On 23 February, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission held a flagship event for the European Year of Skills, bringing together over 400 young people from all EU Member States to shine the spotlight on the skills needed for current and future jobs.

The Meet the Champions of Excellence event featured 35 young EU champions from recent WorldSkills and EuroSkills competitions and from Abylimpics (a skills Olympics for people with disabilities), where competitors had participated in more than 20 different disciplines, such as mobile robotics, ICT, mechanics, graphic design, automotive technologies and construction.

The champions shared inspiring stories of their learning and career paths. Young audiences were able to observe and learn about traditional and new skills during specific demonstrations in areas such as floristry, car painting, robotics and virtual reality, which included talks on robot system integration, a demining robot for Ukraine and mechanical engineering computer aided design (CAD).

The aim was to promote the benefits and opportunities offered by vocational education and training (VET), especially against the backdrop of the green and digital transitions and the future world of work. VET is also relevant in the current context of labour and skill shortages and skill mismatches in the EU, where more than three quarters of companies report difficulties finding workers with the necessary skills.

EESC President Oliver Röpke said: 'Skills are a key ingredient for empowering young people to thrive in both their personal lives and their careers. With the digital and green transitions ongoing, we have the power, through skills, not only to adapt but also to sculpt the jobs of tomorrow'.

Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, said: 'Vocational training offers so many opportunities in today's labour market. I am convinced that VET has the potential to help us address the skill mismatches and labour shortages that are holding back Europe's industries'.

The event showed that VET is an excellent choice, offering strong career prospects and quicker job opportunities for young people and also for adults looking to change jobs or simply upgrade their existing skill set. Yet it often remains a second choice for many prospective students. In 2021, just over half of all students enrolled in medium-level education in the EU were in programmes with a vocational orientation.

In 2022, almost 80% of recent VET graduates managed to get a job, with the EU aiming to reach a target of 82% by 2025. (ll)