3. Other Europass platform functionality

Additional functionality for registered users

Registered users of the Europass portal have access to additional functionality. This includes being able to save documents on the Europass portal (in My Library), to receive learning and work recommendations, to have a personal online space for planning their goals (My Skills and My Interests), as well as to share Europass CVs on the European job mobility portal - EURES.

My library: Saving and storing files

My Library is an online space where registered users can save relevant files, such as examples of CVs, cover letters, certificates, recommendations, photographs and other documents. Users have complete control over their data and exclusive access rights (not even Technical Admins of Europass portal have access to personal information of Europass users). Relevant electronic documents, needed to document your career path, can be saved to My library.

Files can be saved according to clusters, such as 'CVs', 'Cover letters', 'Certificates and Diplomas', 'Downloads').

Files in My Library can be edited or shared as weblinks any time.

All registered users of the Europass profile will receive their personal electronic wallet ID space and address, which is visible in the Europass Library. Wallet ID is a space where users can keep all their Digital Credentials. Sharing a wallet ID address with the education provider issuing diplomas/ certificates as European Digital Credentials, will make these documents visible in the Wallet ID space of the Europass Library.

Users can create new sections of My Library, if needed, including sections for the upload of professional photos, recommendations, etc.

How does the Europass Library work?

Watch the video about Europass Library
(In Croatian with English subtitles):

Sharing Europass profile and files as web link

Europass profile as well as all other documents saved in My Library can be shared as weblinks (described in My Library section, here below).

Registered users can easily share information from their Europass profiles. It is possible to share the entire Europass profile or specific sections, such as work experiences, training and other relevant information.

User can set the end date they wish their profile information to stop being visible to third parties. Using the “Generate link” function, Europass users can generate a weblink, that can be copied to an email, a CV, cover letter or anywhere else.

Europass profile information is graphically edited so that the profile view looks like an online CV. It is also possible to preview the web link, to be seen by the recipient. Similarly, users can also share other documents from My Library, such as certificates, diplomas, recommendation letters, etc.

Files in My Library can be shared by clicking on the “Share” icon and by defining the end date they wish the information to be visible to third parties. By clicking on the “Generate link”, the link is created.

Weblink can then be copied to a desired place, such as CV, cover letter or email.

Receiving learning and work recommendations

Registered users can, based on the description in their Europass profile, get recommendations for learning opportunities and job offers from web portals.

At the moment, Europass is interoperable with EURES and with qualifications and learning opportunities in the European database. Users can receive learning opportunities and job offers based on the information in their Europass profiles and My Skills and My Interests sections.

Settings for receiving learning and work opportunities can be changed any time, in case users wish or no longer wish to receive learning and work recommendations, or if they simply wish to update them.

The recommendations are currently not yet fully optimised, since qualifications and learning opportunities databases are at different stages of development in different European countries. Recommendations are shown for countries that already have their national data sources connected to Europass and for areas that are defined in the “My interests” section. However, it is strongly suggested that Europass users have these settings turned on in case they would like to receive these recommendations.

Sharing a Europass CV on the EURES portal

Users who create their Europass CVs as registered users can also share them on EURES, the European portal for job mobility that publishes job vacancies in Europe. In this way, users can also present themselves to employers who are registered at the EURES portal.

When you have your Europass CV ready, please choose “Publish on EURES portal”. Your Europass CV will be visible to employers that are looking for workers on EURES portal.

You cannot see your Europass CV on the EURES portal, because it is visible to employers only. If you would like to remove your Europass CV from EURES portal, you can do that in section “Settings”.

My skills, My interests

Europass users can explore their career path using different sections of the portal, where they can provide a more concrete definition of their skills and interests. This section of the user profile allows users to present (this might also be done with the help of a guidance counsellor) a wider picture of their potential.

“My Skills” and “My Interests” sections provide users with the opportunity to continuously explore their potential. This section is private, to enable users to reflect on their strengths and based on this, users can update their profiles and CVs. The content of these sections also determines how and which learning and work opportunities will be recommended to an individual user.

“My Skills” section enables users to better understand skills and gain ideas on how to describe them, supporting them to edit their profiles and CVs.

Users can choose suggestions for skills based on their profiles or they can define their suggestions.

Users’ wishes and ambitions can be viewed in the “My Interests” section to encourage them to reflect about their further career development.

Suggestions are based on ESCO classification, which enables inter-connection with the EURES job mobility portal. If you have your profile and want to receive learning and work opportunities, we advise you to fill in this section as well, since suggestions are based on these descriptions. Choose from the drop-down menu to personalise recommendations.

My Applications

Europass users can generate complete applications for study or job opportunities, which they can share with educational institutions or employers using the My Applications section of Europass.

