EfVET Secretary General, Valentina Chanina, and EfVET members had the privilege of attending the 2025 EAfA High-Level Event “Apprenticeships for the Union of Skills and the Clean Industrial Deal” in Brussels. The event gathered over 160 experts, VET providers, policymakers and partners. The EAfA High-Level Event showed how apprenticeships concretely support these two initiatives. Key topics was addressed include developing skills for clean technologies and green industries, enhancing gender equality in apprenticeships, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and ensuring the skills needed for a resilient and future-ready Europe.
The event was opened by the Vice President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness Ms @Roxana Mínzatu, who opened the EAfA High-Level event. “Vocational Education and Training (VET) is key to the EU’s competitiveness”, a message strongly emphasized at her opening speech. She undelighted that the launch of the #Unionof Skills marks an important step in this direction. The European Commission will launch starting next year the possibility of VET Trainees to apply and become trainees in the European Commission under the Blue Book Programme. “We want to make VET education more attractive, with recognitions and prestige” she declared. By 2028, EAfA’s goal is to attract 1 million girls and women into STEM education and 50K into STEM apprenticeships. Therefore, Ms. Mínzatu invited EfVET to help promote STEM apprenticeship opportunities to girls and women. Lastly, Ms. Roxana Mnzatu presented new EAfA members, being now more than 500 members making apprenticeships strong across Europe
The following speech was delivered by Ms Manuela Geleng, Director for Jobs and Skills at DG Employment, highlighted the continued expansion of the Alliance: Over 500 members now participate, representing 3 million apprenticeship placements across 43 countries. New member signings took place during the event, reflecting growing momentum and the new ambitious target of 700 members by 2030 was reiterated, along with stronger alignment with the Pact for Skills.
The event followed with an exchange of views between social partners to address how they contribute to skills development within the framework of the Union of Skills and the Clean Industrial Deal. Some key insights include:
- Quality apprenticeships should have fair pay and social protection, underpinned by workers’ rights and effective implementation.
- Lifelong learning ecosystems need a better integration of SMEs through simplified funding access.
- The Green Deal is very ambitious, and it must invest in green technologies and net zero industries, bringing quality jobs with the right safety pathways.
- The technical skills need to be linked to the green transitions
- It is difficult to find apprentices focused on the green transition, because often the curricula take long to adapt the teachers that are there experienced with previous technologies that we are trying to phase out.
The panel discussion of the first day was focused on how VET and apprenticeships can play a stronger role in advancing clean technologies and Green Skills for all learners. They highlighted that VET need to act as driver across all sectors, working closely with companies, social partners and stakeholders to alight training with the realities on the labour market and the green economy
The second day began with opening remarks by Mr. Albert P. H. Janssens, Board Member of OBESSU and member of the European Apprentices Network (EAN). He reminded participants that education is not only about responding to labour market needs but about empowering individuals to engage with what matters to them and not only for competition.
The final remarks of the event were concluded by Ms. Anna Banczyk, Head of Unit for VET and Skills Portability, who echoed the Executive Vice President’s full support for VET. “We need all engage with education, with technology providers, learners and teachers to make things move. We need apprenticeships that are aligned with new technologies, and that again calls for partnerships” she claimed. The apprenticeships need to be holistic, and we need to reinforce the basic skills, including citizenship skills.
Apprenticeships need to be inclusive so that we can tap into the broader pool of students and help overcome skills and labour shortages. It’s important to make sure that nobody is left behind in the transition and that everybody has a chance to participate in it.
The EAfA event is a true highlight for the VET community – bringing together high-level panellists, and working groups, among others. It featured excellence networking opportunities for EfVET members and other stakeholders.
For more information about EAfA you can find here: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/skills-and-qualifications/working-together/european-alliance-apprenticeships_en