European Alliance for Apprenticeships: From Leipzig to Riga NetWBL Regional conference - Budapest, 11 June 2015 Norbert Schöbel, European Commission DG EMPL

Youth (15-24) unemployment 22% 5 million young unemployed 1 in 3 long term unemployed 7.5 million young NEETs (neither in employment nor in education or training) >40% Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia <10% Germany, Austria, Netherlands EU youth unemployment rate at 21.6 % (August 2014) Special target groups: Early school leavers (ESL) and young people who are neither in employment nor in education or training (NEETs) The average share of ESLs: 12% (2013) – EU target: 10% by 2020 7.5 million young people = 13% were NEETs (2013) Modernization of VET systems to improve the employability of young people helping to increase their chance to find a job e.g. by improving flexibility and transparency in the transition between different levels and types of education Moving towards skills, competences and learning outcomes responding to labour market needs Extending and strengthening apprenticeship-type schemes © Christophe Vander Eecken / EEA Grants

Overall policy framework Vision and objectives of Bruges Communiqué valid until 2020 Part of ET2020 Strategic Framework ET2020 Working Group on VET: Support for companies, in particular SMEs, offering apprenticeships Attractiveness and career guidance National governance, regulatory framework and social partners' involvement Quality assurance in work-based learning 22 June 2015 (Riga): Meetings of Ministers in charge of VET, EU level Social Partners and the Commission : Adoption of 'Riga Conclusions' including new medium-term deliverables for the period 2015-2020 New deliverables part of ET 2020 Joint Report Commission adoption (July/September 2015) Council adoption (November 2015)

New medium-term deliverables With a view to develop high quality, labour market relevant vocational skills and qualifications, based on the learning outcomes approach: work-based learning in all its forms quality assurance and feedback loops to Initial VET and Continuous VET For people's informed choice of pathways and long-term employability and adaptability to evolving skills needs: access to VET and qualifications for all key competences in both initial and continuous CVET In support of reforms to raise quality and efficiency of VET: professional development of VET teachers, trainers and mentors

Apprenticeships lead to skills that lead to jobs Work-based learning in VET Apprenticeships lead to skills that lead to jobs AT, DE, DK CZ NL FI, LU, FR, UK SK, HU EE, EL, ES, IE, IT, PL, PT MS with more work-based learning have less youth unemployment VET graduates tend to find a job faster than those with general education* Graduates of work-oriented programmes spend less time without work* BE, SI, SE Youth unemployment Illustration based on a comparison of the level of youth unemployment (4th quarter 2011) in relation to the share of students participating in work based learning at ISCED 3 level programmes (Cedefop) *Quotes from Cedefop publication "From education to working life", 2012 www.ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance

Work-based learning is still an exception Proportion of VET students enrolled in combined work- and school-based VET, as a % of all students in upper secondary VET (2010)

Youth Employment Package Background European Alliance for Apprentice-ships Quality Framework for Trainee-ships Youth Guarantee Part of the Youth Employment Package December 2012 www.ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance

European Alliance for Apprenticeships Multi-stakeholder initiative European Commission, EU presidency, Social Partners, VET providers, Chambers, Companies, Youth Organisations… The European Council of 7-8 February 2013 confirmed that the highest priority should be given to promoting youth employment and invited the Commission to establish the Alliance. It also announced the creation of a dedicated Youth Employment Initiative, open to regions with high youth unemployment rates, with financial support of EUR 6 bn. In the meantime the Commission has develop the content of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. What will the Alliance do? Photo: European Commission

Supply Mobility Image Quality European Alliance for Apprenticeships Supply Mobility Image Quality Photo: World Skills Leipzig 2013

Focus areas Strands of action Targeted knowledge transfer and support for reform of apprenticeship systems Promoting the benefits of apprenticeships Making smart use of EU funding and resources www.ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance

What is an apprenticeship? Definition What is an apprenticeship? Learning in school Training in company Certified & recognised Work contract (ideally) Initial vocational education and training www.ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance

