Following the launch of the European Commission’s New Skills Agenda, industriAll European Trade Union and CEEMET – the European social partners of the Metal, Engineering and Technology-based (MET) industries – are uniting to repeat their call for swift, ambitious action to be taken in the field of vocational education and training in order to guarantee VET becomes a First-Class option. Prompt action should also be taken to address the lack of digital skills in Europe, so as to ensure the continued competitiveness of the MET sector and the sustainability of its jobs at a time of fast-paced transformation.
The European Commission’s New Skills Agenda initiative has sparked a renewed interest in these topics. Taking advantage of this momentum, on 21 June 2017, industriAll European Trade Union and CEEMET gathered 60 participants at the European Parliament for a high-level dinner debate.
As part of the debate, CEEMET and industriAll European Trade Union also took the opportunity to present their joint position on the Skills Agenda, in which they called, amongst other things, for a responsive VET system that supports the adaptability, autonomy and employability of workers and that guarantees real opportunities to access the labour market throughout their career.