Stakeholder conference “Empowering the workforce, bridging the skills gap” : 30 March 2023 : synthesis paper.
Date: 2023-08-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Subjects: digital literacy, employment service, green economy, manpower needs, manpower planning, professional qualifications, recognition of vocational training qualifications, vocational training

PES Network 
Stakeholder Conference 
Empowering the Workforce, Bridging 
the Skills Gap 
30 March 2023 

Synthesis Paper 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion 
Directorate E — Labour Mobility and International Affairs 
Unit E.1 — Labour Mobility, Public Employment Services, ELA 
Contact: Yasmin Salem
E-mail: EMPL-PES-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels

EUROPEAN NETWORK OF PUBLIC 
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 

Stakeholder  Conference 

“Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap” 
30 March 2023 

Synthesis paper 

Written by Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini S.r.l SB 
Eamonn Davern, Chiara Fratalia
2023 

LEGAL NOTICE 

The European Network of Public Employment Services was created following a Decision of the European Parliament and  Council 
in June 2014, amended in 2020. Its objective is to reinforce PES capacity, effectiveness and efficiency. This activity has been 
developed  within  the  work  programme  of  the  European  PES  Network.  For  further  information:  http://ec.europa.eu/social/ 
PESNetwork. 

This activity has received financial support from the Employment and Social Innovation (“EaSI”) strand of the ESF+ (2021-2027). 
For further information please consult: https://ec.europa.eu/european-social-fund-plus/en/esf-direct-easi 

The information and views set out in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion 
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ISBN 978-92-68-03245-9  doi: 10.2767/499057     KE-07-23-193-EN-N

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Table of Contents 

Introduction 

1. Policy context: skills and labour market challenges 
•  What skills for Europe’s future labour market? 

2. Tackling Europe’s Skill Needs: the role of public employment services and their partners 
•  Matching aspirations with labour market opportunities through career guidance 
• 
Skills intelligence: understanding current and future labour market needs 
• 
Developing skills for the digital and green transitions 
• 
Improving skills assessment and labour market integration 

3. The changing demand for skills in Europe – trends and challenges 
• 
• 

Supporting those impacted by automation and digitalisation 
Evolving skills profiles of existing occupations - Towards more frequent re/upskilling 
and job-to-job transitions 
Partnerships for upskilling and reskilling: an evolving ecosystem 
Third-country nationals and qualification recognition in Europe 

• 
• 

Conclusions 

ANNEX:  EU  initiatives  to  support  skills  development 
• 

EU funding and assistance to invest into skills 

6 

7 

9 

10 

10 
11 
11 
12 

14 

14 

14 
15 
16 

17 

18 

18 

Introduction 

This  paper  provides  an  overview  of  the  key  themes 
discussed  in  the  2023  PES  Network  Stakeholder
Conference  dedicated  to  “Empowering  the  Workforce, 
Bridging the Skills Gap.” It is intended to showcase the 
contribution  which  Public  Employment  Services
(PES) and their stakeholder partners can provide to 
address skill challenges, in line with the objectives of the 
2023 European Year of Skills.

The  conference  was  attended  by  Heads  of  PES  and 
other  PES  staff,  particularly  those  working  on  skills 
and  training,  plus  social  partners,  labour  market  and 
skills  experts  from  EU  institutions,  private  employment 
services,  education  and 
training  providers,  NGOs, 
and  international  organisations.  Participants  had  the  
opportunity  to  learn  about  the  latest  skills-related 
trends  and  developments,  to  discover  how  PES 
and  their  partners  can  successfully  address  skills 
challenges, and to consider the future role of PES and 
stakeholders in this regard.

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

Synthesis Paper    6  

 
 
1. Policy context: skills and labour market 
challenges 

the 

importance 

emphasised 

The  opening  speech  by  Jordi  Curell,  Director  for Labour 
Mobility  and  International  Affairs  at  the  European 
Commission, 
of 
communication and cooperation amongst PES and 
stakeholder  partners  to  deliver  the 2020  European 
Skills Agenda, put the Porto Declaration into practice 
and  deliver  on  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights 
Action Plan  targets: at least 60% of adults to participate 
in training every year, and an employment rate of at least 
78% by 2030. 

The  European  Year  of  Skills  provides  further  impetus 
to  these  initiatives.  One  of  its  aims  is  to  encourage 
EU  institutions  and  labour  market  stakeholders 
to  cooperate  towards  promoting  reskilling  and 
upskilling for quality jobs. The European Year of  Skills 
especially  prioritises  skills  to  support  the  green  and 
digital  transitions  and  to  foster  economic  recovery. 
Attracting skills and talent from third countries, including 
by strengthening learning opportunities and mobility and 
facilitating the recognition of qualifications, will play an 
important role in this regard. 

in-demand 

Delivering on these EU ambitions is important because  a 
skills 
workforce  equipped  with 
contributes  to  sustainable  growth,  encourages 
innovation  and  improves  companies’  competitiveness. 
Skilled  workers  enjoy  better  job  opportunities  and  can 
fully engage in society. This is key to ensuring that both 
economic recovery and the dual transitions are socially 
inclusive. 

