European semester thematic fiche: Public employment services (PES)
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Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.
Career guidance and employment services
Career guidance and counselling, career education and lifelong development of skills for employability are key for success in learning activities, effective career transitions, livelihood planning, entrepreneurship and in increasing labour market participation. They are instrumental in promoting skills utilization, recognition (RPL), as well as in improving enterprise human resource management.
Career development activities encompass a wide variety of support activities including career information and advice, counselling, work exposure (e.g. job shadowing, work experience periods), assessment, coaching, mentoring, professional networking, advocacy, basic and employability skills training (curricular and non-curricular) and entrepreneurship training. It is often an area which is fragmented across different ministries (e.g. education, TVET, employment, youth) requiring an effort to achieve the necessary coordination to provide adequate support to individuals during learning, employment and unemployment/inactivity periods.
Promotional material
Presentations, discussion papers, meeting reports, promotional materials, videos, fact sheets, brochures and newsletters on skills development for employment.
Public Employment Services (PES) are the principal labour market institutions directly accountable to governments and set up to facilitate labour market integration of jobseekers and in some instances payment of unemployment and/or welfare benefits. Although structured differently in each country, all PES help match supply and demand in the labour market through information, placement and active support services at local, national and European levels. PES are also the main implementers of activation policies thus contributing to successful labour market transitions. The following thematic summary provides a comprehensive picture of PES in Europe.
Europe and Central Asia
