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Lucubrate Magazine, January 16th, 2024
Europe needs a skills revolution. Using sound skills and anticipation to produce skills and intelligence will be central to shaping and managing it. We need skills intelligence.
Greening relies on skills
Sound information and intelligence are prerequisites for optimising countries’ investment in skills. Knowing which skills are required at which levels, in which areas, for whom, and how is crucial.
Job growth is expected in green sectors, such as electricity and water supply, waste management and construction. At the same time, the decline in mining and quarrying will accelerate. A cascade of indirect employment effects will be felt in many sectors, including services. In most others, employment is likely to be redirected towards greener production without leading to significant net employment change. The green transition drives skills and training needs in all sectors, and achieving the objectives of the Green Deal does not rely only on high-skilled workers. The scenario results identify employment gains for almost all occupations, including middle-skilled and elementary occupations. The green transition can potentially alleviate progressive job polarisation [1].
Skills revolution
New and more advanced skills, including social and emotional, higher cognitive, and technological skills, are becoming more critical. To follow the changes, skills intelligence is needed. Basic digital competencies are now essential in various professions, from nursing to truck driving. Reimagining and rethinking the learning and earning nexus of the global workforce and investing in the shifts needed to provide citizens with the skills of tomorrow has become imperative for private- and public-sector activities.
A skills revolution is needed to adjust to changing demography, digital and green transitions, and other megatrends reshaping economies and societies. Providing relevant, learner-centred, inclusive and efficient vocational education and training (TVET) is crucial to making that happen.
Solid data on current and future trends are essential for forging links between TVET and skills policy and other policy areas, such as economic, social, environmental and migration. But data alone, and the statistics and indicators derived from them, are not enough. The dynamics and complexity of today’s labour markets and broader megatrends require expert interpretation to turn information into actionable insight that supports countries, regions, sectors and citizens in making transitions[2].
Skills Intelligence of today
Skills intelligence emerged in the 2000s and refers to the ability to identify, acquire, and apply skills that are in demand today and will be required in the future job market. Skills intelligence is needed. As the job market rapidly evolves, individuals and organisations must stay informed about emerging skills and the trends and challenges shaping it [2].
Skills Intelligence is the process of identifying, collecting, analysing, synthesising and presenting quantitative or qualitative information on skills and labour market to [3]:
- identify critical trends and demands in the labour market;
- assess, anticipate and forecast skill needs;
- address skill gaps and mismatches;
- adapt provision of education and training accordingly;
- provide relevant educational and career guidance and counselling.
The information about recent trends in skills anticipation intelligence and experience in the EU was presented in a policy brief pointing towards the following takeaways [4]:
- Maintaining a robust political commitment
- Accelerating innovation in skills anticipation
- Leveraging method diversity requires coordination.
- Connecting stakeholders
- Training skills anticipation and skills ecosystem stakeholders on Big Data and AI
- Supporting democratic values
Skills intelligence helps business leaders see what skills their employees have, the level at which they compare with the industry, their strengths and weaknesses, how they match current and future business needs, how they’ll be able to adapt to the dynamic market’s needs, and which enable them to make business-critical decisions. In a nutshell, skill intelligence is a crystal ball that’ll tell you how you and your organisation will fare shortly. [5].
Conclusion
Skills intelligence results from skills assessment and anticipation: activities that strategically evaluate current and future skill needs in the labour market using consistent and systematic methods [5].
As the job market rapidly evolves, individuals and organisations must be informed about its trends and challenges and ensure we give the needed skills to the youth.
References:
[1] BRIEFING NOTE, JANUARY 2022, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop).
[2] Zahara Sayed, Skills intelligence for a future-proof workforce, HRForecast, April 2023, https://hrforecast.com/skills-intelligence-for-a-future-proof-workforce/#
[3] Terminology of European education and training policy, Cedefop, https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/vet-glossary/glossary.
[4] Cedefop (2024). Next generation skills intelligence for more learning and better matching: skills anticipation trends, opportunities and challenges in EU Member States. Luxembourg: Publications Office. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/180485
[5] Sujit Karpe, Skills Intelligence: The new competitive advantage for organisations making smarter talent decisions, October 13, 2022
Lucubrate Magazine January 2024
The photo on the top of the article: Adobe Stock
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