Figure 1 – Graphic recording of the opening remarks 

Source: Graphic recording by SCRIBING.IT - M.Lobietti & G.Peddes 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

Synthesis Paper 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In  his  scene-setting  presentation,  Łukasz  Sienkiewicz, 
Chairman of the Institute for Labour Market Analyses and 
Associate Professor at Gdansk University of Technology, 
identified  the  technological,  societal  and  economic 
changes driving digital and green skills transitions 
as the most significant skills-related trend in the current 
climate.  Coupled  with  the  fast  pace  of  change  in  job 
design  and  skills  requirements,  this  is  generating  an 
increased  need  for  reskilling/upskilling.  The  latest 
figures  from  Eurostat  and  the  Digital  Economy  and 
Society  Index  state  that  only  37%  of  adults  regularly 
participate in training, while 4 out of 10 adults and every 
third person who works in Europe lack basic digital skills. 
Gender  gaps  are  further  exacerbating  this  issue,  with 
women representing only 1 in 6 of those working in the 
IT sector and 1 in 3 STEM graduates. 

These  changes  are  taking  place  in  a  complex  skills 
ecosystem  that  calls  for  increased  cooperation 
between relevant stakeholders. Finally, fast changes 
are  coupled  with  longer  careers,  resulting  in  a  growing 
need  for  support  among  individuals  (both  working  and 
jobseekers) as part of lifelong learning. 

The  key  challenges  for  PES  and  their  stakeholders  in  ad- 
dressing skills challenges, as mapped out in the scene-set- 
ting presentation, are: 

1.

The accelerating impact of automation and digi- 
talisation which will require agile and flexible respon- 
ses from employment support services and skills pro- 
viders.

2. Demographic and societal changes, particularly due
to  Europe’s  rapidly  ageing  population,  are  increasing
the importance of lifelong career guidance and support.

3.

4.

The  evolving  design  of  existing  and  new  jobs,
leading  to  increased  demand  for  high  technology/hi- 
gh-skilled profiles.

There is an increasing need for cooperation in skil- 
ls development. This will require PES to use their po- 
sition to build bridges, facilitating partnerships for skills
development.

5. A variety of skills development pathways will be
needed  to  provide  more  personalised  assistance  to
meet individual learning needs.

6.

Innovative  approaches  to  skills  recognition  and
validation are needed to fully utilise the untapped po- 
tential  of  Europe’s  workforce,  including  migrants  and
refugees. These must incorporate systems to recognise
and validate the outcomes of non-formal and informal
learning.

Figure 2 – Graphic recording of Łukasz Sienkiewicz’s scene-setting presentation 

Source: Graphic recording by SCRIBING.IT - M.Lobietti & G.Peddes 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

Synthesis Paper 

8

What skills for Europe’s future labour market? 

The introductory panel, featuring PES and social partners, 
discussed current and future implications for the skills of 
the European workforce. The speakers offered different 
but  complementary  perspectives  as  to  what  the  main 
challenges  are  in  ensuring  that  skills  are  relevant  to 
the  labour  market.  All  agreed  that  the  demand  for 
new  skills  is  being  felt  across  almost  all  areas  of  the 
economy. The panel also underlined the complexity of the 
challenge from a PES perspective. The PES Network Chair 
highlighted  the  importance  to  successfully  “cross  the 
river”,  i.e.  to  ensure  that  bridges  are  in  place  and  to 
develop new programmes proactively without waiting for 
skills  shortages  to  emerge.  PES  and  stakeholders  must 
be  forward-thinking  in  this  regard,  ensuring  that  their 
customers have relevant skills. 

Employer  representatives  mentioned  the  importance  of 
coordination  and  collaboration  among  labour  market 
stakeholders,  particularly  to  reach  those  farthest  from 
the  labour  market.  The  key  challenge  in  this  regard  is 
to  provide  appropriate  support  in  meeting  individual 
training  needs,  including  for  those  who  have  been  out 

of work for a long time. Training offers also need to be 
flexible, especially in order to accommodate the needs of 
people  working  in  smaller  organisations.  Finally,  trade 
unions agreed that stakeholder collaboration is essential, 
particularly  to  maximise  the  quality  of  training  and 
support the creation of quality jobs. It is equally crucial 
that  labour  market  developments  and  changes  in  the 
world  of  work  do  not  increase  precarious  employment, 
and  it  is  therefore  particularly  important  to  reinforce 
protection for platform workers. 

Other  key  labour  market  challenges  were  mentioned  in 
the  discussion,  such  as  the  importance  of  not  treating 
unemployment  and 
in-work  reskilling  as  separate, 
unconnected  issues  and  of  supporting  employers  to 
assist restructuring and keeping people in work. Panellists 
also  underlined  the  importance  of  creating 
the  right 
opportunities  for  third-country  nationals  and  young 
people,  particularly  through  initiatives  supporting  both 
sectorial and geographical labour mobility. Together with 
investments  to  support  growth,  this  will  be  crucial  to 
ensure that the twin transitions are socially inclusive. 

