The increasing use of digital technology has enabled new forms of employment, most notably those in the so-called platform or ‘gig’ economy. Platform or crowd work, where supply and demand for paid work are coordinated via an online platform, opens up opportunities and challenges. More...

Cedefop’s European skills index (ESI) makes understanding and analysing the performance of skills systems, within and across EU Member States, possible for the first time. The index was launched at an event in Brussels on 27 September. More...

In the scope of a P-KAP: the support of action planning project 2016-20, a survey will be conducted in October and November 2018 among all upper secondary vocational schools and tertiary professional schools (more than 1300 schools in total). The goal is to understand the needs of the schools, particularly those related to achieving nationally defined priorities. More...

A recent company survey by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) of 4 500 companies provides sound evidence that there is major demand for, and increasing lack of, skilled labour in the Austrian economy. It overwhelmingly confirms the importance of VET. More...

The new academic school year 2018/19 started in August and young people could choose among 326 recognised occupations in the dual VET system at EQF level 4. These qualifications include 24 updated and one newly developed qualification, the ‘merchant in e-commerce’ (Kaufmann/Kauffrau in E-Commerce), reflecting an increased change of skills needed in the German economy. More...

Sweden has launched a new vocational qualification test, intending to match vocational education and labour market needs better, to support collaboration between schools and working life, and to try to identify what kind of job a certain vocational programme prepares for. More...

Cedefop hosted the 23rd ECVET (European Credit system for VET) users group and the ECVET network meeting at its premises in Thessaloniki on 11 and 12 October. More...

Following successful public consultation, the government has approved a new decree-law (Decreto-lei no 55/2018, de 6 de julho), which defines the new organisational principles of primary and upper secondary education curricula. It covers specific VET programmes: professional, art education, and education and training programmes for young people. More...

Portugal has developed the Exit profile of students leaving compulsory education (Order -Despacho No 6478/2017, de 26 de Julho). This profile is a frame of reference based on specific principles: freedom of choice, responsibility, work appraisal, self-awareness, family, community and social inclusion. A new decree-law (Decreto-lei No 55/2018, de 6 de Julho), issued by the education and labour ministries, relates explicitly the exit profile of students leaving compulsory education with the following VET programmes: professional, art education, and education and training programmes for young people. More...

Cedefop’s European skills index (ESI) makes understanding and analysing the performance of skills systems, within and across EU Member States, possible for the first time. The index was launched at an event in Brussels on 27 September 2018. More...