Launching QUEEN: A Partnership for Quality Apprenticeships
On 14 April 2025, the QUEEN – Quality Apprenticeships for Evolving Labor Needs project held its first virtual kick-off meeting, officially launching the initiative. Led by the Agency for the Development of the Empolese Valdelsa, the session brought together regional authorities and institutions from across Europe. Partners introduced their organizations, shared expectations, and discussed the project’s methodology, communication plan, and stakeholder engagement. The meeting also clarified reporting procedures and management tools to guide collaboration throughout the project.
The QUEEN project aims to support regional policy improvements that strengthen apprenticeship systems, ensuring they respond to the demands of the twin digital and green transitions. The goal is to foster high-quality, inclusive apprenticeships that serve both youth and adult learners, bridging the gap between education and dynamic labor market needs.
The project follows a three-step process to improve regional apprenticeship policies:
- Partners will analyse local policy and territorial contexts, engage stakeholders, and identify specific needs related to apprenticeship systems.
- Through interregional exchange, partners will identify successful solutions from other EU regions and adapt them to their own context, with continued stakeholder involvement.
- The final step involves translating the selected solutions into concrete policy measures, implementing changes, and communicating them effectively to stakeholders.
The project brings together a strong consortium of partners:
- Agency for the Development of the Empolese Valdelsa (Lead Partner)
- European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning (Advisory Partner)
- Regional Intermediate Body for European Programs Human Capital Bucharest Ilfov Region
- South Moravian Region
- Department for Development and International Projects of Zenica-Doboj Canton
- Basque Government – Department of Education
- Turku University of Applied Sciences
- Regional Government of Tuscany
- Cork County Council
Associated Partner:
- Regional Council of Southwest Finland
Each partner brings a unique perspective. Regions such as the Basque Country and South Moravia aim to strengthen guidance and collaboration between schools and employers. Irish partners are exploring ways to empower apprentices to become future entrepreneurs. Institutions in Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are prioritising increased youth engagement and improved perception of vocational training. Finnish stakeholders are focused on diverse on-the-job learning solutions and addressing local employment gaps. The advisory partner EARLALL provides communication support and policy expertise while also facilitating connections with other EU initiatives, such as the European Alliance for Apprenticeships and the Pact for Skills.
Over the next three years, the QUEEN project will deliver a robust programme of interregional exchange and regional implementation, including:
- Formation of 7 local stakeholder groups
- Delivery of 7 regional analyses on apprenticeship progress
- Collection and transfer of 19 good practices
- Participation in 8 interregional QUEEN Meetings, including study visits
- Organization of QUEEN Good Practice Meetings, both group and bilateral
- Execution of territorial consultations with stakeholders
- Development and application of capacity-building modules for staff
- Improvement of 7 regional policy instruments
The physical kick-off meeting will take place in Siena, Italy, in June 2025. It will include expert seminars on EU apprenticeship frameworks (EFQEA and ILO 208), updates on EU apprenticeship policy, and a focus session on the role of artificial intelligence in apprenticeships. Regional stakeholders will present Tuscany’s dual apprenticeship model, followed by a site visit to a local training programme for wine technicians involving SMEs and agricultural schools. The agenda also includes a workshop to define key quality criteria and the structure of territorial consultations, as well as the first Steering Group meeting and a dedicated communication session.
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