An extract from our upcoming Career Pathways book…
Labour markets across Europe, and in the wider world have become increasingly unstable in recent years. In part this is due to the financial crisis of 2008 and subsequent recession in many countries. It is also a reflection of the twin challenges of digitalisation and climate change. These pressures are resulting in a profound change in labour market and skills demand and in the location of jobs and employment. In general, there is a move towards higher level skill and knowledge needed while automation has until recently mainly impacted on lower skilled jobs. At the same time climate change - or rather the attempt to ameliorate climate change – has led to the development of new occupations and new skill needs within occupations. For instance, the EU's focus on environmental sustainability significantly impacts the construction sector, responsible for a considerable portion of the EU's total waste generation and carbon emissions. Projects like Renovation Wave and the Circular Economy Plan are driving the need for skills in areas such as sustainable design, renovation, new materials, and technologies. This shift necessitates a workforce skilled in these new methods and approaches.
The changes in the labour market have led to an increased focus on skills and on understanding the changes in skill demand. Older assumptions about attempting to balance demand and supply for skills and competences are being questioned. Also challenged are the decades-long increases in the number of young people pursuing higher education. Young people may be put off higher education by the cost, at the same time vocational education and training courses are increasingly seen as providing better access to the labour market. Some employers are moving towards assessing job candidates based on their skills rather than on college degrees or other, more conventional credentials. The role of the CV / traditional application form at the initial stage of the application process for graduate / internship / apprenticeship roles is being reduced with some employers putting candidates through a bespoke strengths-based assessment, designed to explore how individuals would act in work-based scenarios. This is accompanied by an increased focus on capabilities: a shift towards behavioural competence components that include aptitudes, motives, and personality traits ranging from creativity to social capabilities.
Find out more about the Career Pathways project at career-pathways.eu