Figure 3 – Graphic recording of the introductory panel 

Source: Graphic recording by SCRIBING.IT - M.Lobietti & G.Peddes 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

Synthesis Paper 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Tackling Europe’s Skill Needs: the role of
public employment services and their partners

The four morning workshops provided an overview of the 
latest  practices  developed  by  PES,  discussing  ways  in 
which  PES  can  help  to  address  skills  challenges  and 
considering their role in the wider skills ecosystem. 

Matching aspirations with labour market 
opportunities through career guidance 

Background 

Career guidance (also referred to as career counselling) 
describes the services which help people of any age to 
manage  their  careers  and  make  the  educational, 
training and occupational choices that are right for  them. 
involves  a  range  of  connected  activities, 
This 
including  providing  career  information,  personalised 
guidance/counselling,  skills  assessment,  engaging  with 
the  world  of  work  and  teaching  decision-making  and 
career  management  skills1 
.  As  demonstrated  by  the 
flash  survey  run  by  Cedefop  in  2020,  the  role  of 
career guidance has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, 
mainly  due  to  the  social  and  economic  uncertainty 
it  generated  for  people  of  all  ages.  This  has  led  to  an 
increased  demand  for  career  guidance  services, 
especially  for  careers  and  labour  market  information, 
individualised  career  counselling,  and  psychosocial 
support. Career guidance has also been recognised as an 
important factor in preparing the workforce for reskilling 
and upskilling in times of change. 

Career  guidance  providers  include  the  education 
sector (schools, universities and training centres), career 
guidance  centres  (national  or  municipality-operated), 
employers  and  trade  unions,  as  well  as  employment 
services.  PES  have  also  been  widely  recognised  as 
providers of professional career counselling2  . 

Strategic challenges and learning 

The European Labour Authority offered some insight  on 
the  impacts  of  automation  and  digitalisation, 
drawing  upon  experience  from  EURES.  This  included 
references  to  shortage  and  surplus  occupations,  with 
a  presentation  of  the  EURES  data  dashboard,  and 
a  discussion  of  the  need  to  improve  counsellors’ 
capacity to deliver better career guidance. The Flemish 
PES  VDAB  and  their  stakeholder  Acerta  presented  their 
joint  efforts  in  supporting  job-to-job  transitions 

in Flanders. To increase labour mobility and address skill 
shortages,  VDAB  has  developed  a  new  strategic 
employer  programme  that  is  more  proactive  in 
supporting both SMEs and larger companies. Part of their 
approach  is  to  develop  partnerships  with  strategic 
stakeholders in order to redirect people who have been 
made redundant towards sectors with labour shortages. 
Finally, the Dutch PES presented the Service Centres on 
between 
Education 
municipalities,  VET  providers  and  PES,  providing  people 
with  the  information  and  support  they  need  to  make 
informed  career  decisions.  They  offer  people  step-by- 
step  career  orientation  and  direct  them  towards 
any  resources  they  might  need,  including  re-skilling 
 opportunities.

and  Work: 

partnerships 

Key learning points 

There  is  a  need  for  better  coordinated  services  and 
service delivery, and particularly a (joint) framework for 
measuring the  quality and  effectiveness  of career 
guidance, both in the short term (especially for subjective 
indicators) and the longer term (ideally with more objective 
indicators, based on a clear intervention logic). 

Another  point  regards  the  need  for  a  knowledge  base 
about  future  skills  needs  and  the  current  skills  of  the 
workforce.  It  is  also  important  to  distinguish  between  the 
impacts  of  automation  (e.g.  routine  tasks  disappearing) 
to 
and  digitalisation  (processes  affected, 
fragmentation of tasks requiring end-to-end cognitive skills 
and decision-making). 

leading 

It is equally crucial to ensure good, tailored communication 
with target groups by: 

•

•
•

•

•

Addressing  negative  limiting  beliefs  and  underlying
fears of change.
Ensuring job and income security alongside training.
Contacting  trade  unions  before  reaching  out  to
companies.
Developing  specific  outreach  and  services  for  small
enterprises.
Developing real collaboration, moving away from the
commonly applied top-down approach.

Finally,  policymakers  should  adjust  the  legal  context 
to  enable  effective  collaboration  and  partnerships  and 
establish an explicit basis for lifelong career guidance. 

1 
2 

See the interagency Investing in career guidance report from 2019. 

See the European Commission paper from 2020 on Lifelong guidance policy and practice in the EU: trends, challenges and 
opportunities. 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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Skills intelligence: understanding current and 
future labour market needs 

Key learning points 

Background 

Skills  intelligence  is  the  outcome  of  an  expert-driven 
process of identifying, analysing, synthesising, and 
presenting  quantitative  and/or  qualitative  skills 
and  labour  market  information.  This  may  be  drawn 
from  multiple  sources  and  adjusted  to  the  needs  of 
different  users3  .  Diagnosing  current  and  future  skills 
needs is an increasingly important aspect of employment 
policies, including the activities of PES and their partners. 
One of the key actions under the European Skills Agenda 
is  strengthening  skills  intelligence  in  European 
countries, in which PES play a vital role. 

