On 26 November 2025, EARLALL joined global partners, policymakers, and practitioners for the Closing Ceremony of the Second Global Careers Month, hosted by OECD, ILO, UNESCO, ETF, and Cedefop. The event gathered regional voices and international experts to reflect on the achievements of the past month and map out future ambitions for strengthening career guidance systems worldwide.

Chaired by Glenda Quentini (OECD), the session highlighted both progress and persistent challenges in ensuring that learners of all ages can access high-quality career guidance throughout their lives—an agenda strongly aligned with EARLALL’s mission.

Reflections from the First Panel: Improving Global Career Guidance Systems

Reaching those beyond formal systems

Jaana Kettunen (IAEVG President) opened the reflections by emphasising the critical need to reach individuals outside formal education and training systems. Many adults, jobseekers, and vulnerable groups are unaware of available services or struggle to access them.

She highlighted four key challenges:

  1. Reaching those beyond formal systems who often lack structured support.
  2. Fragmentation and lack of harmonised systems, leading to inconsistent service quality.
  3. Capacity gaps, particularly in training and professional development for counsellors.
  4. The need for approaches grounded in local realities, as one-size-fits-all models rarely work.

Career guidance as an investment, not a cost

Florian Kadletz (ETF) echoed concerns around fragmentation, noting that many countries continue to face obstacles in building coherent, systemic career guidance frameworks. He stressed:

  • Persistent coordination challenges between institutions.
  • The dominant reliance on public funding, which often lacks sustainability.
  • Weak or non-existent quality assurance mechanisms.
  • The need to integrate guidance from school onwards, ensuring continuity throughout the lifespan.

Kadletz insisted on shifting the narrative: career guidance must be recognised as an investment in people and labour-market resilience, not merely an administrative cost. He also underlined access gaps, as public employment services (PES) tend to focus on the unemployed, leaving many others underserved. NGOs and social partners, he added, remain underutilised despite their potential.

Embedding career guidance in wider policy strategies

Pedro Moreno da Fonseca (ILO) aligned with previous speakers, highlighting clear evidence of career guidance impact—yet stressed that few adults and workers actually use or know about these services. While many countries have created digital platforms, “availability does not equal use,” and engagement remains limited.

He encouraged policymakers to:

  • Embed career guidance into social protection and employment policies.
  • Leverage employers, sector organisations, and trade unions as direct support channels for workers.
  • Improve infrastructure, information quality, and accessibility to ensure real uptake.

Second Panel: Innovative Solutions from Around the World

Moderated by Ramon Iriarte (UNESCO) and Cynthia Harrison-Villalba (Cedefop), the second panel gathered voices from multiple global regions, showcasing promising practices and innovative approaches.

Canada: strengthening competencies and professionalism

Canadian representatives highlighted a comprehensive framework for career development quality and standards, referencing:

  • The Canadian Career Development Framework (cedc.ca)
  • National credentialing efforts (ncdacredentialing.org)
  • The recent publication “Beyond Decent Work Playbook”, offering strategies for more holistic, sustainable career support models.

Their approach underscored the importance of professionalisation, competency frameworks, and shared standards to strengthen the field.

Chile: personalised counselling and active employment approaches

Natalia Orellana explained that Chile lacks a unified national policy for career guidance, yet several effective initiatives exist—particularly in the context of employment incentives and upskilling. She highlighted personalised counselling services, especially targeted at people over 50, which have shown promising outcomes and demonstrate the value of targeted support for specific demographic groups.

Closing: Beyond 2025 — Continuing the Momentum

The final segment, Goodbye to Global Careers Month 2025 & Follow-Up, reiterated a shared commitment: career guidance must be accessible, high-quality, lifelong, and embedded in broader policies that support economic transitions and individual empowerment.

EARLALL’s participation in the Closing Ceremony reflects its ongoing engagement in building strong regional ecosystems for lifelong guidance. The EARLALL Working Group on Lifelong Guidance actively promotes:

  • Regional cooperation on guidance policies
  • The importance of connecting education, VET, employment, and social sectors
  • Approaches that respond to local contexts and labour-market realities, in line with messages from Global Careers Month speakers

The event also connected strongly with EARLALL’s involvement in the EU-funded project Guidance 5.0, which aims to modernise and innovate guidance systems through digitalisation, inclusiveness, and closer alignment with skills transitions across Europe.

