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- Assemblers: skills opportunities and challenges (2023 update
Assemblers: skills opportunities and challenges (2023 update
Summary
Manufacturing accounts for a large part of the European economy. Assemblers, who mainly work in the manufacturing sector, account for around 1 per cent of all employment in the EU. This rather small share of workers is however important to the achievement of the European Green Deal’s ambitions towards circularity and waste management.
Assemblers follow strict procedures to assemble prefabricated parts so that subassemblies, products, and equipment are formed. This could be done along an assembly line where workers are one next to the other or not. Jobs within this group include aircraft, mechanical machinery, and motorcycle assemblers, electrical and electronic equipment (e.g., phones, tablets) assemblers, and assemblers of bicycles, jewelry, and metal products.
Key facts
- Around 1.8 million people were employed as assemblers in 2022, which accounts for almost 1 per cent of total EU employment.
- Between 2019 and 2020, during which the EU experienced economic lockdowns, 94 thousand assembler jobs were lost. By the end of 2022, employment had mostly recovered.
- Between 2012 and 2022 overall employment increased by almost 17 per cent. Over the same period, employment across all occupations in the EU increased by almost 8 per cent.
- Most assemblers – 87 per cent in 2021 - are employed in the manufacturing sector. In 2021, they accounted for almost 5 per cent of employment in that sector.
- More than two-thirds of assemblers (67 per cent) have attained a qualification level of ISCED 3 and 4 in 2021, equivalent to the education level achieved after completing upper secondary education. The qualification level of the occupation is not expected to change over the period to 2035.
- Most assemblers are men. In 2021, 39 per cent of assemblers were women.
- The employment of assemblers is projected to increase by almost 17 per cent between 2022 and 2035.
- This represents an increase of 311 thousand jobs compared to 2022. In addition to new job creation, there will be a large number of assembler jobs to be filled over the same period. This is because an estimated 1 million people are expected to leave the occupation mainly due to retirement. This means that an estimated 1.3 million job openings will need to be filled between 2022 and 2035.
- The use of digital tools in assembling and the rise in the need for assemblers in non-manufacturing fields (such as prefabrication in construction) will drive changes in the skills required of assemblers in the future. New skills will also be required to assemble sustainable products such as electric vehicles and products made of sustainable materials such as wood.
Employment and job demand
Employment of assemblers has usually a more positive trend than that of similar occupations. Assembling of pre-fabricated components is the main modus operandi of the European manufacturing industry, requires comparatively less training or upskilling, and assemblers' employment defies job losses, typical for other skilled manual occupations.
Figure 1: Year-to-year employment change for assemblers (2013-2022)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Employed persons by detailed occupation (ISCO-08 two-digit level) [LFSA_EGAI2D__custom_7778289]. Own calculations.
The manufacturing sector employs the majority of assemblers. In 2016, 88 per cent of assemblers were employed in the manufacturing sector. This had slightly decreased in 2021 (see Figure 2). The construction sector is the only other sector with a significant number of assemblers, accounting for around 4 per cent of their employment in 2021. The remaining 9 per cent of assembler employment is distributed across various sectors.
Figure 2: The top sectors employing assemblers (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
As regards the share of assemblers within sectoral employment, the largest share of these workers is found within the manufacturing sector. This share is however not large, and in 2021 it stood at just 5 per cent.
The share of employment in each country is usually low, but in some central European countries, it is close to, or even over 3 per cent (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Assemblers as a share of overall country employment (2021, in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Note: Data for CY, EE, IS, LV and LU have lower reliability because of the small sample size.
LFS data for MT are not available.
Most of the workforce is comprised of men. In 2016, 62 per cent of assemblers were men compared to 54 per cent in the economy as a whole. In 2021, male employment of assemblers accounted for 61 per cent of employment.
The age distribution of assemblers does not differ from that across all occupations (Figure 4). In 2021, 29 per cent of assemblers were aged 50 to 64 years compared to 28 per cent across all occupations.
Figure 4: Assemblers workforce by age (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Temporary employment appears to be rather more widespread amongst assemblers compared to that across all occupations. Some share of assemblers is associated with job placement agencies, who hire them to work with different manufacturers (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: Contract and hiring trends for assemblers (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Skill needs and future trends
The nature of assemblers' work requires mainly manual skills. They are, however, to a certain degree also involved in innovative tasks, usually aimed at improved efficiency and safety of the workplaces. Assemblers have relatively high upskilling needs, which are met only partly. Assembling is mostly a repetitive and tiring job, which leads to much lower levels of job satisfaction, as reported by employers.
Figure 6: Skills, training needs and job perception of assemblers (in %)
Source: European Skills and Jobs Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Unless stated otherwise, it is a share of people reporting that a task/skill is part of their job.
*Always or often
** Share of workers reporting these needs to a great or moderate extent.
Cedefop’s Skills forecast provides a detailed view of the future demand for assemblers. Overall, employment for assemblers is expected to increase markedly (by about 17 per cent) over the period 2022 to 2035.
