At the conference, Matthäus Fandrejewski brought to attention the importance of European and international standards. “In the current pandemic our mobility is limited, but we know that the labour market of the future will be a European one. Therefore, the barriers that still prevent young people from taking full advantage of Europe’s opportunities must go away” he said, referring to shortcomings in the current framework for the recognition of qualifications in Europe.

“In VET and labour mobility, it is high time for more Europe and more sense for the common global challenges”, he continued, adding that it is necessary to orient vocational education and training more strongly towards sustainable innovations, especially in view of climate change, and to intensify the international exchange on excellent vocational education and training. “Sustainability-oriented qualification significantly increases professional opportunities and thus secures jobs,” he stressed.

Stefan Nowatschin emphasised the importance of digitally supported and sustainability-oriented centres of excellence for vocational training, in which teaching staff must be prepared for the global challenges and new requirements in vocational training. “We need to firmly integrate the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our curricula and thus help the next generations to cope with the tasks ahead of them.”

Further information about the conference is available on the European Commission’s website.