On 25 November, EARLALL took part in the 6th edition of DigiEduHack, held in Brussels under the theme “Rethinking education in the age of digital skills.” The Main Stage event brought together the global DigiEduHack community following the Hackathon Days (7–16 November), celebrating the creativity, solutions, and collaboration emerging from teams worldwide. Master of Ceremonies Suyin Aerts welcomed participants joining both onsite and online.

Opening Session

Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General of DG EAC, opened the event by highlighting the impressive global engagement in this year’s hackathon:

  • participants from 31 countries,
  • around 2,000 hackathon participants, including teams from Canada, Peru, and Kazakhstan,
  • and more than 10,000 people involved overall.

She noted the rapid spread of accessible AI tools and reaffirmed that digital skills are now among the top five essential competences for the future.

Keynote

Saskia Van Uffelen, Manager Future Workforce & BeTheChange at Agoria, reflected on Belgium’s digital skills landscape, noting that around 40% of Belgians aged 18–40 lack basic digital skills, despite living in one of Europe’s most connected countries.

She stressed that:

  • cyber skills are deeply tied to human behaviour and interpersonal understanding,
  • AI, IT, and AI-driven business applications are transforming learning and work,
  • Europe must complement formal education with non-formal learning pathways to reach wider groups of learners.

Panel Discussion — Bridging Education and Labour Markets in the Digital Age

The first panel brought together experts from education, government, and industry to explore how Europe can address the widening digital skills gap.

Nils Elofsson, representing BusinessEurope, highlighted a persistent mismatch between labour market needs and students’ digital preparedness. With 90% of jobs now requiring digital skills, he stressed the value of stronger partnerships between education and industry, more apprenticeships, teacher–industry exchanges, and a culture of lifelong learning starting early.

Dr Paulína Koršňáková, Senior Research and Liaison Adviser at the IEA, presented findings from ICILS 2023, the only global large-scale assessment focused exclusively on digital literacy. The study involved more than 130,000 students, 60,000 teachers, and 5,000 schools across 34 countries. She explained the three domains of Computer and Information Literacy (CIL). She highlighted the distribution of student performance, noting that girls outperform boys across all levels. She also warned that no country is on track to meet the Digital Education Action Plan target of reducing low achievers to below 15% by 2030 — the EU average remains at 40%, signalling the need for stronger action.

Jan de Craemer, from the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training, voiced concern about Europe’s ability to meet the 2030 digital education targets without substantial change. He emphasised the need to remove barriers not only for learners in general but also specifically for girls, ensuring equal access to digital education.

Marianna Marcucci, Chair of the Board of ALL DIGITAL, highlighted the importance of linking formal and non-formal learning to build a resilient European skills ecosystem. She pointed to the hesitancy of businesses to invest in digital training, the need to translate between the language of education (competences) and business (productivity), and the value of fostering curiosity, creativity, and technological understanding in learners of all ages.

Panel Discussion — Learning by Hacking: How Hackathons Drive Innovation

The second panel explored hackathons as innovative learning tools that promote digital skills, collaboration, and hands-on problem solving.
Davide Coppaloni (JA Europe), Juhani Koivuviita (Educraftor), Gabriele Tealdo (University of Trento, 2024 DigiEduHack winner), and Victoria Belous (DigiEduHack Ambassador) shared insights into how hackathons:

  • allow learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life challenges,
  • support curriculum modernisation,
  • strengthen industry–education cooperation,
  • and increase interest in STEM fields.

Closing Remarks

Francesca Maltauro, Deputy Head of the Digital Education Unit at DG EAC, closed the event by thanking the organising EAC team and all participants, who had been engaged since the morning and actively contributed to the discussions. She noted that this level of engagement symbolises one of the key messages of the day: we all need digital skills, and the latest ISIL results are not particularly strong – and in some cases even worrying – but each of us possesses skills that can support others.

She reflected on what resonated most with her, starting from Saskia’s intervention on appreciative understanding: recognising that others may have a different standpoint than our own, and focusing on what each person can bring to the discussion with their specific skills. She emphasised that her own skills, in today’s society, are unlikely to be sufficient for any professional context she finds herself in. Therefore, teamwork is essential – drawing on colleagues’ strengths and collaborating, especially in a world where the norm is often turned upside down, as Saskia had illustrated when explaining how things can shift and reverse.

