There are three main lessons that can be drawn from the implementation of this project.
First, the project succeeded in raising awareness and eliciting a high degree of interest among governmental actors and stakeholders regarding the governance of the Swedish skills system. To leverage this momentum, Sweden should proceed with the relevant reform efforts in the near future.
Second, the Swedish labour market model and strong tradition of social partnership were frequently underlined by stakeholders as unique assets. Combined with the deep-rooted “culture of consensus-driven decision making”, Sweden should employ an inclusive yet strategically targeted approach to stakeholder engagement in future reform efforts to strengthen the governance of its skills system.
Third, the Swedish skills system and its governance is complex. There are already numerous councils, committees, networks and similar structures promoting a whole-of-government approach to skills policy. Therefore, where there is a need for the establishment of new, additional governance structures, Sweden should carefully consider relevant implementation specifics to promote synergies and avoid unnecessary duplication.
