In order to support the European Commission’s ambitions for green and digital transitions, they have rolled out The Pact for Skills – an initiative aimed at supporting public and private organisations to upskill and reskill people in Europe.
Societal and economic needs have changed. While past generations typically remained within their chosen trades, today’s dynamic work and social environments often require lifelong learning. According to the 1996 Delors report about learning the four pillars on which lifelong learning is based are:
- Learning to know
- Learning to do
- Learning to be
- Learning to live together
What is the Pact for Skills about?
On 28 April 2022, the European Commission launched the Pact for Skills. The Pact is firmly anchored in the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and aims to support public and private organisations with upskilling and reskilling, so they can adapt and thrive through the green and digital transitions.
Key principles of the pact include:
- Promoting a culture of lifelong learning for all
- Building strong skills partnerships
- Monitoring skills supply/ demand and anticipating skills needs
- Working against discrimination and for gender equality and equal opportunities
More Information: “Pact for Skills”
Why is this important for design?
The design industry falls within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). As an industrial ecosystem, CCIs are made up of 99% SMEs or micro-enterprises, a lot of whom struggle to attract new talent or meet the demands of new challenges. It also represents a high proportion of self-employed workers, part-time workers or workers on non-permanent contracts. This means the industry as a whole faces a very high level of job insecurity and a lack of reskilling and upskilling opportunities.
Due to the design industry’s often-precarious nature, the pact’s proposal to focus on upskilling and reskilling should result in a more adaptable, resilient industry ecosystem.
The following skills have been identified as the most urgently needed within the Cultural and Creative Industries ecosystem:
- Skills for adapting to a digital environment
- Management, funding, business, and entrepreneurial skills
- Skills to support and integrate the green transformation
- Transversal skills that lead to cross-sectoral innovations
- Technical skills in arts and crafts to preserve cultural and creative heritage
- Hands-on and ‘on the job’ skills solutions
Information on the Roadmap for Creative Skills Acquisitions and the Manifesto are frequently updated.
How is BEDA involved?
BEDA is dedicated to upskilling and reskilling in the field of design and is taking the following action to support this endeavour.
- BEDA, together with a handful of BEDA members (Cité du design, Dutch Design Foundation, Deutscher DesignTag) are endorsing the Creative Pact for Skills (C-P4S) – a partnership aimed at strengthening skills in the cultural and creative industries.
- BEDA was a steering partner to multiple initiatives including: DG Grow – Proximity, Social economy and Creative industries; DG EMPL Employment; Social Affairs & Inclusion for the ‘Pact for Skills’ – a shared engagement model for skills development in Europe.
- Since November 2020, BEDA along with Creative Skills Europe and the European Creative Business Network (ECBN) is a co-leader for the CCIs’ Large-Scale Skills Partnership. They have co-chaired the meetings “Towards a large-scale skills partnership for the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) ecosystem”, that brings together more than 100 partners.
How to join the C-P4S?
The Creative Pact for Skills (C-P4S) can be joined by any private or public organisation or partnership of organisations which aim to upskill or reskill people of working age. The organisations applying must be based in one of the Member States, EFTA or candidate countries.
Application Form – Pact for Skills: ec.europa.eu/[…]Pact_for_Skills_FORM
Read More and Sign the Manifesto: ecbnintra.notion.site/Endorsement[…]e41