Ceemet and other social partners have been saying for years that the skills gap is causing a burden for industry’s competitiveness.
Addressing that need, the European Commission launched the Pact for Skills in November 2020 with the aim of promoting partnerships between companies, social partners and vocational education and training (VET) providers which are active in skills development.
Transforming challenge into opportunities
Five strategic industrial ecosystems where identified. Ceemet joined the Pact for the automotive sector as well as the one for the aerospace & defence sector. Ceemet is looking with its Pact partners how they can tackle the combination of challenges that come out of the green and digital transition, the ageing society and the new ways of working that emerged. The re- and upskilling across the EU need to accelerate in order to guide workers into jobs where there is a shortage.
The initiative of the European Commission to bring expertise and best cases together in major industrial ecosystems has the advantage that knowledge can circulate quicker and broader. However it is important to bear in mind that the competence on education and training lies at national and sometimes regional level.
Activating the networks
It became quickly clear that the Pact needed to be activated at all levels, from European to company, on which skills are being discussed and solutions are being found. By supporting the implementation of the Pact for Skills, Ceemet brings in its network of employer that covers a European, national, local and company level.
It is at those -national, regional and local – levels that skills needs can be anticipated and managed. And based on those insights, industry specific skills policies can be developed and training can be organised.
Turning intentions into results
One year on and the different Pacts have been a success in terms of commitments and targets that have been defined. Whether the Pact for Skills was the tool that made the difference will have to show from the results it delivers.
Will, within the set timeframe, the pressure on companies decrease as they have access to right skilled workers? Will workers increase their employability or find through re- and upskilling a path to a new job? Ceemet for its parts hopes so and does its share to make the Pacts a success.
