Cedefop newsletter

• latest updates to the Labour Market Information^* (LMI) section of the EURES portal;
• job vacancies insights;
• Cedefop's STAS^** tool, which provides regular projections of employment trends by occupation and country, helping to align skills provision with labour market demands.

The webinar included a live demonstration of key tools and a moderated Q&A session to interact with speakers and gain practical insights.

You can watch the recording of the event on the EURES YouTube channel. 

For more information, here is the agenda and the privacy statement.

_{(*)The Labour Market Information (LMI) section of the EURES portal assists both jobseekers seeking opportunities abroad and employers searching for workers from different countries. The latest update of the LMI pages introduces new content and style, presented in a structured data-based approach comparable across countries and regions, while highlighting regional specificities and labour market trends.} 

_{(**) Effective and responsive skills anticipation is vital for ensuring that skills provision aligns with labour market developments and trends. The STAS tool addresses this by providing regular, short-term projections of employment by occupation and Member State. This complements Cedefop’s suite of existing tools for skills intelligence and foresight and online job advertisement analysis. The presentation will explore how the tool works, along with the latest projections and key trends in the EU labour market, highlighting how occupational demands are shifting across sectors and countries.}

For this symposium, 'new fields' refers to fields, sectors or occupations (or as a consequence specialties and programmes) that were not previously typically offered through apprenticeships. These might be entirely new for apprenticeship programmes (i.e. where apprenticeship programmes were offered for the first time), or used to be very small in terms of enrolments/participation but are now becoming more central to apprenticeship-related policies and choices of individuals.  
The understanding of a 'new field' depends therefore on the national context.

Selected papers study a range of new programmes in health, financial services, ICT/digital industries, or teacher education. They also cover the emergence of new programmes or drastic revamp of existing ones  in more traditional sectors (e.g. construction, energy and food industries), in the light of the digital and green transitions.

Aspects that were discussed during the event:

• The use of skills intelligence to inform and drive the expansion to new fields (labour market responsiveness )
• The role of social partners and social dialogue in selecting and entering into new fields
• Addressing needs and opportunities of the twin transition
• Adapting the apprenticeship features to the needs of different fields
• Positioning apprenticeship programmes at new education and training levels
• Improving VET attractiveness through expansion to new fields
• Using the expansion to new fields to improve opportunities for women or other less represented groups to benefit from apprenticeships

The event included opening presentations from the OECD and Cedefop, discussion and Q&A sessions and a closing panel with representatives of governments, employers, trade unions, apprenticeship providers and learners. 

The joint Cedefop-OECD apprenticeship symposiums focus on education and training that can truly be understood as a quality apprenticeship. Not all initiatives to introduce or reinforce work-based learning in VET programmes would fall under apprenticeship. To see what is understood by the term apprenticeship(s), please refer to the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships (2018) or the ILO Recommendation 208 concerning quality apprenticeships (2023) or the call for evidence (link below).

Key dates for paper authors:

• Call for evidence: 15 July - 5 September 2024
• Deadline for paper submissions: 25 October 2024
• Selection of papers: 15 November 2024
• Deadline for submitting presentations: 20 March 2025
• Symposium: 1 and 2 April 2025
• Deadline for submitting full papers for the subsequent publication: 2 May 2025

The 2025 symposium continues the joint work of Cedefop and the OECD on apprenticeships. Find out more about our past events and publications:

• 2023 Symposium on Apprenticeships and the digital transition, and the subsequent publication of papers
• 2021 Symposium on Apprenticeships for greener economies and societies, and the subsequent publication of papers
• 2019 Symposium on The next steps for apprenticeship, and the subsequent publication of papers

As digital transformation accelerates, online job advertisements (OJAs) and other web-based data sources have become essential tools for understanding evolving employment trends and employers’ skill needs. With advancements in big data analytics, natural language processing, and machine learning, researchers now have unprecedented opportunities to provide real-time labour market insights. A key focus of this research conference was using online information to shed light on the skills impacts of the twin (digital and green) transition, and using such information for designing and championing vocational education and training (VET) as a pathway to quality jobs. By leveraging web-based labour market intelligence, policymakers and researchers can better align training initiatives with emerging skill demands, ensuring a workforce equipped for the future.

At the research conference, researchers and analysts from across Europe showcased new work in this domain and offer fresh perspectives on occupational, sectoral, and regional labour market trends. The event also offered opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and networking among experts dedicated to advancing labour market monitoring and skills intelligence.

In this policy conference, we explored how skills intelligence based on online sources can be used to inform labour market, education, training, skills and related policies. We demonstrated how such sources assist data-driven decision-making and strengthen labour market, and education and training policy and its implementation. We brought together experts, policymakers, educators, and industry leaders to discuss what it takes to tap the full potential of OJAs and other online sources, and how such data can be used to make skills ecosystems more effective, responsive, and inclusive, to benefit people and economies.

We discussed best practices and methodologies for extracting meaningful insights from OJAs and from information on training programmes and offers. To promote policy learning, we also demonstrated practices from countries or organisations that have successfully integrated big-data methods in their skills intelligence systems or approaches. The conference was an opportunity for policymakers, educators, researchers, and industry stakeholders to meet and discuss practical ways to leverage OJAs, and other types of big data to guide policymaking in employment, education and training, skills, and related policy areas.

