On 30 April, the European Commission organised the closing event for the European Year of Skills. With hundreds of participants onsite in Brussels and hundreds online, it was the perfect occasion to take stock of the EU’s efforts and the status of skills shortages in Europe. 

Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager delivered the welcoming words, highlighting how far the European Commission has gone to highlight the importance of skills, their acquisition in different learning environments and their validation processes. Her speech underscored the many initiatives happening throughout the year - campaigns, events, partnerships, etc - and set the tone for the rest of the day, 

Stakeholders were also invited to provide their perspectives. Employers shared the need to find a skilled workforce that can adapt to a fast-paced technological change, filling existing gaps. Adult learning and work-based learning have a big role to play. Trade unions pointed to better jobs and fairer working conditions as preconditions for skills acquisition. Civil society and learners’ representatives brought the focus on a more holistic approach to skills, encompassing skills and key competences to embrace a true lifelong learning dimension. 

The event saw a multitude of participants sharing inspiring stories, including champions of the campaign “Real People, Real Skills”: a great testimony that the courage to take our learning path into our own hands can open new doors and even change lives. 

But what comes next indeed? The closing sessions provided further insights into what skills needs might look like in the future: in an ever-changing technological landscape, predictions are elusive, but cooperation between all stakeholders - governments, social partners, civil society, academia, and institutions - remains our best chance to succeed. 

In the end, the event was a reminder that change begins with skills. As Commissioner Schmit said: “We don’t only need a European year of skills, we need a European decade of skills”.