By Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP)
The European Commission declared 2023 the European Year of Skills to tackle the mismatch between unemployment and education, but it indicates a sparring vision of education as a partner. It is for this reason that the Lifelong Learning Platform chose “Key competences for all: a lifelong learning approach to skills” as its Annual Theme for 2023. Through this topic, LLLP would like to stress that the reductionist approach to skills risks overlooking the key competences citizens need for life. In life and in the workplace, cross-functional competences are useful in a wide variety of situations and are the right combination of skills, knowledge, and attitudes that ultimately lead to more fulfilling, active citizens who are capable of adapting to fast-paced changes while finding fulfilment in their work. The skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy are relevant to every sector, field, task, era, and life stage.
Our focus should shift away from the labour market and towards a lifelong learning paradigm that incorporates the Key Competences for Lifelong Learning and the European Framework for Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Key Competence. A prosperous and just society depends on all forms of learning.