In My Applications, users can group together different documents relevant to their study or job application and send it to their chosen recipients as a single file or a web link. Documents which can be added to My Applications folder include:

• Europass profile or CV
• Cover letter
• Certificates and diplomas
• Any other relevant documents, such as identity documents, visas, recommendation letters, etc.

Users can start their application by clicking on My Applications icon displayed in the top or left menu of the main dashboard. An application can also be created starting from an opportunity saved in My Favourites.

In My Applications, users start a new application by clicking on Prepare a new application.

Users will be able to fill in the application details, such as the title of the application, type of opportunity, country of the opportunity, name of the organisation and its email, application deadline and if necessary, add further details about the application.

Step 1: Add a profile or CV

By clicking on Next, the following screen will ask users to add the first document to the application: the CV or the Profile. Both cannot be added, so you will need to select one. You may choose from profiles and CVs in different languages, in case you have multiple language versions.

Please note that if you attach a Profile to your application, you will not be able to download it as ZIP or as PDF. You will still be able to share your application as a link.

After you have chosen the CV or Profile to include, click on Next.

Step 2: Add a cover letter

The following step will offer users to add a cover letter to their application. You can upload a Europass cover letter that you have already created, select one from the Europass library and update it or create a new Europass cover letter.

After you have chosen the cover letter to include, click on Next.

Step 3: Add certificates and diplomas

The following step will ask users to add certificates and diplomas to their application. Certificates and diplomas testify the successful completion of your studies or a course, and are crucial in your application as supporting documents to your CV or profile. You can select and add as many documents that you have stored in your Library or you can upload a new document from your device by clicking on Add.

After you have chosen the certificates and diplomas to include, click on Next.

Step 4: Add other documents

The following step will invite users to add any other relevant document(s) to complement their application. Users can choose any document that may provide additional information and proof of their previous work and learning experiences. They can also add reference or recommendation letters from former employers to highlight that they are fit for the job.

After you have chosen the documents to include, click on Next.

Step 5: Review

Before finalising the application, users are able to review the documents added to it and use the arrows to modify the order in which they will appear.

After you are completely satisfied with the layout of your application, click on Finish.

Step 6: Save or share your application

The application is now ready to be downloaded to your device as a PDF or ZIP, or to be shared as a link. Remember, if you attached a Profile to your application in Step 1 (instead of a CV), you will not be able to download it as a ZIP or as a PDF, but only share it as a web link.

All applications made so far are accessible to users at all times in My Applications section.

This helps users keep track of applications that are ready to submit, already submitted, or those that are still being drafted. Users can also prepare a new application starting from an old one by clicking on the application and then clicking on Edit.

Additional functionality for non-registered users

Some functionality is available to guest (non-registered) users, such as information about learning and working in Europe. Additionally, it is also possible for users to test their digital skills. Digital Skills Test can help users to learn more about their digital skills, discover what their level is and take the necessary next steps to improve them.

Test your digital skills

In the current job market, 90% of jobs require digital skills. Digital skills are important for working, studying or accessing services. The digital skills test is available free of charge and will take around 25 minutes. After completing the test, users will be able to add their digital skills to an online profile or a CV.

Competence areas that are tested include:

• Information and data literacy: Users are tested on the types of skills that are in demand, and how to access and navigate between different types of digital content (files, websites, etc.). This also includes being able to compare various sources of information, and understand which ones are dependable. The ability to store, manage, and organise folders and diverse types of files is part of this competence area as well.
• Communication and collaboration: Users are tested on the set of skills needed to use digital technologies to interact, communicate and collaborate with other people. This also includes being able to participate in society through use of public and private digital services. The ability to manage one’s identity and reputation on the web is part of this competence area as well.
• Digital content creation: Users are tested on the set of skills needed to create and edit various types of digital content, including text and multimedia files. This includes skills necessary to improve and integrate different kinds of information and content together. The ability to understand how copyright and licenses work, and how to develop instructions for a computing system, are also part of this competence area.
• Safety: Users are tested on the set of skills needed to protect devices, content, personal data and privacy, while understanding risks and threats of digital environments. This also includes skills necessary to protect physical and psychological health, and to be aware of digital technologies for social well-being and inclusion. An awareness of the environmental impact of using digital technologies is part of this competence area as well. ·
• Problem solving: Users are tested on the set of skills to identify needs and technical problems, and to select appropriate technological responses to solve them. This also includes skills necessary to use digital tools to innovate processes and products. The ability to understand which digital competences need to be improved and to keep up to date with the digital progress are part of this competence area as well.

Information about learning and work

The new Europass portal provides additional information about learning opportunities, qualifications and labour market. All information about the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and national qualifications frameworks can be found on the new Europass portal.

In addition to general information about the EQF, users can find information about national qualifications frameworks in different countries. Users may find it particularly interesting to compare qualifications in different countries using the qualifications comparison tool, which allows the comparison of qualifications on the same level in two European countries (e.g. Slovenia and Austria).