EARLALL at the Forefront of Europe’s Skills Agenda: Reflections from the Cedefop High-Level Conference
28/05/2025
On 27 May 2025, EARLALL took part in the high-level conference “Shaping the Future of Learning and Skills for Europe” in Brussels, commemorating 50 years of Cedefop’s essential role in shaping vocational education and training (VET), lifelong learning, and skills development across Europe. The event brought together over 250 key EU stakeholders, uniting European institutions, national authorities, education providers, researchers, and learners under a shared mission: to build a resilient, competitive, and inclusive skills ecosystem for the future.
The conference opened with reflections from Mario Patuzzi, Board Member at Cedefop, who revisited the agency’s foundation and evolution. Highlighting Cedefop’s contribution to EU flagships such as the Union of Skills and Pact for Skills, he emphasised the strength of European cooperation in VET and the trust stakeholders continue to place in Cedefop’s work.
This sentiment was echoed by Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director-General at DG EMPL, who reaffirmed Cedefop’s central role in DG EMPL’s strategy. He pointed to the concrete deliverables of the Union of Skills, including the recognition of diplomas and skills portability, as key levers for a competitive and inclusive Europe.
The first panel, led by Cedefop staff, explored innovations in skills intelligence, including the TalentGap Index and analyses on the role of AI in the workplace. A shared vision emerged: the future of CVET lies in lifelong and lifewide learning, with strong emphasis on learner motivation, flexible pathways, and human-centric learning ecosystems.
In the second panel, Directors from Cedefop, Jürgen Siebel, and the European Training Foundation (ETF), Pilvi Torsti, provided valuable insights on systemic challenges and progress in VET. While the number of VET graduates continues to rise, the demand for skilled professionals remains pressing.
Spotlight: Attractive of VET
A key spotlight of the conference was the attractiveness of VET, a theme that EARLALL is placing at the centre of its upcoming Annual General Meeting 2025, to be held from 5–7 November in Mechelen.
Insights from Euroskills, as well as from directors of Cedefop and the ETF, highlighted ongoing challenges across EU and ETF countries, particularly in adopting a holistic approach to lifelong learning and improving the appeal of VET pathways. Euroskills emphasised the role of role models and skills competitions in raising VET’s profile, while Civil Society Europe pointed to systemic issues that fail young people, rather than the reverse. The EESC stressed the importance of efficient employment services and coherent use of funding, and BusinessEurope underscored the need to transform workplaces into learning environments, as seen in Finland. EUProVET also raised concerns around the language used in education policy, noting that the Dutch government has moved away from terms like “low” or “basic” skills, recognising them as potentially discriminatory.
Looking Ahead
As Europe navigates demographic shifts, green and digital transitions, and evolving labour markets, EARLALL remains committed to advancing regional and local strategies that promote inclusive lifelong learning, high-quality VET, and innovative teaching practices.
The Cedefop high-level conference was not only a celebration of the past 50 years but a call to action for the decades ahead. EARLALL will continue working closely with partners across Europe to ensure that education and training remain central to Europe’s resilience and social cohesion.
