QQI welcomes new EU Skills Agenda
On 1st July, the European Commission presented the new European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. It sets ambitious objectives for upskilling and reskilling to be achieved within the next 5 years.
The aim is to ensure that the right to training and lifelong learning, enshrined in the European Pillar of Social rights, becomes a reality all across Europe. The agenda recognises that green and digital transitions, accompanied by demographic trends are transforming how we live, work and interact. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated these transitions and brought new career challenges for many people in Europe. In the aftermath of the crisis, many Europeans will need to retrain in a new skill or improve their existing skills to adapt to the changed labour market
Nicolas Schmit, EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, said: “The skilling of our workforces is one of our central responses to the recovery, and providing people the chance to build the skillsets they need is key to preparing for the green and digital transitions. It gives everyone the possibility to benefit from new opportunities in a fast-moving labour market.”
Welcoming the new EU Skills Agenda, Padraig Walsh, Chief Executive of QQI said,
“Ireland and Europe face similar challenges in responding to the unprecedented crisis of the coronavirus pandemic. Education and training will be central to economic and social recovery in Ireland and Europe. Many of the 12 flagship initiatives proposed in the new EU Skills Agenda resonate well with our national interests in lifelong learning, skills, qualifications and quality assurance. We look forward to working with the EU and our European partners in advancing this ambitious agenda. As the National Europass Centre for Ireland, I particularly welcome the new Europass platform as the first implemented action of the Skills Agenda. As of today, it offers guidance in CV-writing, suggests tailored jobs and learning opportunities and provides information on trends in skills”
Find out more about the new EU Skills Agenda here.
