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Regional conference – Europe region “Skills shortages ” with Switzerland (SECO) and The Netherlands (UWV)
September 4 - September 5
Lugano
Interviews
Sandrine Portier, Deputy Director and Head of the Benchmark and Communication Unit, France Travail, France
Manuela Prina, Head of the Skills Identification and Development Unit, European Training Foundation, Italy
Frank Verduijn, Labour market analyst, UWV, The Netherlands
Dorothea Schmidt-Klau, Head of Department, Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Department (EMPLAB), International Labour Organisation, Switzerland
Regional conference – Europe region “Skills shortages ” with Switzerland (SECO) and The Netherlands (UWV)
4 and 5 September 2024 , Lugano, Switzerland
As Public Employment Services (PES) tackle the challenge of labour market shortages, SECO, UWV and WAPES invite you to a regional workshop dedicated to exploring the causes, effects, solutions, and long-term perspectives of this critical issue.
What to expect: – Stimulating discussions to understand labour market shortages – Informative sessions on the theme of resilience research – Interactive workshops and in-depth discussions on innovative strategies – Networking opportunities with experts and peers
Key Topics: – Labour market intelligence and skills matching – Revealing skills potential – Retaining talent – New roles for PES
Why Attend: – Obtain valuable information from researchers and experts – Share challenges and best practices – Collaborate for a more inclusive and resilient future
Special Note: The European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring (EN RLMM) will also hold its annual conference at the same venue on September 5th – 6th, 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity for dual conference attendance! Mark your calendars and be part of the conversation to shape the future of our labour markets. Formal invitations and agenda details to follow soon. Sincerely, SECO, UWV and WAPES
The working language of the workshop will be English. Spanish and French interpretation can be made available. Please indicate your request by filling in the needed language when you register.
Save these dates in your calendars now!
Programme
Wednesday 4 September 2024
- Evaluation of skills shortages in Switzerland Ms Dorit Griga , Senior Manager, International Relations, SECO, Switzerland
- Words of welcome from the Vice-President Europe Ms Sandrine Portier, Deputy Director and Head of the Benchmark and Communication Unit, France Travail, France
- Presentation on designing tailored interventions for people with disabilities, discouraged workers, and refugees.
- Discussion on collaboration with stakeholders to address labour market potentials.
- Q&A session
- Promoting employment: Inclusive strategies for people with disabilities in Latvia Eva Lapsiņa, Director of the Development and Analysis Department, National Employment Agency, Latvia
- Public employment services faced with the challenges of labour shortages Sandrine Portier, Deputy Director and Head of the Benchmark and Communication Unit, France Travail, France
- Towards inclusive labour markets and societies, the case of women and people with disabilities in high transition economies Manuela Prina, Head of the Skills Identification and Development Unit, European Training Foundation, Italy
- 15 min – Presentation on evolving roles of PES in tapping new labour potentials.
- 30 min – Discussion on ambassadorial functions, practice-based learning, and institutional reforms.
- 15 min Q&A session and/or wrap up
Workshop Session 1a
Room Aula 1.03 11:30 h – 12:30 h
Retaining Talent
• Presentation of strategies for retaining talent in the job market. • Discussion on advising employers on retraining opportunities and corporate culture. Moderator – Ms Barbora Novotna Svojse, Partnership Development Manager, WAPES
- Preventing unemployment by investing in skills development through employers: training grant for employers.
Ms Gerli Aas, Strategy Manager, Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, Estonia
Presentation Language English – Interpretation into Spanish available
Workshop Session 1b
Room Aula 1.0411:30 – 12:30
Labour Market Intelligence and Skills Matching
– Presentation on modernizing PES IT systems to improve labor market information – Discussion on using data analysis to identify skills needs in emerging industries. Moderator, Ms Dorit Griga, Senior Manager, International Relations, SECO, Switzerland
- Skills-based matching
Mr Thomas de Buman, Project manager, SECO, Switzerland
- Labour market information
Mr Michel van Smoorenburg, International Labour Market Analyst, UWV, The Netherlands
- Continuous improvement in the detection and dissemination of Labour Market Information regarding shortage occupations
Mr Jean-Marc Manfron, General Manager, Le Forem, Belgium Language of presentation English and French – English and French interpretation available
Workshop Session 2a
Room Aula 1.0313:45 – 14:45
New Roles for the PES
Moderator: Mr Niels Lieman, Head of international relations and Advisor For European PES Affairs, UWV, The Netherlands
- 34 solutions to address labour market shortages – What works in your country?
