Prioritising the green and digital skills revolution
On 29 February, the European Training Foundation (ETF) hosted the grand finale of its Year of Skills ideathons, the last in a series of innovative brainstorming events with key partners and stakeholders from EU neighbouring countries. This special day, which occurs just once every four years, was the ideal moment to wrap up what has been a unique and transformative journey of discussions and meetings focusing on the pivotal role of education in providing future-ready green and digital skills.
Manuela Prina, ETF Head of Skills Identification and Development Unit, opened the meeting by highlighting the critical role of skills in underpinning the transition to greener, more digital and inclusive societies.
“Skills are considered the most important asset to guide not only the future of societies but also the transformations that are so important at this time in human history.”
Prina explained why the ETF, as the EU agency supporting education and labour market reforms in EU neighbouring countries, felt compelled to develop and implement a series of Year of Skills ideathons.
“It was important for the ETF that the European Year of Skills was a moment of reflection and consideration for EU neighbouring countries, as well as EU Member States. The ideathons were a unique opportunity for the ETF to capture the voices of its partner countries to make sure they were heard in the European Year of Skills.”
Each ideathon was developed to respond to a number of green and digital questions posed by Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, and Frans Timmermans, former Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the European Green Deal, both of whom have actively supported the ETF’s Year of Skills activities.
“They asked us the questions and they expect us to give them the answers at the final event!” said Prina, referring to the closing ceremony of the European Year of Skills, which will take place in Brussels on 30 April.
This final ideathon involved participants from the previous six ideathons hosted in 2023, Ministers and Secretaries of State, key partners from the European Commission, Year of Skills country coordinators, educational stakeholders from EU neighbouring countries, and thematic experts from the ETF. Divided into six groups, participants were asked to review, discuss and refine the green and digital ideas identified at each original ideathon. The challenge then was to decide which ideas should be given priority to maximise the progress of green and digital skills development across the regions.
Group 1 focused on identifying which skills are essential for empowering young people in the green and digital landscapes of the future. Rapporteur Ghada Maatouk, a young EU Goodwill Ambassador from Tunisia, noted that the top priority should be given to updating curricula, with a focus on soft skills and the green transition, to increase awareness among young people of ways they can reduce their impact on the climate. Ensuring the capacity of teachers to implement more interactive methods, such as teamwork, to enhance the teaching of soft skills was also considered fundamental.
Group 2 was challenged to consider how governments can drive green and digital skills development. Rapporteur Nino Revishvili from the Skills Agency of Georgia reflected on the “importance of having a clear top-down approach” regarding green and digital policies and procedures and a “simultaneous bottom-up approach” involving beneficiaries and stakeholders. Priority was given to establishing key competences to formalise green and digital education. This would require knowledge by developing new training programmes with targeted objectives for different learner groups. An integrated educational approach to teaching the values of green education would also be essential, as well as incentivising stakeholders to collaborate on educational projects.
Group 3 discussed the evolving role of education in building a digitally-skilled workforce – with Cristiano Cagnin, ETF Strategic Development Specialist and Foresight Correspondent as rapporteur. The group identified three main clusters of priorities: access, both to content and infrastructure; competences of both the learner and the educator, the need to identify the skills for today and the future, and how to embed the teaching of these skills into curricula; and partnerships and resources, including financing and the opportunities of private-public partnerships. Although different geographical contexts may place a different priority level on each cluster, the group considered each cluster an essential component to developing digital education and training.
Group 4 reflected on how work-based learning can deliver green and digital skills. Rapporteur Aleksandra Milicevic from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia emphatically noted “the absolute need to update all curricula to incorporate green and digital education”. Increasing and facilitating the involvement of employers in work-based learning was another top priority.
“There is no dual education without companies, so we must always ensure that education considers the needs of companies and the labour market.”
Developing awareness campaigns to promote the benefits of work-based learning to all stakeholders, conducting skills gaps analysis, and identifying skills gaps in teaching would also ensure that education keeps pace with the developments taking place in the labour market.
Group 5 evaluated the role of centres of vocational excellence (CoVEs) and vocational education and training (VET) in spearheading green and digital skills delivery – with Radmil Polenakovikj, an academic from North Macedonia as rapporteur.
“CoVEs need to be at the centre, facilitating cooperation between industry, research and supporting the development of skilled employees.”
The three priority areas identified were policy and resourcing, to incorporate green and digital education programmes into the curriculum; continuing professional development for teachers; and skills intelligence to ensure the quick transfer of industry knowledge and know-how to teachers to benefit both students and workplace learners.
Group 6 considered how to create the right conditions to help build a skilled green and digital workforce. The group rapporteur, Azizagha Atakishiyev from a VET centre in Azerbaijan placed the top priority on “upgrading VET programmes to incorporate traditional know-how as well as new green methodologies, focusing on reskilling and upskilling”. This approach, along with increased access to free green and digital courses would ensure a more inclusive workforce. A 360° approach to building a green mindset included school and institutional awareness campaigns, collaborating with companies, and delivering green and digital training programmes aimed at policy-makers and decision-makers.
These fruitful conversations revealed some strong common ground, such as updating curricula, establishing key competences for green and digital education, upskilling and reskilling learners and educators in line with labour market needs, and enhancing collaboration between all stakeholders including employers. Skills intelligence and analysis were also considered a cornerstone to accurately validate the key priorities.
The pivotal and expanding role of VET and CoVEs in providing both skills training to learners and services to companies was underscored in Prina’s closing comments.
“One of the goals of the European Skills Agenda is to have 60% of adults involved in learning every year, which is an impressive target. The acceleration of the evolution of the skills needed in the labour market means it is important for the skills ecosystem to diversify its offer to meet the different needs of different learners,” she added.
Another unique aspect of this meeting was Caroline Chapple's live graphic recording of the conversations. Caroline’s ability to capture keywords and concepts and turn them into a visual story enabled all the participants to see their priorities contextualised in the wider skills development debate. A show of hands from all participants confirmed that the visual summary of this ideathon was wholeheartedly endorsed.
In closing the meeting, Prina said:
“The ETF took a commitment at the beginning of the European Year of Skills to deliver our recommendations to the Commission based on the voices of our partner countries. Today’s discussion, along with the discussions of last year, will be our input into the final event of the European Year of Skills.”
We hope that these important recommendations will feed into policy shapers’ vision of the future, leaving a lasting legacy of the ETF's Year of Skills.