Commission organises first European Vocational Skills Week

From 5 to 9 December 2016, the European Commission is organising a first European Vocational Skills Week to inspire people to discover, use and improve their talents and abilities through vocational training. It is one of the ten key actions proposed by the Commission under the New Skills Agenda for Europe, presented in June this year.

During the European Vocational Skills Week, the Commission showcases high-quality initiatives in the field of vocational education and training (VET) - ultimately to equip people with the skills they need in a fast-changing labour market. More than 750 events are taking place across Europe – in all 28 EU Member States, EFTA and EU Candidate countries – demonstrating the crucial role of VET in supporting skills, jobs, innovation and competitiveness. The list of events per country can be found online.

The Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, said: "This European Week is showcasing excellence in Vocational Education and Training. VET gets young people faster into jobs and can be a wise career choice for anyone. Making VET a first choice and not a second option is at the heart of the European Commission's New Skills Agenda for Europe. "

Events during the European Vocational Skills Week at European level include:

• a European Business Forum on VET.
• a Conference on "Adult Skills".
• a European Alliance for Apprenticeships Stakeholder Meeting.
• a VET Researcher Community Forum.
• a VET/Professional Higher Education Providers Forum.
• and a Forum of Sector Skills Alliances & Councils.

The closing of the Week will include the giving of prizes highlighting excellence and quality in various VET categories, and dissemination of great projects that have received both EU and national funding.