23 September 2021 in Graz, Austria

EUROSKILLS 2021 CONFERENCE

FUTURE OF SKILLS

Messecongress Graz

EuroSkills 2021 is accompanied by a first-class specialist programme.
Various regional, national and European event formats – conferences, meetings, seminars, sessions, lectures and partner programme contributions – will illuminate the core topic „FUTURE OF SKILLS“ from different perspectives.

On the first day of the competition, the official EUROSKILLS 2021 CONFERENCE will take place as a congress at a European level. The EUROSKILLS 2021 CONFERENCE is aiming to provide a unique platform for bi- and multilateral networking, mutual exchange and knowledge transfer on the topic „FUTURE OF SKILLS“. Taking into account the existing and future needs of industry, business and educational institutions, it is intended to provide fundamental impulses for the development of new, future-oriented educational and economic policy approaches and to show ways and possible solutions for an economically strong Europe of tomorrow.

  • Full day conference

  • 300+ participants from Europe     

  • Formats: Plenary lectures, impulse speeches, discussions, panels

  • Conference language: English

Download the complete Future of Skills – Conference Brochure!

Conference Brochure
Conference Brochure

WHO SHOULD ATTEND AND WHAT TO EXPECT

The EuroSkills 2021 Conference attracts a European-wide audience from the fields of education, politics and business. It is adressed in particular to decision-makers and specialists from public administration in the field of vocational training and employment, educational institutions, businesses and associations.

Participants shall be

  • Representatives of local, regional and international educational organizations and associations

  • Delegates from national and international ministries

  • International experts in the vocational education field

  • HR managers and decision makers from diverse industries

  • Media representatives

Take a look at the three focused tracks that build the conference.

Focus Topics and Tracks

The thematic focus is on the present and, above all, the future of vocational education and training as well as the skills, qualifications and competences needed in Europe.

CONFERENCE TICKETS

  • Conference Ticket: EUR 350,00 excl. VAT

  • Live Stream Conference Ticket: EUR 90,00 excl. VAT

Buy Your Ticket Now

Refund guarantee for safe bookings: In case of cancellation of the Conference because of COVID-19, full ticket prices will be refunded.

Conference Schedule

Your Presenter

Welcome by Steve Chaid

Speaker:

Dita Traidas, President WorldSkills Europe

Nicolas Schmit, EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights (online)

Margarete Schramböck, Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs, Austria

Heinz Faßmann, Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research, Austria

Philipp Gady, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Vice President

TECHNOLOGY VERSUS HUMANITY – The Future Is Already Here

Gerd Leonhard, Futurist, Humanist, Author, Film Maker, Speaker

GENERATION NEXT

Ali Mahlodji, Speaker, Co-Founder, European Youth Ambassador

GIFTED EDUCATION IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Ramona Uhl, University of Applied Sciences Linz, Austria

SKILLS COMPETITIONS AND THEIR BENEFITS

How Interact Skills Standards with National Educational Systems?

Participating in Skills Competitions – a Benefit for an International Company in Terms of Quality and Standards
Markus Friesenecker, Doka Austria GmbH

WorldSkills / EuroSkills – More than a Competition – Introduction to the WorldSkills Standard Specifications
Jenny Shackleton, Shackleton Education

Introducing WorldSkills Standards Into the National Educational System
Ekaterina Loshkareva, R&D Director in WorldSkills Russia

DEVELOPING NEW JOB PROFILES

Anna Prokopenia, World Skills Champions‘ Trust (Presenter)

Erik Heß, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany

Thomas Mayr, ibw Austria – Research and Development in VET

Gernoth Dolinar, Apprenticeship trainer at Julius Blum GmbH, Winner Industry 4.0 in Kazan

Alexander Hölbl, Head of the Department for Vocational Training and Engineer-Qualification at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, Austria

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE: Digital Learning Factory – How to Challenge Young Talent

Corinna Engelhardt-Nowitzki, Head of Department Faculty of Industrial Engineering at the FH Technikum Wien, representing the joint project with the Voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG

LIFE LONG LEARNING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, OECD

Chiara Riondino, EU Commission, Head of Unit for VET

Stefano Tirati, Founder learningdigital.eu and Vice President, EfVET

Friedrich Beisser, Education Manager, Siemens AG

VET AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS

How Can a National Vocational Education System React to Fast Changing Technologies and Stay Up-to-date?     

Eduard Staudecker, Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research

André Burri, Official Delegate, SwissSkills

Paweł Poszytek, Official Delegate WorldSkills Poland and General Director and Director of Erasmus+ Programme and European Solidarity Corps

TALENT MANAGEMENT AS A BUSINESS STRATEGY: WHAT TALENTS WANT

Andreas Steinle, Zukunftsinstitut

GENERATION Z AND THE LABOUR MARKET

Antonio Arias-Lopez, Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding at MBCC Group

ADDRESSING CHANGING SKILL NEEDS IN EUROPE

Manuela Geleng, Director General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission (online)

ADDRESSING CHANGING SKILL NEEDS IN EUROPE

Manuela Geleng, Director General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission (online)

Birgit Thomann, Head of Departement VET International, BIBB – Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (online)

Florian Slezak, Data Center Lead and Program Manager Microsoft Cloud Austria

FUTURE SKILLS

Perttu Pölönen, Inventor, Futurist, Author

Download the complete Future of Skills – Conference Brochure!

