New study maps the jobs driving Europe's green transition

As Europe moves towards a greener economy, the need for people who can design, install, and maintain renewable energy systems is growing quickly. A new policy brief released by Cedefop as part of the European Skills & VET Week identifies the occupations that are becoming increasingly important in the European Union, from engineers and installers to maintenance technicians and cybersecurity experts.

The publication analyses online job advertisements to track labour market demand in near real time, highlighting rapidly growing occupations that are not yet fully captured in existing occupational classifications.

Key findings

• 92% of EU firms are taking action to reduce emissions - decarbonisation efforts are now widespread across European businesses, creating demand for new green skills and occupations.
• 79% of EU firms report skills shortages as a barrier to investment - talent shortages is one of the biggest obstacles to scaling the green transition.
• Green investments amount to hundreds of billions of euros under EU funding frameworks - these investments are driving employment growth and the emergence of new occupations across clean technology value chains.

Adult learning and VET as key enablers

The report highlights the need to keep education and training up to date, help workers learn new skills, and make it easier to move into growing occupations.

To support this objective, it sets out six policy priorities, including modernising vocational education and training, promoting transferable skills and targeted reskilling pathways, and supporting regional transition strategies.

Read the full report

European Skills & VET Week