How does Europass offer more equal opportunities and participation?
Discover Europass
Europass is an EU tool for documenting and presenting personal skills and qualifications. The personal profile makes it possible to keep a record of every new (learning) experience and to permanently save any documentation, such as certificates, in the integrated online library. A key function based on the profile and the library is the quick and simple creation of professional application portfolios. This makes it possible to apply for jobs, internships, further training or voluntary work. Europass’s added value lies predominantly in its user-friendliness and multilingualism, its focus on data protection and the fact that all services are free of charge. Europass thus facilitates access to various educational and employment opportunities for a wide range of people with different backgrounds and qualifications.
For adult education institutions and lecturers: Europass as a working tool
In terms of promoting more equal opportunities and participation, Europass can be used in two ways in adult education. The focus here is on the following scenarios:
Firstly, adult education institutions and tutors can use the portal as a tool in their work with people of different heritage and educational backgrounds. They can create a profile together with course participants and the process also provides a chance for thorough reflection on students’ skills and competences. Any kind of learning and life experience can be documented in the Europass portal. The structured online editor helps you to focus and examine all aspects of your life. The course participants can then share their profile with tutors via a link, guaranteeing maximum data protection during the feedback process and ensuring no personal documents have to be shared by email. Once completed, students can use the finished profile and the documents in the online library to apply for jobs, further training or internships – for the rest of their lives.
Secondly, (freelance) lecturers can create their own personal profile in which they list their specialisations and professional experience. This profile can be used as a replacement for a maintenance-intensive homepage and can be shared with adult education centres or further education institutions via a link. If required, the profile can be updated at any time or the link to your own profile can be deactivated. This gives you a high level of control over your own data.
In the first scenario in particular, Europass is an access tool for (re)entering the world of work with professional application documents. The structured presentation of the Europass CV, cover letter or application portfolio gives everyone the chance to make a professional first impression. The detailed online editor can be used from anywhere and helps to ensure that no important fields or aspects are forgotten. At the same time, no separate programmes are required apart from a web browser. The profile can also be reused and updated at any time. Copies of certificates and other evidence, for example, are always stored in a location that can be accessed from anywhere.
Europass portal: Further functions and information
In addition to the Europass profile, the Europass portal also offers numerous other useful functions and information. For example, you can test your digital skills online free of charge and save the results as a pdf. The portal also contains information on current job and labour market trends in the individual EU countries.
For advice or information material, please contact the National Europass Centre.
