A roadmap for vocational education and training until 2025: Ministers, Commission and social partners endorse the Osnabrück Declaration

On 30 November, the Ministers in charge of vocational education and training (VET) of the Member States, the EU Candidate Countries and the EEA-EFTA countries, the Commission and the European social partners endorsed the “Osnabrück 2020 Declaration on vocational education and training as an enabler of recovery and just transitions to digital and green economies” at a virtual ceremony organised by the German Presidency of the Council of the EU. Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, said: “I welcome this joint commitment to the Osnabrück Declaration. It will provide a concrete roadmap to modernise vocational education and training. Only by working together can we ensure that VET remains a key driver for innovation and growth and contributes to having the workforce we need in our societies and economies for the recovery and the green and digital transitions.” The Declaration outlines four key objectives that are accompanied by concrete measures for action at EU and national level: a) fostering resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET; b) establishing a new lifelong learning culture adapting to digitalisation; c) including sustainability and greening in VET; d) strengthening the international dimension of VET and a European education and training area. The Declaration is supported by EU training associations and learners’ organisations. More information on EU action in the field of VET can be found here, including the recently adopted Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on VET and the Communication on a European Skills Agenda. The celebration of the best approaches to VET was also at the heart of the European Vocational Skills Week, which took place last month and involved over 1,100 events in 39 partner countries, reaching over 3.7 million people.