Framework of Actions for the Lifelong Development of Competencies and Qualifications - Greece

Source: European Union

• Actions Taken at National Level
• Good Prectice Example

In March 2002, the European social partners adopted a framework of actions for the lifelong development of competences and qualifications, as a contribution to the implementation of the Lisbon strategy.

Actions taken at national level

SEV conducted research through questionnaires to industries under the title: “Jobs in demand – Anticipation of needs of enterprises for 2005-2007”. The main goal of this research study was to disseminate awareness of the particular needs of industries in professional skills and core competences of their personnel for 2005 -2007. Other goals included: • influencing the organising and planning of vocational training according to these needs as well as the reform of the educational system, especially higher education, towards the demands of the labour market; • creating new and better jobs.

The results of the research showed that the educational system cannot deliver high- quality personnel with competences and qualifications that meet the demands of the labour market. The research has been widely publicised and will be updated in 2007.

Meetings between the social partners concerning ways to improve efficiency in the operation of their Joint Account of own funds, LAEK, for the promotion of vocational training that started in 2003 have moved forward into action. A working group that was set up by the social partners is currently working on a strategic plan for making more efficient use of the available and incoming resources for training and for promoting new lifelong learning (LLL) programmes that will respond to the real needs of the labour market as well as its labour force.

The social partners have been very active in promoting the activation of the “National System of Education and Training linked to Employment” (ESSEEKA) which was adopted in October 2003 by the Greek Parliament but its operation has not started yet. The role of the social partners was very decisive in formulating provisions of the law. ESSEEKA aims to promote lifelong learning, the development of competences and qualifications and their validation.

The Labour Institute of GSEE has conducted an evaluation study on the effects of Active Labour Market Policies in Greece. The study will be published next spring.

The FGI in cooperation with GSEE, the European Training Foundation and CEDEFOP organised and carried out a two-day European conference under the title “Lifelong Development of Competences and Qualifications of the Workforce: Roles and Responsibilities” which took place in Athens on 23 and 24 May 2003.

The main objectives of the conference were 

1. to raise awareness and stress the importance of lifelong development of the competences and qualifications of the workforce between the member states of the EU and the new states as crucial in achieving the Lisbon Strategy goals, 
2. to highlight the role and responsibilities of all actors involved in society in promoting lifelong learning, 
3. to further disseminate the key priorities of the “Framework of actions on lifelong development of competences and qualifications”, as agreed in 2002 between the European social partners. 

The conference was attended by government officials and social partner representatives from the thirteen new member states, the Greek EU Presidency, a number of officials and experts from EU states, the European Commission, international organisations, European employer and employee organisations as well as local employer and employee organisations.

The aforementioned event triggered a series of meetings between the social partners concerning ways to improve efficiency and produce far more fruitful results in the operation of their Joint Account of own funds, LAEK, deriving from employers’ and employees’ contributions for the promotion of vocational training for employees in enterprises and the unemployed. Action in this area will take place in the first part of 2004. The objectives are 

1. to make more efficient use of the available and incoming resources for training and 
2. to initiate innovative methods and promote new lifelong learning programmes that will respond to the real needs of the labour market as well as its labour force.

The social partners worked jointly in laying the foundations for a new framework designed by the state, called the “National System of Education and Training linked to Employment” (ESSEEKA). This framework, which aims to promote the promotion of lifelong learning, the development of competences and qualifications and their validation, was adopted in October 2003 by the Greek Parliament and will be operational soon. The role of the social partners was very decisive in formulating provisions of the law. It is expected that this role will be even more active in the operational phase.

Good practice example

Neorion Shipyards – Analysis and anticipation of training needs and skill requirements

When the oldest shipyard in Greece, Neorion, went into a period of recession it had to lay off 723 employees in Syros island. After it was privatised at the end of 1994 the new management set a new goal of reorganising, gradually restoring and fully establishing the most historic shipbuilding industry in the country. To achieve this, the following measures were taken with regard to human resources: 

• Mapping of the real needs in human resources, per department and competence 
• Qualitative assessment of competences for 600 employees who were to be rehired 
• Setting up a training / retraining programme for these people 
• Establishment of Neorion Vocational Training Centre that undertook the design and implementation of this programme

The positive results achieved since then are the following: 

• Introduction of multiskilling in production 
• Establishment of a variety of new competences 
• A general upgrading of skills and competences of the entire workforce 
• Application of the key features of the concept “Enterprise as a Learning Organisation” 

This long process has included the design of training modules for the needs of the recruited ex-employees, their re-orientation in new positions in demand at the shipyard, the establishment of cooperation with experts from higher education, human resources, manpower organisations, research institutes, and the building of a database of professional profiles for each employee.

An on-going evaluation process which takes place within the company on a regular basis defines new goals to be achieved, ensuring further improvements for the development of competences of the company’s workforce.

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