ACEA Lab workshop on talents in automotive: Turning the Union of Skills into action

The ACEA Lab Workshop on Talents in Automotive brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and social partners to address one of the most pressing challenges for Europe's automotive industry: workforce transformation.

Under the theme "How Best to Implement Union of Skills," the half-day event explored strategies to equip Europe's automotive workforce with the skills required to remain globally competitive while navigating the green and digital transitions.

Europe's Workforce at a Turning Point

The European automotive industry is facing simultaneous technological, regulatory, and market shifts. The workshop underscored that the success of the sector's transformation depends on its workforce and that regional support systems must be re-engineered to meet this challenge.

To support this effort, ACEA commissioned The Adecco Group to conduct a comparative regional assessment and develop a region-by-region Workforce Transformation Toolkit. The workshop offered participants a first look at the findings and provided an opportunity to sharpen the analysis and co-create solutions.

A key takeaway from the study: Europe has a strong focus on acquiring new skills, but often overlooks operational realities such as production downtime, workplace culture shifts, outplacement needs, and mentoring.

The Union of Skills: From Strategy to Implementation

Central to the discussions was the European Commission's Union of Skills strategy, launched in March 2025. Participants emphasised that the strategy's flagship actions, ranging from a Basic Skills Plan and STEM Strategy to micro-credentials and skills portability initiatives, must be translated into tangible, demand-driven solutions.

Key Policy Recommendations

Social partners stressed the importance of bridging the gap between policy and on-the-ground realities.

Key recommendations included ensuring free, accessible training, creating robust systems for recognising and transferring skills, and supporting secure job-to-job transitions. Speakers also called for strong regional leadership and inclusive governance that gives industrial social partners a real voice in EU decision-making.

The workshop closed with a shared understanding: Europe must safeguard its production capacity and technological know-how to remain prosperous and competitive. Strengthening skills, investing in training, and supporting innovation are essential to keep Europe's manufacturing leadership while protecting jobs, innovation, and supply chain resilience in the face of global challenges. In this context, Automotive Skills Alliance activities should be supported to drive the skills agenda in the automotive sector and beyond, ensuring that Europe's workforce remains equipped for the transition and capable of meeting future industry demands.

ACEA Lab was born out of last year's Experience Centre, designed as a platform to bring together industry, policymakers, and society to discuss the future of mobility and the automotive industry. ACEA will continue that mission through ongoing labs that turn insights into actionable solutions. Stay tuned for more.