ODEM works with the ESCO framework to deliver skills for employment in Europe
ESCO is a classification system created and used in Europe that allows European countries to better manage employment. The system, which categorizes skills and qualifications with occupations, functions to ensure that people are treated fairly and accurately and well positioned for job opportunities outside of their country of origin.
This framework is a valuable tool for ODEM, which serves students and educators in Europe and across the globe with a blockchain-based marketplace. Soon, students will benefit from an intelligent navigator that will help steer your career. ODEM gives students a complete end-to-end picture of where they stand and where they’re going.
We look forward to sharing more as we integrate ESCO into our Marketplace. For now, here’s a primer on what ESCO is, what it does, and how it supports employment inclusion:
What is ESCO - what does it stand for?
ESCO, which stands for European skills/competencies, qualifications and occupations, is the European multilingual classification of these things. This means that ESCO functions as a framework for “describing, identifying and classifying professional occupations, skills and qualifications relevant to the EU labor market and education and training” as described by the ESCO website.
What does ESCO do?
As a data classification system, ESCO gives computer systems a basis for managing job seekers, employment and training recommendations.
How many occupations are accounted for under the ESCO classification system?
ESCO provides descriptions of 2942 occupations and 13,485 skills linked to these occupations.
Who created ESCO?
The European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
When was it launched?
The first full version of ESCO was published on July 28th, 2017. This is the latest version.
What problem does ESCO solve?
The ESCO classification framework supports job mobility across Europe, creating a more integrated and efficient labor market.
How does ESCO support employment?
The ESCO framework, used by employment systems used across Europe, works to match qualified people with employment opportunities based on their education, knowledge and skills. This process removes possible bias, promotes inclusion in employment and helps to determine who is qualified for a position.
How does ODEM engage with ESCO?
ODEM is using ESCO to make education and employment more accessible, affordable, verifiable and transferable. ODEM employs the ESCO framework to foster and pair students’ and professionals’ skill sets with employment opportunities. With ODEM’s academic and institutional partnerships, we leverage the ESCO framework for greater student success, focusing courses on the needs and requirements of international labor markets.
We’ve developed an ESCO-focused Occupations and Skills Profile for students, an iteration of the existing ODEM product that is specialized towards the framework. Within the Profile, there are two categories for users to navigate; current occupation and desired occupation. When users enter the current occupation, they can view jobs matching their profile. When they add desired occupation and skills, they can see educational programs that will help them increase their skill set.
Our partnership with the European Commission on the implementation of ESCO within an EdTech product is a great example of the power of partnerships traditional institutions and innovative startups. Soon, I’ll share more about how ODEM is leveraging the ESCO framework for greater student success. If you’d like to learn more about ESCO, check out their handbook.
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