Rahvusvahelise Tööorganisatsiooni (ILO) koolituskeskus Torinos ja Belgia Tööandjate Keskliit (FEB) kutsuvad elukestva õppe teemalisele workshopile 14.-16. aprillil Torinos ja sellele järgnevale õppereisile 17.-18. aprillil Brüsselis.

Eestist on oodatud 2 tööandjate esindajat, kellelt eeldatakse inglise keele oskust. Reisikorraldused tehakse Torino koolituskeskuse poolt, samuti makstakse osalejatele päevaraha.
Osalemissoovid on oodatud 1. aprillini. Täidetud osaleja ankeet palun saata: kristi@tooandjad.ee. 
Lisainfo: Kristi-Jette Remi, 6999302, 5040313

THE ROLE OF EMPLOYERS’ ORGANIZATIONS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
IN FORMULATING AND IMPLEMENTING LIFELONG LEARNING POLICIES

ILO Turin Centre, Italy, 14-16 April 2008 & Brussels, 17-18 April 2008

Background

Fewer than 10 per cent of Europeans of working age undertake training each year. This is not enough to increase Europe’s competitiveness in a globalized economy in which skill and knowledge are changing rapidly.

Skill and competence development in new EU Members and candidate countries requires a shift in training policy to increase investment in human capital and to raise participation in education and training throughout working life.

In an international context characterized by technological development, an ageing population and new business practices, employers’ organizations have an important role to play in shaping and directing training and skills policies that are crucial for national strategies for development and decent work in their countries. Through advocacy, lobbying, sometimes collective bargaining or joint administration of training boards, employers can succeed in improving national policies in these areas and direct them more efficiently to labour market needs and economic growth.

International instruments (ILO Conventions and Recommendations, and the European Commission Communication of 2001) provide useful guidance on these issues.

Objectives of the workshop
The goal of this workshop is to have the participating employers’ organizations understand better why and how employers’ organizations and their members should be involved in the formulation and implementation of national lifelong learning policies.

The immediate objectives of the workshop are to acquaint the participants with:
• the concepts of labour market, employment, productivity, employability, skills, education, training and lifelong learning;
• ways to analyse and then meet the skills needed by enterprises;
• the role and options of employers’ organizations in lifelong learning policy formulation;
• how to improve relations between enterprises and the education and training systems;
• the EU agenda for lifelong learning.

Participants

Since the objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of employers’ organizations to participate in the formulation of lifelong learning policies that serve their members’ needs, the project targets education and training experts, executives and Board members of employers’ organizations at national, regional and branch level who advise their organization on education and training strategy or represent them within education and training institutions.

Employers’ organizations in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Ukraine will be invited to appoint representatives for the workshop

In order to participate actively, a good command of English is necessary.

Structure and content of the workshop

The five-day workshop will consist of the following modules:

Part I: Role and options of employers’ organizations in lifelong learning policy, ILO Turin Centre (14 – 16 April):

1) Understanding the lifelong learning concept and its importance for enterprises
• employers’ concerns with skills;
• basic concepts: labour market, education and training.

2) Analysing the skills needed and the policy options
• skill needs analysis (qualitative and quantitative measurement, methods);
• policy options for meeting enterprises’ needs (context, constraints, opportunities).

3) The role of employers’ organizations
• involvement in policy formulation;
• services to members.

Part II: Review of best practice, Brussels (17 and 18 April)
• the European agenda for lifelong learning;
• the role of employers’ organizations in formulating and implementing training policy in Belgium.

Methodology

Participants will have the opportunity to review and analyse their organization’s training policy and meeting of members’ needs.

Each participating organization will be asked to make a short presentation on its current situation and challenges in these areas.

Participants will observe best practice in Europe through presentations and study visits to leading institutions in Belgium.

Participatory, interactive learning methods will be used throughout the project.

The training will consist of a combination of presentations of key elements, case studies and interactive exercises. Each exercise is designed for impact and sustainability.

Interactive sessions will review and share experience, compare practice and draw conclusions.

Administrative and logistical matters

The full fellowship offered to 2 participants from Estonian Employers' organization covers tuition fees, accommodation and lunch, medical insurance, pocket money (intended to cover dinner and incidental expenditures), and the round trip in economy class Tallinn – Turin, Turin – Brussels, Brussels - Tallinn.

Travel is being organised by the Turin Centre. The participant will be contacted by our travel office, which will send him/her a prepaid return ticket in economy class. Please note that air tickets should not be purchased by the participants, unless this is clearly indicated by our travel office.