1. Skills Councils – Skills Alliances EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee Paper Industry Plenary meeting, Brussels, 12 October Norbert Schöbel, Head of Sector Unit B.1, Social Dialogue, Industrial Relations

2. Rationale and background
For a sound future EU social model
Headline target 75% employment rate
More people need to work
High unemployment rate (10%)
Hard to fill job vacancies
Demographic ageing
Carbon low and knowledge economy
17 mio jobs needed to reach the target
Project Chemistry: Thematic LF 2013 on demographic challnges
Matching: 4 mio "job gap"
Anticipation: get the analysis right! CEDEFOP
Need to improve Union’s capacity for skills assessment, anticipation & matching
An Agenda for New Skills an Jobs
Develop labour market intelligence and skills governance

3. Key results of the CEDEFOP skills forecast
Up to 2020 the forecast points to:
more than 83 million job opportunities due to:
a modest net increase in employment of around 8 million new jobs (expansion demand); and
around 75 million jobs that will need to be filled as people retire or leave the workforce (replacement demand)
job opportunities in all types of occupations, but most at the higher and lower end of the job spectrum ð risk of job polarisation
most job opportunities will be in services
the trend towards more skill-intensive jobs at all levels will continue and many traditional manual or routine jobs will decline
a more highly-qualified workforce, with more than 80% of people having at least medium-level qualifications
skill demand will lag behind skill supply and brings risk of over-qualification in the short-term
EU 27 + Norway + Switzerland + Candidate Countries

4. Sectoral developments in Europe
Manufacturing tendence: decrease
Source: Cedefop country workbooks (2012)

5. Growth and uncertainty: sectors
The tables shows aspects of employment by sector that have grown most strongly relative to the average, and those in decline up to The vertical axis shows sectors that are likely to grow and decline in relative terms, while the horizontal access groups sectors according to whether there is more or less uncertainty about whether this trend will prevail. The sectors included in the top half of each table are likely to grow, relatively speaking (with more certainty concerning those in the top right box), while those in the bottom half are likely to be in relative decline. The uncertainty reflects sensitivity to the business cycle and external factors such as policy measures (e.g. environment legislation) or external shocks like a steep rise in oil prices.
Source: Cedefop forecast 2012

6. Multiple EU instruments and networks
PES network
Skillsnet
EQF
Skills Passport
ESCO
EU Skills Panorama
Sector Skills Councils
Skills Alliances
Complexity (criticised at the Liaison Forum) – but a problem of better communication
EQF: European Qualifications Framework:
PES network: network of public employment services:
ESCO: European skills, competences and occupations taxonomy:
Skillsnet: network of experts on skills anticipation managed by Cedefop:
EURES: European job mobility portal:
Skills passport: an extension of Europass ( being developed and to be ready by end 2012 that will facilitate the recognition of qualifications acquired informally
EU Vacancy Monitor: overview of development on the job market in the EU, provides information on vacancies:
ELGPN: European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network:
ELGPN
Social Dialogue
EU Vacancy Monitor/
EURES 6

7. EU Sector Skills Councils: The process
2008
2009
2010
2010
2011
Com “New Skills for New Jobs”
Feasibility study on EU sector councils
Expert Group on New Skills for New Jobs
Idea of sector councils related to national experiences, but also workshops of experts of 18 sector studies
Eu expert group recommendation:
Create EU sectoral councils, bringing together existing national networks at EU level for the analysis of the skills needs and the development of proposals for updated qualifications in each sector.
the Commission indicates that "it supports the creation of Sector Skills Councils at European level when an initiative comes from stakeholders such as social partners or the relevant observatories".
Com “An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs”
Launch first EU sector council

8. Key characteristics of EU Sector Skills Councils
Decision,
leadership
and steering
by European
social partners
Involvement of
representatives
of education
and training
providers
Initial scope:
information
exchange
and dialogue
between
National sector
councils
A network
which adds
value
to the sector

