The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how important is education and training systems being flexible and adaptable to the changing conditions of today’s world. The serious transformation of the labor market is a fact and requires accelerated adoption of emerging technologies and new forms of work organization. The publication emphasizes the importance of the apprenticeship as a solution to a number of current issues. In countries with a strong tradition of providing internships, it is helping to tackle rising youth unemployment. Another important role is to increase the attractiveness of vocational education and training for potential learners. Innovation and technological progress change the required technical skills and key competencies. The nature of work tasks is changing and the role of practical training in a real workplace will become increasingly important. The opportunity for students to take advantage of modern equipment and to learn current working methods makes it unnecessary to equip expensive educational workshops, for which it is difficult to provide teachers. The publication focuses on the specifics of traineeships for adults, their different needs compared with young people, the need for less mentoring and employer intervention. A key goal for the coming years will be to ensure that on-the-job training is attractive to learners, employers and society, as it provides a path to skilled employment. The publication contains 16 selected reports, ideas and solutions on how the member states of the European Union can meet the challenges facing the apprenticeship.

The full text of the publication can be found at the following address:

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/bg/news-and-press/news/new-cedefopoecd-publication-next-steps-apprenticeship