We need to fast-track innovation in the approaches to skills policy making. As challenges are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, policy needs to overcome the silo approaches in its design and in its implementation. We need to cross the boundaries between different public policy fields and interlink policies that have so far not or only loosely been connected. Enormous benefits can be achieved by better linking policies for research and development, digitalisation, greening, employment, education and training, recovery and regional development to one another and to other policy areas. It is obvious that skills is often what connects them.
This will often require major changes at institutional level and decompartmentalization between the institutional actors who currently have different roles in policy implementation. This also means re-thinking governance. What we know from our work with countries and in sectors is that empowering regional, local and sectoral players, giving some room for experimentation, and cluster-based innovation strategies can be enormously powerful. These insights and the experience we built when reviewing skills governance in several EU countries can be leveraged to provide insights into how to set up partnerships that work.
Key Cedefop publications
- Cedefop (2023) Thematic country review on upskilling pathways for low-skilled adults in France, Key findings of the first research phase.
- Cedefop (2022) Cities in transition: how vocational education and training can help cities become smarter and greener Policy brief.
- Cedefop (2021) Strengthening skills anticipation and matching in Bulgaria: bridging education and the world of work through better coordination and skills intelligence.
- Cedefop (2023) From linear thinking to green growth mindsets - Vocational education and training and skills as springboards for the circular economy Policy brief.
- Cedefop (2022) Relocation 2.0: tying adult refugee skills to labour market demand.
- Cedefop (2023) Entrepreneurship competence in vocational education and training - Case study: Spain.