Representatives from 23 European Union Member States have met to prepare the 2025 release of Cedefop’s Skills forecast, an initiative which has come to be considered a cornerstone database for socioeconomic analysis in Europe.
The annual Skills forecast workshop convened at Cedefop premises in Thessaloniki on 18 and 19 April and brought together the Agency’s experts, the project research team and individual country experts specializing in skills forecasting.
During the intensive two-day meeting, attendees validated the findings of the 2025 release and explored ongoing matters and methodological advancements. They also analysed the forecast results pertinent to their respective countries, scrutinized nuanced details and contemplated the implications for the broader European labour landscape.
While participants tackled pressing issues impacting their respective nations' skill ecosystems and labour markets, the debate extended to broader implications for Europe's economy.
A significant focus was directed towards refining Cedefop' s Labour shortage indicator, a pivotal tool for assessing workforce dynamics and projecting future trends.
Cedefop’s lead expert for Skills forecast Ilias Livanos emphasized the formidable challenges ahead, which were further highlighted by the European Year of Skills, pointing to artificial intelligence (AI), migration and labour shortages as critical hurdles for the future of European labour markets.
The next Skills forecast workshop in 2025 will mark the 20th anniversary of this pivotal project, which is a treasure trove of data concerning European labour market developments and is a valuable policy-making tool.
