Training can breathe life into the European labour market, says Monks

Citation

(2005), "Training can breathe life into the European labour market, says Monks", Education + Training, Vol. 47 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2005.00447bab.011

Training can breathe life into the European labour market, says Monks

Training can breathe life into the European labour market, says Monks

Improving the quality and amount of professional training should be a priority in order to breathe new life into the European labour market, says ex-Trades Union Congress General-Secretary John Monks, who is now secretary-general of the European Confederation of Trade Unions. “Professional training plays a critical part in fighting social exclusion, promoting job creation and developing the potential of European citizens”, he told a meeting that brought together the European Commissioner responsible for education and training, plus trade-union and employer representatives, and several EU Education Ministers.

Philippe de Buck, Secretary-General of Unice, the European employers' organization, urged Education and Industry Ministers to work more closely to develop training in entrepreneurship for young people. He called for national strategies for teaching entrepreneurship in schools and universities. Such strategies could include, for example, providing classes in entrepreneurship at all levels of education, strengthening links between teachers and local businesses, making more technical equipment available in educational institutions, and reducing the administrative burden on businesses that are prepared to work more closely with schools and colleges.

Philippe de Buck also called on the European Commission and EU member states to formulate targets for entrepreneurship training for young people, as part of the EU action plan for entrepreneurship. He asked the Commission to draw up regular reports on the progress made by member states in meeting the recommendations of the 2004 report on Education for Entrepreneurship. And he urged more EU spending on developing entrepreneurship among young people.