The EU Pillar of Social Rights emphasises the need to rethink policies that promote learning throughout life (see also European Commission, 2024). Upgrading lifelong guidance systems is critical, especially coordinated with other services, structures and policies, for improving outcomes in education, training, and the labour market (European Commission and Barnes et al., 2020; e.g. Action 3 of the European skills agenda). Guidance systems can help prevent exclusion, enhance productivity and innovation, address labour market gaps, and foster well-being and civic participation essential for Europe’s critical transitions. However, many young people and adults in Europe remain unaware or face barriers to accessing these or other supporting services. Persistent and new challenges include the varying quality of provisions supporting career development, the plethora of emerging and evolving technologies in the field, and the integration of labour market and skills information and intelligence. Policies must also address the diverse expectations among service users and stakeholders.

Structured cooperation across key sectors can increase the benefits for guidance service users through better quality provisions (ELGPN, 2015; Cedefop, 2022). Recognising this, Cedefop initiated efforts to revisit its reference framework to support cooperation on systems and policy development, including the 2015 ELGPN Guidelines, with the support of CareersNet and the European Commission, experts at FIER (Finnish Institute of Educational Research), from ETF and ILO, among others. The joint vision of the Interagency Working Group on Career Guidance (IAG WGCG) (2021, 2023) is also a reference point. This webinar briefly introduced the draft framework's elements to discuss and share views on relevant issues with key stakeholders and experts working in the field.

Stand by for the event follow up including a forthcoming news on lifelong guidance.

Audience

This webinar contents remain relevant for policymakers and stakeholders, guidance providers in or across the education, training, labour market, youth and social fields, the general public, including service users.

Thank you to our many participants who joined us and our speakers for an interesting event!

Video recording

The video recording of the event can be watched from here.
(By following the link, the YouTube privacy policy and cookies will apply)

Programme

In this forum, ReferNet members will have the opportunity to discuss issues related to vocational education and training (VET), skills and qualifications, improve their knowledge by sharing information on recent developments in national policies and systems while at the same time hear and learn about the VET system of Czechia. The first of this year’s partnership forum will take place on 24 and 25 April in Prague, Czechia.

We warmly thank the National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic (NPI CR) and the national ReferNet Czechia team for hosting the event.

ReferNet is a network of institutions across Europe representing the 27 Member States, plus Iceland and Norway. The network provides Cedefop with information and analysis on national vocational education and training, skills and qualifications. National partners also disseminate information on European VET and Cedefop’s work to stakeholders in the EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. ReferNet publications can be accessed through the ReferNet page on Cedefop’s website.

Take part in the discussions #ReferNet

Final programme - (CET time)

The workshop will provide an opportunity to bring together Cedefop, the research team, and the group of individual country experts to:

• Validate the results of the updated projections for the 2026 release.
• Discuss inputs for the two sensitivities that will accompany the baseline projections.
• Present the on-going work on labour shortages and receive feedback.

Don't miss out — register now

Europe's workforce and workplaces are at a turning point. The EU Competitiveness Compass highlights the critical role of skills in driving productivity, innovation, inclusion, and resilience in Europe. From the European Year of Skills to the newly launched Union of Skills initiative, the EU is strengthening its capacity to equip workers and businesses with the right skills for the twin digital and green transitions.

The conference will bring together over 250 key EU stakeholders to provide actionable insights on Europe’s evolving skills and education landscape. By leveraging Cedefop’s skills intelligence, discussions will focus on how vocational education and training (VET), upskilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning can reinforce Europe’s economic sovereignty and social cohesion. It will address crucial topics such as the future of vocational education and training, bridging the gap between learning and the labour market, and better skills for EU citizens.

Key themes

• Next-generation skills intelligence
• Bridging the gap between learning and work
• Investing in people
• Making adult learning a reality
• From Copenhagen to Herning, insights from the progress of the Copenhagen Process
• The importance of being vocational
• The future of European policies and Cedefop’s role  

With keynote addresses from EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament, alongside expert panel discussions with social partners and policy makers, this conference is a strategic forum for shaping next-generation policies that connect skills, competitiveness, and Europe's long-term prosperity.

Join the Conversation!
As we celebrate 50 years of Cedefop’s contribution to European skills development, we invite you to join the discussion on shaping the next 50 years. Secure your spot today by completing the registration form* and let's build together a Europe where skills drive progress, prosperity, and unity.

Check out the programme.

_{(*) Due to limited capacity, registration does not guarantee participation in the event. You will receive an email notification once your participation has been approved.
Please note that expenses for participation will not be reimbursed.}

The workshop will be informed by key findings from Cedefop’s ReferNet survey, which examined the current state of comparison and recognition of VET qualifications in Europe. The primary objective of the workshop is to investigate the feasibility of developing a methodology for comparing and recognising VET qualifications, with a focus on recognising foreign qualifications for the purposes of employment and further studies.
During the workshop, experts will discuss key topics, including:

• Approaches and criteria for comparing and recognising VET qualifications for learning and work ;
• The use of digitalisation and transparency tools to support comparison and recognition of VET qualifications;
• Recognising foreign VET qualifications for the purpose of employment.

The outcomes of this workshop will contribute to a better understanding of the complexities involved in comparing and recognising VET qualifications and will help shape Cedefop's future work in this area. By exploring the challenges and opportunities related to this topic, the workshop aims to provide a foundation for further research, discussion, and collaboration among stakeholders, ultimately supporting the development of more effective and efficient systems for comparison and recognition of VET qualifications in Europe.