European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) Regional seminar

The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) is a platform managed by the European Commission in close cooperation with EU social partners that brings together governments with other key stakeholders, for instance business associations, individual companies, social partners, chambers, vocational education and training (VET) providers, regions, youth representatives or think tanks. The common goal is to strengthen the quality, supply, image and mobility of apprenticeships in Europe.
The EAfA has so far mobilised 36 countries, including 27 EU Member States, and 248 stakeholders to engage in quality apprenticeships. All five Candidate Countries - Albania, Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey - joined the Alliance. The Alliance has facilitated networking, cooperation and sharing of good practices and Cedefop and the ETF have provided strategic expert support. The Alliance has equally contributed to raising awareness of the benefits of apprenticeships.
Purpose of the Seminar
The main purpose of the Seminar is to enable learning and networking among Candidate Countries and EAfA members: Governments, individual employers and employers’ associations, chambers and VET providers. The thematic focus of the seminar will be laid on the role of school – business liaison persons in work-based learning and on financing of work-based learning.
The seminar is organized by EAfA (led by DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) in close co-operation with the ETF and will include site visits. It will take place in Tirana, Albania, on 24-25 September 2018.
Delegations comprise five members from each Candidate Country (25), having submitted a commitment for the EAfA. Additionally 15 participants from Albania and 25 guest speakers from EAfA/Member States have been invited. EU level institutions and relevant stakeholders will contribute with good practice examples on priority themes, responding to the challenges identified in the Candidate Countries. For the first time, around 15 young representatives of the European Apprentices Network will participate in this regional seminar. Total participation, including the ETF and European Commission teams, will be about 90.
Objectives of the Seminar:
• To share the experience of Albania with regard to developing effective work-based learning/apprenticeship systems;
• To deepen the understanding of the challenges and opportunities of work-based learning/apprenticeship systems;
• To learn from EAfA good practices and examples;
• To explore partner countries’ closer alignment with the EAfA;
• To consider the Riga work-based learning medium term deliverable (MTD 1) and implementation.

More information

Background note EAfA Albania 2018_FINAL
Agenda EAfA Albania_FINAL
1. Jurgen Horschinegg_Perspectives from AT Presidency
2. Stefan Thomas_Objectives of the Seminar
3. Norbert Schobel_EAfA latest development
4. Norbert Schobel_Pledges and newcomers
5. Tina Saric_Western Balkans Alliance for WBL
6. Eldira Gjata School Business Liaison Person-EN
7. Zora Bogicevic_Incentives for companies_Montenegro
8. Mehmet Uvez_EBRD
9. Presentation PIU programme 2018_Hans Thomas Hjorth