Mr Frank Verduijn, Labour market information advisor and , UWV, The Netherlands
Presentation Language English – Interpretation into Spanish available
Workshop Session 2b
Room Aula 1.0413:45 – 14:45
New Roles for the PES and unlocking Labour Market potential
Moderator: Ms Nicole Clobes, Consultant, seconded to WAPES by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Germany
- The Job Turbo – Integration of refugees into the labour market
Mr Michael van der Cammen,Director for International Relations, Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Germany
- How does Norway work to ensure that refugees are integrated and gain a solid attachment to the labour market?
Ms Cecilie Glomseth, Senior Integration Advisor, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Norway Language of presentation English, French interpretation available
- More collaboration with the local governments to unlock labour market potentials
Ms Sarah Demuynck, Policy Advisor, VDAB, Belgium and Mr Jo Discart, Provincial network manager of local authorities, VDAB, Belgium - Employment Service in the future labour market: towards future resilient skills and competences
Ms Inga Balnanosienė, Director of Employment Service under the Ministry of social security and labour, Vice-chair of EU PES Network Lithuania
Thursday 5 September 2024
- Panel discussion with representatives from successful initiatives
- Panel discussion with representatives from successful initiatives
- Q&A session
- Matching demand to the job market Mr Federico Muñiz Alonso Deputy Director of Statistics and Information and Mr Victor Santa-Bárbara Rupérez Barcelona Province Director, Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal Spain
- Tackling green transition labor and skills shortages in northern Sweden M. Shawn Mendes, Director of International Affairs, Arbetsförmedlingen, Sweden
- Public employment services – Meeting the challenge of skilled labor shortages
M. Ivan Barbalić, Director, Labor and Employment Agency, Bosn
- Skills Enbek vocational training platform Ms Venera Bidakhmetova, Head of Division, e-Learning Development Department, Enbek, Kazakhstan
- Bringing institutions closer together for the development of micro-credit Ms Živa Štiglic, Senior Advisor, International Department, Slovenian Employment Service
- Ms Dorit Griga, Senior Manager, International Relations, SECO, Switzerland
- Mr Niels Lieman, Head of international relations and Advisor For European PES Affairs, UWV, The Netherlands
- Ms Inga Balnanosienė, Director of Employment Service under the Ministry of social security and labour and Vice-chair of EU PES Network Lithuania
Via delle scuole 7 / CP 442, 6902 Lugano Restaurant Vetta San Salvatore
Speaker
Dorit GRIGA
Senior International Relations Manager – State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
Dr Dorit Griga works as Senior International Relations Manager at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), in the Labour Market and Unemployment Insurance Department. She has a background in the Social Sciences. Before joining SECO, she worked as Executive Secretary of the Concordat on Scholarships at the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, where she was also involved in a project to adjust the funding of higher education institutions. She has also worked at the Swiss University of Vocational and Technical Education and at the Department of Sociology of Education at the University of Bern.
Mrs Dorothea Schmidt-Klau
Head of Department, Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Department (EMPLAB), International Labour Organization, Switzerland
Dorothea Schmidt-Klau is Head of the Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Service in the Employment Policy Department of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Before taking up this post, she headed the department’s management and coordination unit, contributing to the development of integrated employment, development and skills policies. Between 2009 and 2013, she was Senior Employment Specialist for North Africa, providing strategic advice to governments and social partners. She holds a doctorate in economics from the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, and her work focuses on gender equality, poverty reduction and labour market policies. Ms Schmidt-Klau has also contributed to several major ILO publications.