Conference Brochure
Conference Brochure

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

OPENING KEYNOTE

Gerd Leonhard

Futurist & Humanist, Author,
CEO The Futures Agency

Technology vs. Humanity

CLOSING KEYNOTE

Perttu Pölönen

Inventor, Futurist, Author

Future Skills

CONFERENCE SPEAKER

Antonio Arias Lopez

Global Head of Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding
MBCC Group

Friedrich Beisser

Education Manager
Siemens AG

André Burri

Official Delegate
SwissSkills

Markus Friesenecker

Markus Friesenecker, Head of Sales Doka Austria GmbH

Gernoth Dolinar

Apprenticeship Trainer
Company Blum
Winner Industry 4.0 in Kazan

C. Engelhardt-Nowitzki

Head of Department
Faculty of Industrial Engineering FH Technikum Wien
representing voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl

HEINZ FASSMANN

Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research, Austria

MANUELA GELENG

Director for Skills in the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
European Commission

ERIK HEß

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research

ALEXANDER HÖLBL

Head of the Department for Vocational Training and Engineer-Qualification,
Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, Austria

EKATERINA LOSHKAREVA

R&D Director, WorldSkills Russia

ALI MAHLODJI

EU Youth Ambassador
Co-Founder of WHATCHADO

PHILIPP GADY

Vice President
Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

Thomas Mayr

Director
ibw Austria

Paweł Poszytek

Official Delegate WorldSkills Poland and General Director and Director of Erasmus+ Programme and European Solidarity Corps

ANNA PROKOPENIA

Member of the WorldSkills Champions Trust
Participant of WorldSkills Sao Paolo 2015 (Patisserie and Confectionery)

CHIARA RIONDINO

DG Employment, Head of Unit VET
European Commission

ANDREAS SCHLEICHER

Director for Education and Skills
OECD

NICOLAS SCHMIT

Commissioner Jobs and Social Rights
European Commission

MARGARETE SCHRAMBÖCK

Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs
Austria

JENNY SHACKLETON

Director Shackelton
Education Limited

FLORIAN SLEZAK

Data Center Lead and Program Manager
Microsoft Cloud Austria

Eduard Staudecker

Project Manager
Ministry of Education
CEO
Austrian NQF Steering Group

Andreas Steinle

Co-founder
Zukunftsinstitut Workshop GmbH

Birgit Thomann

Director and Head of Department “VET International”
German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)

Stefano Tirati

Vice President
EfVET
CEO
Learningdigital.eu

DITA TRAIDAS

President
WorldSkills Europe

RAMONA UHL

Professor of Human Sciences and Didactics
Institute of Vocational Education,
University of Applied Sciences Linz, Austria

Steve Chaid

Presenter

(1) ©Gerd Leonhard (2) ©Perttu Pölönen (3) ©NATO (4) ©Friedrich Beisser (5) no credit (6) no credit (7) ©Doka Austria (8) ©WKÖ/SkillsAustria (9) ©FH Technikum Wien (10) ©BMBWF/Lusser (11) no credits (12) ©Erik Heß (13) ©BMWD (14) no credit (15) ©Christoph Steinbauer (16) © WKÖ/Marek Knopp (17) © Klemens Horvath (18) ©WorldSkills Poland (19) ©WorldSkills International (20) ©OECD (21) ©European Commission (22) ©European Commission (23) ©BKA, Andy Wenzel (24) no credit (25) ©fotogarage (26) ©KK (27) ©Andreas Steinle (28) ©BIBB (29) ©Stefano Tirati (30) ©VIAA (31) no credit (32) ©Journal News Anchor DWtv

Conference Tickets

  • Conference Ticket: EUR 350,00 excl. VAT

  • Live Stream Conference Ticket: EUR 90,00 excl. VAT

Buy Your Ticket Now

Aims and Goals

For any European country, the promotion of excellence in the development of skills and competences by enhancing the status and quality of vocational education and training is crucial, as economies face severe challenges in that field.

The EuroSkills 2021 Conference will not only raise awareness of the importance of high-quality vocational education and training for Europe, and of the need for highly trained and skilled workforces in Europe, but it intends to stimulate ideas by discussing challenges and opportunities, developing strategies and delivering possible solutions for economies, educational associations and companies.

THE CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

  • Highlights the relevance of vocational training for companies, organisations and whole economies

  • Focuses actual, relevant core topics on how to better respond to future requirements in the field of VET

  • Helps in the sharing of expertise and strengthening of vocational education and «best practice» on an international level

  • Discusses and presents models to meet the future needs of economies and companies

  • Showcases and focuses on future job and skills requirements

  • Stimulates initiatives for the development of new ideas and solutions by showcasing skills competitions as supporting developing national educational and training systems