Demographic change, the demand for new skills in the wake of technological development, the desire to further develop specific industrial sectors, defense and security needs as well as challenges related to working conditions in some sectors are reasons for the increasing shortage of workers and certain skills over the past decade. The Commission has identified 42 shortage occupations across the EU – the majority of which relate to occupations relevant to high-tech industries.
The Action Plan is also a key outcome of the European Year of Skills. It builds on already established political and financial measures such as the Pact for Skills, which has so far trained 3.5 million workers, guidelines on decent minimum wages and platform work, and EUR 65 billion available for investment in skills development.
Which measures should be promoted, among others?
- Projects to eliminate long-term unemployment and upskill young people without education or training
- Support for skills development, training and education
- Improving working conditions in specific sectors
- Improving fair intra-EU mobility for workers and learners
- Attracting talent from outside the EU
What are Member States being asked to do?
- Revise education and training curricula
- Performance reforms, supporting the gradual return of the long-term unemployed to the labour market
- Reducing the tax burden on second earners and low income earners
- Digitizing social security coordination to facilitate fair labour mobility
- Building international talent partnerships
What Silicon Saxony is already contributing concretely as a network:
- The planned investments in Germany and Poland will create 5.000 new direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs – experience shows that each position at Intel creates six additional jobs in the entire ecosystem
- In Germany, the company has already invested 1,2 million to collaborate with six local universities
- INTEL recommends a strategic investment in an “EU Semiconductor Talent Academy” with a dedicated funding program
- Visa procedures should be modernized and accelerated to allow third-country professionals to move seamlessly from one member state to another
Want to get actively involved in the issue of skilled workers?
Then take part in our networking events, for example our HR working groups or the Silicon Saxony Day, where we discuss the topic of skilled workers on the HR & Education Island.
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Further links
👉 Commission sets out actions to tackle labor and skills shortages
Photo: pixabay
