The coronavirus pandemic has emphasised the often difficult start many young people face in the labour market.
“We are proposing clear and specific ways forward for our young people to get the professional chances that they deserve,” said the EC’s economy vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis: “The new Youth Employment Support package is built around four strands that together provide a bridge to jobs for the next generation.”
The aim is to make systems more resilient for the future and boost employment by acting on all fronts: reinforcing the EU’s Youth Guarantee, future-proofing the EU’s vocational education and training (VET), renewing the impetus for apprenticeships, as well as additional measures to support youth employment.
Youth Employment Support - background guide
The Commission also presented today a ‘European Skills Agenda’ for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience.
“The skilling of our workforces is one of our central responses to the recovery,” said jobs Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, “and providing people the chance to build the skillsets they need is key to preparing for the green and digital transitions.”
The Skills Agenda sets ambitious, quantitative objectives for skills to be achieved within the next 5 years.
It has 12 actions which focus on skills for jobs by partnering up with Member States, companies and social partners to work together for change, by empowering people to embark on lifelong learning, and by using the EU budget as a catalyst to unlock public and private investment in people’s skills.
European Skills Agenda - background guide
Also today, a new Europass platform was launched as the first implemented action of the Skills Agenda. As of today, it offers guidance in CV-writing, suggests tailored jobs and learning opportunities, provides information on trends in skills, and is available in 29 languages.