Cedefop newsletter

This evolution is driven by the fast-paced transformation of labour markets, technological disruptions, new forms of work organisation and changing patterns of engagement in one's career journey. These developments signal a fundamental shift in: 

• how career and professional development are understood, and
• how learning is positioned as central to all sectors and population groups, including corporate employees, skilled trades workers, young people in education, adults navigating career transitions, participants in vocational training, and people facing unemployment.

Growth is no longer just "up" the corporate ladder or advancing through pre-defined steps—it's life-wide, extending beyond work and toward learning. This expanded concept encompasses civic participation, personal satisfaction and individualised paths that defy conventional categorisation and depend on the interplay of systems, contexts and opportunities. 

This transformation partly explains why lifelong guidance (LLG) has become more essential than ever before. Unlike traditional career guidance services that focused on single transition points, LLG represents a continuous process that enables individuals at any age and at any point to identify their capacities, competences, and interests, make educational and occupational decisions, and manage their individual life paths across learning, work, and other settings.

LLG supports lifelong learning by helping individuals continuously revisit and reshape their career paths
as they progress from school into adulthood and through different phases of life. This approach recognises that in an increasingly complex world, learning and working pathways are challenging to navigate, often fragmented and are not always accessible or visible to those who need them most. 

These pathways depend heavily on social interactions with institutions and services that may lack consistent quality standards or equitable access. Given that people differ significantly in their skills, capacities and access to the resources and networks needed to manage their careers effectively, professional guidance and career education have become not merely helpful, but crucial for ensuring equity and inclusion.

The European Union has recognised LLG's strategic importance within its broader policy framework. The approach aligns with the Union of Skills agenda, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the drive toward economic resilience in an era of demographic shifts and sustainable transformation. President von der Leyen's call for "more investment in people and their skills" and embedding "lifelong learning into education and careers" underscores how empowerment through guidance systems combined with other measures, creates positive ripple effects for society and the economy. 

Improving lifelong guidance policies and systems

For over two decades, Cedefop has been at the forefront of this evolution, leading cooperation activities and collaborating in inter-agency work, contributing to the field with: 

• Guiding principles to improve lifelong guidance policies and systems, which supported EU Member States and other countries gathered in the ELGPN (European lifelong guidance policy network), in developing the Guidelines for systems and policies development for lifelong guidance (2015).
• The online Inventory of lifelong guidance systems and practices -through CareersNet network of experts - containing cross-sectoral overviews with 20 sections per country.

LLG systems face significant challenges in meeting evolving user demands and Cedefop is currently revisiting its reference tools and resources, including developing a renewed framework with the support of CareersNet and other experts at the Finnish Institute of Educational Research (FIER), with guidance by the European Commission and contributions of international partners.

Shortages are particularly noticeable in key subjects such as STEM, foreign languages, and informatics. The lack of qualified teachers is closely linked to broader skills gaps, hindering the EU’s ability to achieve its goals for the digital and green transitions, fostering social inclusion, and boosting competitiveness. This challenge is also associated with a decline in student performance, making it a high priority on the EU policy agenda.

Understanding the challenge  

Several factors contribute to this escalating crisis. The European teaching force is ageing and faces teacher absenteeism and high turnover especially during the first year of taking up the job. The profession itself struggles with a lack of attractiveness. Data reveals that for only 67% of teachers, teaching was their primary career choice, and a mere 17.7% of teachers across EU countries believe their profession is valued.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) teachers, in particular, face a complex professional landscape. Many report feeling not fully prepared at early career stages and encounter limited opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) and career advancement. Their working environments are often challenging, with high workloads, stress, and overcrowded classrooms. VET teachers are also more likely to have temporary contracts compared to general education teachers. On average, their salaries are 10.5% lower compared to other tertiary-educated workers, with only 40% of VET teachers satisfied with their pay.

