Euroopa Elu- ja Töötingimuste Parandamise Fond'i 2008.a seminar on pühendatud töötajate oskuste arendamisele. Kaheosaline seminar toimub 23.-25. juunil Dublinis ja 5.-7. novembril hetkel veel täpsustamisel olevas sihtkohas. Tegemist on kolmepoolse kokkusaamisega, kus kohtuvad sotsiaalpartnerid ja riigi esindajad. 

Iga osaleja riik on oodatud kolmeliikmelise delegatsiooniga, kuhu kuuluvad üks ametiühingu, üks tööandjate ja üks riigi esindaja. Seminarile pääsevad 15 riigi rahvuslikud tiimid. Eesti Tööandjate Keskliidu poolt otsime seminarile tööandjate esindajat, kes tegeleb töötajate teadmiste ja oskuste arendamise, tunnustamise ja koolitusega (development and recognition of skills and training).

Osaleja-kandidaadid peaksid vastama järgmistele kriteeriumitele: osalemine riigi või kohaliku (sektori) tasandu läbirääkimistel; piisav inglise keele oskus (seminari töökeel on inglise keel; sünkroontõlge saksa ja prantsuse keelde); proaktiivsus, soov jagada teadmisi, osaleda grupitöös, teha ettekanne; osalemine mõlemal seminaril.

Eurofoundi seminaridel osalemise kombe kohaselt hüvitatakse turistiklassi reisikulud pileti ja pardakaardi ettenäitamisel. Samuti makstakse toimetulekutoetust hotelli, söömise ja kohaliku transpordi kulutuste tegemiseks.

Tööandjate Keskliidust osaleb Heddi Lutterus. Ametiühingute esindaja leidmisega tegeleb Ametiühingute keskliit ja riigi esindaja leidmisega Sotsiaalministeerium ning Haridus- ja Teadusministeerium. Lõpliku valiku tiimide osas langetab Eurofound.

The 2008 Foundation Seminar Series

DEVELOPING WORKERS’ SKILLS: ACTORS AND ACTIONS

Background

Workers skills are of utmost importance for societies that aim to be based on knowledge and that rely heavily on services. The rationale for investment in skills is of crucial strategic importance for the European Union that strives to be the leading knowledge based society with high quality jobs and strong social cohesion (Lisbon Strategy, 2000).

On the level of individual member states, the interest in skills development is fuelled by realisation that human capital accumulation is an engine of growth for their economies. This is especially important in the light of European demographic trends as ageing population and workforce would generate a smaller number of workers driving the economy if no action is taken.

Given these trends, firms are specifically interested in skills development. The risk is that some particular skills that firms may still need and have more difficulty to come across, could fade away. Furthermore, developing skills is recognised as one way to increase firms’ innovativeness and creativity.

From the workers’ perspective skill development could be a worthy investment, beyond the initial effort, as it should translate into increased gains, such as higher income and greater employability.

Regardless of their role in the labour market, all social actors have a stake in the development of a skilled workforce.

The 2008 Foundation Seminar Series will be devoted to the issue of “Developing workers’ skills: actors and actions. It will focus on the role of the Social partners and public authorities in skills development, training provision and qualifications recognition for workers in Europe in various work settings. 

Objectives

The objective of the Foundation Seminar Series (FSS) is to provide training in the subject area by mapping out the situation at European level and in the member states. We aim firstly, to facilitate the transfer of knowledge by allowing for exchange of national policies between the participating countries. Fostering the debate at national level, through tripartite discussions, this year on the subject of skills, is a second objective. Lastly, we would like to take that opportunity to familiarise the participants with the work of the European Foundation in the specific area; this year in the area of skills development, training and qualifications recognition.

15 national tripartite delegations will be invited. The nomination of national experts, representatives of Trade Unions, Employers’ organisations and Governments, will be done via the members of the European Foundation’s Governing Board. Participants are expected to commit themselves to the whole seminar, the two sessions foreseen:
Session 1:  23-25 June 2008, European Foundation, Dublin
Session 2:  3-5 November 2008, location tbc.

Issies for Discussion

The seminar is organised in view to give participants a full understanding of:

1. European trends at macro level on levels of skills, training provision, social partners and public authorities involvement in organisation of training and curriculum development;
2. The current debate on skills’ need: What skills do Europe/Firms/Workers need? Skills forecasting - projections and alternative scenarios for each Member State and aggregate results at EU-25 level. Data on future employment developments by economic sectors, occupations and skills. Example of the study on skills mapping for adults.
3. The views of the European Social partners when addressing development of workers’ skills. Employers views on skills and training needs of the workforce. Union’s actions on recognition of skills.
4. Partnerships on skills: Examples of regional approaches, where training is provided to the low qualified through cooperation between local employment offices and business active in the area.
5. Qualifications and mobility within Europe: transferability of qualifications is essential to truly enable free movement of workers in the single market. To obtain that, validation of learning outcomes and transparency of qualifications are essential.
6. Specific highlights: role of the social partners and governments and skills needs for Entrepreneurship, highly skilled labour force and the unemployed;
7. The future development of skills

All these issues will be explored in the 2008 Foundation Seminar.

The programme is broken down into 10 modules, spread over the two two-day sessions. The methodology chosen aims to gradually build up participants’ knowledge and exchange on the topic. Participants should be aware that the programme of the first and second session is a continuum and should be treated as a whole.

Therefore, as an introduction, the first session highlights the current and future needs and opportunities for skills development in Europe. In the second session, on the basis of an assignment prepared in between the two sessions, participants will be requested to present the national actions of the social partners and public authorities in the area of skills development. Some company policies or local initiatives will be discussed in this session.

Further information

All relevant information related to this year seminar is gradually uploaded at  http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/events/2008/fssdublin08/index.htm.

The Foundation seminar series home page is http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/events/fss.htm.