Future employment growth will be realised across most countries, but its level will vary by country. Figure 7 compares the employment growth experienced over the relatively recent past to that projected to take place in the future. Employment in 15 countries grew in the past decade and it is forecast to do so in the next decade as well. The Netherlands, Island and Lithuania are among those with the highest past and expected future growths, while especially Estonia, Norway, and France represent the opposite trend.
Figure 7: Past and expected future employment trend of assemblers
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Cedefop Skills Forecast.
Note: Data for CY, EE, IS, LV and LU have lower reliability because of the small sample size.
LFS data for MT are not available.
New job creation is, however, not the main driver behind job demand. Most job openings are a result of people leaving them for other opportunities, or those leaving the labour market completely (retirements; parent leave and such). This replacement demand is frequently much more substantial, and in the case of the assemblers it exceeds the new job creation about three times, as it is estimated at 953 million (Figure 8).
Overall, when expansion demand is added to replacement demand, an estimated 1.3 million job openings for assemblers will need to be filled between 2022 and 2035.
Figure 8: Future job openings for assemblers (000s)
Source: Future job openings indicator based on the Cedefop Skills forecast. Own calculations.
More than 60 per cent of assemblers held medium-level qualifications in 2021 (i.e. at ISCED levels 3 or 4). This is not projected to change much by 2035. The share of workers with low levels of qualification (ISCED level 2 or lower) is projected to fall from 30 per cent to 20 per cent, while the share of highly qualified workers (i.e. those qualified at ISCED level 5 and over) is projected to increase from 7 per cent to 14 per cent.
Looking forward
Significant changes already take place in the sectors where assemblers are employed, such as manufacturing. Technological developments related to Industry 4.0 and their interplay with the sustainability agenda transform manufacturing activities. This in turns changes the skills mix of future assemblers.
- The rise in demand for sustainable products and the introduction of new materials affects activities in the manufacturing sector. ‘Sustainable manufacturing’ integrates processes and systems capable of producing high quality products and services using more sustainable resources while mitigating environmental and social impacts of manufacturing throughout its lifecycle (Machado et al, 2019). Tis implies changes in the activities of assemblers, who are already adjusting to new principles of efficiency material and energy use, waste management and to the use of novel sustainable materials. This often means than new machinery and equipment is used in assembly lines, which assemblers need to master.
- Green transformation in manufacturing activities is pushed forward by the European Green Deal. Implementation of initiatives such as the New Industrial Strategy for Europe, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and the Strategy on offshore renewables will most likely result into new technologies being introduced in many manufacturing premises. Several of these technologies will interact with the work of assemblers. For example, assembling processes for electric vehicles differ from those of conventional vehicles, while applying zero-waste principles needs some general knowledge on the matter and will possibly require using new tools. Assembly line workers need to be adequately trained to cope with such new requirements. According to recent Cedefop work, such training in typical “brown” sectors as manufacturing will be re-skilling to enable workers move from “brown” to “green” jobs within the same sector.
- Recent studies find that transition to greener manufacturing might also cost jobs in the EU, for example in vehicle manufacturing. This will likely involve assemblers too. However, there are other fields emerging due to the green transition, such as manufacturing of solar and wind power generation equipment. Assembly workers can move to those sectors but will need training to do so.
- Technological developments related to digitalisation and automation will likely change the skills mix required by assemblers and affect their future numbers in factories. Industry 4.0 processes combine Internet and ICTs with traditional production processes and transform industrial production (Cohen et al, 2019). Major new technologies driving this transformation relate to Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain (Akyazi et al, 2022). These bring about decreases in low-skilled tasks and activities and increase in complexity of tasks being performed. (Leitao et al, 2020).
- New technology also opens up opportunities for assemblers and machine operators in sectors other than manufacturing. For example, the spread of industrial construction techniques creates jobs for machine operators in conventional construction sites (e.g., drone and other robotics operators). Job opportunities will also emerge in pre-fabrication sites where large parts of housing equipment will be pre-assembled before transferred to the building for permanent assembly (Construction Blueprint, 2022). Soon, technology may also enable dis-assembling and moving whole buildings, as was recently demonstrated with a football stadium.
- Occupational health and safety considerations prompt additional training for this occupational group. According to Eurostat estimates, Plant and machine operators and assemblers have very high rates of work accidents. EU policies such as the 2021-2027 EU strategic framework on health and safety at work will alter future regulations to improve prevention of workplace accidents and illnesses. Therefore, assemblers will continue to get advanced and enhanced occupational health and safety training in the coming years.
- Global geopolitical developments and most importantly Russia’s war in Ukraine affect European manufacturing industry in various ways. According to a recent OECD study, the surge in energy and materials prices affected several regions where manufacturing is prevalent (in Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Northern Italy, Sweden and Finland). Among other things, the study also suggests training and re-employment to facilitate the integration of displaced workers.
- Material shortages fuelled by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion in Ukraine have led to intense discussions for decreasing European industry’s dependence on global value chains. The European Chips Act could serve as an example of a future ’’Made in Europe’’ strategy that sets targets for increased production activity within Europe in key sectors (Tamma & Stolton, 2023). This could have a significant impact on the manufacturing industry, including assemblers by accelerating and expanding the processes of innovation as well as recruitment in the sector.