Mr Samir Zuko
Deputy Director for International Relations and Local Labour Market, Labour and Employment Agency of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Samir Zuko is Deputy Director for International Relations and Local Labour Market at the Employment and Labour Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With over 20 years’ experience, he is an expert in labour markets and migration flows, having contributed to numerous international projects to improve labour market efficiency. Mr Zuko plays a key role in the implementation of international employment agreements, ensuring their compliance through his work with the Interstate Control Commission. He also participates in international conferences, where he shares his expertise on migration and labour market issues.
Ms. Eva Lapsiņa
Director of the Development and Analysis Department, National Employment Agency, Latvia
Eva Lapsiņa has worked at the National Employment Agency for 10 years, where she has held positions in various areas such as data analysis and labour market forecasting, service improvement and employer services. Her main responsibilities in her current position include corporate development and operational planning, public relations, international relations, statistics and analysis, and customer care management. Through her various roles within the institution, Eva Lapsiņa has acquired in-depth knowledge of the operations, objectives and services of public employment agencies, which are essential for jobseekers and employers.
Ms Sandrine Portier
Deputy Director and Head of Benchmark and Communication Unit, France Travail, France
Sandrine Portier has been working for the French PES for over 30 years. After extensive experience in supporting jobseekers and managing local branches, she joined Pôle emploi’s head office in 2013. She went on to hold a variety of complementary positions: head of the performance management system unit, deputy director of national communications, and internal performance consultant. Sandrine is currently Deputy Director of the European and International Relations Department, head of the Benchmark and Communication unit, and supervises team leaders dedicated to international mobility. This wide range of responsibilities makes it easier to build bridges between the different issues related to the role of a PES on the international stage.
Ms Manuela Prina
Head of the Skills Identification and Development Unit, European Training Foundation, Italy
Manuela Prina is Head of the Knowledge Hub for Skills and Jobs Unit at the European Training Foundation (ETF) in Italy. Since 2008, she has been leading knowledge initiatives on skills, innovation and labour market policies, contributing to the reform of education systems in countries outside the EU. Before joining the ETF, she worked for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. With a PhD in International Political Economy, she is actively involved in global agendas on inclusion, digital, and migration. Manuela is also the parent of four teenagers and passionate about lifelong learning.
Ms Barbora Novotna Svojse
Partnership Development Manager, WAPES
Before joining WAPES in January 2024, Barbora was deeply involved in the dynamic world of Public Employment Services (PES), both at Member State and European Commission level. Her roles have ranged from representative of the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in the PES network and WAPES, to Policy Officer and Programme Director at DG EMPL. As part of the European PES network secretariat team, she facilitated the implementation of the PES network and EURES work programmes. In the CZ and SK country teams, she actively contributed to the implementation of the EU 2020 strategy and the European Semester. Throughout her career, she has built up a wealth of expertise in the fields of employment, social affairs, skills, youth policies, mobility and the management of ESF+ programmes. Building partnerships and networks, as well as coordinating activities at European and international level, such as mutual learning events and conferences, have been both a source of joy and a privilege. Joining AMSEP’s Executive Secretariat is like coming full circle to the most exciting parts of her career.
Ms Gerli Aas
Head of Strategy, Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, Estonia
Gerli Aas has been Head of Strategy and Head of Development at the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund since 2002. She has held various positions, including Director of the General Department and Director of Strategy, where she led strategic planning and change management. With two masters degrees in digital change in business and administrative management, Gerli has contributed to numerous labour market reforms and unemployment prevention. She chairs the Estonian VET Quality Evaluation Council and is a member of the pool of evaluators for European public employment services. She currently sits on the committee for allocating training subsidies to employers. Her expertise in performance management and strategic development enhances the effectiveness of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund.
Mr Thomas de Buman
Project Manager, SECO, Switzerland
Thomas de Buman is head of the Evolution Data Matching project at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). He holds a master’s degree in communication systems from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and has extensive experience of implementing IT projects in public administrations.
