Rola i znaczenie ustawicznego kształcenia zawodowego na tle aktualnej sytuacji demograficznej i ekonomicznej UE

Continuing education, vocational education and training included, has gained in significance over recent years. The increasing economic and social importance of innovations implies a growing demand for qualified personnel. Today the process of lifelong education determines the possibility of assuming various roles on the labor market and the quality of everyday life of adults and their families. The object of the study is to discuss the role and significance of continuing vocational education and training against the current backdrop of demographic and economic conditions in the EU. The article bases on the statistical data published by the European Statistical Office Eurostat. The economic and social indexes discussed by the author come from the period 2004-2014. Besides, the results of the Continiung Vocational Education and Training Survey (CVTS) from 2010 are also presented and compared to the earlier 2005 edition of the survey. From the conducted analysis it follows that the two biggest challenges which Europe must face are changes in population structure caused by aging and the ongoing economic crisis. The qualifications of the population living in the EU are an answer to both of these problems.