European skills agenda: the « Pact for Skills », an opportunity for the direct employment model?

On July 1^st, 2020, the European Commission presented its new European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. With its transversal dimension, it is fully in line with the executive’s priorities, such as the European Green Pact, the digital strategy and the strategy for industry and SMEs. It includes 12 concrete actions to implement the first principle of the European Social Rights Foundation, namely “education, training and lifelong learning” within the next five years.

Among them, the launch of a Pact for Skills in November 2020 could offer opportunities for EFFE and its members. This inclusive tool will gather the actors involved in vocational training to define a charter that initiates the twin transition in the EU. Besides, it should promote public-private partnerships at both regional and European level and strengthen the access to European funding by creating a single-entry point. Despite its pan-sectoral dimension, the Pact for Skills will pay special attention to social and health workers.

Furthermore, the Pact should strengthen sector-specific partnerships through the “Blueprint for sectoral cooperation for skills” and extend it to new sectors. Among the next sectors identified for Erasmus+ funding are: blockchain, cultural heritage, cybersecurity, supply and rail transport industries, work integration social enterprises and IT services. The direct employment model represented by EFFE within Personal and Household Services (PHS) is not explicitly mentioned, however it could fully benefit from such a mechanism, as explained in this document.

In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the lack of skills in health care and support for the most vulnerable populations in their homes. And while the demographic evolution progressively reinforces this trend, the PHS sector appears among the future sources of employment and growth. Above all, it relies on a large network of European, national and regional actors that could implement the blueprint alliances within the Member States.

This is the reason why EFFE and one of its French members, IPERIA, have jointly met DG EMPL to put forward the idea of creating a Blueprint alliance dedicated to personal and household services (PHS).