PES  in  the  European  Union  have  various  approaches 
towards  analysing  future  skills  requirements.  According 
to the 2022 report Future skills, career guidance  and 
lifelong  learning  in  PES,  eighteen  PES  currently 
analyse future skills needs and eight PES report taking  a 
lead  in  establishing  new  systems.  Many  PES  are 
undertaking activities aimed at analysing skills  and 
occupational  needs,  however  these  often  lack  the 
systematic approach needed to develop them into fully- 
fledged  skills  intelligence  systems.  Nevertheless,  they 
provide  important  information  to  PES  staff  (e.g. 
employment counsellors, career guidance professionals), 
and customers (both jobseekers and employers). Recent 
developments  include  more  advanced  approaches 
involving text analysis and machine learning models, web 
scraping/web crawling of vacancies or more advanced AI-
based applications. Many of these approaches are  still in 
refinement  and 
their 
development  to  be  fully  operational  and  useful  for 
service provision. 

infancy  and  need  further 

Strategic challenges and learning 

One of the initiatives presented was a new approach to 
skills  intelligence  with  a  focus  on  green 
jobs, 
the  World  Association  of  Public 
developed  by 
Employment Services (WAPES). The Greek PES DYPA  and 
the  Greek  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Social  Affairs also 
presented  their  cooperation  on  the  Mechanism  of 
Labour  Market  Diagnosis.  The  Mechanism  uses  the 
power  of  advanced  analysis  combined  with  data 
visualisation  software  to  produce  labour  market 
information. It analyses sources such as the Labour Force 
Survey 
the  unemployment  and  vacancies 
information gathered by DYPA, and ESCO data on skills 
by occupation. 

(LFS), 

The  importance  of  skills  intelligence  in  a  fast-changing 
environment: diagnosing current and future skills needs is 
an increasingly important part of employment policies and 
their impact, including activities delivered by PES and their 
partners. 

To operate properly, PES need ‘real-time’ information on 
skills  demand,  including  at  local/regional  and  sectoral 
level, and qualitative information on transversal skills, using 
big data analysis of job vacancies. 

Approaches towards analysing future skills requirements  in 
the  labour  market  vary  significantly:  the  lack  of  a 
systematic approach hampers the development of skills 
intelligence systems with long-term forecast abilities. 

Coordinated action with stakeholders puts PES at the 
centre of the skills ecosystem and is required to balance and 
coordinate  demand  and  supply  for  skills,  and  to  inform 
policy design in this regard. 

Developing skills for the digital and green 
transitions 

Background 
In  2020,  Cedefop4  estimated  that  some  128  million 
adults in the (then) EU-28, Iceland and Norway are low- 
educated, have low digital skills, have low cognitive skills, 
or  are  at  risk  of  skill  loss  or  their  skills  becoming 
obsolescent.  As  such,  the  upskilling  and  reskilling  of 
adults  –  both  those  in  and  out  of  work  –  is  an  urgent 
priority5  . 

There  is  increasing  awareness  that  upskilling  does  not 
always  require  a  long  training  programme  and  that  it 
may  be  more cost-effective to  provide  shorter  courses. 
Developing  e-learning  courses  and  hybrid  learning 
formats  are  also  seen  as  means  for  PES  to  reduce 
individual  training  costs  and  provide  access  to  a  wider 
group of learners. Policies to incentivise the upskilling  of 
staff  through  training  and  development  can  assist in 
recruitment  shortages.  Stakeholders, 
dealing  with 
including  employment  services,  VET  providers,  and 
employers should work together to design and implement 
the  most  effective  training  pathways.  However,  this 
collaborative approach can also present challenges. 

3 
4 
5 

See the Skills intelligence page on Cedefop’s website. 

Cedefop (2020). Empowering adults through upskilling and reskilling pathways. Volume 1. 

Cedefop (2020). Empowering adults through upskilling and reskilling pathways. Volume 2. 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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11

Strategic challenges and learning 

The  World  Employment  Confederation  presented  two 
case  studies:  the  Adecco  Group’s  training  for  the 
hydrogen  industry,  a  growing  sector  in  France;  and 
activities  by  Lee  Hecht  Harrison 
(LHH),  offering 
innovative training for R&D people in the automotive 
industry  to  develop  sustainable  mobility  solutions. 
The Lithuanian PES, UZT, explained how they are making 
their activities more sustainable, offering more digital 
services and implementing sustainability in most of 
their  processes.  UZT  also  presented  a  project  aimed  at 
unleashing the potential  of  young people  to support 
the green transition. 

Key learning points 

Demographic  change  is  generating  a  need  for  more 
training in digital skills for older people. Young people also 
need training to understand how to use digitally available 
information. 

Career  guidance  should  start  earlier,  in  secondary 
school, to allow young people to make informed decisions 
regarding their careers. Career guidance is also particularly 
important for women, to attract them into STEM careers and 
support both the digital and green transitions. 

Efforts are needed to develop a taxonomy of green jobs 
/  sectors,  and  to  map  the  differences  and  different 
needs between regions and sectors. This is particularly 
helpful to support worker mobility. 

The success of skills development depends on the quality 
of training. Therefore, close cooperation with employers is 
necessary to offer relevant content to trainees. 

Skill-based  approaches  to  job  matching  have  the 
potential to make recruitment more inclusive and should  be 
stepped up. 