Francesca also highlighted the importance of awareness: students’ exposure to technology, and their consumption of it, does not automatically translate into the development of basic digital skills. Finally, she underlined curiosity as a key future skill – one that must be nourished, nurtured, encouraged, and often taught, ideally by leading through example.

For EARLALL, the event underlined the need for stronger regional cooperation in digital education to bridge skill gaps and support high-quality learning opportunities for all.

In November, a delegation of five representatives from Region Västra Götaland (Sweden) travelled to the Basque Country for a multi-day study visit focused on regional strategies for education, skills, and labour-market collaboration. The Basque Country provided an inspiring backdrop for in-depth exchanges on how territories can strengthen lifelong learning and anticipate skills needs.

The visit centred on understanding systematic approaches to skills provision, with a particular emphasis on vocational education and training (VET). Throughout the programme, the Swedish delegation explored how regional public authorities in the Basque Country work to foster stronger cooperation between education providers and labour-market actors—an essential component in addressing skills mismatches and responding to shortages in key sectors.

Several leading institutions opened their doors to the group. At Tknika, the Basque VET Applied Research Centre, participants learned about cutting-edge innovation models, teacher upskilling programmes, and mechanisms that connect VET centres closely with industry. The delegation also visited a VET school in Usurbil, known for its strong technical orientation, as well as Mondragon University, a cooperative higher-education institution renowned for its close ties to regional enterprises.

Reflecting on the experience, Maria Nordh, Policy Advisor at Region Västra Götaland, highlighted the value of the exchange:

“The Basque Country’s commitment to continuous upskilling for vocational teachers, combined with its deep collaboration between educators and the business community, is truly impressive. The study visit offered many new perspectives that will enrich our ongoing work on skills provision.”

The study visit was organised through TAIEX REGIO Peer2Peer, enabling regional authorities to learn from each other and strengthen capacity in key policy areas.

This exchange is also part of the Pact for Skills Regional Skills Partnership on Lifelong Learning Mobility, which includes regions like Västra Götaland (Sweden), Movetia (Switzerland), and Catalonia, in addition to other key stakeholders such as Camilla Winter AB (Sweden). These partnerships are instrumental in fostering regional collaboration, promoting equity, and empowering individuals through lifelong learning. By continuing to share knowledge and best practices, these regions are paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future for education and vocational training.

On 24 November 2025, EARLALL took part in the BXL Education Network Meeting titled “Union of Skills: From EU initiative to local and regional change”. The gathering brought together a network primarily composed of regional and local Brussels-based representations and liaison offices that cover topics related to education, employment, skills, and competences, with a shared focus on supporting the implementation of EU policies across territories.

EARLALL members Brittany and Castilla y León were present, and EARLALL Associated Member SwissCore was among the meeting organisers. Participants were welcomed by representatives from Central Denmark Region, SwissCore, and the Greater Copenhagen EU Office, who opened the meeting and set the scene for an afternoon dedicated to the role of skills in shaping Europe’s future.

Presentation by the European Commission: Action Plan on Basic Skills

The keynote presentation was delivered by Thomas Pritzkow, Policy Officer at DG EAC (Unit B2 – Schools and Multilingualism). He provided an overview of the forthcoming Action Plan on Basic Skills and shared recent findings from international assessments, including OECD and PISA data. The figures illustrated persistent challenges:

  • 26.2% of young people have low reading proficiency
  • 29.5% struggle with mathematics
  • 24.2% face difficulties in science
  • 63.1% of young people demonstrate an adequate level of civic knowledge

Mr Pritzkow highlighted four main drivers of the decline in basic skills:

  1. Socio-economic background: young people from disadvantaged backgrounds face persistent structural barriers that significantly impact their learning outcomes.
  2. Teacher shortages: many countries report a shortage of qualified teachers, especially in key subjects, which affects the quality and continuity of learning.
  3. Parental involvement: declining parental engagement reduces essential support structures for children and young people, influencing overall performance and motivation.
  4. Digital distraction: increased exposure to digital content, social media, and online entertainment has created new attention challenges both inside and outside the classroom.

