Presentation from the event Skills for Europe’s competitiveness 20th Brussels seminar organised in cooperation with the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Brussels, 02/06/2026 Organised in cooperation with the rotating EU Council Presidencies, these research-driven seminars build on Cedefop’s research and address key issues in European debates on education, training and employment.Participants explored how skills development, job design and workplace learning contribute to productivity and innovation. Sessions presented findings from Cedefop research, including new evidence from the European Training and Learning Survey (ETLS), highlighting the drivers of skills formation and the challenges linked to low skill demand. A high-level discussion focused on how policy frameworks can support skills, competitiveness and quality employment.The seminar aimed to strengthen understanding of how human-centred approaches to technological change and skills development can enhance Europe’s competitiveness. It supported dialogue between research and policy and contribute to ongoing European debates on skills and VET. During the event, Cedefop unveiled the details of the 2026 European Skills and VET Week. Through a series of events and activities across Europe, the Week invites the wider skills and VET community to share insights and discuss how different approaches to upskilling, reskilling, and VET can help the EU remain competitive, economically strong, and strategically independent. Related event The skills nexus between productivity and job quality: Strengthening foundations for a competitive Europe, Thessaloniki, 29/06/2026 - 30/06/2026 Related projects AI futures of work Anticipating and matching skills European skills and jobs survey (ESJS) European Training and Learning Survey Key competences in vocational education and training
Hippe et al. (2026) studied this question.