EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - QeC-ERAN skills audit shows generic kills are essential for delivering sustainable communities

QeC-ERAN skills audit shows generic kills are essential for delivering sustainable communities

Introduction

The creation of sustainable and competitive communities requires certain skills. However, according to QeC-ERAN research, urban professionals in Europe do not always possess these skills. In order to get a better image of the learning needs of cities, an audit of skills and training was undertaken. The research uncovered the fact that in order to reach the broad goals of Lisbon and Gothenburg as well as the revised Strategy for Growth and Jobs, skills development should play an important role on the EU agenda. The setting up of specific skills programmes for cities is considered to be of great importance in this respect.

Proposition

How to create the skills among urban professionals for the creation of sustainable and competitive communities?

Description

This report has been undertaken by QeC-European Regeneration Areas Network(QeC-ERAN) as part of the Urban Diversity, Integration and Exclusion Exchange (UDIEX). UDIEX is an URBACT thematic network led by the City of Venice with technical support from QeC-ERAN.

In addressing these three objectives of the programme, UDIEX set out to develop an Action-Learning Exchange of Experience Programme (ALEP) on the key themes of Diversity, Integration and Inclusion for between 350-400 participants from 27 cities.

In the implementation of this programme it became clear from the feedback coming from participants that there were a number of “learning needs” that participants were expressing. Accordingly, partners agreed that an audit of skills and training needs should be undertaken.

This skills audit highlighted the gap between the policy aspiration of 'sustainable and competitive communities' and the skills of actors responsible for delivering regeneration programmes.

The findings suggest a number of recommendations in addressing the needs identified:

A generic skills development programme needs to be developed;
Use the results emerging from this survey in order to take the EU agenda forward by developing a programme which focuses on the skills required for Developing Sustainable and Competitive Communities;
Rethink the way in which the transnational exchange of experience and learning can be delivered;
Link the skills agenda into the broad goals of Lisbon and Gothenburg as well as the revised Strategy for Growth and Jobs;
Develop a unique EU capacity building and empowerment programme that would combine a range of learning methodologies.

Methodology

The skills and training audit was undertaken by using the Udiex-Alep participants as the survey sample. The Udiex-Alep programme involved a total 367 participants from 24 cities.

The audit was undertaken by the circulation of a questionnaire to all participants. In addition to the circulation of the questionnaire, fourty qualitative interviews were undertaken. These telephone interviews enabled the survey to share feedback aspects emerging from the questionnaire responses and thus capture common needs.

Conclusions

The results of the survey indicate a number of conclusions:

In terms of generic skills on average 42% of respondents indicated that they had some further training needs in relation to the nine sub-skills grouped in the Strategic Skills cluster. Just over 36% of respondents indicated that they had considerable training
needs. In terms of the Practical Skills cluster, 61% of respondents indicated some further training needs and just under 18% indicated that they had considerable training needs. Finally in relation to process skills 70% of respondents indicated some further training needs and just under 14% indicated that they had considerable training needs;
The importance of generic skills was highlighted through the one to one interviews. Generic kills are considered essential for delivering successful regeneration. However, those that work in regeneration state that their competency levels are not sufficiently high;
The skills gap in widest for conflict resolution, building stakeholder relationships, and analysis and decision-making. Community
engagement, communication, partnership working and creative or innovative thinking also have relatively wide gaps between the level of importance and the perceived level of competency.
Just over 70% of respondents indicated a need for training/briefing in relation to EU policies and programmes relating to Education and Culture; Cohesion/Regional policy and mployment Strategy. Just over 86%indicated such a need in relation to Social and Employment policies and programmes.
The preferred method of training (83%) for respondents were short, accredited courses that ran over a number of weeks.

Contact info

QeC-ERAN
Dr. Haroon Saad (Director), tel. +32-2 524 45 45

Publication date

05/12/2007

Project finished

05/12/2007

Click here to download the full report of the QeC-ERAN skills audit (PDF, Eng, 232 kB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy

Keywords

Social inclusion & integration