4 years of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships

A high-level event was organised by the European Commission in close cooperation with the Maltese Presidency, with the support of  the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology and the Malta Chamber of Commerce on 30-31 May in Malta to celebrate the success of 4 years of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) and looking ahead. EPA has been a member of EAfA for 2 years now, and EPA was represented at the event by Vice President Claudio Masotti. 

After the launch of the Alliance in Leipzig in 2013, and the re-boost in Riga in 2015, this event marked 4 years of the Alliance. It gave particular attention to new members of the Alliance as well as to apprentices, highlighted through the launch of a new network of apprentices. Around 230 participants took part from all over Europe, including existing and new members of the Alliance, such as companies, social partners, VET providers, chambers, NGOs and youth organisations, as well as policy-makers from national, regional and European level.

Council Declaration on the European Alliance for Apprenticeships

The Council of the EU has adopted a very important Declaration on The European Alliance for Apprenticeships. To prevent youth unemployment they reinforced the Youth Guarantee at the same time.

The Alliance for Apprenticeships is a multi-stakeholder initiative with two broader aims:

• to improve the quality and supply of apprenticeships across the EU
• to change mind-sets towards apprenticeship-type learning

It will do so by a set of more specific objectives: helping to set up, revive or modernise existing apprenticeship schemes, drawing on lessons from successful models and on transnational cooperation, including mobility, by promoting national and transnational partnerships for developing and fostering work-based learning in companies, and by promoting the benefits of apprenticeship systems, in particular to companies, VET providers, students and parents.

Read the full declaration here