Encouraging the involvement of young people who have insufficient or inappropriate qualifications remains a major concern for all Member States. Specific programmes for the long-term unemployed attempt to combine training measures with schemes to equip them with the skills to compete for jobs, more often than not through work placements in companies. E. Access and the new partnerships 20. As a result of decentralization, closer cooperation is being established between the local authorities, the training organizations, the teaching and research establishments and companies. This entails adjusting vocational training provision to the specific requirements of the regional and local companies.
Vocational training is seen as a factor in regional and local development.
F. Access through new technologies 21. The ageing of the active population in most European economies increases the importance of continuing training. At present, the probability of having access to training decreases sharply with the age of the person concerned. From the corporate and macro-economic angles, it is now acknowledged that the quality of human resources, the skills of workers and the continuing development of such skills are recognized as decisive factors in achieving competitiveness. Studies of the operation of the European labour market also reveal a strong link between the level of qualifications and skills and the risk of unemployment.