Mr Michel van Smoorenburg
International Labour Market Analyst, UWV, Netherlands
Michel van Smoorenburg is an international labour market analyst at the Dutch Public Employment Service (UWV) and a senior member of the Labour Market Information and Advice Department. With a career that began in 1997, he is responsible for national and international research projects, such as the comparison of labour market trends and migration. Michel has worked with SEO Economic Research to improve career guidance through graduate tracking and has worked with the Central Statistical Office on the analysis of data on job vacancies and registered jobseekers. He is also involved in European projects on skills shortages and is an active member of the European Regional Labour Market Monitoring Network. Michel has a degree in business economics from the Zuyd Hogeschool and in human resources management from Tilburg University.
Mr Jean-Marc Manfron
Director, Job Market Watch, Analysis and Forecasting Department
After starting his career at Gallup Europe, a company specialising in opinion polls, Jean-Marc Manfron joined Forem, where he progressed from market analyst to head of market analysts. For more than three years, he has been head of the Job Market Watch, Analysis and Forecasting department within Forem’s Strategy Directorate. This department produces analyses describing the workings of the employment market, including the identification and detection of occupations with labour shortages in Wallonia and the causes of tensions. The prospective work carried out also makes it possible to anticipate future tensions, taking into account developments and needs identified in the various sectors of activity.
Mr Niels Lieman
Head of International Relations and PES Advisor for European Affairs, UWV, Netherlands
Niels Lieman is a seasoned expert in employment services and pensions management. For more than 14 years, he has held various positions at the Dutch public employment service, UWV, where he has contributed to the development of online services, human resources, and the management of the objection and appeals departments. In 2020, Niels was appointed Head of International Relations at the UWV, leveraging global best practice to improve employment services. He also plays a key role in the UWV pension fund, as general secretary and chairman of the audit, finance and risk committee.
Mr Frank Verduijn
Labour Market Information Advisor, UWV, Netherlands
Frank has been working at the UWV for around ten years, and in the Labour Market Department since 2018. As a labour market analyst, he is responsible for researching the current state of the Dutch labour market, as well as trends and developments in the labour field. He also acts as an internal trainer and external spokesperson on these issues.
Mr Michael van der Cammen
Directeur des relations internationales, Federal Employment Agency, Germany
Michael van der Cammen is Director of International Relations, responsible for the division dealing with migration, recognition of certificates, admission to the labour market and international advice and placement. The implementation of the latest immigration law and the development of approaches to improve the participation of foreign skilled workers in the labor market are among its main activities.
Ms Cecilie Glomseth
Senior Integration Adviser, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Norway
Cecilie Glomseth is Senior Integration Advisor at NAV, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. A historian of religion by training, she has in-depth expertise in integration, focusing on strengthening the multicultural skills of NAV’s advisers. For the past three years, she has led initiatives on the use of interpreters, multicultural competence and the fight against discrimination and digital exclusion. Cecilie has also played a crucial role in the care of refugees, particularly those displaced from Ukraine, contributing to social inclusion in Norway.
Mr Shawn Mendes
Director of International Affairs, Arbetsförmedlingen, Sweden
Shawn Mendes is Director of International Affairs at Arbetsförmedlingen, Sweden’s public employment service. He has a wealth of experience at various Swedish institutions, including the Swedish Council for Higher Education, Vinnova, the Ministry of Education and Research, and Skolverket. Before moving to Sweden in 2002, he worked in Canada as a policy advisor and in the public sector in British Columbia, where he specialised in international trade and labour market policy. Shawn holds a BA from Simon Fraser and Carleton Universities in Canada, and an MA from Stockholm University.
Ms Sarah Demuynck
Policy Advisor, VDAB, Belgium
Labour market policy advisor specialising in the employment of third-country nationals and new arrivals in Flanders. The focus is on local links with migration policy and the activation of people not in employment.
Mr Jo Discart
Manager of the provincial network of local authorities, VDAB, Belgium
The provincial network manager has a supra-local and strategic role. It monitors local partnerships at provincial level, based on its expertise in working with organisational networks and managing strategic relationships in cooperation with local authorities.
