Mutual learning in the field of skills and employment, EU / Sector Skills Councils, Restructuring
European Union’s (EU) new strategy for sustainable growth and jobs, Europe 2020, puts innovation and green growth at the heart of its blueprint for competitiveness. In the future, every job will be a green job. In order to adapt faster, an environmentally–skilled workforce is essential. More and better skills are indispensable for the European labor force, as they make it easier to innovate, adopt new green technologies, attract investment, compete in new markets, and diversify the economy.
According to a study by UNEP on green jobs, which are “jobs in the environmental sector and/or jobs requiring specific environment-related skills”, many existing jobs (i.e. plumbers, electricians, metal, and construction workers), may be altered due to the greening of day-to-day skill sets, work methods and profiles. Workers, in order to avoid the unemployment, should upgrade their existing skills through training tailored to particular “green” needs.
Aim of the project “GSSkills” is to improve the efficiency and adequacy of existing training practices in the field of green installations and in particular that of geothermal and solar ones, and to promote training for low skilled workers in related professional sectors, namely that of electricians and plumbers. The network of collaborating partners consists of geographically wide spread countries, applying different type of low carbon green installations as well as different approaches in vocational training in this sector, resulting in a promising partnership for acquiring project goals.
More specifically, GSskills project has a threefold aim:
- Firstly, to identify appropriate skills needed for a worker to meet needs of Geothermal and Solar Installation Specialists.
- Secondly, to identify best practices, in promoting training.
- Thirdly, to create a network among education institutions, public authorities, professional associations, and business community in the field of Geothermal and Solar Installations in the 4 partners countries.