Improving skills assessment and labour 
market integration 

Background 

Skills  assessment  procedures  are  usually  well- 
established in PES in Europe6  . In recent years,  increased 
efforts  have  been  made  to  develop  tools  to analyse 
jobseekers’  skills  for  the  purpose  of  skills-  based  job 
matching and counselling. These include moving from a 
qualification and occupation perspective towards skills-
based  profiling,  comprehensive  assessments 
including  job-related  and  ‘soft’  skills, and multi-level 
skills  assessments  including  self-  assessment 
(usually  through  online  testing),  counsellor  support 
(interviewing, 
practical 
assignments. 

professional 

tests), 

and 

PES in Europe are also becoming increasingly involved in 
skills  recognition  and  validation,  including  covering 
the  outcomes of  non-formal  and  informal  learning. 
PES – often working with their partners – are increasing 
their efforts to validate the skills of people for whom the 
labour market is difficult to access, especially migrants 
and  refugees.  New  PES  initiatives  aim  to  build  a 
comprehensive,  skill-focused  system,  often  based  on 
individual learning (training) accounts. This is with a view 
to strengthening the promotion of skill-based matching 
in PES services, developing tools and testing procedures 
(including  self-assessments,  and  online  and  counsellor- 
supported testing), and integrating skills information into 
a single database used by all providers. PES also report 
new  developments  in  providing  skills  training  that 
leads to formally recognised qualifications. 

Strategic challenges and learning 

The Swedish PES presented their matching method  ‘Job 
Matching  from  Day-1’,  which  was  developed  for 
jobseekers  expected  to  have  low  employability  and 
particularly refugees and their relatives. It  starts by 
mapping  a  jobseeker’s  features,  skills  and  preferred 
occupations.  The  same  mapping  process  is  applied  to 
vacancies and employers, and then a match  is  made.  A 
joint  presentation  from  the  Spanish  PES  and  the 
Valencian 
their  use  of 
Professional Certificates. These certificates are used 
to assess candidates’ skills through fully individualised 
assessment tests that are designed to certify skills for 
which applicants do not possess any formal learning. After 
the assessment, training opportunities are offered to 
help applicants improve the skills that they haven’t been 
able to prove in their assessment. 

regional  PES  addressed 

6 

European Commission (2023). Discussion paper on New forms of skills assessment and validation – impact on PES services 
and counselling (forthcoming). 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Key learning points 

It  is  important  to  reflect  on  whether  schools  and 
vocational  education and  training  can really and fully 
prepare people for work, or if they should mostly prepare 
people to be adaptable to changes in the labour market. 

Recognising  competences  can  help  to  make  the  labour 
market more fluid by providing better, more transparent 
information  and  equipping  individuals  with  a  visible 
‘passport’ for life. 

Most  of  the  discussion  focused  on  exploring  the  details 
of  the  Swedish  and  Spanish  practices  and  how  they  help 
migrants  in  entering  labour  markets.  In  this  regard, 
language remains a key issue but not a central one 
when helping migrants to enter the labour market. 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.  The changing demand for skills in Europe – 
trends and challenges 

The afternoon workshops focused on the future role 
of PES and their partners and how this may need to 
evolve in the coming years. This was explored through a 
series of interactive discussions. 

Key learning points 

Supporting those impacted by automation 
and digitalisation 

Background 

Studies  confirm  that  routine  tasks  that  can  be  easily 
optimised and codified are easiest to automate7 . Specific 
sections  of  the  population,  especially  less  educated 
workers,  the  long-term  unemployed,  youth,  migrants, 
persons  with  disabilities,  and  some  women,  are  likely 
to be the most affected by this, further exacerbating their 
existing  labour  market  vulnerability.  Persons 
in 
these  groups  are  disproportionately  employed  in 
low-skilled, highly automatable jobs, such as office 
support,  production,  customer  service  and  sales,  which 
have the highest potential for displacement. 

Another  profound  change  driven  by  digitalisation  is  the 
growth of the platform economy. A continuing increase 
in the sharing economy will be driven by demographics, 
particularly the ageing population. Increasing numbers of 
older workers whose jobs have been eliminated or who 
have  been  forced  to  seek  alternative  employment  may 
be  required  to  engage  in  non-standard  forms  of 
employment to supplement their incomes, especially if 
they have had an intermittent employment pattern during 
their working life and have limited pension benefits8  . 

Strategic challenges and learning 

Participants considered the question: “What measures 
should  employment  service  providers  and  their 
partners put into place to alleviate the effects of 
job  automation  on  those  most  exposed?”.  To  help 
frame the discussion and inspire participants, Eurofound 
presented  the  main  trends  and  challenges  regarding 
digitalisation  and  automation,  and  the  Brussels  PES 
Actiris  briefly described  its  role  in attracting  jobseekers 
and finding employment in sectors with shortages. 

Digitalisation,  automation,  and  polarisation  of  jobs  pose 
challenges  for  PES,  especially  for  career  guidance  and 
training  provision  and  particularly  for  young  people, 
persons with disabilities and those without higher education. 

PES  could  act  as  mediators  to  support  people  in  non- 
standard forms of employment (i.e. platform workers). 

PES and their partners should invest in collaboration  and 
cooperation,  using  cross-sectoral  connections  and 
partnerships  to  share  information  and  develop  tools  to 
support people who are facing digital exclusion. 

