Pact for Skills has already helped 2 million people that benefit from up-and-reskilling activities

The Pact for Skills 2022 annual survey results are in. The EU Pact for Skills has significantly helped companies and workers across Europe in advancing skills training. According to the survey, 2 million people have benefited from up-and re-skilling activities under the Pact. 15,500 training programmes were either updated or developed, and Pact members have invested €160 million in skills initiatives.

This is an important contribution to the European Year of Skills.

By bringing together industry, social partners, vocational and education providers, public authorities, employment services and others in different sectors, the Pact for Skills promotes a collective approach to tackling challenges and shortages in skills development. This is especially relevant in a rapidly changing world of work and for the green and digital transitions. Over 80% of the surveyed Pact members value the support provided by the Pact in ensuring concrete training offers for workers across Europe.

Skills partnerships under the Pact have proven effective in addressing sectorial skills needs and have made a positive impact on enhancing the skills of workers. To date, 1,500 organisations have joined the Pact for Skills, with 18 large-scale skills partnerships established in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, the care sector and microelectronics. This means at least one large-scale skills partnership has been set up for each industrial ecosystem of the EU Industrial Strategy. Together, all partnerships have pledged to provide training to over 10 million people in the coming years.

The survey report also showcases concrete examples of successful skilling actions by Pact members across Europe, such as:

• The Femxa Formación in Spain facilitated the integration of over 60 women with a migrant background into the labour market in Latvia and Spain through training programmes.
• The Wheel organisation in Ireland launched a Leadership Academy to support skills development in the social economy sector in Ireland. The platform offers targeted training material and relevant resources.
• The Municipality of Lisbon introduced a “Digital Skills Passport” project for micro-credentials of digital skills.
• The Emphasys Centre in Cyprus, in partnership with an NGO, makes their learning hub available during non-working hours to provide opportunities for skills development to vulnerable groups, including young people and people with migrant backgrounds, older people and jobseekers.
• The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations designed masterclasses to upskill trainers for tourist guide, focusing on inclusion and digital skills.

Other key findings

The survey reveals the positive and concrete impact large-scale skills partnerships in empowering workers with the necessary skills for success. For their sectors, Pact members have reported enhanced monitoring of the skills needed, a greater availability of high-quality training opportunities, and the implementation of more inclusive activities to boost skills.

Together, 21,500 stakeholders have joined forces through skills partnerships or networks (e.g., industrial clusters) to drive impactful skills development initiatives and reached 19 million people in Europe through promotion and dissemination activities.

Background

The Pact for Skills, a flagship initiative under the European Skills Agenda, was launched on 10 November 2020. It brings together relevant partners to identify skills requirements and make commitments to reskill workers. The aim is to foster partnerships that address labour market needs, support green and digital transitions, and promote local and regional growth strategies.

Partners joining the Pact sign a Charter, outlining key principles on quality training, lifelong learning and inclusion. They commit to translating their engagement into concrete actions on upskilling and reskilling. By joining the Pact, stakeholders gain access to networking and knowledge sharing and resource hubs. The Commission also provides information and guidance on EU funding and programmes for skills development.

The Pact for Skills annual survey is an important monitoring tool that informs mutual learning activities within the Pact. Its findings will also be discussed at the “Making skills count” conference taking place on 8-9 June 2023, as part of the European Year of Skills. The survey, conducted between February and March 2023, received responses from 461 Pact members, capturing their progress made up to December 2022.

The Pact for Skills also contributes to the EU’s headline targets, endorsed by Member States, that by 2030, at least 60% of all adults should participate in training every year and at least 78% of the population aged 20 to 64 should be in employment by 2030.