CSR Europe urges new Commission and stakeholders to build European Pact for Youth on skills for jobs

Against the backdrop of Commission President Junker’s plan on growth and investment to get European citizens back to work, CSR Europe’s EU policy seminar on 4 December set out an ambitious 2016 target to equip 5 million people across Europe with the skills required for jobs in Europe’s competitive business environment.

At the Skills for Jobs seminar hosted by Microsoft Europe, there was also broad support for CSR Europe’s call to establish a European Pact for Youth to work towards setting new standards in business-education alliances to boost employability and job creation.

Together with EU policymakers and educators, CSR Europe member companies including HP, IBM, Johnson & Johnson Microsoft, Samsung, and Telefonica amongst others debated how to practically work together to empower young people to gain the right skills for jobs. Director General of EU Commission DG Employment Michel Servoz  emphasized the key role of businesses in private sector as innovators and job creators. As well as the pressing need for education and skills to keep pace to provide the skills required for new jobs in a modern digital European economy.

The results of CSR Europe’s practical tool for companies to assess the potential impact of Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) oriented activities were also presented. In addition, companies including Amgen, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson showed examples of their investment in best in class programmes on STEM, Entrepreneurial and apprenticeships across the Skills for Jobs campaign.

CSR Europe looks forward to continuing to work with members, stakeholders and campaign partners Digital Europe, European Schoolnet, JA-YE, CEC and the European Youth Forum on Skills for Jobs to progress towards the launch a Pact for Youth on the occasion of CSR Europe’s Enterprise 2020 Summit on 16-17 November 2015.

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