Taking a macro evaluation of Skills with citizens at the heart.

“Skills are key to the prosperity of nations and to better lives for individuals”

OECD

Skills are a crucial component of individual and societal success.? At the heart of skills development is each citizen, as they are the ones who possess and develop skills that enable them to thrive in their personal and professional lives.?

Skills policies must also be conceived within a framework that has both a short-term and a longer-term perspective. A longer-term challenge is in producing the right skills mix not only for the present but also for the future needs of dynamic labour markets, be it through initial education, further training of the existing workforce at all ages or by attracting skilled people from abroad?

From a macro perspective, skills can be viewed as a set of competencies, abilities, and knowledge that individuals acquire through education, training, and experience.? A key aspect of skills development is ensuring that each citizen has equal access to opportunities to learn and develop their skills. This includes providing access to quality education and trainings programmes as well as creating a supportive environment that encourages lifelong learning and continuous skill development.

At the macro level skills development can also play a critical role in driving economic growth and innovation.? By equipping citizens with the skills needed to succeed in today’s rapidly changing economy, societies can create a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and capable of driving sustainable economic growth.? Overall, a macro view of skills development places each citizen at the heat of the process recognising the importance of ensuring that all individuals have access to the education, training and support they need to develop the skills necessary to thrive in their personal and professional lives and contribute to the broader success of society.

Having a skilled population is critical to the success of any society, as it drives economic growth, innovation, and social development.? To achieve a macro view of skills with each citizen at the heart of it, several key factors must be considered:

• Education: Education is the foundation of any skills development initiative.? Every citizen must have access to quality education that equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a modern world.??
• Lifelong Learning: Learning should not be confined to the classroom but should be a lifelong process.? Citizens must be encouraged and supported to continue learning and upskilling throughout their lives, and, through various means, such as online courses, workshops, and on-the-job training.
• Relevant Skills: The skills needed in the modern world are constantly evolving, and citizens must have access to training that is relevant to the demands of the job market.? Governments and other stakeholders must work together to identify and prioritise the most needed skills and ensure that training programmes are designed to meet those needs.
• Access to Opportunities: Even with the right skills, citizens may not be able to access opportunities.? Governments must work to create an environment that fosters economic growth, job creation, and entrepreneurships, while also ensuring that opportunities are available to all citizens, regardless of their background or circumstances.
• Inclusivity:? A macro view of skills with each citizen at the heart of it must be inclusive.? Every citizen, regardless of the gender, race, or socioeconomic background should have access to education and training that enables them to reach their full potential.? This requires proactive measures to address barriers to participation, such as discrimination and unequal access to resources.

The Growth of Skills Mobility

Skills mobility refers to the ability of workers to move between different jobs, industries and/or locations while utilising their existing skills and gaining new ones.? It involves the transfer of skills and knowledge from one sector to another or from one job to another.? This concept is becoming increasingly important as industries and labour markets continue to evolve rapidly, with new jobs emerging and traditional ones becoming obsolete.

Skills mobility can also be facilitated through various means, such as education and training programmes, apprenticeships, internships and skills recognition systems.? Across Europe there is an increasingly migrant population who often have skills to offer in their new country.? Recognition of these skills and the benefit that can be delivered to the economy will grow in both urgency and importance.? Additionally, a skills recognition system can allow workers to enhance the skills, by understanding where any gaps exist while also enabling employers to access a diverse pool of workers to meet their evolving needs.

Last week Spain announced that their new Digital Nomad Visa has now gone live, meaning that non-EU Nationals can now:

• Live and work in the country for up to 5 years
• Apply for a residency card, allowing free travel within the EU
• Work remotely in a country with both high-speed internet and beautiful weather

Spain joins the likes of Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Portugal taking full advantage of the remote work revolution to boost their Deep Tech economies.

A pilot project is currently underway in Europe that will allow for the greater measurement of Skills Mobility, Impact, and Investment, like never before.

In Conclusion

A macro view of skills with each citizen at the heart of it requires a holistic approach, that addresses education, lifelong learning, relevant skills, access to opportunities and inclusivity.? By working together to prioritise these factors, governments, educational institutions, businesses, and communities can build a skilled and prosperous society that benefits everyone.

By

Fiona Whelan (Director of Education and Skills) & Vanessa Tierney (CEO)

Who we are

Abodoo?is a skills technology company transforming future learning and lives.?

What we do?

We provide governments and educational institutions, skills software and actionable insights that can bridge the digital divide, empower individual lifelong learning paths and ensure greater inclusivity for the future of work.

How we do this

We achieve this through mapping skills at a macro and micro level, recommending individual learning paths, providing access to unlimited educational providers, implementing an automated inclusive skills matching for marketplaces and giving actionable insights for future skills investment. All of our solutions can be integrated and provided in a white labelled capacity.

Check out: www.abodoo.com

For more information:[email protected]

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