CONFERENCEZiņa
On June 2, 2025, the Latvian Employers’ Confederation (LDDK), in cooperation with the Sectoral Expert Councils (SECs), organized an online conference on the possibilities of implementing skill funds to promote sustainable adult education in sectors of the economy.
The conference was attended by researchers from the SRP “Education” project “Elaboration of evidence-based solutions for effective professional competence development of adults and assessment of the transfer of its results into practice in Latvia” (No. VPP-IZM-Education-2023/4-0001): Svetlana Surikova, Gunta Siliņa-Jasjukeviča, Sanita Baranova, Zane Zonberga, and Agija Dace Bidiņa.
Opening the conference, LDDK President Andris Bite emphasized the need to reduce the fragmentation of education and called for the involvement of employers in the planning and implementation of training. He noted that the resources invested in adult education are shared and their effective use must be ensured.
Jeļena Muhina, a representative of the Ministry of Education and Science, and Anita Līce, an expert from KPMG, introduced the concept of skill funds and international experience, emphasizing the role of employers in the fund’s operations. They indicated that Latvia has the opportunity to adapt the best examples from France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Ministry representative Gunta Arāja informed about the developed pilot project program, which will allow several sectors to test the operation of skill funds until 2028.
Ministry of Economics representative Baiba Bašķere emphasized the importance of tripartite cooperation in the development of human capital and the need for rapid identification and provision of training needs.
At the international exchange of experiences, Sune Holm Pedersen, representative of the Danish Employers' Confederation, shared the Danish model, where entrepreneurs make fixed contributions for employees, ensuring access to vocational education.
Representatives from the Latvian Adult Education Association, the Latvian Construction Contractors' Association, AS "Sadales tīkls" and the State Chancellery participated in the panel discussion on the motivation of companies in adult education.
The ideas expressed at the conference will be used in research to develop an evidence-based framework and practical solutions for the effective development of professional competence of adults, including educators, and the transfer of its results to practice in Latvia.
The conference recording is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo7cRYd-whw
