European Trade Union Committee for Education

ETUCE is pleased to announce the forthcoming  Public Hearing on “The role of teachers and school heads in improving the status of VET”, organised jointly by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE). On the occasion of the second European Vocational Skills Week, the European Social Partners in Education, EFEE and ETUCE, wish to promote, through this event, the role of the education social partners in improving the quality of VET and apprenticeship systems across Europe.

European Social Partners in education strongly believe that VET is a vital part of the education sector and that appropriate measures are needed to make it more attractive for both students and adults. The event is to highlight that the role of teachers, trainers and school leaders is a precondition for improving learning and teaching in VET. Social dialogue with the education trade unions at all levels is essential to ensure that the necessary investment in the sector are made with a view to improve both the working environment for teachers, trainers and school heads and the learning environment for students in each classroom, to update the technological equipment, as well as to ensure that students are supported by teachers and trainers who are qualified for this purpose and rewarded with decent salaries and working conditions. However, social dialogue is still to be improved in several European countries and the event will highlight these challenges.

Building on the experience acquired through discussions and exchanges within their European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education (ESSDE), ETUCE and EFEE are to commit undertake jointly further actions to make VET more attractive to society and the school community as a whole, including teachers, trainers, other education personnel, school leaders, students and their families. The Public Hearing is to be the occasion to also distribute a Joint ETUCE and EFEE Statement on improving Vocational Education and Training in Europe, put forward for adoption by the forthcoming ESSDE Plenary meeting, ahead of the joint Public Hearing. The event will include a panel of testimonies from VET students, VET teachers and VET school heads while another panel discussion will focus on national examples on the importance of effective involvement of the education sectoral social partners in improving quality VET and raising the status of VET.

High-level representatives of the European Parliament, Estonian and Bulgarian Presidencies, the European Center for Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) and the European Training Foundation (ETF) will discuss about European-level actions and strategies to support VET teachers and school heads, as well as VET institutions on improving the status and quality of VET and apprenticeship.

Representatives from Brussels-based policy makers, EESC members, education trade unions and education employers in Europe as well as other prominent organisations have been invited to the hearing.

The event takes place on 24 November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium, from 09.00 – 12.30 in the premises of  the European Economic and Social Committee.

European Vocational Skills Week