Systems, institutional frameworks and processes for early identification of skill needs

Early identification of skill needs involves very different approaches in research and analysis performed by several institutions at various levels. The present volume results from proceedings of the conference which was organised in Dublin jointly by the Irish expert group on future skill needs, the Irish Training and Employment Authority (FÁS), and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), particularly its international network on early identification of skill needs, Skillsnet. The conference discussed the strengths and weaknesses of diverse systemic, institutional, political and other contextual arrangements of early identification of skill needs across countries. The volume gives an overview of systems of early identification of skill needs in the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, the UK, the US and other countries. The publication also presents the results of two workshop discussions. The first one focused on how different levels of identification of skill needs -national, regional, sectoral - can complement each other and contribute to the national system. The second workshop focused on the implementation of research results in early identification of skill needs into policy and practice. The workshop participants attempted to grasp how the transfer can be ensured, how it can be embedded in the system, and whether research is linked to the system of counselling and guidance. The final part of the volume looks at some initiatives and information sources in the field of early identification of skill needs at European level.