As labour markets evolve, VET teachers are under growing pressure to keep pace, from adapting to the AI transition and climate change to effectively mitigating student social exclusion. While initial training is crucial, it is often insufficient to fully equip them for these diverse challenges, underscoring the critical need for high-quality and effective CPD. Teachers must be able to bridge skill gaps, especially in new digital and green technologies, and manage inclusive classrooms for all learners, including those at risk of early leaving.

Despite the importance of CPD being recognised in EU policy discourse for over two decades, comparable information at the EU level on VET teacher CPD remains scarce. Existing Cedefop research, while providing valuable qualitative insights from ReferNet national experts, has consistently highlighted significant gaps in comparable statistics regarding contextual factors affecting VET teachers’ professional development, their participation in relevant activities, and the effectiveness of available learning offers. This lack of robust, harmonised data limits effective policymaking and the ability to systematically assess and improve CPD programmes.

To address these critical information gaps and inform evidence-based solutions, on 25th September Cedefop will launch the European Vocational Teacher Survey (EVTS), Europe’s first major social survey designed to capture the experiences of VET teachers directly from the frontline, providing the essential data needed to empower the teaching profession and secure Europe’s skilled future. 

Cedefop has interviewed representatives in four companies to understand how industries are adapting green practices to their specific contexts—and why understanding these differences matters for skills development.

Sector realities drive different approaches

The path to sustainability varies considerably between different sectors, because of the unique features of  fundamental business models and the different constraints companies face.

Retail battles consumer cost sensitivity: while customer preferences shift toward sustainable products, many remain reluctant to pay higher prices. The sporting goods sector navigates low profit margins and high waste generation by pursuing:

• Smart financing solutions for profitable circularity
• New business models around repair and second-hand products
• Consumer education as an essential complement to product innovation

Food processing leverages proximity to reduce its environmental footprint: environmental factors heavily influence operations, from water consumption to pesticide use. The company's strategic decision to locate near growing grounds and to consider the supply chain demonstrates sector-specific thinking:

• 95% of raw materials is sourced within a 80km radius, reducing transport emissions
• Satellite monitoring and AI systems help farmers in the food processing company’s supply chain adopt precision agriculture
• Motor engineering responds to regulatory pressure: unlike consumer-facing sectors, environmental legislation drives transformation more than market demand. The company's evolution from engine supplier to comprehensive system provider shows how progressing regulation reshapes entire industries:
• Strategic shift to electric, hybrid and hydrogen-based engines
• Business model evolving from product sales to energy-as-a-service
• New teams explore business models inspired by policy developments

Waste management transforms public service delivery: the company Cedefop interviewed, which serves one million inhabitants, demonstrates how sustainability can redefine public sector missions. The shift from waste treatment to resource creation reflects changing regulatory and social expectations and led to:

• The development of 100% circular products like soil improver and recycled plastic bins
• A data centre tracking waste flows to design targeted awareness campaigns
• Communication with citizens becoming central to business success

Policy frameworks create distinct pathways

EU legislation shapes each sector differently, creating tailored pressures and opportunities. The Law against waste and for Circular Economy has  affected retail design and logistics, and pressured the sporting goods company to rethink all processes -  from materials sourcing to customer return programs. The Green Deal Industrial Plan has driven innovation in the motor engineering company and set in motion a transition towards renewable energy solutions, particularly hydrogen deployment and energy grid transformation.

The REPowerEU Plan has accelerated this shift by stimulating fossil-free alternatives. For the motor engineering company, these policies don't just regulate—they create new market opportunities in clean energy systems and sustainable mobility solutions.

Sector-specific skills emerge

Cedefop case studies in four companies show that different approaches to greening create distinct workforce needs. Retail requires expertise in circular design and sustainable financing, food processing needs agricultural technology skills, motor engineering demands knowledge of alternative energy systems and waste management requires innovation and public communication capabilities.

VET systems must recognise these contextual differences. Generic green skills training alone cannot meet diverse sectoral needs—programmes and curricula must reflect regulation, business models and specific operational realities on the ground. Building Europe's Union of Skills requires understanding that each sector's green transition follows its own distinct learning and skilling pathway.