Critical raw materials: Why skills matter

Critical raw materials (CRMs) are at the heart of Europe’s industrial and technological future. From electric vehicles to renewable energy systems, defence applications to digital innovation, these materials are essential to the EU’s global competitiveness and the resilience of its economy.

As demand surges - up to seven-fold by 2050 according to the EU’s 2024 Critical Raw Materials Act - ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of CRMs has become a strategic priority. The Act sets ambitious 2030 targets: sourcing at least 10% of CRM needs from within the EU, processing 40%, and recycling 25%, while capping reliance on any single third country at 65%.

Yet while the policy framework is clear, success hinges on another critical input: skills.

Modern mining and materials processing are no longer traditional industries. Robotics, AI, and advanced data systems are transforming operations, from underground extraction to surface-based control hubs. This shift is reshaping the workforce: today’s most in-demand profiles are not miners but exploration geologists, engineers, robotics technicians, data analysts, and environmental scientists. The skills gap, however, is growing.

Across the value chain, companies are struggling to find people with the technical expertise and vocational qualifications needed to power a high-tech, low-impact raw materials sector. Without targeted investment in skills development and retraining, Europe risks falling short, not for lack of materials, but for lack of people equipped to unlock their potential.

This working paper is the ETF’s first in-depth exploration of the links between critical raw materials and skills development. It marks the beginning of a broader body of work that will further investigate the role of education, training and international cooperation in ensuring the EU’s green and digital transitions are made possible by the right skills at the right time, in the right places.

Ensuring a sustainable supply of critical raw materials requires more than digging deeper—it means thinking smarter, investing in people, and building the skills for a greener, more secure and competitive future.