Over the past years, the EU developed many instruments, tools, and standards. Among them, some were directly related to skills and occupations at large and more specifically to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Software Services. They are steppingstones to increasing the transparency, mobility, and effectiveness of learning programmes and labour market activities in the field.

What standards for ESSA?

The ESSA project main objective is to provide a clear and sustainable policy and educational pathway that allow all Europeans, with a need in software skills, to reach success – today and tomorrow.

To achieve the ambitious goals set by the ESSA project, we are looking at integrating and using different European frameworks, tools, instruments, and standards. In more specific terms, we are looking at the following:

• the European Qualifications Framework (EQF),
• the European Credit System for vocational education and training (ECVET),
• the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences, Qualifications, and Occupations (ESCO),
• the European Quality Assurance reference framework for VET (EQAVET),
• EUROPASS, and
• the ICT professionalism and digital competences related to European common standard for ICT Professional competences, knowledge, and skills in all sectors EN16234-1 e-Competence Framework (e-CF)

All these will be a part of the ground-breaking work of ESSA, which will deliver a clear European Software Skills Strategy – fit-for-purpose and resilient. Building on such recognised and solid standards will ensure the sustainability and transferability of ESSA’s output.

Promoting ESSA use case

Coordinator of ESSA, DIGITALEUROPE presented the project to a pool of IT experts during the IT Professionalism Europe and CEN/TC428 event “FOSTERING THE COMPETENT, TRUSTED AND RECOGNISED IT PROFESSION IN EUROPE – HOW STANDARDS CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN” on 20 May 2021.

We introduced the core elements of IT professionalism and explored how to ensure the IT profession is – and will be – equipped, trusted, and recognised in Europe. Moreover, it was a welcomed opportunity to promote and showcase the application of the ITPE standards and frameworks. A sparkling dialogue with the audience pointed at the fact that a policy and educational focus today is key to a bright future in the European software sector.

For more information about the event, visit the ITPE website.