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With youth unemployment still high in Europe, many companies report difficulties in attracting talent with the right skills. Employers and candidates alike realise that education has not prepared them well enough for the challenges and opportunities of today’s labour market. The European Commission, through its flagship Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA), tries to make a difference.

The 2017 Global Talent Competitiveness Index, published by INSEAD and The Adecco Group, shows that countries and cities that invest in effective talent strategies successfully tackle unemployment. Close collaboration between public and private partners and investment in innovative education is essential to foster talent. Stakeholders should ensure implementation of project based and experiential learning, while developing apprenticeships and internships that meet high quality standards and keep ahead of advances in technology.

EURACTIV organised this workshop to explore the future of quality training for young people and discuss issues such as:
- What are the main obstacles for young people in entering the job market? How can they gain the necessary skills and access quality training?
- What are the best practices for “talent readiness for technology”? How to replicate and adapt the “recipe for success”?
- How can the gap between education and employment be bridged? Should school and universities play a bigger role in preparing young people with more work-based training and skills?
- How to increase the number of available apprenticeships for young people? What role for the EU institutions? What should employers do?
- Are institutional tools sufficient or should they be further strengthened?

Supported by:

Europe, young talent and the future of work: Employability in the face of technological disruption