Basic skills, such as literacy, numeracy and digital skills, are the cornerstone of full participation in society and the labour market. However, a significant number of adults in the EU do not have a functional level of these skills and risk remaining trapped in a “low-skilled and precarious job trap”.
Theaim of theCouncil Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways is to address this risk by providing adults with a lower level of skills, knowledge or competences, such as adults with a qualification below upper secondary level, with opportunities to develop basic skills and/or acquire a wider set of skills, relevant for active participation in society and the labour market.
To achieve the objectives set out in the Recommendation, Member States were invited to provide tailor-made support to target groups through an integrated three-step pathway – skills assessment, provision of tailored and flexible learning opportunities and validation and recognition – complemented by outreach, guidance and support measures.
The evaluation report and the Staff Working Document, based on available evidence, highlight a moderate overall impact of the Recommendation. In particular:
- Relevant indicators show moderate positive trends
- Implementation has been uneven across Member States, with measures often lacking in scale and coordination
- Some stakeholders see the Recommendation as a catalyst for a renewed focus on supporting adults in acquiring basic skills as well as skills development in general
- The three-step approach is considered a useful reference point.
- The objectives of the recommendations remain relevant.
The assessment, together with increasing labour shortages and skills mismatches, clearly shows that the implementation of the Council Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways needs improvement. There is a need to provide opportunities for all in the labour market and in society.
It is also necessary to close the skills gap in the labour market to boost the EU’s competitiveness and the green and digital transitions.