Key Areas of the Action Plan

The Action Plan on Basic Skills focuses on three central pillars:

  1. Boosting basic skills teaching and learning
  2. Supporting educators
  3. Enabling supportive environments

Mr Pritzkow also announced that a Basic Skills Support Scheme is currently in development.

Following the presentation, participants engaged in a lively Q&A session, reflecting the shared commitment of regions and local actors to address skills challenges in a coordinated manner.

EARLALL Contribution: Advocating for Regions and Cities

EARLALL took the floor after the European Commission to present its recently published Position Paper on the MFF Erasmus+ proposal. The intervention highlighted the significant underrepresentation of regional and local authorities in the current proposal, despite their strategic importance in translating EU-level ambitions into meaningful territorial impact.

The Position Paper calls for:

  • A stronger role for regions and cities as strategic partners
  • Simpler procedures and improved support mechanisms
  • A balanced approach to skills and lifelong learning priorities
  • Predictable and accessible funding across all education and training sectors

EARLALL emphasised that effective implementation of EU initiatives, especially those related to skills, depends on empowering regions, which serve as the bridge between policy design and real-world local impact.

Continued Cooperation

The meeting concluded with a discussion among network members and planning for future activities. EARLALL will continue to engage actively in the BXL Education Network and other EU-level platforms to ensure that regional and local perspectives remain at the heart of European education and skills policies.

On 21 November, the European Commission hosted the third meeting of the Harnessing Talent Platform (HTP) Working Groups in Brussels. This session is part of the ongoing work under Pillar 7 of the Talent Booster Mechanism (TBM).

EARLALL has been participating in the process since its launch in November 2023, contributing actively to the Research & Innovation (R&I) Working Group and supporting the development of shared outputs aimed at helping regions address demographic challenges.

The meeting was opened by Kadri Uustal, Head of Unit for Cities, Communities and People at the European Commission (DG REGIO), who highlighted the growing urgency of demographic change across Europe and the need to reinforce essential services as a foundation for attracting and retaining talent. She also presented upcoming Commission initiatives, including the development of a “right to stay” approach, and outlined the timeline for the final HTP deliverables, set for publication in March 2026.

The meeting featured three panels that explored how regions can strengthen their capacity to attract, develop and retain talent. Speakers from the European Commission, OECD, regional authorities and Working Group experts shared perspectives on emerging challenges and practical solutions.

The first panel underlined that the availability, accessibility and quality of essential services—healthcare, education, mobility, digital connectivity and social care—are critical to attracting and retaining talent in all types of regions. The second panel, dedicated to Digital Innovation and Regional Talent Readiness, explored how strong digital ecosystems can equip regions for emerging labour market needs. Working Groups shared progress on a new self-assessment tool designed to help territories evaluate and strengthen their digital talent readiness. The third panel examined how skills strategies can reinforce regional innovation systems and support place-based development. EARLALL contributed to this discussion through its active participation in the Research & Innovation Working Group.

In the afternoon, Working Groups came together in dedicated breakout sessions to refine the three joint deliverables currently under development:

  • Recommendation Paper on Essential Services and Quality of Life
  • Regional Talent Readiness Self-Assessment Tool
  • Recommendation Paper on Skills Development in Place-Based Innovation Strategies

Members reviewed the insights gathered during the morning panels, discussed outstanding gaps, and explored how to strengthen the practical relevance of each output for regional implementation. The workshops focused on translating the WGs’ analytical work into concrete, actionable recommendations that can support regions facing demographic, economic and skills-related challenges.

Over the coming months, the Working Groups will finalise their deliverables, ahead of their planned publication in March 2026. This phase will also include final consultations and the release of the second volume of the good practices catalogue.

In her closing remarks, the European Commission underlined the strong coherence emerging across the four Working Groups. While each group began with a distinct thematic focus, their outputs are now converging into a well-aligned and mutually reinforcing set of recommendations designed to address Europe’s diverse demographic challenges.

The Commission highlighted several key messages:

  • All regions face demographic pressures, albeit in different forms, and therefore need adaptable, forward-looking policy tools.
  • High-quality essential services—including health, education, mobility and social support—must remain at the centre of talent strategies, as they directly shape quality of life and regional attractiveness.
  • The final outputs should provide practical, implementable guidance that reflects local realities and supports long-term strategic planning.
  • Knowledge valorisation, inclusiveness and territorial relevance must remain core principles throughout the Talent Booster Mechanism.

