Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience

29.10.2020

Question for oral answer O-000068/2020
to the Council
Rule 136
Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, Maria Walsh, Marianne Vind, Ilana Cicurel, Elena Lizzi, Kim Van Sparrentak, Anna Zalewska
on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

In view of the Council Recommendation on VET, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has several questions:

• 1.The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the need to improve digital training solutions and ensure equal access to digital skills, tools and technologies for learners, teachers and trainers. Through what measures and financial and non-financial means will the Member States promote VET digital upgrading and distance learning, ensuring accessibility and acquisition of the necessary skills for all, as well as equal access to the internet and digital tools in all schools? How can this be coordinated and monitored together with the Commission?
• 2.What measures will Member States take to meet qualitative objectives, including through the Quality Framework for Apprenticeships and Erasmus, and to improve the tracking of VET graduates?
• 3.There is a lack of coherence and discrepancy between the VET sector and the general education system, with VET often being considered a less-preferred option, despite the constant demand for more vocational professionals. What are the Member States doing to boost VET’s attractiveness and to ensure coherence and synergies between the two? What are they planning at national level to improve the communication on VET? What measures are they taking to bring VET dropouts back into the system? Is there a monitoring scheme to track dropouts?
• 4.What measures will Member States take to ensure that VET programmes are of high quality, inclusive, and offer equal opportunities to all, in particular vulnerable groups, including from rural or remote areas? What actions will they take to make quality and inclusive VET a right for all leaners as enshrined in the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR)?
• 5.How will Member States ensure high quality, diversified and tailor-made apprenticeships, including fair remuneration and access to social protection in line with the EPSR?
• 6.How will Member States ensure that VET providers have enough autonomy, flexibility and support to quickly adapt their training offer to changing skills needs, and ensure future labour market opportunities and quality and sustainable jobs for VET graduates? What European and national financial means are the Member States providing for the VET sector?

Submitted: 29/10/2020

Lapses: 30/01/2021