PES  and  their  partners  need  to  raise  awareness  and 
promote training and reskilling, designed with a holistic 
approach, to act as “guidance angels” and help people stay 
in employment. 

their  partners  have 

PES  and 
the 
professionalisation  and  training  of  their  staff 
members  delivering  services  to  those  most  impacted  by 
automation and digitalisation in order to remain updated on 
the emerging issues and be proactive towards clients. 

invest 

to 

in 

Evolving skills profiles of existing occupations 
- Towards more frequent re/upskilling and job- 
to-job transitions 

Background 

The effects of changes brought about by the digital and 
green transition on the world of work cannot be understood 
simply in terms of job creation and destruction. New 
professions will emerge in areas which are still difficult 
to predict. Skills requirements are also being altered by 
changes in the worker-employer relationship as well as 
fundamental shifts in the nature of work. Technological 
advances are transforming job design so that the classic 
employer/employee model often no longer applies. There 
has been a significant increase in teleworking and bogus 
self-employment. 

7  Manyika, J., et al. (2017). Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages. 
8 

Berde, É. and Tőkés, L. (2020). The platform economy as a working opportunity for older people: The case of the Hungarian 
carpooling company Oszkár 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Partnerships for upskilling and reskilling: an 
evolving ecosystem 

Background 

Future  jobs  will  require  a  wide  range  of  skills.  In  an 
increasingly  dynamic  labour  market,  more  effective 
and  accessible  career  transitions  and  measures  to 
untap the potential of people outside of the labour 
market will play an increasing role in reducing shortages. 
These will involve adapting existing skills, developing 
new skills, and identifying how the transferability  and 
portability  of  skills  between  occupations  can  be 
developed. To deliver these objectives, PES will need to 
collaborate  with  employers,  private  agencies,  NGOs, 
research  institutions  and  VET  providers  to  offer  skills 
assessment  and  matching  services,  and  to  ensure 
improved labour market transparency. 

The Pact for Skills has emphasised the importance of 
partnerships,  while  changing  skills  needs  will  require 
new  approaches  to  skills  partnerships.  Skills 
partnerships  are  needed  to  reduce  skills  mismatches, 
make  learning  more  attractive,  expand  employment 
prospects,  and  promote  work-based 
learning.  PES 
can  support  employees  and  companies  to  respond 
to  digital  transformation  and  support  occupational 
restructuring.  Partnerships  can  help  people  access 
training  and  products  in  order  to  develop  their  skills 
and businesses. PES can join forces with municipalities, 
universities, training institutes, businesses, and NGOs to 
provide new learning environments including training 
platforms and digital workshops. Skills delivery partners 
must  have  access  to  up-to-date  skills  intelligence  and 
good mechanisms for engaging with employers. 

Strategic challenges and learning 

Participants were invited to reflect on the question: “How 
do PES partnerships need to evolve to better meet 
current and upcoming skills challenges?”. To frame 
the discussion, the Luxembourg PES presented its training 
offer and related partnerships showcasing the Skills4Job 
initiative. Then, the European Platform for Rehabilitation 
(EPR)  made  an  intervention  on  the  importance  of 
partnerships for good training opportunities. 

More people already hold several jobs simultaneously 
with multiple income sources. The work-leisure balance is 
also changing, with workers placing increasing importance 
on  self-actualisation,  and  increasingly  pursuing  self- 
employment  and  entrepreneurship.  Increases  in  hybrid 
working structures and enquiry-based learning are 
promoting  creativity  and  critical  thinking  and  driving  a 
greater demand for skills utilising new technologies and 
AI tools. 

It  is  estimated  that  96%  of  workers  in  Europe  with 
jobs at risk due to technology could find similar or better 
work with sufficient training. However, those who most 
need  this  support  are  often  the  least  likely  to  seek 
upskilling opportunities. 

Strategic challenges and learning 

Participants  were  invited  to  reflect  on  this  question: 
“What  measures  should  employment  service 
providers and their partners put in place to prepare 
those that are currently in employment for future 
occupations and more frequent job transitions?”. To 
inspire them in their discussions, Cedefop described the 
main  trends  and  challenges  in  regard  to  the  changing 
nature  of  work  and  the  support  necessary  to  navigate 
transitions. The Wallonia PES Le Forem gave an overview 
of  measures  deployed  by  the  PES  to  support  people 
experiencing labour market transitions. 

Key learning points 

PES will increasingly need to develop AI and digital tools 
to  support  their  clients,  but  it  is  important  to  ensure  that 
these  tools  are  always  combined  with  counsellors’ 
assessments of client needs. 

Transparency  will  be  increasingly  important,  both  in the 
assessment  of  the  offer  and  demand  for  skills  (from 
candidates  or vacancies)  and  on  the relevance  of  training 
programmes. 

Quality  of  work  should  be  given  higher  priority  through 
measures  such  as  bonus  systems  for  companies  with 
a  good  work-life  balance,  and  implementation  of  solid 
greening  initiatives.  This  will  support  jobseekers  in 
making  decisions  that  support  sustainability.  PES  and 
partners need to develop stronger coordination, working 
towards  speaking  with  “one  voice”  or  “speaking  the  same 
language”. 

