Brussels, 11/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament employment and social affairs committee has called for a European apprenticeship system to ensure that firms do not take advantage of apprentices to reduce their costs. This is one of the flagship measures of the report by Enrique Calvet Chambon (ALDE, Spain) that was adopted on Monday 11 January.
The report considers the Erasmus+ scheme and other tools promoting mobility in vocational education and training (VET). It seeks to guide the vote in the lead committee, the culture and education committee, on 25 January.
The MEPs on the employment and social affairs committee argue for a lifelong learning approach. They call for a green paper on vocational education, training and mobility and recognition of qualifications across Europe to be drafted in close cooperation with key stakeholders.
They call, too, on the European Commission, the member states and stakeholders to give greater prominence to vocational education and training programmes and to ensure that they are available to all citizens without discrimination. They recommend designation of a target group at risk of unemployment, such as people with handicaps. They suggest, inter alia, encouraging adaptability in learning channels and flexibility of approach in order to facilitate access to VET and to qualifications.
They note that mobility programmes should serve mainly to contribute to the studies of students where specific learning opportunities are not available in their establishment or country of origin.
Erasmus+ is an EU programme that seeks to improve skills and employability, as well as to modernise education, training and work for young people. It has a total budget of €14.7 billion for the 2014-2020 period. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)