UNDER A EUROPEAN UNION AGREEMENT THAT WILL HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND.

The European Commission (CE), It has launched the European Alliance for the training of apprentices, that will allow businesses and professionals, among them the fruits and vegetables, make learning contracts to young people, so that they can play a decisive role in the fight against youth unemployment, giving learners skills and experience who are looking for companies.

Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou (Education Officer, Culture, Multilingualism and youth) and Commissioner László Andor (Head of employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), on the occasion of the international vocational training WorldSkills competition 2013, that has been held in Leipzig, Germany, they have indicated that the Alliance will contribute to fight against youth unemployment by improving the quality and training of apprentices in the European Union (EU), through a broad partnership of key stakeholders on the grounds of employment and education.

This Alliance aims to change attitudes towards vocational training. Specifically, You must determine what are the EU vocational training systems which work best and apply solutions in each Member State.

The Alliance is supported by a new joint statement that is signed by the European Commission, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European federations of trade unions and entrepreneurs (the European Trade Union Confederation [ETUC], BusinessEurope, the European Centre of employers and enterprises providing public services [CEEP] and the European Association of crafts and small and medium-sized enterprises [UEAPME].

This initiative promotes measures that will count with the support of the European Social Fund, the initiative on youth employment and Erasmus +, the new programme of the EU in the field of education, training and youth.

«We call on all interested parties to participate in the European Alliance for apprenticeship and contributing to which there are more and better possibilities of apprenticeship in Europe», expressed the Commissioners in a joint statement. «Learning contracts can play a decisive role in the fight against youth unemployment, Since give young people skills and experience who are looking for companies».

Countries with a solid education and vocational training systems, as Germany, Denmark, Netherlands and Austria, they tend to have, in general, fewer youth unemployment. The Commission confirms this analysis in its last European quarterly survey on employment and the social situation, which indicates that apprenticeship and traineeships are, often, a link for a permanent job. This is the reason why apprenticeship is an essential element of the youth guarantee proposed by the Commission, as part of the package of measures for youth employment in December of 2012, which was adopted by the Council in April of 2013.

The partnership will support national reforms to create or strengthen apprenticeship systems. The Commission calls on all potential partners to adhere to the Alliance: public authorities, companies, trade unions, Chambers of Commerce, providers of vocational education and training, the representatives of youth and employment services. It is also encouraging them to acquire firm commitments to boost the public and private systems of apprenticeship funding.

Commitment of trade unions and employers

By signing the Joint Declaration, the European representatives of unions and employers are committed to focus its efforts in the next six months in: raise awareness among businesses and young people about the benefits of apprenticeship; disseminating experiences and best practices in their own organizations; encourage and advise their organizations members in the development of training of apprentices of quality, that it complies with the needs of professional skills in the labour market.

Will also encourage its members to: cooperate with training centres and employment services; support the training of tutors and mentors to trainees in companies; increase the supply and quality of apprenticeship.

The Commission's commitment

On the other hand, the Commission is committed to promoting learning and studies inter pairs to support reform of the relevant policies of the Member States, in particular, those related to the specific recommendations for each country in the field of vocational education and training.

In addition, It shall because of the way EU funds are used to contribute to the objectives of the Alliance (to support the development of training systems, contents of the training of apprentices and trainees and the trainer staff mobility); consideration of the inclusion of the training of apprentices in the EURES network, in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders; request Eurochambres and other relevant stakeholders who undertake measures that contribute to concretely materialize the Alliance.