ILO 349GB - Matters arising out of the work of the 111 ILC - Plan of action for the implementation of the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208)

ILO Governing Body, 349^th session

30 October – 9 November 2023

Matters arising out of the work of the 111th Session (2023) of the International Labour Conference -  Plan of action for the implementation of the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208)

GB.349/INS/3/1

EU statement

Chair,

I speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Albania*, Moldova, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Ukraine, the EFTA countries of Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Armenia align themselves with this statement.

1. The EU and its Member States would like to commend the Office for this thoughtful plan of action for the implementation of the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation No. 208 that was adopted at the 111^th ILC. The new Recommendation underscores the paramount importance of apprenticeships in guiding individuals on their journey through the world of work. The plan of action will play a pivotal role in giving effect to the Recommendation in order to support the creation of decent jobs and address labour market needs.

2. It aptly recognizes that apprenticeships play a critical role for workers of all ages in facilitating the transition from informal to formal employment and in fostering stability and prosperity within our countries. We welcome the diverse approaches described in the plan of action to promote this transition. It is crucial in this context that apprenticeships are of high quality in order to achieve adequate protection against exploitation, while also being effective for employers.

3. Moreover, we commend the emphasis of the plan of action on the tripartite collaboration model, embodied by the ILO. It demonstrates foresight in uniting social partners and other stakeholders to enhance and optimize apprenticeship programs. The role of employers should not be underestimated, as they are usually well placed to assess labour market needs and qualifications required.

4. The plan's acknowledgment of apprenticeships in skill anticipation and the prevention of skills mismatches hits the nail on the head. In this regard, it will be important that apprenticeship models align with evolving job market demands. Quality apprenticeships must result sustainably in a competitive labour force.

5. The plan of action should not disregard the traditional apprenticeship professions. Some of these occupations are confronted with a lack of skilled workers. The current challenges of the world of work, especially digitalisation and decarbonisation, also affect these professions and must be seen as an opportunity to increase their attractiveness by advancing and modernising these professions and the apprenticeships they require. Many initiatives and best practice examples show new possibilities for making apprenticeship training more attractive. In this context it is important to continuously adapt vocational profiles to keep pace with the latest developments. This also means that the sector-specific approaches of the plan are of particular relevance.

6. ILO statistics show that companies offering apprenticeships are more innovative. This reaffirms the strategic value of apprenticeship programs. It underscores the need for continued efforts to promote and enhance apprenticeship initiatives. An important building block to achieve this is the promotion of exchanges, especially between apprentices and training companies. International cooperation and partnerships can also play an important role in this context.

7. The plan of action rightly emphasises the importance of availability, quality and comparability of data on apprenticeships. In this context, we would welcome cooperation with the Office to identify parameters and quantitative or qualitative collection methods, also taking advantage of synergies with existing international data sources in the field of apprenticeships and vocational education and training, such as the OECD data collection.

8. We welcome the measures proposed by the Office to facilitate the implementation of Recommendation No. 208. We would also welcome Constituents getting the opportunity to comment on the drafting of the announced annotated guidance document.

9. This year, the EU celebrates the European Year of Skills, which puts skills development at the centre of the twin green and digital transitions. Skills and the right to quality and inclusive education, training and life-long learning is also one of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

10. We look forward to collective discussions on how we can effectively implement and build upon these priorities for future actions. In particular, we will be happy to disseminate information relating to the Recommendation through the European Alliance for Apprenticeships.

11. With the comments provided above, we can support the decision point.

Thank you Chair.

[*Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia*, Montenegro* and Serbia* continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.]