EFBWW has taken note of the ideas and proposals presented by the Commission during the hearing and outlined in the background note.
The rationale for a VET Strategy must not be based solely on addressing challenges related to competitiveness and support for economic sectors as it would then risks becoming a missed opportunity for workers, citizens and society. Vocational education and training is a cornerstone of Europe’s social and economic model: it equips people with the skills for quality employment, supports fair transitions in the green and digital transformations, and strengthens social cohesion.
The forthcoming VET Strategy must be worker-centred ensuring that skills policies serve workers and society, not competitiveness alone. It should call for concrete action by Member States to guarantee universal training rights for all workers, training within working hours, paid and free training provisions, improved access to full qualifications and recognition of prior learning, addressing of inequalities in access to training, and strengthening systems for validating non-formal and informal learning as well as guidance provision.
Furthermore, a VET strategy that focuses exclusively on addressing labour and skills shortages in construction and woodworking is unlikely to succeed. Evidence1 shows that shortages are closely linked to factors such as working conditions, exploitative business models, pay levels, occupational health and safety, career prospects, and gender segregation. The sector continues to struggle with low attractiveness, as reflected in an ageing workforce and low retention rates among young workers and women. Any effective VET strategy must take these structural issues into account in order to set realistic and achievable goals.
EFBWW supports the ETUC position on the European Strategy on Vocational Education and Training, recognising the crucial role that strong, inclusive, and high-quality VET systems play in ensuring fair labour markets, quality employment, and socially just transitions.
The EFBWW contribution highlights key challenges specific to the construction and woodworking sectors and puts forward targeted recommendations to ensure that VET policies effectively respond to the needs of workers in these industries.