The Commission also emphasised the importance of ensuring that the forthcoming recommendations are communicated effectively to regions and genuinely support them in addressing their challenges in a fast-changing environment.

EARLALL will continue to contribute expertise and regional perspectives to the R&I Working Group, ensuring that learning, skills and territorial needs remain at the centre of EU talent policies.

EARLALL welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for the Erasmus+ programme 2028–2034, recognising its vision for a more inclusive, competitive, and cohesive Europe through education, training, youth, and sport. However, the proposal underrepresents the crucial role of regional and local authorities as strategic partners, essential for translating EU-level ambitions into tangible local impact.

Regional and local authorities are not just implementers—they provide territorial knowledge, governance structures, and democratic legitimacy, ensuring Erasmus+ delivers meaningful results for all Europeans, particularly the most vulnerable.

This position paper builds on EARLALL’s earlier contribution on Erasmus+ in the 2028–2035 MFF, and focuses on key areas to strengthen regional and local involvement:

Key Recommendations: 

  • Governance & territorial insight: Ensure regional and local authorities have systematic input in programme planning, implementation, and peer-learning activities.
  • Capacity & accessibility: Support regions and cities, especially smaller or less experienced ones, through simplified procedures, guidance, and capacity-building measures.
  • Programme objectives & balance: Maintain a holistic approach to learning, combining skills and labour-market relevance with lifelong learning, active citizenship, and transversal competences.
  • Budget & sector balance: Provide predictable, multi-year funding allocations to support continuity across sectors such as VET, adult learning, and youth.
  • Flagship initiatives & local ecosystems: Anchor programmes like Centres of Vocational Excellence and European Universities in strong regional networks, ensuring accessibility for new and smaller partners.
  • Synergies with other EU programmes: Promote coordination with ESF+, ERDF, Horizon Europe, and other instruments to maximise territorial impact.

With these measures, Erasmus+ can fully deliver on its potential to support inclusive, relevant, and transformative learning for all Europeans.

EARLALL’s full position paper is attached for further details.
For more information, please contact: earlall@earlall.eu

Borås, in Region Västra Götaland, and Barcelona, in Catalonia, both share a rich textile heritage that continues to evolve through innovation and strong regional ecosystems. This shared legacy provided the backdrop for a recent study visit to Barcelona, where representatives from the Textile Fashion Center Borås took part in a series of exchanges and meetings aimed at strengthening cross-regional cooperation.

The Swedish delegation included companies from the textile and fashion sector, as well as representatives from TEX! Sweden—the national platform supporting collaboration, innovation, and growth within Swedish textiles—and Borås INK, a startup incubator driving entrepreneurial development in technology, textiles, and fashion.

The study visit offered a comprehensive programme showcasing Catalonia’s dynamic textile and innovation landscape. Participants visited MODACC, the Catalan Fashion and Textile Cluster, where they gained insight into the region’s collaborative strategies for competitiveness, sustainability, and internationalisation. The agenda also included a visit to TecnoCampus in Mataró, an innovation hub affiliated with Pompeu Fabra University, which integrates a business park and incubator to support entrepreneurship and applied research.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme throughout the visit. The delegation met with Coleo Recycling, an organisation dedicated to advancing circularity and driving systemic change in the textile industry. Two leading companies with strong sustainability commitments—Mango HQ and TwoThirds—also opened their doors to the group, offering valuable perspectives on responsible production and innovative business models.

To conclude the visit, the delegation explored Tech Barcelona, a vibrant innovation hub that brings together startups, companies, and research actors in shared spaces designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and technological development.

This exchange highlighted the strong potential for continued cooperation between Västra Götaland and Catalonia, reinforcing the importance of regional partnerships in driving sustainable innovation, supporting industry transformation, and strengthening skills ecosystems across Europe.

The annual international conference Borås Textile Days took place on 12–13 November 2025, bringing together experts, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the future of the textile and fashion industries. Under the theme “The jobs of the future are circular – but what do they look like?”, the Nordic Textile Academy hosted a panel discussion featuring Ms Madeleine Jonsson, Chair of the Environment and Regional Development Committee of Region Västra Götaland and President of EARLALL.

