Inspiring practices that break the stereotypes’. Panellists across Europe from academia, industry, and the public and non-governmental sectors came together to share how apprenticeships can help the social inclusion of vulnerable groups.

According to the European Pillar of Social Rights, fostering social inclusion and combating poverty are core values of the European way of life. Good-quality apprenticeships can promote these values and break stereotypes, contributing to a fairer, more inclusive Europe. Apprenticeships can be a powerful and reliable pathway for people of different backgrounds into education, working life and society.

In this context, the Council Recommendation on vocational education and training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience invites Member States to design inclusive vocational programmes. To facilitate this, the renewed EAfA aims to share knowledge on how apprenticeships can be used as a tool for social inclusion, and encourages pledges on quality apprenticeships.

The live discussion was opened by Ann Vanden Bulcke, Policy Assistant at the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission. The event also included the following panellists:

• André Grabinski, Research Associate at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Germany;
• Pavla Kavuloková Coordinator of Professional Education and International Projects, Škoda Auto, Czechia;
• Sergi Alegare Calero, Head of European Projects, Fundació Catalana de l'Esplai, Catalonia, Spain;
• Therese Fitzgerald, Programme Officer, Technological University Dublin, Ireland.

Promoting social inclusion in apprenticeships: Examples from Europe

During the live discussion, panellists shared examples from their countries, such as:

• the Access Apprenticeship Programme in Ireland, which empowers young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn new professional skills and improve their CVs;
• the Škoda Auto Vocational School in Czechia, which hosts an annual Girls’ Day to increase female participation in apprenticeships, and supports disabled apprentices by creating placement opportunities for them;
• the Youth and Value programme, which targets marginalised Catalonian youth outside of employment, education or training, and immerses them in a dual education programme;
• the KAUSA project, which guides companies owned by migrants to launch their own apprenticeship schemes and provides a support structure for migrants to navigate the labour market.

Challenges in achieving social inclusion in apprenticeships

The panellists emphasised that achieving social inclusion through apprenticeships is associated with various barriers and obstacles, such as discrimination, the unstable living conditions of disadvantaged youth, and tackling negative experience with education and training. They agreed that a holistic approach is needed, considering individual students’ home environment and family situation.

Despite the many challenges, the inspiring practices of the live discussion demonstrated that apprenticeships can contribute in very tangible ways to social inclusion across the EU. What all these practices have in common is their commitment to make apprenticeships work for everyone and to make sure that no one is left behind – at school, on the labour market, and in society as a whole.

See the ‘Related documents’ section below to download the full report of the discussion. You can also watch the event recording.