Upskilling and reskilling and the twin transition

The title of the Annual Conference of the international network EBSN, held from 26 to 28 June in Valladolid, Spain, was Upskilling and Reskilling for the Twin Transition – Digital and Green Transformation. The conference focused on basic skills and how this area fits into current development breakthroughs across Europe and the world. Key topics included changes in the labour market and the elimination of jobs due to digitalisation and the green economy – the twin transition.

Representatives from 30 European countries, all members of the EBSN, were joined by several participants from other nations, as well as from the UIL. Exciting presentations by experts are freely accessible on the EBSN website.

The SIAE, as a long-standing and respected member of the network, holds a unique reputation. As a result, both the author of this contribution and Estera Možina, MSc were invited to present our experiences related to the national publication of the PIAAC survey results in 2016. The second round of the survey will be published at the end of this year, and other member countries are keen to prepare well for it. Experience has shown that without solid media support and expert communication of the results, there is little national impact, even when the results might call for immediate action.

On the importance of basic skills

At the panel titled Rethinking Basic Skills in the Context of Twin Transition, it became clear that basic skills are understood differently in various contexts. The opinions of the invited speakers – Maurice De Greef, Judith Alamprese and Estera Možina – were not entirely aligned. However, they agreed that without well-developed basic skills, it is impossible to develop other knowledge, skills and competencies to a high quality.

The first day of the conference concluded with presentations on good practices, during which we presented the process and outcomes of the project Financial Literacy for Adults. We highlighted the importance of digital skills and the sustainable aspects of financial literacy.

Let the twin transition be just!

On the second day of the conference, the focus was on projects aimed at developing knowledge and competencies for the twin transition and analysing the need for new jobs. Various approaches were presented, including personalised adult education and the use of new technologies to improve literacy skills.

Participation in the conference was invaluable for us, the representatives of the SIAE. We had the opportunity to showcase our efforts and perspectives on both basic skills and financial literacy to leading European experts. We also learned about new and creative initiatives and approaches to educating both vulnerable adult groups and professionals. Furthermore, we established new connections and began discussions on potential mobility opportunities.

Dr Petra Javrh (petra.javrh@acs.si), SIAE