Benefits of apprenticeships Skills Pay and independence Work experience Shorter way to employment Learners Recruitment Influence on curricula/skills Contribution to production New ideas and innovation Reputation Companies More youth employment Skills in line with labour market needs Connecting education with work Society www.ec.europa.eu/apprenticeships-alliance

Milestones and achievements Joint Declaration the European level social partners, the Commission and the Lithuanian Presidency (02.07.2013) Council Declaration on EAfA (15.10.2013) 24 Member States have made individual commitments 47 pledges from social partners, chambers, companies, VET providers, regions and youth organisations 3rd EAfA stakeholder meetings (23 April 2015) First on-line survey Education and Culture

Online survey – results and next step Replies: 56 replies – over half from direct members, incl. businesses (28), chambers (7), social partners (9), education and training providers (7), regional authorities (1), and other non-profit or youth organisations (4) Results: some concrete progress e.g. increase in supply since submitting pledge & expected increase for 2016 positive developments on quality and image of apprenticeships, additional theme mobility showed valuable role/active commitment of EAfA stakeholders with diverse & complementary activities, but some challenges remain: apprenticeship concept, impact evaluation, visibility… Next step: Report on survey results Why? - Mapping stakeholders' activities and results in relation to EAfA goals and preparing for Riga event on 22 June - Starting point for annual follow-up & monitoring Who? - some 60 EAfA members and ambassadors (businesses, social partners, chambers, education & training providers, regions, non-profit/youth organisations) - around 130 firms "Nestlé needs YOUth Initiative" group pledge What, When, How? - 6 questions, March to April 2015, open and closed questions

Engaging with businesses/ SMEs New boost to the European Alliance for Apprenticeships High Level Presidency event (Riga, 22 June 2015) Engaging with businesses/ SMEs Mobilise companies SMEs and monitoring progress Redesigned EAfA webpage Kick-off event with exhibition space and networking Real-time exchange of apprenticeship offers New on-line platform Common space for public and private stakeholders to advertise their offers Tool for young people to find apprenticeship opportunities Operating framework Steering role of the Commission Strengthened support by Cedefop Enhanced involvement of social partners Annual Presidency events Review of support mechanism Increased support of cooperation, partnerships and alliances at sectoral and at policy levels Increased mobility of apprentices Through ESF, EASI, Erasmus+, EIB loans

Next steps in 2015 NetWBL event (1-2 October, Vilnius) Call for proposal on how to involve SMEs engaging in apprenticeships (tbc) Cedefop country reviews, monitoring and matching conference (on SMEs (November) Final outcome (guiding principles) of the ET2020 WG on VET on apprenticeships (November) EC study to monitor EAfA progress (launched in late 2015) … and there is more to come!

Erasmus+ Call for proposals 2014: National Authorities for Apprenticeships First call for proposals under Erasmus+ (Key Activity 3 – Support for Policy Reform) particularly addressed to National Authorities in charge of apprenticeship systems Overall objective: development of high-quality apprenticeship-type training and excellence in work-based learning in VET through partnerships between National Authorities and relevant stakeholders 10 projects selected (published on 17/10/2014) - starting as of November 2014 Lead applicant from RO, HU, IT, SK, AL, BE, EL, LV, PT and DK Total budget: € 2,295,509.65 Maximum duration: 24 months – followed by an evaluation to decide on a possible second call for proposals in 2016

Partners by country in the 10 selected projects

Overview of the 10 selected project aims: Introducing apprenticeships (RO) or dual VET systems (AL, SK) Developing strategies for dual VET (PT, e.g. on the quality and the social reinforcement of the image) and reforming alternance schemes (BE, fr) Implementing work-based learning (LV + EE, LT; 3 Baltic countries) Improving the quality of apprenticeships at regional level in a specific sector (IT: Veneto region, food & hospitality sector) Knowledge sharing (HU, e.g. with AT and CH) Partnerships, e.g. with companies on an ICT based platform (EL + CY)° Supporting the European Alliance for Apprenticeships through a structured and evidence-based approach (DK + AT, DK, DE, LU, CH)

European Alliance for Apprenticeships http://ec. europa