The need for broader and more complex skills is reflected in the expected increase of highly skilled assemblers. Routine and repetitive tasks are particularly subject to automation and other processes of digitalisation. The green transition of the manufacturing sector implies profound changes in the functioning of business models and transnational value chains. Improvements in current provision of vocational education and training (VET) are an important means of supplying new skills for assemblers. Most of these workers enter the workforce with vocational qualification at ISCED levels 3 and 4. According to Cedefop in 2019 and 2020 73 per cent of assemblers aged 15-34 reported possession of a vocational qualification.
With respect to IVET, prospective assemblers will benefit by seeking to gain technical skills and qualifications through pathways such as apprenticeships. Apprenticeships combine school studies with practical training on the job at a company and lead to a recognised qualification in the industry that makes it easier to find employment (see an example in the box below). Their effectiveness in equipping people with the skills required in the labour market is nowadays widely recognised (cf. Cedefop’s research on the effective delivery of apprenticeships). The European Alliance for Apprenticeships provides support to countries and sectors looking to improve and expand the provision of apprenticeships. Through this alliance, the Organisation of the European Industry and Tech employers (Ceemet) and IndustriAll Europe (the European federation of trade unions representing manual and non-manual workers in various sectors including the metal, textile, clothing and footwear sectors and related industries sectors) have pledged to promote the uptake of high-quality and effective apprenticeships in the metal, engineering and technology-based sector throughout Europe. In addition, the Automotive Skills Alliance has developed (through the DRIVES project) a database for comparing apprenticeships that enables to explore the European apprenticeships in the automotive sector.
Assembly fitter (apprenticeship) The company producing cable support systems for chemical, energy, telecommunications, dairy and food industries offers an apprenticeship programme for assembly fitters. The apprentice will be mainly involved in assembly processes, and learn the technical know-how of the composition of the company’s products, such as blind riveting, drilling, pulling, screwing and other mechanical connections and pressing. The apprentices will also be responsible for the packing and preparing of products to be sent to customers, performing product checks on dimensions, and visual inspection for quality. Source: Gouda Holland BV, Netherlands. |
There is also a need to consider continuing vocational education and training (CVET) so that existing assemblers are reskilled and upskilled in order to be able to move from traditional “brown” jobs to “green” jobs (e.g., transitioning from assembling conventional vehicles to electric vehicles). Short-course provision, including those provided online can be an important means of continuous training for assemblers. Micro-credentials are such short-term learning courses on specific topics or skills that lead to a certificate. They are a flexible format of learning that develop personal and professional skills, knowledge, and competences.
How to cite this publication:
Cedefop (2023). Assemblers: skills opportunities and challenges. Skills intelligence data insight.
Further reading
Cedefop (2021). The green employment and skills transformation: insights from a European Green Deal skills forecast scenario. Luxembourg: Publications Office. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/112540
Cohen, Y., Faccio, M., Pilati, F., & Yao, X. (2019). Design and management of digital manufacturing and assembly systems in the Industry 4.0 era. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 105, 3565-3577.
Construction Blueprint (2022). Report on the professions and qualifications to be subject of modernization (D5.2.).
Eurofer (2021). Launch of the Clean Steel Partnership paves the way for further research and deployment of ground-breaking technology. 23 June 2021, The European Steel Alliance
Eurofound (2019). ’The future of manufacturing in Europe’, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the EU.
European Commission (2020a) A new Industrial Strategy for a globally competitive, green and digital Europe. COM(2020) 102 final
European Commission (2020b). An EU Strategy to harness the potential of offshore renewable energy for a climate neutral future.COM(2020) 741 final
European Commission (2020c). Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track for the future. COM(2020) 789 final
European Commission (2021). EU strategic framework on health and safety at work 2021-2027, published 28 June 2021
European Commission (2022). Proposal for a regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act). COM(2022) 46 final.
European Commission (2023). EU strategy on energy system integration. COM(2020) 299 final.
Eurostat. Accidents at work by ISCO and employment status. Accessed 24 January 2023.
Leitao, P., Geraldes, C. A. S., Fernandes, F. P., & Badikyan, H. (2020). Analysis of the Workforce Skills for the Factories of the Future [IEEE 2020 IEEE Conference on Industrial Cyberphysical Systems (ICPS) - Tampere (2020.6.10-2020.6.12), 353–358.
Machado, G.C., Winroth, M. P., & Ribeiro da Silva, E.H.D. (2019). Sustainable manufacturing in Industry 4.0: an emerging research agenda. International Journal of Production Research, 58, 1462-1484.
OECD (2022). How vulnerable is European manufacturing to gas supply conditions? in Policy Responses: Ukraine. Tackling the policy challenges, published 22 July 2022
Tamma, P., & Stolton, S. (2023). Revealed: France’s massive ‘Made in Europe’ strategy. in Politico EU, published 13 January 2023
Data insights details
Table of contents
Page 1
SummaryPage 2
Employment and job demandPage 3
Skill needs and future trendsPage 4
Looking forwardPage 5
Further reading