CEDEFOP: Tracking the green transition in labour markets

The European Green Deal and its industrial plan is the EU’s broad and multifaceted response to climate change. It is the bloc’s policy framework for transitioning from an economy that relies on fossil fuels and practices harming the environment to one that prioritises sustainability, environmental protection, and carbon neutrality. Green transition is also about embracing the circular economy to promote recycling, reducing and reusing waste to minimise resource consumption and environmental impact.

On the way to a carbon-neutral economy, to attain the goals laid down in the European Green Deal and European Climate Law by 2050, Europe’s competitiveness will hinge on its ability to innovate and to develop and mainstream clean technologies. Ensuring that green transition benefits all citizens, including vulnerable groups, is at the core of the EU’s approach. Alongside pursuing greentech innovation and upscaling, creating green jobs, addressing social inequalities, and providing access to clean and affordable resources are headline priorities.

CEDEFOP, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, has carried out a policy brief that demonstrates the potential of using big data analysis of online job advertisements in the context of green transition. They have monitored and analysed occupations along with the skills, qualifications and credentials employers mention in the job ads they publish online gives policy-makers, educators and trainers insights into how they can adjust course content and provision. This helps ensure students are equipped with the practical and green and digital transition skills they need to contribute to greener economies and to succeed in an ever-faster changing job market. Such information can contribute to defining new job roles (e.g. ESG controller) and guide the development of new programmes and curricula. Detecting new skills requirements in existing occupations may pave the way for changes in the education, training, and qualifications systems

Full publication: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/es/publications/9197