European Builders Confederation (EBC), European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) and European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) are organising the final high-level event of the Erasmus+ Construction Blueprint for Skills project, coming to its end in March end after four years of intense work, in collaboration with the whole partnership. The project gathers 24 partners Europe-wise under the lead of the Fundación Laboral de la Construcción, the Spanish institute for training in construction, with the aim of developing a new strategy for professional qualifications in the construction sector.

The construction sector is one of the most challenging in terms of skills shortages and the ambition of the Construction Blueprint project is to contribute to the upskilling and reskilling efforts by establishing a roadmap for professional qualifications in construction, improving and updating training curricula and addressing the existing mismatch between skills needed by the companies and the programs offered by training centres.

Skills for digital construction, energy efficiency and circular economy.

During the event, titled “A new sectoral strategic approach to cooperate on skills in the Construction industry“, the main findings of the project will be presented and three roundtables will address the challenges and opportunities regarding skills for digital construction, energy efficiency, and circular economy in the construction sector, notably in the context of the EU Green Deal and the Renovation Wave. In addition to that, a specific session will be devoted to the Pact for Skills in construction. The full provisional agenda is available here.

The Construction Blueprint final event happens timely considering the announcement by President von der Leyen of 2023 as the European Year of Skills. For thisreason, the programme already counts with the participation of Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit and MEP Ciaran Cuffe (Greens, Ireland), among others.

The event will take place on Wednesday 22 February, from 09.30 to 13.00, at the Residence Palace in Brussels, both in presence and online, with interpretation in English, French and Spanish.

AGENDA

9:00 - 9:30 - Registration

9:30 - 10:00 - Welcome words

Alex PUISSANT, Moderator

Keynote speech by the European Commission (recorded video)

• Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, European Commission
• Presentation of the Construction Blueprint for Skills project
• Javier GONZÁLEZ, Head of Training and Employment, Fundación Laboral de la Construcción FLC

Broadcast of final video: main milestones of the project

10:00 - 11:30 - Roundtables on Skills for Digitalisation, Energy Efficiency, and Circular Economy

Theme: The skills needed to implement the Renovation Wave

Digitalisation:

• Ilektra PAPADAKI, Team leader for construction and built environment, DG GROW, European Commission
• Žiga TURK, Professor in Construction Informatics, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana
• Tom DELEU, Secretary General, European Federation of Building and Woodworkers EFBWW

Circular Economy:

Anders LINDHOLM, Education Counsellor, Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU
Seamus HOYNE, Director of Industry Engagement, Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest TUS
Domenico CAMPOGRANDE, Director General, European Construction Industry Federation FIEC

Energy Efficiency:

MEP Ciaran CUFFE (Greens, Ireland), ITRE Rapporteur, European Parliament
Stelina CHATZICHRISTOU, Expert on Skills trends and intelligence, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training CEDEFOP
Fernando SIGCHOS JIMÉNEZ, Secretary General, European Builders Confederation EBC

11:30 - 11:45 - Coffee break

11:45 - 12:45 - Panel on the Pact for Skills for Construction sector: Opportunities and challenges
Presentation of Large Skills Partnerships – Support services

• Stefan HUMPL, Co-founder and General Manager at 3S, Partnership Support Coordinator of the Pact for Skills

Panel discussion 

• Katharina KNAPTON-VIERLICH, Head of Unit Construction Policy, DG GROW, European Commission
• Felix ROHN, Policy Officer, DG EMPL, European Commission
• Andrea OEL-BRETTSCHNEIDER, Head of Brussels Office, German Construction Federation (ZDB), Signatory of the Pact for Skills
• Lara PAEMEN, Managing Director, International Facility Management Association (IFMA), Potential Signatory of the Pact for Skills

Family picture with signatories of the Pact for Skills in construction

12:45 - 13:00 - Recap and closing remarks by the moderator of the event

FIEC, EFBWW, EBC: takeaways
Main conclusions of the event.

13:00 - Networking lunch