06/05/2024
The Year of Skills was proposed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion in October 2022 and a political agreement was reached on 7 March 2023, agreeing to launch the year officially on May 9 2023 and to close it on May 9, 2024.
EARLALL – the European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning – welcomed the European Year of Skills initiative, and set out to empower the voice of regional and local authorities in the years’ discussions and beyond.
This report lays out the activities and initiatives that EARLALL participated in or launched during, and in preparation for, the European Year of Skills. The activities had the goal of bringing visibility, debate and discussion around the topics of (up)skilling, reskilling, skills matching and relevance. Overall, EARLALL participated in 12 in-person events organised by the European Commission or other relevant EU Institutions, organised 11 webinars as well as 5 in-person events, and is proud that all of its members contributed to the year through these initiatives. The year has given skills and lifelong learning a refreshed focus, and has allowed EARLALL and its member regions to increase the exchange and visibility of best practices related to skills at the local level. EARLALL warmly welcomed the year, and commits to continue to its efforts through its lifelong learning priorities.