Technology adoption and automation have big implications for the workforce. While experiencing significant labour market transformations, many new jobs will require fresh skills and education enhancement. 

Is Europe ready for such big transformations? What strategies have been adopted by policymakers and companies to face these challenges and not lose competitiveness? What’s the cost of skills mismatch? What’s the role of upskilling and reskilling in a dynamic labour market? And how do we foster inclusive growth?

High-level speakers from the European Commission, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and experienced researchers will discuss the state-of-the-art and the strategies for maintaining Europe’s competitive edge.

Ann Branch has been working for the European Institutions in Brussels for over 20 years on various policies and funding programmes. She works in the Department for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and heads the unit leading the work on the EU Skills Agenda & 2023 European Year of Skills. Previous work included social & inclusive entrepreneurship, social economy, the cultural and creative sectors, education for innovation, European social dialogue and industrial relations, and the EU's Culture, Creative Europe, Erasmus+, and Employment and Social Innovation funding programmes.

El Iza Mohamedou is the Head of the OECD Centre for Skills, which supports countries to achieve better economic and social outcomes by taking a whole-of-government approach and engaging with stakeholders to develop and implement better skills policies. She has more than 25 years of international experience working in the field, at headquarters with various international organizations, and in the private sector. El Iza holds a PhD in Economics, MBA in International Business and a BA in Economics.

Pascal Heß is a member of the scientific staff at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and a final year PhD candidate at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA) at Maastricht University. His research interest mainly lies in the link between education and labour market outcomes with a focus on policy evaluations, school-to-work transitions, and adult education. Pascal has published several scientific and policy papers on further training and technological change.

Ljubica Nedelkoska is a social scientist with a background in economics (PhD) and public administration (MA). She studies the impact of technology on the labour market, skills, migration and diasporas. Ljubica is interested in development, labour economics, policy and economic sociology. She is currently a research scientist at the Complexity Science Hub in Vienna, a visiting professor at the Central European University in Vienna, and a senior research fellow at the Growth Lab at Harvard University.