Naomi Oldenburg
Irish National Europass Centre, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
Alice Long
Irish National Europass Centre, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
A free online platform aimed at learners and career movers of all ages has streamlined the process of finding and then applying for jobs and study opportunities across Europe.
Hunting for jobs or learning opportunities across Europe has the potential to be a time-consuming, disjointed, confusing and frustrating process.
Simplifying cross-border learning
Say you’re living in Ireland but keen to study or train in France. How do you even begin to find the type of course that meets your needs? Also, how do your Irish qualifications compare to French qualification standards? Will they be of an acceptable level to employers and academic or training institutions?
This process has become much easier with the development of the free EU online platform Europass, which launched 20 years ago and was revamped five years ago. Europass features a range of tools, resources and information to support people interested in working and learning across Europe. Last year alone, it recorded 16.4 million unique visitors — around 81,000 of whom were from Ireland.
Last year alone, it recorded 16.4 million
unique visitors — around 81,000
of whom were from Ireland.
Centralised EU career platform
“The platform is a one-stop shop that anyone can use,” says Alice Long at Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the state agency that manages the Irish National Europass Centre. “You could be a chef, working in IT or be a researcher looking for work in Europe — or you could be someone looking for lifelong learning opportunities. Whatever you’re interested in, the platform centralises the search process, making it easier to find roles or courses in all types of fields.”
Once you have created a free account, you can start building your profile featuring your experiences, qualifications, languages, digital skills, interests, career goals, etc. You can then use various tools on the platform to prepare a standardised CV (widely recognised across Europe) and cover letter. CVs can also be customised to be made appropriate for specific job vacancies and courses (and in multiple languages). Digital credentials and other certificates can be stored securely in your library to help compile applications. Information and links on EU and national services are also available to help you on your learning or career journey.
Supporting and promoting mobility across Europe
“Plus, there’s a common ‘translation’ tool for qualifications,” says Naomi Oldenburg, also from QQI’s Irish National Europass Centre. “This allows users to see how the level of their qualifications compares to qualification levels in other European countries. Ultimately, the whole platform has been designed to support mobility and make it easier to work and study in Europe.”
