• On 10 November, the European Commission launched a new “Pact for Skills” at a high-level event during the Vocational Skills Week 2020

• The Pact is a multi-stakeholder flagship initiative to support the systematic and comprehensive up-and reskilling of Europeans.

• DIGITAL SME has stressed the need for a Europe-wide public-private partnership in the Skills for SMEs Strategy 2030 and is proud to be a founding member of this new initiative

On 10 November, DIGITAL SME became one of the first stakeholders to join the new European Pact for Skills. The Pact is a Europe-wide, public-private flagship initiative to up- and re-skill European citizens and businesses. DIGITAL SME proposed a similar initiative, then called “Skills4SMEs Partnership”, in our Skills for SMEs Strategy 2030:

“The European Skills4SMEs Partnership is dedicated to building a stronger alliance between the public and the private sector to offer leadership and a vision for skills development for SMEs in Europe. The Partnership should be accompanied by dedicated investments that enable a long-term, strategic approach and reduce uncertainties by allowing for long-term commitments.” (p. 5)

By joining the new Pact for Skills, DIGITAL SME affirms its strong commitment to support skills development in Europe.

A Europe-wide, shared engagement model

The Pact for Skills was launched by the EC’s Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit and Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton at a high-level event during the European Vocational Skills Week 2020. Conceptualised as a shared engagement model for skills development in Europe, the proposed model will bring together key European stakeholders who share the common goal of up- and reskilling the European population to meet the needs of Europe’s green and digital transitions.

Following the proposal outlined in DIGITAL SME’s Skills for SMEs Strategy 2030, the Pact will offer: 1) a Networking Hub for the interested stakeholders, 2) a Knowledge Hub which includes seminars, trainings, skills development tools and instruments, and 3) a Guidance and Resource Hub which will offer access to all skills-relevant information.

DIGITAL SME will play an active role in the Pact for Skills, raising awareness among SMEs and voicing their skills needs among the Pact’s stakeholders. We will continue to address the digital skills gap and highlight the important role which digital SMEs play in equipping Europeans with digital skills. We will also cooperate with the European Commission to further develop the Pact and ensure that other elements highlighted in the DIGITAL SME’s Skills Strategy—data intelligence about skills, foresight development, creation of SME training & business support accounts, and others— will be taken into consideration.