Accurately  mapping  skill  needs  and  improving  the 
governance  of  the  skills  system  are  crucial  steps  in 
ensuring  that  workers  and  jobseekers  receive  the  support 
they need to navigate transitions. 

Education  for  young  people  should  be  redesigned, 
focusing on a more flexible and modular approach. 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Key learning points 

issues 

Key 
inclusive 
included  the  application  of 
approaches, the importance of people-centred services and 
the  advantages  of  sustainable  partnerships.  Participants 
underlined  the  need  to  develop  quality  partnerships  to 
ensure quality service delivery. 

A broad partnership of actors in the skills ecosystem was 
suggested, including employers, unions, public institutions, 
training  institutions,  social  partners,  and  NGOs,  amongst 
others.  These  partnerships  should  be  based  on  real 
collaboration, shared goals and a joint understanding 
between partners. 

Quality partnerships take time. PES are well-placed in 
taking the lead, including in the mapping of partners, the 
engagement process and bringing stakeholders together. 

innovative  approaches 
Participants  suggested  that 
should be tested in small-scale pilots and upscaled  for 
wider  implementation  if  successful.  Further  actions  to 
increase  learning  on  this  subject  could  include  sharing 
knowledge of how ESF+ is being used successfully, the use 
of  specialist  support  services,  and  practices  around  skills 
recognition, micro-credentials, and job matching. 

EU  countries  are  dealing  with  the  challenges  of 
qualification  recognition  for  third-country  nationals 
through a variety of measures. These include systems for 
skills assessment, language training schemes, supplying 
migrants  with  information  concerning  skills  recognition 
tools  available, 
processes,  and  making  validation 
including  exclusively  visual  and  multi-lingual  tools. 
Mentoring  can  also  be  an  important  skills  recognition 
and enhancement strategy. Support from civil society 
organisations  and  use  of  digital  systems  can  be 
particularly useful in developing matching systems. Fast- 
track training schemes involving combinations of work 
and upskilling activities, including language courses, and 
the ability to move around a country to take advantage 
of opportunities, are also important factors in promoting 
integration  and  the  skills  utilisation  of  migrants  from 
third countries. 

Strategic challenges and learning 

Participants were invited to discuss the question: “What 
measures  should  employment  service  providers 
and  their  partners  put  in  place  to  improve  the 
labour  market 
third-country 
nationals?”.  Following  a  scene-setting  presentation  by 
the  European  Training  Foundation,  attendees  discussed 
crucial  questions  relating  to  the  recognition  of  third 
country nationals’ qualifications. 

integration  of 

Third-country  nationals  and  qualification 
recognition in Europe 

Background 

Foreign  citizens  are  more  likely  than  nationals  to  be 
overqualified9 
.  The  2020  overqualification  rate  for 
nationals was 20.8% compared with 32.3% for citizens of 
other EU Member States and 41.4% for non-EU citizens10. 
Migrants,  both  from  other  EU  member  states  and  third 
countries, tend to take longer to find employment than 
native-born  workers.  They  are  overrepresented  in  low- 
skilled work, even when they have levels of education and 
skills  similar  to  those  of  native-born  residents.  Skilled 
migrants often face more limited opportunities  than 
native  workers,  suggesting  failures  to  recognise  and 
utilise  their  qualifications.  This  is  detrimental  both  to 
individuals and the wider economy. 

Key learning points 

It  is  important  that  activities  supporting  migration 
commence  before  migrants  arrive  in  their  country  of 
destination.  These  actions  are  necessary  to  strengthen 
support  systems:  e.g.  to  initiate  and  where  possible 
complete job profiling, and to prepare a digital platform with 
information about skill and labour shortage occupations. 

Work  permits  could  possibly  be  arranged  before  entry. 
Efforts should be made to further harmonise the European 
Qualifications  Framework,  the  European  credit  system  for 
vocational education and training and the European Credit 
Accumulation and Transfer System. 

It  is  important  to  clarify  the  difference  between  the 
recognition  of  qualifications  awarded  in  the  country 
of  origin  and  recognition  of  learning  outcomes  (i.e. of 
competences).  In  many  instances,  it  might  be  faster  to 
(re)assess migrants’ competences rather than to try to 
identify  and  understand  the  qualifications  awarded  in  the 
country of origin. 

9  Defined as persons with a tertiary level of educational attainment (ISCED levels 5-8) working in low or medium skilled occupa- 

tions (ISCO groups 4-9) for which a tertiary educational attainment is not required. 

10  Eurostat Migrant integration statistics. 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Speakers also noted that there is enough unmet skills 
demand across the EU to employ many of Europe’s long-
term  unemployed  and  inactive  people,  if  provided  with 
appropriate  support  and  guidance.  This  is  a  key 
priority,  as  raising  Europe’s  employment  rate  and 
reducing its skills gap can be addressed through providing 
more citizens with the skills needed to access the many 
opportunities in shortage occupations. 