The session was opened by Mr Christian Lundell, Director of the Nordic Textile Academy, who highlighted the emergence of new professional roles needed to support the sector’s transition towards circularity. The discussion was moderated by Mr Henrik Grönberg, Communications Manager at the Nordic Textile Academy.

Introducing a New Role: The Textile Material Broker

During the panel, Ms Jonsson presented an innovative role being developed within Region Västra Götaland: the Material Broker. As she explained, large volumes of textiles are collected through various residual streams, but significant challenges remain in returning these materials to the value chain.

A Material Broker will play a key function by:

  • Identifying and cataloguing available materials
  • Connecting suppliers with companies capable of reuse or recycling
  • Supporting the development of an efficient regional infrastructure
  • Helping close the gap between collection systems and circular market demand

Region Västra Götaland sees this as a future profession essential to ensuring that collected textiles are reused or processed into higher-value applications rather than being downcycled or wasted.

A Regional Responsibility and Opportunity

Reflecting on the region’s commitment, Ms Jonsson noted that Sweden faces a concrete and growing need to better utilise textile materials that have already been collected and sorted but are not yet reaching reuse or recycling pathways.

With Västra Götaland’s long-standing heritage and strong contemporary presence in textile and fashion industries, the region sees both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead the shift toward a more circular and resource-efficient system.

To support this ambition, the region has invested more than SEK 40 million (€3.6 million EUR) over recent years in initiatives advancing textile circularity and innovation.

A Collaborative Effort: The Textile Movement

The new broker role forms part of a wider project financed by Region Västra Götaland and carried out within the Textile Movement initiative. This collaborative platform brings together 14 organisations, including:

Science Park Borås, RISE, the Swedish School of Textiles/University of Borås, Wargön Innovation, Nordic Textile Academy, Academy of Cutting and Tailoring, TEKO, the Swedish Trade Federation, Swedish Fashion Council, Borås Region, City of Borås, Business Region Göteborg, West Sweden Tourist Board, and Region Västra Götaland.

The project runs until December 2027 and is funded by the EU, the European Regional Development Fund, and Region Västra Götaland.

Swiss education and training stakeholders are one important step closer to being eligible as full consortia members for Erasmus+ calls: On 10 November 2025, the Swiss government and the European Commission signed the EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) in Bern. This event marked the end of negotiations between Switzerland and the EU, which had commenced back in March 2024. The signature is therefore an important step towards Swiss association to the Erasmus+ programme and allows for the immediate provisional association to several other EU funding programmes, including Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme.   

The EUPA signature gives Swiss researchers the green light to apply to Horizon Europe (retroactively  from 01 January 2025) and allows Switzerland to associate to Erasmus+ by 2027. Two important milestones must still be completed before the Erasmus+ association can be finalised: First, the Swiss parliament will have to approve the funds necessary to finance Swiss participation in the programme, as third countries pay a contribution to gain programme access. Second, the Swiss national agency for the promotion of exchange and mobility in education, Movetia, will have to be accredited by the European Commission as the National Agency for Erasmus+. As Switzerland is not an EU member state, its association to the programmes as a third country will ultimately require ratification of the agreement by the European Parliament.

For Swiss educators, trainers and learners, joining Erasmus+ for the first time since 2014 would unlock new opportunities for European collaboration and intercultural exchange. Under the current annual work programme, participation opportunities for Swiss organisations and individuals are severely limited: In cooperation partnerships, Swiss participants are mostly confined to ‘associated partners’, which requires the parallel acquisition of additional Swiss funding and offers limited possibilities for leadership within consortia. Many actions, particularly pilots and newly developed programme formats, such as Erasmus+ Teacher Academies, are entirely closed off to Swiss participation.

In the meantime, Switzerland is providing funding through its own programme, the ‘Swiss solution’, which enables international partnerships and mobility in Europe and beyond. This allows the Swiss education and training sector to retain and grow its international network, strengthen exchange capacity and actively participate in cross-border best practice sharing. Movetia, responsible for implementing the Swiss solution, is also an earlall member and ensures through such commitments that Swiss trainers and learners remain part of the conversation around international VET exchange and collaboration.

