Working Europe - education and jobs of the future for young people - 12WS22258

The workshop will be a continuation of a citizens’ dialogue organised by North Rhine Westphalia, Hauts-de-France and the Silesian Voivodeship in November 2021 within the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe. It will provide an excellent opportunity for in-depth reflection not only on the solutions presented then, but also on how the European Union, national authorities and, above all, local authorities can respond to the needs and expectations of young people in the field of education and employment. Moreover, in view of the fact that 2022 has been designated the European Year of Youth, this is the best time to focus on the role of young people in building our common, more sustainable future.

Our aim is to bring together politicians, experts, academics and all people interested in education and work in post-pandemic Europe, in particular civil society and young people. Using the example of three coal regions, we will try to analyse and take a closer look at the social and economic challenges facing all European regions. After a discussion between experts and participants, we hope to develop practical proposals for the education and professions of the future, best suited to the needs of young people. We would like to focus on practical solutions on how cohesion policies can support post-crisis recovery, mitigating the social and economic costs of the green and digital transition, particularly in the labour market, while empowering young people. Furthermore, our 20 years of cooperation in the Weimar Regional Triangle shows our ability to cooperate across borders to jointly develop better solutions for all our citizens. What increases the attractiveness of our workshop is the fact that the social and demographic structure of our regions represents an ideal cross-section of European society, so that the conclusions developed during the meeting can be applied to any other European region.