Blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills : responding to skills mismatches at sectoral level : a key action of the new skills agenda for Europe

Technological progress and globalisation are revolutionising the way we live, learn, work and do business. Digital and other key technologies are reshaping the foundations of industry and the wider global economy. This offers tremendous opportunities for innovation, growth and jobs, but it also requires skilled and adaptable people who are able to drive and support change. In order to deliver sector-specific skills solutions, the New Skills Agenda for Europe has launched the Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills. The blueprint is a new framework for strategic cooperation between key stakeholders (e.g. businesses, trade unions, research, education and training institutions, public authorities) in a given economic sector. It will stimulate investment and encourage the strategic use of EU and national funding opportunities. The aim is to develop concrete actions to satisfy short and medium term skills needs to support the overall sectoral strategy. The blueprint can only bring results if it is driven and owned by sector stakeholders. In this respect, the full involvement of social partners is very important. The blueprint has been and will continue to be discussed in an open exchange with interested parties, including in the context of sectoral social dialogue committees. The blueprint builds on previous work by the European Commission and sectoral partners (in particular the Sector Skills Councils and the European Sector Skills Alliances) to fight sector skills mismatches. Going forward, it could also support smart specialisation strategies, which help regions choose to specialise in sectors where they can be most competitive. All relevant EU and national qualitative evidence and quantitative data produced under the blueprint will contribute to the skills panorama and the new Europass framework.