Nordregio presented during EU seminar on the green transition

The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union hosted a seminar on the 23^rd of March, focusing on skills for the green transition for a competitive Europe. Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio Timothy Heleniak was invited to present at the session.

The event gathered 150 participants involved in various aspects of education, adult learning, life-long learning, and skills for the green transition from all over Europe.

Mats Persson, the Swedish Minister of Education, opened the seminar and highlighted the changing and growing needs in the labour market to achieve Europe’s green transition.

“The green transition can only succeed if the European Union has the qualified labour that is needed. Between 2015 and 2021, the labour shortage in sectors considered key for the green transition doubled. This year, The European Year of Skills aims to strengthen competencies and skills needed for the green transition.”

Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, focused on the opportunities arising from the green transition.

“The green transition could create up to 1 million additional jobs in the EU by 2030. But for that, the right policies need to be in place.”

There is a skill gap within the EU, with around 800 000 trained workers needed for the battery section. There is also a demand for experts in renewable energy.

“We need to act upon these skills shortages. Our ambitious target is that 60 per cent of adults should participate in training by 2030.”

Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio Timothy Heleniak gave a presentation in a session titled ‘Supplying scarcely populated areas with competencies needed for sustainable growth and development’, based on his fieldwork last year in Norrbotten, Sweden, and the green transition there.