Dealing with Training and Education at European level The industriAll Europe approach 1

A TU priority at national and European level Not an EU competence but key area for cooperation between Member States A central issue in the current EU debate (Europe 2020, flagship policies on skills, industrial policy) A central topic for sectoral social dialogue Strategic re-orientation at European level “Rethinking Education” Communication Training and Education 2

Training and especially LLL are essential to: Promote personal development Enhance professional mobility and employability They are also key to: Promote innovation Maintain and increase competitiveness Training and Education: a long standing TU priority 3

Access to training for all workers (individual right to training = common industriAll Europe demand) Training should lead to a validation and recognition of skills and competences Vocational training: cost free for employee anticipation of skills needs, support and guidance Training and continuous training: trade union priorities 4

Importance of T&E is increasingly underlined in different EU polices (growth and competitiveness, employment, industrial and sector policies) Objective: to deal with skills mismatches/shortages, geographical imbalances (brain drain), youth unemployment, lack of competitiveness Through: Improving and upgrading skills, anticipating and matching skills needs EU initiatives such as SSCs, quality framework for Traineeships, European Alliance for apprenticeships, ESCO…. Training and Education at EU level 5

Training, especially LLL/VET, skills and competences are core issues for sectoral social dialogue activities  Impossible to decouple VET from labour market needs  (sectoral) social partners are closest to labour market needs Training and Education and Sectoral Social Dialogue 6

Framework of Actions: Competencies, qualifications and anticipation of change in the European electricity sector Actvities of SSDC Electricity have focused on anticipation of change and just transition principles Transition towards a low-carbon economy implies a complete transformation of the electricity sector and thus, skills and jobs needs Social dialogue has a key role to play in allowing for a smooth transition 7

In 2010 SSDC Electricity looked into employment effects of European energy and climate policies  Provides the base for further work on just transition principles and anticipation of skills needs in the sector Concluding with recommendations for Social Partners 8

….Recommendations to Social Partners 1.Tackle the age profile of the sector to ensure a sustainable mix of skills and competences to meet future needs 2.Develop anticipatory mechanisms 3.Establish a culture of lifelong learning in the work place 4.Improve internal mobility of labour 5.Increase the participation of female workers 6.Work with public authorities 7.Improve social dialogue on the subject of climate change 9

Framework of Actions: Competencies, qualifications and anticipation of change  Commits European Social Partners and their national members to address the subject on national, sectoral or company level  National members will report back to the SSDC annually on the discussions and activities at various levels  Concrete commitments on  Anticipation of change in view of the impact that the transition to a low-carbon economy will have on the sector and employment  Mainstreaming of equality: equal possibilities for training and equal recognition of gained qualifications (Social Partners‘ Toolkit on Equal Opportunities and Dieversity, 2006)  Ensuring that young workers enter the sector and retraining older workers: 10 Step Plan on promoting age diversity and age management strategies (Social Partners‘ Toolkit on Demographic Change 2008) 10

Framework Agreement on Education, Training and Lifelong Learning in the SD Chemical Sector Framework Agreement on Education, Training and Lifelong Learning in the SD Chemical Sector Definition of minimum core competences: European reference for the occupations of Process Operator and First Line Supervisor in European Chemical Industry  including short job descriptions for each role as national terminology may vary (Appendices A and B) These include: The description of key tasks and responsibilities. The competence areas identified and required competencies for the occupations, recognisable for the chemical industry.. 11

Aims of the binding agreement  equal quality and value of education and training for employability and mobility in the European chemical industry / facilitating their transferability;  benchmarks for national qualifications, national VET programs and companies for their human resources development  active support of the Social Partners in adapting and modernising VET systems at European and national levels and in-company training and lifelong learning;  to further encourage dialogue between employers and workers in the field of job design and development. 12

TU assessment of the outcome  Quality of the Agreement: Initial expectations = binding agreement with a European certificate/diploma ≠ were not met End result = framework agreement with a « transferability » clause = however satisfactory Follow up of the implementation also by working towards the establishment of a Sector Skills Council 13

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Skills are high on the EU political agenda Linking the world of education with the labour market Europe 2020 strategy to create European Sector Skills Councils (ESSC) On 7 December 2012 the “European Skills Panorama” was officially launched Setting up a European Skills Council for the Chemical Industry

A European Skills Council = A network of experts on skills anticipation to use existing networks at national level to create labour market and skills intelligence at EU level

Arguments in favour of setting up a ESSC improve the image and enhance the attractiveness of the chemical industry allow for more transparency and mobility on the labour market laying emphasis on a high-level skills management. improve the communication between the industry and the world of vocational education and training (VET)

Arguments in favour of setting up a ESSC sectors and VET institutions could learn from each other give more visibility for ECEG and industriAll Europe strengthen the relationship between the social partners and vis-à-vis the EU Focus on high-level competences The EESC will be a tool for the SSDC in the chemical industry pioneer role of the chemical industry