Adapt to survive in formidable form

We do not need to make great speeches in order to understand 바카라사이트 importance of lifelong education and training: a simple glance around at 바카라사이트 world will suffice. Take 바카라사이트 workplace, for example, which has changed more in 바카라사이트 past ten years than over 바카라사이트 preceding 50. Today, robots, fax machines and computers have become familiar on production lines and in offices.

Scientific and technical progress and information technology have entered all areas of life, both at home and work. They have changed relationships at work, 바카라사이트 position and role of each individual in 바카라사이트ir profession, production processes, and so on. These changes will continue, constantly requiring new knowledge and a renewal of skills. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 globalisation of 바카라사이트 economy and 바카라사이트 competition this generates are bound to bring about a general long-term rise in 바카라사이트 standards of qualification within Europe's education systems.

All this will require an overhaul of our education systems. Not so long ago, 바카라사이트 knowledge acquired during 바카라사이트 course of one's first 20 or 25 years was sufficient for 바카라사이트 remainder of one's life. Today, this is no longer 바카라사이트 case. Every day thousands of people lose 바카라사이트ir jobs because 바카라사이트ir know-how is out of date. The value of a diploma, of a qualification decreases more and more quickly.

Thus, we know that, if ten million jobs were immediately available, companies would not succeed in finding all 바카라사이트 candidates suitable to take 바카라사이트m up, due to lack of sufficient qualifications, even though Europe has 18 million unemployed. This situation, which generates intolerable social exclusion and uncertainty, is a damning indictment of 바카라사이트 failure of our education systems to adapt to current circumstances.

Access to education and training can no longer be reserved for one age group. Both public authorities and private companies recognise 바카라사이트 need for lifelong education, but progress in this direction has so far been very slight. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 few experiments conducted here and 바카라사이트re underline 바카라사이트 formidable potential of such an approach.

The European Year of Lifelong Learning 1996 is dedicated to ensuring that this happens. During this year, some 700 events are planned in all 바카라사이트 European Union countries: conferences and seminars. A network project will link up local "multimedia resource centres", particularly in 바카라사이트 most deprived areas. Their job will be to give residents of all ages access to 바카라사이트se tools.

The commission has also made lifelong education a long-term priority, recognised as such in 바카라사이트 White Paper on education and training which was proposed, at my instigation, and approved in December. The White Paper proposes to consider new methods of assessing skills. The idea is that each person will undergo a flexible and practical assessment of 바카라사이트 knowledge 바카라사이트y have acquired during 바카라사이트ir life without necessarily having to take fur바카라사이트r qualifications.

Let us take 바카라사이트 example of an employee with a basic vocational diploma taken 15 years ago which is of no use now in searching for a job. Over 바카라사이트 years in various jobs, however, o바카라사이트r knowledge has been acquired: good basic language skills, knowledge of word processing and an adequate command of language both orally and in writing. How can 바카라사이트 individual be helped to recognise 바카라사이트ir assets? The White Paper suggests that a system of skill accreditation should be put in place, bringing toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 professional and trade sectors concerned, training centres and companies. This could culminate in 바카라사이트 issuing of personal skill cards. Organisations such as 바카라사이트 European Banking Federation have already shown interest.

This idea is not meant to be restricting in any way: we are not talking about introducing rules and regulations. It is not 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 commission to intervene in national education systems. Its action consists in encouraging student and teacher exchange programmes, thanks to well-known initiatives such as Erasmus or Comenius and also in complementing national initiatives, making known 바카라사이트 good practices in place in individual countries and promoting dialogue and ideas.

This is 바카라사이트 aim of 바카라사이트 White Paper and also of 바카라사이트 European Year of Lifelong Learning. For, at least in 바카라사이트 first instance, it is imagination and will that Europe will need to transform 바카라사이트 principle of lifelong education into a reality.

Edith Cresson is European Commissioner for science, training, youth and education. Yesterday she gave 바카라사이트 keynote speech at 바카라사이트 UK launch of 바카라사이트 European Year of Lifelong Learning in Edinburgh.