Building skills to make the labour market open to everyone

by Ioannis Vardakastanis, Vice-President of the EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group

The European Year of Skills should be an opportunity to bridge gaps – a year to address the barriers preventing many in the EU from being able to find quality and fulfilling employment. At a time when the EU's workforce is dwindling, it is more important than ever to focus on tapping the potential of those who are too often cut off from the open labour market by investing in skills.

Developing skills that match the requirements of current and future job markets will of course have to take into account the increasing digitalisation of our economies. This means bridging the digital skills gap, not least for groups such as persons with disabilities and older people who are still active in the job market. In our modern societies, digital literacy is not only a tool that helps people to find their place in the labour market, it is also a prerequisite for living independently and something that nobody should be deprived of.

However, promoting skills that future-proof our economies should not be overly dependent on digital competences. The European Year of Skills should also be a platform to promote the importance and value of employment in technical, manual and vocational sectors. The skills required in these sectors have been undervalued for too long, as have the crucial functions they serve in our societies. With the green transition forming a cornerstone of the EU's blueprint for transforming its economy in the years to come, there is a particular need for technical and manual expertise to implement real transformation. To achieve this, many workers will need to reskill, and the opportunity should be seized here to also reach out to people typically excluded from the labour market and develop their skills.