The European Vocational Skills Week Raising the attractiveness and image of VET through quality and excellence ESF Informal Technical Working Group meeting Brussels, 11 October 2016 Steigenberger Hotel, Brussels Joao SANTOS, European Commission, Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Unit E3, Vocational training, Apprenticeships and Adult learning 1

Content of Presentation Why do we need a European Vocational Skills week? What are we doing about it? How can you get involved? http://europa.eu/!mj73VR Snapshot of VET in Europe What is VET Attractiveness ? Why do we need a European Vocational Skills week? What are we going to do about it? The plan - overview of EU and national/regional events The type of events that will be supported The EU website Communication kit The Week in Brussels How can Commission services get involved? 2

Why do we need a European Vocational Skills week? 3

Skills Agenda, and 2015 Riga Conclusions: Why do it ? Skills Agenda, and 2015 Riga Conclusions: "Raise the attractiveness and improve the image of VET" VET is often (wrongly) seen as the 2nd choice "if nothing else works" We need to: Showcase VET Excellence and Quality VET as a "smart" choice, for learners and companies VET is a "smart" choice for learners Opportunities for quality employment, attractive and challenging careers, upskilling and reskilling (cVET) VET is a "smart choice" for companies Play and active role in "building" the skills you need Supports innovation and competitiveness Provides excellent recruiting opportunities 4

Focus on both i-VET & c-VET Involve all VET stakeholders How will it be done ? Activities at EU level but mainly national/local level (e.g. Open Days) Focus on both i-VET & c-VET Involve all VET stakeholders VET Ambassadors successfull careers of VET learners Awards for excellence Euroskills, Apprenticeships, etc. Communication campaign supporting stakeholders events/activities 5

What type of event/activities ? Examples : Open doors or family days Workshops, conferences, skills shows National/regional/local skills competitions or awards ceremonies Launch events for new on-the-job training programmes Ambassadors to share their career success (e.g. top chefs, gardeners, chocolate makers, engineers, sports people) Job and employment tradeshows with hands-on activities Photo or video competitions for VET learners Guidance and counselling opportunities Media campaigns, also involving role models among youngsters and successful VET graduates (VET Ambassadors) Online and social media activities (web, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook) 6

What are we doing about it? 7

What have we done so far: Communication Kit Phase 1 What have we done so far: a visual identity with a slogan to be used in the context of events/activities registered through the events map a promotional leaflet on the European Vocational Skills Week a guidance document to support the organisation of activities related to the initiative a short video announcing the Vocational Skills week (available end September) A dedicated website for the initiative 8

Visual identity 9

Guidelines and toolkit 10

The Vocational Skills Week webpage http://ec.europa.eu/social/VocationalSkillsWeek 11

The Vocational Skills Week registration form 12

The Vocational Skills Week events map 13

A 5 minute TED-like talk video on VET. Communication Kit Phase 2 A 5 minute TED-like talk video on VET. 4 best practice video interviews with organisations announcing their participation in the Week Promotional material Raise awareness, mobilise, disseminate communication kit Mapping of events and activities Ex-post evaluation and reporting 1 short video on Excellence VET centres/companies and another on how VET improves lives of Apprentices/VET learners/Adults (DGCOMM) 14

Overview of the VET Week 15 EuroSkills Göteborg 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klJ3k8aUD4w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A484gWvOIUg 15

Erasmus+, ESF projects, Photo exhibition (6 to 9/12) The Brussels events The opening ceremony (5/12) Commissioner visits VET centre and companies in Belgium The Adult Skills Conference (6+7/12) focus on Skills Guarantee, upskilling, reskilling (+8 workshops) The EQAVET Annual Forum (7/12) Quality a key factor to raise attractiveness (+learner tracking) The VET Business Forum (8/12) Focus on Business-education partnerships (+5 workshops) The closing ceremony (9/12) Highlights of the week, awards, and what next… Erasmus+, ESF projects, Photo exhibition (6 to 9/12) 16

How can you get involved? 17

How can DG's contribute to the initiative ? Inform and mobilise sector stakeholders, social partners, national authorities managing EU Funds supporting skills and qualifications, etc., to organise events and activities contributing to raise the attractiveness of VET. Incentive the registration of those events and activities on the web page of the European Vocational Skills Week: The European Vocational Skills Week Participate and contribute to events and activities, both in Brussels and in the member states Registration allows organisations to make full use of the communication package and the visual identity. Ex-post evaluation of initiative will be based (to a large extent) on registered events. 18

http://europa.eu/!mj73VR 19