9. Steps towards Sector Skills Councils
1st phase - Feasibility
2nd phase
Decision
Feasibility
Project
Decision
Yes/No
EU sector
council
1st:
Mapping
exercise
2nd:
Potential
content
Social partners
Consortium with main stakeholders
E&T partners?
EU grant
National /Regional sector councils
Education/Training actors
Sector definition
Selection likely members
What information
Potential remit/scope
Value-added?
By social partners /
sector representatives
Work programme
Meetings
4 reports
Evaluation

10. State of play Phase 1: start in 2012 _____________ Agriculture
Audiovisual and –
Live performance
Chemicals
Construction
Education
Electricity
Furniture
Fishery
Gaz
Nurses/Social care -
workers
Shipbuilding
Phase 1
finalised
___________
Automotive
Commerce
Steel
TCL
Phase 2: creation
_____________
Textile, clothing
and leather:
Dec 2011
Commerce: 2012 10

11. Commission support Co-financing Conditional Temporary Reports
Coverage:
> Stakeholders
> Countries
> Agreement on
sector definition
Evaluation:
> Quality of outputs
> Value-added
Cost efficiency
Co-financing
Conditional
Grant max 80%
Phase 1: 80 k€
Phase 2: 240k€
Co-financing: grants up to 80% : autonomy and responsibility
Evaluation based on:
Output
Commitment
Satisfaction
Added-value for stakeholders
Temporary
EU support:
Phase 1
Phase 2:
> Years 1-3
> Year 4+: phasing
out grants

12. Expected outputs for feasibility study
Mapping of key stakeholders; national/regional sector skills councils; education & training providers
Established contacts with these actors
Overview of their activities (products, services)
Access to data and information on employment and skills
Assess willingness of stakeholders to engage in EU initiative
Define potential work programme of EU council
Sketch possible governance structure, legal form, financing plan

13. A single integrated programme
Erasmus for all and Sector Skills Alliances
Existing programmes
A single integrated programme
Youth in Action
Programme
International
higher education
programmes:
Erasmus Mundus,
Tempus,
Alfa, Edulink, Bilateral
Programmes
Grundtvig
Erasmus
Leonardo
Comenius
Lifelong
Learning
Erasmus for All 1.
Learning
Mobility 2.
Co-operation
projects 3.
Policy
Support 13

14. Sector Skills Alliances : target outcomes
Education comes closer to the labour market, better matching Vocational Education Training (VET) provision with skills needs
improve economic sectors' competitiveness
More innovation, mutual trust and tools for mobility tools
innovative ways of vocational teaching and training (work-based learning …)
implement learning outcomes approach (ECVET, EQF…) and quality assurance
A systemic impact on training provision
Reduced skills mismatch

15. Sector Skills Alliances : activities
Conclusions on skills needs or European core profile based on solid evidence
(Skills, occupation and qualification survey or analysis when needed)
Joint curriculum design
(e.g. translate skills or occupation profile into curricula, common standard or reference, European tools implementation)
Joint curriculum delivery
(e.g. implementation of work based learning or innovative ways of teaching and learning; development of new learning opportunities)
Targeted dissemination

16. Sector Skills Alliances : categories of partner
1) VET providers
Public or private VET providers,
including higher education and research bodies specialised in E&T.
2) Sector specific expertise
Sector or professional association
Social partners
Economic or skills bodies (e.g. chambers, agencies for economic development, skills observatories ...)
3) Bodies involved in education and training
Policy makers or decision makers
Qualification, accreditation and awarding bodies
Large enterprises, SMEs (including craft industry)
Guidance and counselling services

17. Sector Skills Alliances, pilot Call 2012
5 economic sectors :
Automotive industry
Aeronautic industry
Health and social work
Energy saving including sustainable construction
Tourism and catering
Test phase/pilot: identification discussed in the LLP Committee : growing sectors + link to Skills Councils
Current last call for proposal LLP for 2013 (LdV): open to all sectors – also for the new programme Erasmus for All

18. Call for proposals EAC / S01 / 2012
Call for proposals EAC / S01 / 2012
Pilot project for the development of
Sector Skills Alliances:
European Commission, VET cooperation in Europe:
Erasmus For All:
New Communication "Rethinking skills" (e.g. the role of languages) + Skills Panorama
– organisation of an information session on skills in 2013 – with an overview of each tool and its state of play