Microcredentials are all the rage in the world of education right now. But what exactly are they and do they deserve all the fuss created around them? Who benefits from acquiring them? With the European Year of Skills in full swing, how can we make microcredentials work for as many as possible? Two experts in the field, Honorary Research Associate at University College London Paul Grainger and Cedefop's Anastasia Pouliou, give their views ..read more

In an interview during their visit to Cedefop, MEPs Dennis Radtke, Loucas Fourlas and Stelios Kympouropoulos, all members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, discussed the Parliament’s efforts to assist EU Member States in helping people upskill and reskill for the digital and green transition. Talking to Cedefop's Rosy Voudouri, they also focused on the likely benefits of the European Year of Skills and on Cedefop’s work to support the Year and the Committee. ? Cedefop for #EuropeanYearofSkills ..read more

How can skills intelligence be turned into policy to tackle skill gaps in view of the green and digital transitions? Cécile Hanoune, Head of Unit Climate Action Governance and Effort Sharing at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action (⁠DG CLIMA⁠) and Cedefop's expert Ilias Livanos, who has been working on skills forecast and the European Skills Index, discuss on Cedefop's Skillset and match podcast. ? Cedefop for #EuropeanYearofSkills ..read more

Annabel Wildschut, Research Officer at the European Institute for Gender Equality – EIGE, and Cedefop expert Joanna Napierala discuss the intricacies of moving to a clean energy sector while attracting more women to it. ? Cedefop for the European Year of Skills ..read more

Why aren’t apprenticeships offered in high-tech industries such as video gaming? What are the advantages and disadvantages of virtual reality in education? What is the modern role of a teacher? Two practitioners, representing education and business, exchange views and agree that their sectors must work together to serve learners in the digital era better ..read more

The wave of digitalisation that has swept the world of work in the last few years has been affecting all forms of education, changing what learners are taught but also how they are taught. A symposium, co-organised by Cedefop and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Thessaloniki, as part of the European Year of Skills, was dedicated to the link between the digital transition and one of the most enduring institutions of vocational education and training (VET), apprenticeships. In episode 18 of the Skillset and match podcast series, Marieke ..read more

Is teachers’ and trainers’ professional development commensurate with their key role in the educational process? What are the factors that slow it down? How can we make sure that training keeps up with the fast-paced digital and green transitions and the new curricula demands? In the context of the European Year of Skills, the Cedefop expert who leads a project dedicated to teachers and trainers and a teacher from Spain who works on addressing these challenges share their views on the current situation and on what needs to change ..read more

In an exclusive interview, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas shares his views on skills, on what the Commission does to promote them and on how people can benefit from the European Year of Skills, which has just started. He recognises that skills shortages pose a big problem for the European labour market, and he sees the Year as a way of giving back to young Europeans who suffered during the pandemic 'opportunities in education, training, mobility and in the job market.' Mr Schinas argues that 'we have the political will, we have the regulatory framework, we have unprecede ..read more

Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel and his counterpart of the European Labour Authority (ELA) Cosmin Boiangiu discuss about how the two Agencies' cooperation can advance cross-border transferability of skills and labour force mobility ..read more

In an exclusive wide-ranging interview to Cedefop's Skillset and match podcast, Nobel laureate economist, Sir Christopher Pissarides, shares his optimistic views on the future of work, the impact of automation on jobs, Europe's dedication to lifelong learning, the results of the 2nd European skills and jobs survey, and more. He urges workers to embrace the latest technological revolution and calls for governments to take action against the inequalities caused by the digital technologies. Sir Christopher, who is currently leading a review on the future of work in the UK, was a keynote speaker a ..read more