Training: a challenger for Europe. Origins of a European training policy

Abstract

Training and education in Europe constitute «the principle vectors of identification, belonging and social advance». «The society of the future will therefore be a cognitive society», the true wealth of which will reside in Human Resources, in intellectual potential. All individuals must be guaranteed permanent education which allows them to develop their abilities, such that every citizen receives training. This very positive affirmation is however tinged by some dark shadows: approximately 20 to 25% of young people leave school without going on to obtain any further qualification, and in the new millennium these people will be marginalised not only at school but also in society. Therefore, the increase in level of education of the whole population is, together with the adaptation of the population to the needs of the process of change, one of the challenges facing industrialised countries: This is given expression through training programmes financed by the European Social Fund, where initiatives and programmes are promoted aimed at spreading training, research and development resources, thus articulating the European dimension of teaching.