Brussels, 27/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - European public services have noted a lack of qualified staff to take on vacant jobs and are concerned that they will be unable to fulfil future European objectives for competent, sustainable public services close to the citizens, unless the problem of adequate staff training is resolved quickly. The European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest (CEEP) and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE) held a joint seminar on 27 January on the problem of a lack of skilled applicants for jobs in the public services sector. They published recommendations to improve the situation and for the emergence of fully satisfactory public services, as the result of their joint reflection. “We are aware of the problems facing many public services in recruiting people with specific skills and aptitudes (…). We now have a full map of transversal skills which employees will need to have in the future in order to be able to meet the citizens' expectations for effective public services”, said the Secretary General of CEEP, Valeria Ronzitti. Only increased cooperation between public services, on the one hand, and educators and trainers, on the other, will allow future applicants to have the required skills, she said. In the view of EFEE Secretary General of Bianka Stege, “it is more important than ever to tackle the question of bringing skills and aptitudes up to scratch. It is time to act, to take our responsibilities as employers and to improve the link between education and public service”.
Acknowledging that quality human capital is vital to reach the desired quality and effectiveness of the objectives, CEEP and EFEE recommend a series of practices. For example, developing career plans for public service employees, who must also be given the continuous training they need to do their jobs. Older employees should be able to work in a framework which makes the most of their experience, whilst enjoying training to allow them to update their skills. The 2006 European framework for “Key skills for lifelong education” must be implemented by the players in question, as it contains all the provisions required for a harmonious development of skills, CEEP and EFEE go on to stress. Value must also be attached to public services: young people must feel that public sector jobs opportunities apply to them as well so schools should, therefore, organise visits to public service premises or hold information sessions at school. Lastly, given the key role of educators and trainers in the transition to the world of work, they, too, must also receive continuous training to allow them to update their skills on a constant basis. (IL/transl.fl)