European Vocational Skills Week 2019 takes off!

Following the success of previous years, from 14-18 October 2019 the fourth European Vocational Skills Week is taking place in Helsinki, organised in close cooperation with the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

This year’s finalists for the European Training Foundation Entrepreneurship Award are the Education Hub, Azerbaijan and the Alexandria University of Egypt.  “The ‘Entrepreneurship Award’ at the European Vocational Skills Week aims to reward examples of excellence in making education and training more responsive to the needs of learners, businesses and society” says Cesare Onestini, the ETF Director, who will present the award. 

Public online voting has been available on the European Commission’s website from 20 September closing on 15 October 2019 to select the winners. So there is still one day left to vote! The Award Nominee Celebration will take place Thursday evening, 17 October.

Education Hub Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan

Established in 2015, Education Hub is a small company providing educational programmes on social entrepreneurship to strengthen the economic capacity of young women living in rural areas of Azerbaijan. It focuses on developing their entrepreneurial mindset as well as practical training, inspired by the Enterpreneurship Competence Framework.

“This project is special because it Inspires and empowers young women to become role models of their community in Azerbaijan” says Gulnara Ismailova, Project Leader of Education Hum.  “I am delighted to participate in the EU Vocational Skills Week to share, for the first time, Azerbaijani social enterprise - Education HUB in the European Union and to be inspired by other good practices”, adds Ms Ismailova.

Alexandria University of Egypt

An alternative, but equally impressive practice, is taking place at the Alexandria University of Egypt, which offers an entrepreneurship course incorporating all components of the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework. A salient feature in this good practice is the comprehensive, yet flexible way in which it is delivered. All higher education students undertake the course to develop the entrepreneurship key competence and at the same time, it is delivered flexibly so that adult learners can benefit. The University Incubator supports in taking promising initiatives forward and obtaining globally recognised industry accreditation

European Union Vocational Education and Training Excellence Awards

The Vocational Education and Training Excellence Awards are an important element of the European Vocational Skills Week. They highlight best practice and recognise excellence in vocational education and training all over Europe and in the countries neighbouring the EU.  It fosters network building and new career opportunities. Winners of the awards become ambassadors in their field.