European Vocational Skills Week 2018 helps millions to discover benefits of vocational education and training

(From ec.europa.eu)

The 2018 edition of the European Vocational Skills Week, organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the Austrian Presidency, came to an end but many more associated activities and events are being organised across Europe until December 2018.

Thanks to 1512 events that took place all over Europe, the campaign has so far reached over 2.2 million people, 1.2 million more than last year. 

The week has been organised with the strong involvement and support from two EU Agencies - the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) and the European Training Foundation. 

The closing event included an awards ceremony and a presentation of the European Vocational Skills Week 2018 Ambassadors. Both the awarded initiatives as well as the testimonials of the VET ambassadors highlight and confirm the crucial role of vocational education and training in helping people seize the opportunities offered by the new world of work.

Awards for VET Excellence 2018 

The Awards for VET Excellence 2018, handed out by Commissioner Marianne Thyssen during the closing conference celebrate outstanding examples of vocational education and training in Europe and act as a benchmark for excellence across the field.

The full list of winners and categories:

1. Companies and Learners

• European Alliance for Apprenticeships - Apprentice. Winner: Domenico Calabrese, Italy; European Alliance for Apprenticeships - Large Companies. Winner: ESB Networks DAC, Ireland; European Alliance for Apprenticeships - Small Companies. Winner: Atelier du Pain, France.
• Training at Work. Winners: Human Partner Sp. Z o.o. and Joanna Kamola, Poland.
• International Skills Competition. Winner: Daniel Gerber, Skills of Electrical Installation, Switzerland.
• Junior Achievement (JA) Europe. Winner: Marmatia Technological High School, Simona ONA, Romania.

2. VET Innovators

• Innovative VET Provider. Winner: Xabec Vocational Training Centre, Spain.
• Special selection in the context of the European Year of Cultural Heritage: Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France, France.
• Teacher and Trainer. Winner: Joanna Żebrowska, Poland.
•  VET Researcher. Winner: Learning Layers, Estonia .

3. European Funding for Excellence

• European Social Fund project. Winner: Closer to the Labour Market 2, Poland.
• Erasmus+ project. Winner: Mobile Learning in VET towards 2020, Italy.

4. European Agencies' awards

• Cedefop VET Photo award. Winner: C. Force Team, Hungary.
• European Training Foundation (ETF) 2018 Entrepreneurship Award. Winner: School of Chemical Technology, Subotica, Serbia.

Photo album

Check out the photos from the event

European Vocational Skills Week 2019

The next European Vocational Skills Week will take place in Helsinki in October 2019.