Tackle the labour shortages and skills gap

KEY MESSAGE

WHY?

In many EU Member States, construction companies cannot find enough workers with the required skills.

This phenomenon becomes even more pressing on the backdrop of the ongoing green and digital transitions, as well as the more demanding legislative framework concerning the built environment.

While the active population is ageing, it is needed more than ever to promote the construction sector and its professional opportunities among young people, women and workers from phased-out sectors.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

The EU should increase investment in initial and lifelong learning, as well as apprenticeship schemes, including EU-funded projects.

The European Union should help promote the attractiveness of the construction sector, in particular through support for communication and awareness raising campaigns.

The EU should promote and support cooperation with and between all concerned stakeholders (e.g. companies, training centres, industry paritarian organisations, competent authorities) in order to provide regular updates on training schemes related to the evolving needs of the green and digital transition.

The EU should promote and support tools and initiatives for strengthening the mutual recognition of qualifications, without lowering national standards, in order to facilitate the cross-border mobility of services, students and workers within the Internal Market.

The EU should facilitate the access of (skilled) third-country nationals to the EU, help Member States to set up safe entry ways for these workers and combat abusive and fraudulent practices.