Skills evolution: embracing changes!

In today's dynamic and fraught world, with millions of jobs at risk in carbon-intensive sectors, the need for green and digital skills so that economies can compete, continuing lifelong learning, and skills development is as urgent as ever. The significance of skills for growth – at individual, economic and societal levels – cannot be overstated, offering a pathway of hope to the future as outlined by Pilvi Torsti, ETF Director.

By developing new skills (reskilling) or improving existing ones (upskilling), people have the chance to transform their lives, which can lead to career change, professional growth, and greater personal and civic engagement in the world around them.

Skills development does not occur in isolation, however. It requires a nurturing ecosystem that engages a broad spectrum of stakeholders representing and reaching out to everyone in society. Special measures are needed so that vulnerable and marginalised communities and individuals such as young people, women, and veterans have the access and opportunity to engage in quality learning and relevant skills development and the advantages they can bring.

Insights from the Torino Process 2023 monitoring

The ETF has just released Education, skills and employment: Trends and developments, a cross-country overview of key issues linked to skills for growth incorporating data and insights from the Torino Process with integrated evidence from the KIESE (Key indicators on education, skills and employment) data collection and inputs by ETF partner countries.

The report emphasises lifelong learning and assesses the adaptability and equity of learning opportunities in response to societal, political, and economic changes. It presents what education, training, and employment policies deliver to young and adult learners across the countries of Central Asia, South Eastern Europe and Türkiye, the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, and the Eastern Partnership region.

Stagnating or declining youth populations will impact the skills needed across most ETF partner countries, combined with a corresponding shift that is required to address the needs of an ageing population. This demographic shift is compounded by the challenge of the NEET (young people not in education, employment or training) phenomenon, whose prevalence exceeds the EU27 average in many of these countries. The rising trend of migrants in the youth population further underscores the urgency for diversified education and training strategies to address diverse needs.

Yet, access to education and training remains uneven and highly dependent on the age of prospective learners. Many countries effectively engage young people in learning, yet struggle to similarly involve adults, especially those who do not fall into any of the special categories such as long-term unemployed or adults with low or no education. This highlights a persistent gap in lifelong learning opportunities.

This edition of Learning Connects highlights just some of the work being done in partner countries in the EU's neighbouring regions to address these issues with support from the ETF. Studies and tools to better understand and internationalise centres of vocational excellence, and the development of engagement in Ukraine are in focus.