Reflection on The European Year of Skills and Global Skills Forum

In the past couple of weeks, one of our co-founders and partners, Azza Elhayek represented SkillLab at two different events that discussed skills in the future of the labor market - the Global Skills Forum that was organized by ILO, and the closing event for the European Year of Skills. We had a chat with her about her experience at the events, the trends that she recognizes in the labor market, and what are some implications she sees for SkillLab.

Can you first tell us a bit about the events themselves, what were they focusing on?

The first event I attended was the Global Skills Forum in Geneva on April 23-24. This one was organized by ILO as a major event that brings together government officials, employers, workers, and education specialists to discuss how to improve skills development for the future workforce. The main focus of the discussion was how to ensure skills development is human-centered, and takes into consideration the environmental, digital, and social aspects of a sustainable future. Quality apprenticeships and work-based learning were also key topics of discussion.

On the other hand, the closing event for the European Year of Skills was titled “The European Year of Skills - What Comes Next?”, and brought closure to a year-long initiative by the EU that focused on improving skills development across the whole EU. Held in Brussels on April 30, this event offered a platform for hundreds of participants to share their success stories, reflect on the Year’s achievements, and discuss the future of skills development. The main point of the conference was also to ensure that the momentum gained during the European Year of Skills is carried forward by fostering discussions on effective skills policies, and keeping skills development a top priority.

What were the main messages of the two conferences that you attended?

One of the main messages was that the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach will not work in the future. We need a better, more flexible system that caters to various individual needs and backgrounds. This will also lead to empowering individuals by providing them with personalized resources and support throughout their lifelong learning journeys.

Looking at people in the labor market, it’s clear that while academic qualifications remain important for certain jobs, the future of work demands a shift towards a focus on skills and talent, combined with continuous learning throughout individuals’ careers. Significant number of talented individuals remain excluded or underutilized in the labor market. We need collaborative efforts to bridge this gap and ensure that individuals receive the guidance and support they need to develop their skills, and actively contribute to the workforce. To bridge this talent gap, employers need to move beyond traditional resume-focused hiring, and embrace skill-based assessments that can identify transferable skills and potential, regardless of academic background or previous job titles. Skills development is not just about acquiring skills but it is ultimately about creating a world where everyone thrives. We also need to stop considering the informal labor market as a problem, and rather explore strategies for integrating the informal sector into the skills development ecosystem to avoid leaving a significant workforce behind.

Fostering workforce mobility requires working on harmonized skill taxonomies across regions and internationally. This will allow individuals to seamlessly transition between jobs and locations. We need to investigate ways to ensure ongoing cooperation between sectoral skills councils to maintain the relevance of skill standards across industries. We need to explore the potential of AI to keep skill taxonomies relevant, and adapt to the changing job market in real time.

In order to build a future-proof workforce it is essential to ensure collaboration between governments, educators, employers, and individuals. Open communication and knowledge-sharing are crucial. This is where technology can also be leveraged to enhance the communication between the stakeholders in the labor market, making sure it augments, not replaces, real interactions.

What are some of the major trends you see when it comes to the topic of skills in the labor market?

Both events highlighted one key challenge: an unstable labor market due to the so-called triple transition - environmental, digital, and demographic. However, this instability can be viewed as an opportunity. By prioritizing skills development in career guidance, education curricula, and skill-based approach in hiring practices, we can equip individuals to become resilient and actually thrive in this evolving landscape. This collaborative effort between stakeholders acknowledges the challenge but emphasizes the potential for growth and adaptation.

What did you find especially interesting in the two conferences?

I was especially impressed by how strong the alignment on the key points across both events was. It is encouraging to see such a clear identification of the problem - the skills gap, and the need for a future-proof workforce. Additionally, there is a shared vision for solutions - a skills-first approach with continuous learning, collaboration among stakeholders, and skill-based hiring. This vision also aims at a shared goal - inclusive labor market with individuals who are equipped with skills they need to prosper in the world of work.

From my perspective, the next crucial step is translating these ideas into a concrete action plan. Importantly, this plan should also include measurable KPIs to track the progress as it will be otherwise difficult to gauge the success of the so-called decade of skills, and ensure that tangible results are achieved.

Which are the main takeaways you identified for SkillLab?

As a co-founder of SkillLab, my participation in the Global Skills Forum and the European Year of Skills closing event was a manifold experience. I sought to gain insights into the evolving labor market landscape and its challenges and opportunities, explore potential solutions such as technology-driven approaches, and contribute to SkillLab’s expertise in leveraging technology and innovation. This aligns perfectly with the growing recognition of technology’s role in addressing the skills gap.

Both conferences confirmed the importance of our direction at SkillLab, particularly the potential of AI to address the challenges the labor market faces, such as skill mismatches, taxonomies that are lagging behind, untapped talent and so on. This also aligns with our core mission: connecting individuals with relevant jobs and educational opportunities based on their skills.

The key takeaway for SkillLab is thus twofold. Firstly, we need to work with partners who share our commitment to innovation and social impact. And secondly, I learned that the solution should start from the demand side. Employers are the key drivers of having an inclusive labor market. By helping them shift their mindset, from CVs to skill profiles, from Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to skill-based matching, and from assessing years of experience to assessing the strength of acquired skills, we can bridge the gap between employers’ needs, and individuals’ skill sets.