Wallonia and Brussels adopt Flemish competency profile system

With the help of Competent, the Belgian Regions will be mapping out the competences required in vacancies and which job seekers claim to possess in a consistent manner. This is a system of “professional competency profiles”, which the Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) developed in collaboration with the Flemish social partners. Flemish Parliament member Miranda Van Eetvelde (N-VA) was told by Minister of Employment Philippe Muyters (N-VA) that the cooperation agreement between the SERV and the so-called Synerjob partners ( VDAB The Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (VDAB, Flemish Public Employment and Professional Training Service) is a Flemish public service that coordinates supply and demand in the employment market, with its main task consisting of serving as an intermediary for job seekers and providing them with support in getting back to work. Since the State reform in 1989, job placement has been a competence of the Regions and job training a competence of the Communities. The VDAB’s counterpart in Wallonia is Forem, and Actiris in Brussels. VDAB , Forem, Actiris, Bruxelles Formation, ADG) has already been signed.

Competent is an important instrument in providing an overview of both the competences demanded by the job market and those the job seekers possess. This is a basis for guiding job seekers towards vacancies as well as training for, e.g. hard-to fill occupations. “Competent allows Flanders to better match supply and demand in the job market in an innovative way,” says Van Eetvelde. “The system is so successful that the other regions are now also adopting it. This allows competences in the entire country to be compared in a similar way. This creates a win-win situation that benefits both the Flemish employers and the employees.”

European success
The Competent system has been translated into French, English and German in the meantime. And in addition to the aforementioned Synerjob partners, Germany and Austria are also interested in using it. This brings the unified European job market yet another step closer to becoming a reality.