Human Resources

Silicon Saxony: EU action plan to combat labor and skills shortages comes into force

April 24, 2024. 3.5 million new jobs will be created across the EU by 2030 in the context of renewable energies alone.
63% of SMEs stated in a Eurobarometer survey that they are already unable to find the skilled workers they need. However, according to a recent ifo survey, this figure is significantly lower in eastern Germany. In addition, eastern German companies were more confident about both their business situation and their expectations than in a nationwide comparison. Nevertheless, the issue of skilled workers is also playing an increasingly important role for our sectors. On March 20, 2024, the EU Commission published an action plan to combat the shortage of workers and skilled workers. What does it say?

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Symbolic image of training & further education. Photo: pixabay

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Silicon Saxony

Marketing, Kommunikation und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20 F

Telefon: +49 351 8925 886

Fax: +49 351 8925 889

redaktion@silicon-saxony.de

Contact person:

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:

Our member INTEL has already positioned itself on the Action Plan and is calling on companies, governments, civil society and academia to work together:

  • 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

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