EfVET Annual Conference – A Vocational Education Training Agenda of Future Skills for Green Transition
[Rhodes, Greece – 23.10.2023]. “It is the moment to show to the young generation that we can build a continent where you can be who you are, love who you want, and aim as high as you want. A continent reconciled with nature and leading the way on new technologies. A continent that is united in freedom and peace. This is Europe’s moment to once again answer the call of history.” Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission during the State of the Union 2023 speech.
We are facing a moment in which employers are demanding more skills to their workforce to meet the green transition challenge. In response, VET (Vocational Education and Training) colleges and schools are seeking engagement from employers and international stakeholders in a constructive dialogue. This collaboration aims to support the updating of education and training programs and the addition of new ones to align with the demands of the green economy.
This situation also struggles to see what the educational programs should offer, as we are in a moment of uncertainty and employers cannot predict which skills are part of a green future.
Between the 25th and 28th of October, EfVET Annual Conference will tackle the diverse facets of this green emergency, and will bring together stakeholders who can share their experience and competences to set up an Agenda for the VET ecosystem to properly face this challenge affecting the current and future generations.
The Conference will feature a diverse range of interactive activities that cater to the interests and needs of EfVET members and delegates. During this conference policy makers, VET experts, executives and academics will be present, among others, sharing expertise and knowledge with all the participants and exchanging good practices. To make EfVET events more sustainable, we developed a session that will involve learners in order to get their inputs and what they believe is important. Participants won’t miss opportunities to network during the marketplace and to share their practices and projects during the roundtables.
“Education is always at the center of any crisis! If the crisis is war, then we employ peace education; if the crisis is obesity, we resolve it through health education; and if the crisis is climate change, we ask educators to change mindsets and educate for sustainable development” – Joaquim James Calleja, EfVET President and Principal and CEO of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology.
About EfVET
The European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training was founded in 1991 following the recognition that Vocational Education and Training Institutions did not have a voice in Europe. VET institutions were, at the time, facing challenges to gain recognition as a key educational pathway for many young people. The Academic/Vocational divide was considerable and vulnerable young people and even adults were significantly disengaged as a result. It was time to build a network of practitioner VET institutions to secure a voice across Europe in both the policy arena and also to share and establish good practises in the delivery of VET learning.
