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FOREWORD

In the current global context of complex economic challenges, industry recovery
and workforce development, increasing attention is being given to the strategic
imperative for effective employer engagement by providers of Vocational
Education and Training (VET). As global economies emerge from the impact of
the Covid-19 pandemic, skills and vocational training will be central to the
economic recovery strategies across Europe, as governments and industry
leaders recognise the transformative potential that VET programmes can deliver
across regional jurisdictions. Collaboration and co-design between industry and
VET providers will be of critical importance for both the quality of professional
and technical education, and for ensuring future employees have the requisite
skills for the world of work.

It is therefore imperative for VET providers to build and maintain effective
strategic alignment with employers through collaboration, co-innovation and co-

investment. This is critical for both the quality of education and to ensure that
future employees have the requisite skills for the future of work. Enabling
collaboration with and across the employer engagement ecosystem, will drive
forward and deliver a differentiated solution, enabling the sustainment of added
value over time. Collaboration must transition from fragmented partners
working in silos to collaborative relationships across multiple channels and at
scale.

Co-innovation must effectively address critical and emerging employer needs
and achieving the strategic goals of the VET Provider and Employer partnership.
Transformational change is therefore critical, as the ability to innovate is a top
criterion for employers when choosing a VET provider partner, followed by
provider capacity and capability. The willingness to invest is a key criterion when
employers are choosing a VET provider partner. Therefore, co-ordinating
investment between partners to ensure alignment on how best to target

investments for co-innovation and achieve strategic outcomes.

As concluded by a recent study from the EC, there exists several constraining
factors to successful VET-Employer cooperation across Europe, and in particular
in BRIDGES’ participating countries (North Ireland, England, Ireland, Germany,
Portugal, Spain, Poland and Cyprus), including: a lack of effective dialogue
between industry, providers and government; cost constraints to support

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