EU

European employers are concerned about the growing skills mismatches and labour force shortages in a majority of Member States. If left unaddressed, this worrying trend will have a negative impact on innovation and productivity, both in highly innovative industry sectors and other services sectors, some of which are already confronted with the challenge of attracting motivated and competent workers. To address this pressing issue, cross-industry and sectoral employers are issuing this statement to call on policy-makers and social partners at all appropriate levels to prioritise measures designed with the purpose to reduce labour shortages by improving skills matching across European Member States. Labour force shortages and skills mismatches are caused by both cyclical and structural factors, both of which need to be addressed. Positively, the cycle of economic recovery over recent years has resulted in strong employment creation.

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In 2018 the European Commission announced the launch of the Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence-initiative (PCVE)*. The objective the PCVE's is to promote the excellence, innovation and attractiveness of Vocational Education and Training (VET). The initiative aims to achieve this through the establishment of transnational collaborative platforms in which excellent VET providers (regional centres of excellence) in a specific sector (e.g. aeronautics, e-mobilty, green technologies) or related to a specific societal challenge (e.g. upskilliing, digitalisation, AI) are connected internationally. The format of the call was directly inspired by existing VET-concepts in e.g. Spain (Basque country), the Netherlands and other EU member states. 

In 2019 a first pilot-call was published under the Erasmus+ KA2 sector skills alliances call after which four pilot projects were approved (budget: max. 1 million EUR per project). A second round of 4-5 pilot projects (budget: max. 4 million EUR per project) will be launched in October 2019. The results of these pilot projects will be used to inform the definitive format of the PCVE's in Erasmus 2021-2027 programme.. 

In some of the Member States the national STEM platforms are directly involved. For example: in the Netherlands the 100+ 'Centres of Vocational Innovation' in VET are directly supported by the national STEM platform (PBT) which facilitates e.g. the establishment of the centres, periodic impact studies, peer-learning activities, etc. In coordination with the ministry of education, the VET-council and the individual Centres of Vocational Innovation it supports the Centres in the development of project ideas and business cases. As such, the platforms can play an important role in ensuring that the activities developed in the context of the PCVE-initiative complement and strengthen the broader objectives for STEM in the entire education chain (primary- to higher education) as much as possible. This is especially important given the fact that:

• Current and future shortages of technicians are often most pronounced in VET
• Insufficient availability of specific kinds of technicians (e.g. heatpump installation specialists) directly affect other policy objectives (e.g. energy transition)
• The supply of VET-level technical specialists is most affected by demographic changes (with expected declines of student populations of up to 30%)
• More than higher education, VET is organised regionally

The EU STEM Coalition will continue to monitor this initiative and the results of the first rounds of pilot projects (of which the first will be launched in November 2019) in the run-up to the new Erasmus+ programme

* The PCVE-initiative was presented by the European Commission at the EU STEM Coalition's General Assembly meeting in Paris in October 2018 (see meeting report & presentation here).

The EU STEM Coalition will continu

The European Commission approved a project proposal submitted by the EU STEM Coalition. The project, titled "Towards a European STE(A)M platform", aims to upscale the EU STEM Coalition network, implementing the EC's 2017 objective to "launch an upscaled EU STE(A)M Coalition" based on the EU STEM Coalition network.*

The project will focus on strengthening the EU STEM Coalition's instruments through which the development of new national and regional STEM strategies and approaches are supported. It will also focus on further developing the EU STEM Coalition network into an EU-level exepertise hub, mapping successful national and regional initiatives and approaches and kickstart the development of new national and regional STEM strategies.

The project will start on January 1, 2019 for a three-year period. The majority of the project activities will be implemented by 8 national STEM platforms in the EU STEM Coalition network. 

* See: Communication on a Renewed EU Agenda for Higher Education, p. 5-6.

There is evidence of skills shortages in STEM fields in spite of high unemployment rates in many Member States. This document, prepared by Policy Department A at the request of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee intends to provide an up-to-date overview of the labour market situation in STEM occupations and to analyse European and national approaches to encourage STEM uptake in relation to these labour market needs. The aim is to identify practices which help to increase the supply of STEM skilled labour.

This report identifies the main issues involved in helping all citizens acquire the necessary knowledge of and about science to participate actively and responsibly in, with and for society, successfully throughout their lives. It provides guidance concerning increasing the participation of enterprise and industry to science education policy and activities. It sets out the challenges we face and how science education can help Europe meet its goals and equip citizens, enterprise and industry in Europe with the skills and competences needed to provide sustainable and competitive solutions to these challenges. A more responsive science education can promote broader participation in knowledge-based innovation that meets the highest ethical standards and helps ensure sustainable societies into the future.7 The Framework for Science Education for Responsible Citizenship identifies six key objectives and associated recommendations, which in combination, can help bring about the systemic changes required to generate a sustainable effect across our societies and in our communities.