The fourth transnational meeting of the project JS-Toolbox (METHODOLOGICAL TOOLBOX FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SKILL FOR FUTURE JOBS) was held in Maastricht (Netherlands) between 31 May and 1 June 2012. This meeting was atended by members of Documenta, along with members of other European organisations as Folkuniversitet, promoter of the project – Sweden-, Dimitra –Greece-, Studies Staropolska Bab’ya Przemysłowo – Handlowao – Poland – and Revalento – Netherlands.
The project’s main object is the adaptation of competencies and skills that are provided in vocational training to the emergence of new professional profiles and to changes in the labour market. The forecast of the future demands of the labour market for the different sectors is a very useful tool for trainers and educators in guiding the learning paths of different specialties, and qualifying them to address the delivery of these new powers. Thus will be possible a greater fit between employment and capacities, which will undoubtedly help the brake of structural unemployment.
This project is intended to create a methodological tool for the management/groups managers that provide:
- The interpretation of the future market demands of regional work by each professional profile.
- Interpretation of the future needs of the regional labour market type taking into account different skills profiles
- Inclusion of regional foresight for future profiles of skills in the new programmes of education and vocational training at regional scale.
The material result of these issues will be a methodological tool able to cover the process of adaptation from the interpretation of the forecast up to professional profile / competences, and from there to the modernization of education and vocational training programmes. The social partners to whom is mainly directed will contribute to its preparation in the following way:
- The public employment service (PES) will provide the regional forecast and the interpretation of the future needs of the region by each occupation sector.
- Employers will contribute with the interpretation of the demand for each professional profile and review of programmes of training and new or modernized professional education for the future.
- VET providers and trainers will provide new programmes of education and vocational training according to the defined competencies profiles.
The development of this meeting focused in various aspects of the development of the project.
Firstly, the presentation of the results of the workshops carried out with the agents involved in each country, as a tool for detection of necessary future capabilities and competencies.
The following topics were the incorporation of the various instruments which implemented the partners to develop the steps in the process of development of the Methodological Toolbox, from prospects of the regional labour market, to the assurance of the quality of training programmes. The final result shall consist of a methodological tool, available in English as well as in the languages of partner countries
Other aspects covered during the meeting were the presentation of the materials of dissemination of the project (brochures and leaflets, CD-ROM and website).
The next transnational meeting will take on 30 August in Larissa (Greece), for which it is also planned a final workshop with experts from each organization for evaluating the practical usefulness of the JS-Toolbox tool.
