Supporting labour market developments: how to maintain employability, boost productivity and develop skills, especially in SMEs

Background

Acceleration of technological progress, climate and demographic changes and the digital and green transitions are starting to radically transform labour markets across Europe and the world. Recent estimates show that almost half of all European workers will need to update their skills or acquire new ones in order to keep or get a job that corresponds to their competences and skills level, and to stay employable in the world of work of the near future.

Key points

In the opinion, the EESC:

• states that the transformation of the European labour market requires good understanding of what type of skills are needed for future labour market transformations, including in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in order to maintain sustainable employability, contribute to a high level of productivity and to reduce labour shortages;
• believes that skills development and effective implementation of the right and access to lifelong learning must be an integral part of broader economic growth strategies and recovery and resilience plans;
• underlines that SMEs should be encouraged to work in networks that interact, to cooperate in sharing costs for research into skills needs and pool their capacities to respond to the challenges of the twin transitions and skills development. Support for SMEs is needed to facilitate the development of their human capital training and development policy.

The full text of the opinion can be found here.

Additional information:

Section: Section for employment, social affairs and citizenship (SOC)

Opinion Number : SOC/722

Opinion Type: Own-initiative opinion

Rapporteur: Mariya Mincheva

Reference: SOC/722-EESC-2022

Date of adoption by section : 30/01/2023

Result of the vote in section: 80 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstention

Date of adoption in plenary: 22-23/02/2023

Result of the vote in plenary: 153 in favour, 2 against, 2 abstentions

Contact:

Laura Lui         

Press Officer

Tel.:+ 32 2 546 9189

email:  laurairena.lui@eesc.europa.eu

Sophie Zimmer

Policy Officer

Tel.:+ 32 2 546 9564

email:  Sophie.Zimmer@eesc.europa.eu