1.1 The Upskilling Pathways recommendation

The recommendation on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults was adopted in December 2016 by the Council of the European Union. It is one of the main legislative proposals of the New Skills Agenda for Europe.

The aim of Upskilling Pathways is to help adults acquire a minimum level of basic skills (mainly literacy, numeracy and digital skills) and empower them to acquire a broader set of skills by progressing towards an upper secondary qualification or equivalent. The Upskilling Pathways give access to three steps for each individual: skills assessment, training provision, and validation and guidance.

To get a good overview of the Upskilling Pathways recommendation, please access the following documents, created by the European Commission:

Source from: European Commission's official site for Upskilling Pathways
 

• Leaflet on Upskilling Pathways by the European Commission
  Click on the link to download a visual and textual introduction to the recommendation and ways to join to its implementation.
   
• Note on key ideas by the European Commission by the European Commission
  This note provides a short overview on the three-step approach of the recommendation (i.e. skills assessment, flexible learning offer, and validation and recognition) and it also provides further implications to policy cooperation and partnerships, guidance and support measures, and follow-up evaluation of the recommendation. Click on the link for further information.
   
• Presentation on Upskilling Pathways
  This presentation was made by Martina Ní’Cheallaigh, Head of Unit in charge of VET, Apprenticeships and Adult Learning at the Commission’s DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. Click on the link to access her presentation on target group details, commonly shared challenges and a list of enabling conditions that can aid the implementation of the recommendation.

1.2 Country-specific policy background

Many EU Member States have adhered to the Upskilling Pathways recommendation and are working to create or update their policy frameworks to ensure that the objectives of the recommendation are met. The situation in the different countries, however, vary greatly. Besides political commitment of the Member States’ governments, the success of a national process towards integrated policies in the field of basic skills for adults will to a great extent depend on having access to research results and reliable evidence about the situation in the given country. The Policy Analysis Tool developed by the European Commission may help users in this process. Check the information about Member States presented in the Country Profiles.

It may also be useful to check the report “Adult Education and Training in Europe: Widening Access to Learning Opportunities”, published by the Eurydice Network in 2015.

Countries that have participated in the PIAAC survey can use those results as part of the evidence on the need for policy development. Some countries have participated or are planning to participate in the OECD’s Skills Strategy. The Skills Strategy scheme studies current skills policies in each of the countries involved, focusing on strengths and challenges. A Diagnostic Report is presented as a first product of the process, which takes place in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders. In the second and final stage of each project, the stakeholders group cooperates with the OECD to present an Action Plan.  As an example, see Norway’s Diagnostic Report and Action Report by following the links.

For further reading we recommend users to check the results of the work done within the European Commission's Education and Training 2020 Working Group for Adult Learning in the period 2014-2015.

• Policies to increase participation of adults in activities aimed at raising basic skills 
  A synthesis of country reports on national/regional policies aimed at increasing the participation of adult in activities which might improve their basic skills. It provides a comparative summary of countries’ responses for the low participation of adults.
   
• Report on an in-depth country workshop on effective policies for increasing participation of adults in basic skills provision 
  The key findings of the report of ET 2020 Working Group on Adult Learning concerns the benefit of participating in adult learning; the accessibility of adult learning programmes; the efficiency of policies to make a systemic impact, etc.
   
• Support for the work on policy guidance on basic skills for adults
  This study provides the Commission with input to inform policy discussions on adult basic skills. Equally, it can serve to provide Member States and stakeholders with policy guidance and good practice examples in order to increase policy effectiveness, with a focus on enhancing such learning opportunities for adults who lack basic skills and those who left initial education prematurely.
   
• Improving Policy and Provision for Adult Learning in Europe 
  The report of the ET 2020 Working Group on Adult Learning 2014-2015 focuses on overcoming gaps in adults’ basic skills; improving accessibility to adult learning programs through ICT tools and OERs; and highlights the importance of policy coherence.