Author: Sandra Gillner, SwissCore


On 20 November, the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) hosted a webinar to introduce the new Toolkit on Adult Apprenticeships, bringing together EAfA members, policymakers, Public Employment Services, organizations and civil society representatives to discuss its relevance and practical use.
EARLALL participated in the session, contributing to the exchange on how the toolkit can support the development of high-quality adult apprenticeship pathways.

This moment was particularly significant for EARLALL, as it served as a meaningful follow-up to our earlier involvement in shaping the Toolkit. In July 2025, EARLALL provided feedback on the EAfA Toolkit on Adult Apprenticeships through the Stakeholder Consultation. By contributing its comments, EARLALL supported the development of this reference tool at European level.

Andrew McCoshan, VET Expert at EAfA, opened the webinar with welcome remarks and handed over to Andrea Leruste, Deputy Head of Unit, DG EMPL, European Commission, who highlighted the growing necessity of upskilling and reskilling. Leruste noted that apprenticeships allow training to be tailored to the specific needs of adults, supporting them in their everyday lives with flexibility and practical benefits. She emphasized the importance of the toolkit in overcoming barriers and leveraging best practices to create new opportunities.

A panel discussion followed designed to explore key issues around apprenticeships from multiple perspectives. Gina Ebner, Head of Policy and Deputy Secretary General of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), emphasized the importance of keeping the learner at the center. Further highlighting how the toolkit provides guidance and flexible learning pathways to recognize and validate diverse needs. Ebner further tackled the stigma surrounding apprenticeships, stressing the importance of promoting the positive outcome of apprenticeships and presenting them as a valuable pathway for those seeking to become skilled craftspeople. Gertrud Hirtreiter, Head of Unit at the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts, complemented Ebner’s message with the employer’s perspective, calling for a forward-looking learning system, including women in male-dominated fields and people from migrant backgrounds. Hirtreiter underscored the need to link the many facets of the lifelong learning domain with the demands of industry, lifting digital tools as enablers for enhancing flexibility.

Sara Consuegra, Labour Area Officer at PIMEC, voiced the mismatch between supply and demand, calling for more coordination between companies and VET to tackle outdated skills. Vlasis Korovilos, Expert at CEDEFOP Department for VET and Skills, built on the discussion by mentioning a compatible learning experience for adults by introducing smart incentives and raising awareness. Concluding that apprenticeships must be available to adults through adapted curricula to maximize their benefit.

Flavia Colonnese, Senior Research Manager at Ecorys, presented an overview of the EAfA Toolkit. Underlining the different phases in adult apprenticeships and main takeaways from the toolkit, such as:

  • Key concepts to understand adult education and the role of apprenticeships in supporting lifelong learning.
  • Overview of the main EU policies and funding instruments that supports adult education.
  • Building blocks for policymakers to establish an enabling environment for adult apprenticeships.
  • Step-by-step guidance to support companies, VET providers, and PES (Performative
  • Evaluation Standard).
  • Examples of implemented projects and relevant initiatives.
  • A checklist summarizing the key steps of setting up and implementing apprenticeships.

Through QUEEN, Quality apprenticeships for evolving labour needs Interreg project and its WG on Youth Policies, EARLALL is actively supporting the improvement of regional apprenticeship policies across Europe. Local and regional stakeholders play a crucial role in effective outreach, enabling adults to actively shape their apprenticeship learning experiences. The discussion also addressed the role of micro-credentials in adult apprenticeships, welcoming their flexibility as a tool to update curricula and enhance pedagogical approaches. EARLALL closely follows EAfA’s work, contributing to a more responsive and future-ready adult learning and apprenticeship ecosystem.


On 19 November, BeWell (Blueprint alliance for a future health workforce strategy on digital and green skills) invited EARLALL to their 3rd workshop, the Pact for Skills Large-Scale Partnership (LSP) for the Health Ecosystem, focusing on developing green and digital skills strategies at local, regional, national, and European levels through the Pact for Skills.

Marco Di Donato, Policy and Projects Manager at EUREGHA Secretariat, opened the event by recapping opportunities and activities supporting the membership of the Pact for Skills partnership, before launching the first round of the workshop, identifying pathways and good practices. This break-out session mapped the landscape of funding instruments, local and regional funding opportunities, and different ways to finance projects. Discussions included Erasmus+, the future of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), and highlighted Interreg Europe and EARLALL’s ongoing project SKYLA (Smart Specialisation Ecosystems for the Twin Transition) as examples of projects promoting digital and green skills.