Ms Inga Balnanosienė
Director of the Employment Service at the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, Vice-President of the EU PES network in Lithuania
Inga Balnanosiene is the Director of the Lithuanian Employment Service, under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, and Vice-President of the PES Network of the European Union. With over 15 years’ experience in the public employment service, she has coordinated the implementation of labour market policies and contributed to the development of new and innovative employment services. She plays a key role in coordinating national research into labour market needs, ensuring a balance between skills supply and demand. Inga works closely with stakeholders to address skills shortages and is actively engaged at European level to integrate best practice from Member States into Lithuanian public employment services, thereby promoting sustainable employment and social inclusion.
Ms Cristina Mereuta
Senior Expert in Human Capital Development, Coordinator of Active Labour Market Policies, European Training Foundation, Italy
Cristina Mereuta is Senior Expert in Human Capital Development and Coordinator of Active Labour Market Policies at the European Training Foundation (ETF) in Italy. She leads the ETF’s project on active labour market policies, focusing on transition to employment, career guidance, and work-based learning. Cristina advises EU neighbouring countries on the implementation of programmes inspired by the EU Youth Guarantee, while contributing to research on skills matching and school-to-work transition. Prior to the ETF, she worked for the Romanian Ministry of Labour, where she was responsible for employment policy and collaborated with international organisations such as the European Commission and the ILO.
Mr Federico Muñiz Alonso
Deputy Director of Statistics and Information
Federico Muñiz Alonso is Deputy Director General of Statistics and Information at SEPE, Spain’s public employment service. He graduated in physics from the University of Barcelona in 1992, and began his career as a mathematics teacher in secondary schools, where he also held management positions from 1995 to 2008. Since 2008, he has been coordinating the information systems of the public employment services of Spain’s autonomous regions. He also oversees the SEPE’s Observatory of Occupations, which analyses labour market trends and prepares reports on training needs. Federico represents Spain on a number of European committees, including the Indicators Group of the European Commission’s Employment Committee and the Benchlearning project of the PES network.
Mr Victor Santa-Bárbara Rupérez
Directeur de la province de Barcelone, Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal Espagne
Law degree from the University of Alcalá de Henares. Master’s degree in leadership and public service from Menendez Pelayo University. Provincial Director of the Barcelona SEPE since 2012. Head of the Barcelona Observatory of Professions. Professor at the University of Barcelona. Author of more than 25 articles on employment and social security. Author of several legal works.
Mr Ivan Barbalić
Directeur, Agence du travail et de l’emploi, Bosnie-Herzégovine
Ivan Barbalic est le directeur de l’Agence pour le travail et l’emploi de Bosnie-Herzégovine depuis janvier 2024. Diplômé de l’université de Bridgeport et titulaire d’une maîtrise conjointe de l’université de Sarajevo et de l’université de Bologne, il a également obtenu un Mid-Career Master in Public Administration à la Harvard Kennedy School en 2021. Ancien ambassadeur de Bosnie-Herzégovine en Russie et représentant permanent auprès des Nations unies, il a présidé le Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU en 2011. Avant son poste actuel, il a été conseiller principal du premier ministre du canton de Sarajevo et a joué un rôle clé dans divers projets de gouvernance et d’intégration européenne. Il est également l’un des fondateurs de l’ACIPS, un groupe de réflexion influent à Sarajevo.
Ms Venera Bidakhmetova
Head of Division, e-Learning Development Department, Enbek, Kazakhstan
Venera Bidakhmetova is an EdTech leader who has led the growth of Skills Enbek, a skills development platform with over 450,000 users. As Head of Division at the Centre for Workforce Development in Kazakhstan, she led initiatives to expand online course offerings and foster partnerships with industry. Recognised for her contributions in this field, Venera holds the Future Skills Master badge awarded by the Skills Lab network of the European Training Foundation.
Ms Živa Štiglic
Senior Adviser, International Department, Slovenian Employment Service
Živa Štiglic is a Senior Adviser in the International Department of the Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS). With a Master’s degree in law, she plays a key role in the implementation of interstate labour and employment agreements, as well as in cooperation with other labour market actors, both nationally and internationally. Previously, Živa was responsible for the central employers’ office at ESS, where she developed new approaches to engaging employers. She has also worked as an expert for Socieux+, helping to strengthen countries’ capacity to manage employment strategies and social protection systems.