The European Union has declared 2023 as the “EU Year of Skills” to promote and support the development of skills and competencies necessary for an innovative and competitive Europe.

What is the EU Year of Skills 2023?

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, announced the European Year of Skills during her third State of the Union Address to the Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The initiative seeks to raise public understanding and develop a better appreciation of the value of skills and competencies at all levels of society and to ensure that they are acquired and maintained throughout a person’s life. Through this initiative, the EU hopes to provide better conditions for those without adequate skills to advance their careers and to encourage businesses to invest in the skills of their employees. In this article, we discuss how the Year of Skills initiative will help create a more robust economy and more opportunities for everyone. The initiative specifically seeks to promote lifelong learning and support the development of new digital skills and technologies.

What is the purpose of the European Union’s Year of Skills 2023?

The idea is to build a stronger, more skilled, and more advanced workforce that can use the digital world better and thrive. The initiative will focus on developing digital technologies, entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership, and data analysis skills. But what will be the main benefits of such an initiative?

Benefits of the European Year of Skills 2023

The EU Year of Skills 2023 initiative will have several beneficial impacts, such as:

1. Boosting Employability. Firstly, the proposal will help create a more competitive economy and job opportunities across regions by encouraging businesses to invest in their employees’ skills. This should lead to better productivity and an increase in the quality of goods and services in the future.
2. Enhancing Digital Competences. The initiative also seeks to promote lifelong learning and address the development of new skills and technologies. This will help to increase the quality of digital skills of individuals and businesses, which will be necessary in an increasingly digitalized world – encouraging participation. The initiative will also raise public understanding and appreciation of the value of skills and competencies. This will help to foster better conditions for those without adequate skills to advance their careers and encourage their participation in the labor market.
3. Improving Access to Further Education. Finally, the initiative will improve access to further education and training opportunities and guide those needing it. This will help to provide individuals with the necessary skills and qualifications for the future, allowing people to gain skills and qualifications that can help them advance their careers as workers.
4. Increase networking opportunities. The initiative will also seek to create a network of skills providers, enabling businesses to find suitable candidates for open vacancies. This will help to increase job opportunities and give those with the right skills the chance to find employment and progress in their careers.

The challenges of the EU Year of Skills – digital and equality

The year of skills comes at the right time – and there’s a reason why the EU announced it. In fact,

1. 1. In 2021, there was an increased demand for low- and high-skilled workers in various occupations, from construction to engineering and IT. More than twenty-eight professions showed significant shortages all over Europe.
   2. The Digital Economy and Society Index indicates that 40% of all adults and every third of European employed persons need to gain basic digital skills.
   3. To achieve the EU’s 2030 goals, Member States have endorsed the EU 2030 social targets that require a minimum of 60% of adults to participate in training annually.
   4. Only one in six IT specialists and one in three STEM graduates are women.
   5. The 2030 Digital Compass targets that 80% of all adults should have basic digital skills and 20 million ICT specialists should be employed by 2030, with increased female representation in tech-related professions.

Key Elements of the Initiative

The EU Year of Skills 2023 initiative will comprise several key elements. These include:

• The Pact for Skills: the organization has over one thousand members and fourteen significant partnerships in key industries, with the commitment of teaching and preparing up to six million people.
• An online platform to provide guidance and resources to citizens and businesses;
• A European Skills Taskforce to ensure coordination and collaboration between stakeholders;
• An Agenda setting out priority policy areas – the basis for the European Union’s approach to skills policies, which will be instrumental in aiding people and companies to cultivate their skills and employ them effectively;
• A recognition system to promote the transferability of skills – the e-CF (European e-Competence Framework);

What impact will the EU Year of Skills 2023 have on Europe’s economy?

The European Union’s Year of Skills 2023 will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the economy of Europe. With a focus on providing more opportunities for education, training, and learning, the EU Year of Skills is expected to help create a more skilled and employable workforce. This, in turn, should lead to more robust economic growth, increased productivity, and greater prosperity for the continent.

The Year of Skills 2023 will also help to make Europe more competitive in the global marketplace. By investing in skills and upskilling, European businesses will be better able to compete with global rivals, leading to more jobs and higher wages. Additionally, the initiative will help to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills between countries, further boosting Europe’s economy.

Overall, the EU Year of Skills 2023 will likely have a positive and lasting effect on Europe’s economy. By providing new opportunities for education, training, and learning, the initiative should help to create a more skilled and employable workforce, leading to higher wages, increased productivity, and greater prosperity for the continent.

How can individuals and businesses contribute to the EU Year of Skills 2023?

1. Develop qualifications with certifications based on an official EU framework

EXIN offers many top-quality certification programs to help professionals and their teams enhance their digital competencies. From Artificial Intelligence to Data Protection & Security to Agile Scrum, these certifications will help you stay ahead in the changing digital landscape. Furthermore, EXIN certifications are based on the eCF (European e-Competence Framework), a standardized framework for digital skills and competencies entirely developed by the European Union to effectively oversee recruitment, data storage, and training procedures. Check out EXIN certifications and stand out from the crowd.

2. Participate in learning challenges

The EU Year of Skills 2023 will offer learning challenges to engage people of all ages and backgrounds in developing their skills. These challenges can include online courses, webinars, interactive lectures, and hackathons, among other activities. Individuals can further develop their skills and gain invaluable experience by participating in these learning challenges.

3. Test your digital skills via an unbiased competency assessment

To learn more about which digital skills you have and which you can develop further, you can test your skills with Astride, a free competency assessment that will give you a customized and detailed insights report of your competencies and how you can improve. The competency assessment is also suited for learning centers and companies to assess their clients’ and employees’ skills and sustain them accordingly. Contact us to know more!

4. Join IT Professionalism Europe (ITPE)

The IT Professionalism Europe (ITPE) network is dedicated to advancing IT professionalism by bringing together public and private sector experts from various IT domains, including policy, standards, HR and IT management, education, training, and other service providers. By participating in the ITPE network, individuals and businesses can contribute to the EU Year of Skills 2023 by collaborating with key EU public actors to promote the importance of IT professionalism in Europe.

5. Join the European Software Skills Alliance as a partner

The European Software Skills Alliance (ESSA) is an initiative that brings together software companies, universities, research institutions, and public organizations to coordinate and collaborate on skills and competencies. By joining, you can contribute to developing new digital skills and qualifications.

6. Access support for individuals & businesses 

The EU Year of Skills 2023 will provide businesses with the proper support and advice to upskill their employees and build a digital-ready workforce. Companies can benefit from access to resources such as job-ready skills training, career guidance, and funding for digital capability. Additionally, they can benefit from access to the latest digital skill sets and technologies. Check out Digital Skills and Job platform of the EU to know more.

So…are you ready for the 2023 EU Year of Skills?

The EU Year of Skills 2023 is an ambitious initiative that offers tremendous potential for the European economy. By providing new opportunities for education, training, and learning, the initiative should increase the employability of European citizens. This should result in higher wages and increased overall economic prosperity in the future. Individuals and businesses can contribute to the initiative’s success by developing qualifications with top-notch certifications. They can do so also by joining initiatives such as the European Software Skills Alliance. So…are you ready to take the leap?