Achieving the proper functioning of the apprenticeship system, how cost-effective is for companies and whether it reflects their needs in the employee skills, are the priorities to be highlighted at European level in order to mobilize the interest of businesses upon the process of apprenticeships.
This was the key message of Maxime Cerutti, Director of Social Affairs at BUSINESSEUROPE, during the joint conference of the European Social Partners at 26-27 of May 2016.
The results of the joint project “The cost-effectiveness of apprenticeship schemes – Making the case for apprenticeships” were extensively discussed by the European social partners BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP, UEAPME, UTEC and training providers EfVET and EUproVET, regarding the cost-effectiveness of apprenticeship systems and the proposal for a European quality framework for apprenticeships by the European Commission. European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Market Ms. Marianne Thyssen was also there.
The importance of apprenticeships.
The conference ended with a video in which representatives of the European Social Partners and Training Providers commented on this topic, including Panagiotis G. Anastasopoulos from p-consulting.gr, as national representative of EfVET in Greece. The European Commissioner commented on the video and promised immediate initiatives to institutionalize a successful framework implementation of apprenticeships system in the coming years.
At this meeting, a special emphasis was made, on how “apprenticeship” could provide quality not only in large enterprises, but also to those under 50 employees, particularly those that employ up to 10 employees and almost are the 95% of European companies.
The European social partners BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP, UEAPME and UTEC (employer and employee representatives) are ready for further discussions with the European Commission, Member States and trade unions on the future of lifelong learning in Europe, which was confirmed by the definition of next meetings at predetermined dates.
