EU Commissioner Schmit kicks-off European Vocational Skills Week 

Brussels, 20 October 2023

On Monday 23 October, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, will be in Seville, Spain, to kick off the European Vocational Skills Week 2023. The Commissioner will open a conference on the automatic mutual recognition of vocational training qualifications, organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The event will gather representatives of the Commission, the Spanish Government for the Presidency, social partners, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Labour Organization, as well as other parties interested in vocational education and training (VET).

During the European Vocational Skills Week, partners active in VET organise a series of events across Europe at European, national, regional and local level. The aim is to raise awareness of the key role that VET plays in responding to economic and social challenges, including to accompany the green and digital transitions. This year’s Vocational Skills Week takes place within the framework of the European Year of Skills, offering the opportunity to highlight the crucial contribution of VET for developing the skills and competencies needed to tackle skills and labour shortages.

Other events taking place during the Vocational Skills Week include webinars on quality assurance for VET providers, the future of VET, European Digital Credentials for Learning, and a VET policy camp for policymakers, educators, industry experts, and VET practitioners.