“While much of the discussion on continuous education and training (CET) centers on increasing uptake, the debate should focus more on the impact of CET”, commented Uwe Combüchen, CEEMET Director General. “It is absolutely essential that CET supports growth and jobs, and will only do so if better understood and targeted to the needs of the labour market and learners’, he continued.

To improve the impact of CET, CEEMET would like more emphasis to be put on the following:

•  A better match between skills and labour market needs.
•  A policy environment and corporate culture that support effective and focused lifelong educational processes.
•  Shared responsibility for lifelong learning and motivation to train between employers and the individuals.
•  A policy environment that makes Europe the most competitive place for companies to operate and invest in.

With constant developments in innovation and technology, changing consumer demands, and global competition, companies in the MET industry are experiencing rapidly changing competence needs, invariably requiring greater levels of individual achievement.

In November 2012, the European Commission published its education package ‘Rethinking Education’, which highlights the still very low number of people in Europe who participate in lifelong learning (8.9%). This is becoming increasingly problematic as the Commission concludes that European education and training systems continue to fall short in providing the right skills for employability, and are not working adequately with business or employers to bring the learning experience closer to the reality of the working environment.

Europe’s future competitiveness depends on companies and individuals’ capabilities to adapt to future competence needs as well as the education and training systems’ ability to provide services that match labour market needs. It is therefore in the interest of all actors at all levels to ensure that the right framework conditions are in place for education and training providers to deliver required skills, knowledge and competence (SKC) development measures and for individuals to effectively engage in training.

Please find CEEMET latest position on the topic here CEEMET on Education and Training

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About CEEMET:

CEEMET is the European employers’ organisation representing the interests of the metal, engineering and technology-based industries. Its members are national employers’ organisations and federations, representing 200 000 member companies across Europe. The vast majority of them are SMEs, providing over 13 million jobs of direct employment.

Read more:

CEEMET study Shaping Talents – companies investing in education and training to maintain competitiveness and improving employability.

For more information, please contact:

Uwe Combüchen, Director General

Tel: +32 2 706 8467

E-mail: combuechen@ceemet.org

Karoliina Rasi-Hedberg, Senior Public Affairs Advisor

Tel: +32 2 706 8472

E-mail: Karoliina.rasihedberg@ceemet.org