In the second round, participants shared insights on funding challenges and barriers to applying, highlighting the limits of different funding bodies, the experience needed to navigate complex funding landscapes, and the long timeframes between proposal submission and implementation. To address these difficulties related to policy changes, enablers included maximizing existing partner networks, creating synergies, and securing future funding, even for projects in declining trends. The conversation concluded with reflections on new instruments to measure soft skills in education and KPIs.

In the final round, participants brainstormed challenges and solutions for implementing green, digital, and soft skills, agreeing that funding must be more agile to address emerging needs and calling for clearer communication and feedback on funding instruments. Participants emphasized the importance of a common language and system to analyze policies consistently, aligning interventions with skills gaps and easing future accreditation. Another key point was the upskilling of good practices through structured ecosystems involving public authorities, associations, and universities to generate effective solutions.

Following a presentation on the BeWell Skills strategy, including advocacy and publications through the Pact for Skills, the event concluded with discussions on how the BeWell Partnership can extend beyond the project’s lifetime, strengthening its links with the Pact for Skills to support a resilient and future-ready European health workforce. As a proud member of the Pact for Skills, EARLALL strengthens its commitment to building strong regional alliances and advancing skills development for sustainable employment. By deepening collaboration and outreach while highlighting lifelong learning, EARLALL contributes to fostering a skilled and sustainable workforce across Europe.

The first Steering Committee meeting of the WISE project took place online on 18 November, bringing together all project partners – with EARLALL attending in its role as Communication Leader – to review progress, discuss reporting requirements, and plan the upcoming stages of work. The meeting provided an important opportunity to align activities, share updates, and ensure smooth implementation across all work packages.

Programme Updates and Ongoing Activities

Partners presented updates on programme activities, showing good progress across several key areas:

  • Baseline assessments have been carried out, including key informant interviews, desk research, and co-design meetings with stakeholders and community leaders.
  • Labour market assessments are ongoing to better understand opportunities for Ukrainian refugee women in partner countries.
  • Outreach activities continue, aiming to reach and engage the target population effectively.
  • Job readiness activities have begun in the Holistic Support Centres.
  • Mental health support is being provided to users, and planning for group therapy sessions is underway.
  • Work has also started on the integration of the AI tool with employment support services.

Overall, these efforts support the project’s wider goal of reducing unemployment and improving the socio-economic inclusion of Ukrainian refugee women.

Reporting and Pending Deliverables

The meeting included a review of reporting procedures and the deliverables due by the end of November. Partners briefly presented the status of each pending output, including:

  • The Draft Toolkit for the Holistic Support Centre model.
  • The Roll-out Plan for pilot implementation.
  • A report on staff capacity strengthening.
  • The Labour Market Assessment for Italy and Bulgaria.
  • The contextualisation and co-branding report for the AI skills assessment tool.
  • A report on staff training on the AI tool.

Most deliverables are in the final stages of preparation and will be submitted on time.

Staff Training and Capacity Building

Partners also discussed the completed and upcoming staff trainings.
Recent activities included:

  • Staff capacity strengthening sessions for Fondazione International Rescue Committee Italia ETS (IRC) and Animus Association Foundation (AAF) staff.
  • Training on the AI Skills Assessment Tool in Milan and Sofia.
  • Sessions on the Women Rise toolkit.

Future trainings will address:

  • Country-specific employment regulations, such as tax systems, contract types, and regulated professions.
  • A training on human trafficking and labour exploitation, scheduled for November 2025.

Next Meetings and Exchange Visit

The next Steering Committee and coordination meetings will continue regularly. The partners also confirmed that the next in-person meeting will take place in Rome on 16 January.
In addition, a mutual exchange visit is planned for 14 January, with the agenda currently being drafted.

The WISE – Supporting Ukrainian (UA) Refugee Women’s Socio-Economic Integration and Wellbeing project proposes a social innovation model which integrates mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) with employment services enabled by technology driven solutions to create a holistic support system. 

WISE aims to improve the socio-economic inclusion and wellbeing of employable refugee women from UA in Italy (IT) and Bulgaria (BG), by piloting and scaling-up Holistic Support Centres (HSCs) with a trauma-informed and gender-sensitive approach that build on the Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) methodology and complement it with employment and social support services.