The  key  takeaway  point,  noted  by  both  participants 
and  speakers,  is  that  PES  and  stakeholders  must 
continually  increase  the  priority  of  cooperation. 
This  means  deepening  and  broadening  partnerships,  as 
only  a  participative  and  collaborative  model  can 
truly  deliver  the  tools  to  empower  the  workforce  and 
bridge the skills gap. 

Conclusions 

During  the  closing  session,  speakers  remarked  on  how 
the  European  Year  of  Skills,  already  before  its  official 
start, has brought together the energy and creativity 
of PES and stakeholder partners, which can increase 
momentum  behind  the  important  initiatives  presented 
during  the  conference.  The  labour  market  is  a  complex 
entity  with  a  great  number  of  individual  moving  parts, 
and  the  conference  has  shown  how  stakeholders  are 
developing more robust models and working together 
to illustrate and investigate labour market trends 
and current and future skills needs. 

This is particularly important as workers, employers,  and 
support  agencies  are  increasingly  asked  to  adopt  a 
proactive, rather than reactive, approach, to  keep 
pace with the requirements of a dynamic evolving labour 
market.  Improved  skills  assessment  will  be  an 
essential  feature  of  this  model:  not  just  improved 
mechanisms  and  methodologies  for  skills  profiling,  but 
also acknowledging the value of soft skills and those 
acquired through informal learning. 

Figure  4 – Graphic recording of the closing remarks 

Source: Graphic recording by SCRIBING.IT - M.Lobietti & G.Peddes 

PES Network Stakeholder Conference - Empowering the Workforce, Bridging the Skills Gap 

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17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX: EU initiatives to support skills 
development 

The European Year of Skills builds on the many current 
EU initiatives to support skills and increase their take-up, 
including: 

EU funding and assistance to invest into 
skills 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The European Skills Agenda is the framework for EU 
skills policy cooperation and will continue to help in- 
dividuals and businesses to develop and apply more 
and better skills. 

Under the Pact for Skills, more than 700 organisa- 
tions  have  signed  up,  and  12  large-scale  partner- 
ships  in  strategic  sectors  have  been  set  up  with 
pledges to help upskill up to 6 million people. 

The Commission has also proposed new initiatives to 
address  EU  skills  shortages  and  improve  migration 
cooperation. The roll-out of an EU Talent Pool and of 
Talent Partnerships with selected third partners will 
help match the skills of candidates to work in Europe 
with labour market needs. This is a key deliverable 
under the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. 

The  New  European  Innovation  Agenda,  adopted  in 
July 2022, proposes a flagship initiative and set of 
actions to create the right framework conditions to 
develop talents. 

The  European  strategy  for  universities,  adopted  in 
January 2022, proposes a series of 50 actions. These 
are key to developing and future-proofing high level 
skills for a wide range of learners, including lifelong 
learners,  enabling  them  to  become  creative  and 
critical  thinkers,  problem  solvers  and  active  and 
responsible citizens. 

The European Digital Skills and Jobs Platform is an 
initiative launched under the Connecting Europe Fa- 
cility Programme. It offers information and resources 
on  digital  skills  such as  a  digital  skills  self-assess- 
ment tool, as well as training and funding opportu- 
nities. 

The EU Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition tackles the 
digital skills gap by bringing together Member States, 
social partners, companies, non-profit organisations 
and education providers to raise awareness and en- 
courage  organisations  to  take  different  actions  to 
promote  digital  skills  training  such  as  a  pledge  to 
boost digital skills. 

Significant EU funding and technical support is available 
to support Member States’ investment in up- and reskill- 
ing, including: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) with a budget 
of more than €99 billion for 2021-2027 is the EU’s 
main instrument for investing in people. 

The  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  can  support 
Member States’ reforms and investments, including 
in the area of skills and jobs. In the national recov- 
ery  and  resilience  plans  endorsed  by  the  Commis- 
sion and the Council so far, around 20% of the social 
expenditure is dedicated to “employment and skills”. 

The Digital Europe Programme’s €580 million for de- 
velopment  of  advanced  digital  skills.  This  provides 
strategic  funding  supporting  activities  including the 
development  of  a  skilled  talent  pool  of  digital 
experts.  It  also  enhances  cooperation  between  EU 
Member States and stakeholders in digital skills and 
jobs. 

Horizon Europe underpins skills for researchers, en- 
trepreneurs and innovators notably through its Marie 
Skłodowska-Curie  Actions,  the  European  Innovation 
Council and the European Institute for Technology. 

Erasmus+ with a budget €26.2 billion supports, ac- 
tions  including  the  personal  and  professional  de- 
velopment  of  learners,  staff  and  institutions  in  vo- 
cational  education  and  training  through  funding 
mobility  activities  and  partnerships  for  cooperation 
across  Europe.  It  also  funds  European  Universities 
which are pioneering the development of micro-cre- 
dentials for training, up-skilling and re-skilling. 

Additional  programmes  that  can  support  skills  devel- 
opment include the InvestEU programme, the European 
Globalisation Adjustment Fund for displaced workers, the 
European  Regional  Development  Fund,  the  Just  Transi- 
tion Fund, the European Solidarity Corps, the Programme 
for Environment and climate action (LIFE), the Moderni- 
sation  Fund,  the  Technical  Support  Instrument,  and  the 
Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooper- 
ation Instrument. 

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