Skills & Qualifications in the Pulp & Paper Sector

Nov 25, 2016

Today and tomorrow skill needs of the European Industry require updating the education and training offer.

Today, the European Social Partners in the Pulp and Paper Sector, CEPI and industriAll Europe, presented a set of policy recommendations that should contribute to a more comprehensive skills strategy in Europe. These recommendations are the result of an extensive research project carried out over the last 2 years. The project was triggered by the observation of profound changes in the industry. Social partners’ agenda was therefore to ensure that the European Paper sector has an adequately skilled workforce. That is why the European Social Partners call on policy makers to:

– Promote workforce adaptability and versatility

– Focus on upskilling and life-long learning

– Facilitate workers’ mobility

– Anticipate future skills needs

– Create conditions for high-quality mentorship

– Raise awareness and attractiveness of the sector

– Provide a one-stop-shop for a coherent European Skills Strategy

The subject of skills and qualifications is a burning one for our industry in order to stay competitive and to offer attractive workplaces and opportunities for career development to workers in the European Paper Industry”, said Luc Triangle, General Secretary of industriAll Europe. “industriAll is convinced that Social Dialogue is an excellent tool to identify skills gaps and develop joint ideas to overcome them.”

Sylvain Lhôte, Director General of CEPI: “Future skills and jobs lie at the heart of industry transformation and the bioeconomy transition in Europe. Our industry has a strong innovation and investment agenda ahead to make transformation to happen here in Europe. We need to equip our workforces with the skills to accompany this transformation.”

The project deliverables were presented at a conference held in Brussels on 24 November that gathered some 100 participants and are available online in 6 language versions.

For industriAll European Trade Union&nbsp: Corinna Zierold or by phone at +32 2 226 00 55

For CEPI: Bernard de Galembert   or by phone at +32 2 627 49 27