On June 13-14, 2024, in Warsaw took place the Bilateral Seminar “Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce: Exploring AI and Future Tech in VET and C-VET”. The Seminar was organized by the Education Programme under the EEA and Norway Grants.
The seminar provided an opportunity to engage in discussions on complex, challenging, yet urgent topics—primarily concerning how education must evolve in response to the challenges posed by new technologies. We heard the voices of representatives of schools, academic communities, industry, as well as policymakers responsible for shaping vocational education from Poland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Together, they explored innovative strategies and tools that help bridge the gap between education and the demands of the future job market.
The event was opened by Alina Prochasek, Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System:
– In this rapidly evolving technological landscape, vocational education and training (VET) is more critical than ever. Our goal over the next two days is to explore how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies can transform these fields, preparing our workforce for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
On behalf of the Norwegian partner of the Education Programme, the floor was taken by Margunn Instefjord, representative of the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-DIR).
A special guest at the event was Professor Aleksandra Przegalińska, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation and ESR at Kozminski University in Warsaw, who presented the role of artificial intelligence in the VET sector.
The conference featured two panel discussions:
The panelists unanimously agreed on the necessity of partnerships between education and business. In today’s dynamic market, collaboration between educational institutions, industry partners, and government authorities is more crucial than ever.
The panelists also concurred that it is essential to respond promptly to the needs of the changing job market, which often requires employees to handle increasingly new technologies. Katarzyna Kołodziejska, director of ZDZ Schools in Radom, pointed to Centres of Vocational Excellence as a good example of an effective response to this challenge::
– It is an uplifting experience when education connects with business through Centres of Vocational Excellence.
On the second day of the event, participants were divided into three workshop groups. During sessions conducted using the Design Thinking method, they not only collaboratively developed topics on the use of AI in vocational education but also sought ways to strengthen partnerships and cooperation on innovative solutions with the support of the international VET community. They shared the outcomes during the concluding meeting, which closed the Seminar.
Thank you very much for your active participation, questions, and international discussions!
