EU must rethink education to fight unemployment

Young graduates should be best equipped to find jobs but are struggling to do so and the EU must address this urgently, writes Renate Weber.

By Renate Weber

19 Jun 2015

Parliament's employment and social affairs committee is currently working on the commission's proposal on guidelines for the employment policies of the member states. Even though this is an important topic, parliament is only involved under a consultation procedure. Nevertheless, we take our work seriously.

I am especially concerned with two main issues - employment and education. All member states are struggling with high unemployment rates and a shortage or mismatch of skills, which ultimately is linked to education.

Youth unemployment is extremely important, therefore all EU countries should tailor their policies with the aim of boosting employment, curbing unemployment - particularly among young people - and then updating and adapting their education framework. Part of the objective is to prevent skills mismatches so that job seekers have the skills employers are looking for.


RELATED CONTENT


We need jobs, and that is a fact. But what kind of jobs? Given that 24 million people are currently unemployed, can we really afford to question the types of jobs we are creating? Is there a place to discuss their quality, or should we just be content with providing opportunities and making room for investment?

After all, the crisis isn't over yet. Of course, there will be plenty of voices to defend both approaches and each of them will have their arguments. Personally, I will be siding with those fighting for quality jobs to ensure productivity, sustainability, competition and last but not least, a good work-life balance. Ultimately, the future of the EU depends on how satisfied its citizens are living and working in it.

Youth unemployment is a bigger problem. This generation have just completed their studies and should therefore be the best equipped to fulfill today's job requirements, yet they struggle to secure employment. They are rejected because they lack skills or experience. 

How is this possible? Are the skills they have acquired not good enough or not even good at all? Have they been wasting their time? Have we been wasting our money? If so, we must change our approach when it comes to education. But what about their teachers and professors? Perhaps we should start with them and help them move away from traditional teaching, towards more innovative methods.

This takes time, but the situation needs to be sorted out immediately. The council and member states should take this issue very seriously. Our future lies in the hands of these young people. 

If education is lagging behind the demands of the labour market, other tools should be used to correct this, such as apprenticeships, traineeships and internships. In order to promote these instruments, appropriate support should be provided not just to big companies but especially SMEs, in a more flexible and less bureaucratic manner.

Effectiveness and efficiency are central to education. Based on these two principles, the EU and its member states should ensure that citizens' skills respond to what is required, anticipating and meeting the needs of a dynamic labour market.

The challenges of a digital economy put the entire educational framework in perspective. Entrepreneurship and problem solving should be cultivated from an early age, because Europe needs its population to be resilient to rapidly changing markets. The future will bring many challenges, and we must be prepared.

Read the most recent articles written by Renate Weber - EU must modernise - and harmonise - skills recognition