CESI at the 4-year celebration of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships in Malta
2017-06-09 12:00
On May 30-31 a conference was held in Malta, celebrating the first four years of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA). With an opening speech made by Silvio de Bono, the President Board of Governors of MCAST (Malta College of Arts Science and Technology) and Evarist Bartolo, the Maltese Minister for Education and Employment, and a video message by European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen, the conference got off to a great start. As a member of the EAfA, CESI and the CESI Youth also participated in the conference.
Since its inception, the EAfA has been examining challenges and the way forward for positive developments within the sector of apprenticeships, by enhancing the quality, supply and the overall image of apprenticeships. It also does so by creating a platform where governments get together with other key stakeholders such as social partners, businesses, vocational education and training (VET) providers, regions, youth representatives and think tanks. The Alliance was formed in 2013 through a joint declaration by the European Social Partners, the European Commission and the Presidency of the Council of EU (Council of Ministers).
Topics on the agenda included:
• 4 years of EAfA: Highlights from stakeholders of the Alliance
• Welcoming newcomers to the Alliance
• Launching a new European Network of Apprentices
• Boosting mobility for apprentices
• Towards a European Quality Framework for Apprenticeships
• Developing apprenticeship support services
• The way forward for the European Alliance for Apprenticeships
At the conference, 3 new national commitments to the EAfA for quality apprenticeships were made along with 34 new apprenticeship pledges and 218,000 apprenticeship pledges offers. Since 2013 35 national commitments have been made, 208 pledges and 723,000 pledged offers. CESI officially joined the EAfA on September 2 2016 in the hope of better cooperation between the platform and CESI’s national member organisations that are active within the field of apprenticeships, VET and the education sector.
More information about CESI’s involvement in the Alliance can be accessed through CESI’s pledge as published on the European Commission’s EAfA website.
