Data insights

A skills revolution is necessary to respond to the impact of the green transition in the short- and medium-term. All workers, across qualification and seniority levels, sectors and occupations need to be trained in an array of skills. Particular focus is necessary for occupations that drive “greenovation”, which lies at the core of the green transition. Such occupations may be relatively small in terms of employment shares but are indispensable for meeting the European Green Deal goals. These ‘thyroid occupations’, as Cedefop coined them, are highly skilled (e.g., R&D scientists and…

A skills revolution is necessary to respond to the impact of the green transition in the short- and medium-term. All workers, across qualification and seniority levels, sectors and occupations need to be trained in an array of skills. Particular focus is necessary for occupations that drive “greenovation”, which lies at the core of the green transition. Such occupations may be relatively small in terms of employment shares but are indispensable for meeting the European Green Deal goals. These ‘thyroid occupations’, as Cedefop coined them, are highly skilled (e.g., R&D scientists and…

A skills revolution is necessary to respond to the impact of the green transition in the short- and medium-term. All workers, across qualification and seniority levels, sectors and occupations need to be trained in an array of skills. Particular focus is necessary for occupations that drive “greenovation”, which lies at the core of the green transition. Such occupations may be relatively small in terms of employment shares but are indispensable for meeting the European Green Deal goals. These ‘thyroid occupations’, as Cedefop coined them, are highly skilled (e.g., R&D scientists and…

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the main European strategy to address climate challenges. It sets out the EU’s path to becoming a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. Together with the increasing digitalisation and automation of work, the EGD will affect jobs and skills across the EU economy, reducing the demand for some, and increasing the demand for others.…

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the main European strategy to address climate challenges. It sets the EU’s path to becoming a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. With the increasing digitalisation and automation of work, the EGD will affect jobs and skills across the EU economy, reducing the demand for some, and…

The distribution and transport sector is a crucial sector for the EU economy but also one of the heaviest polluters. In 2022, drivers and vehicle operators, who mainly work in the distribution and transport sector, accounted for around 4 per cent of the overall employment in the EU and represented the core of the workforce in the distribution and transport sector. They drive various forms of motor transportation vehicles (e.g. trains, buses, boats, trucks, taxis)to transport cargo or people, and drive, operate and monitor industrial and agricultural machinery and equipment. Jobs within…

Workers employed in elementary occupations account for around 8 per cent of all employment in the EU. These workers perform simple and routine tasks that may require the use of hand-held tools and physical effort to be conducted. Such tasks include cleaning, restocking supplies, and performing basic maintenance in residences or professional spaces (e.g., hotels and offices), as well as performing simple tasks in various sectors such as food preparation, agriculture, mining, construction, and manufacturing. Jobs within this group include hotel, office, and domestic cleaners and helpers,…

Manufacturing accounts for a large part of the European economy. Assemblers, who mainly work in the manufacturing sector, account for around 1 per cent of all employment in the EU. This rather small share of workers is however important to the achievement of the European Green Deal’s ambitions towards circularity and waste management. 
Assemblers follow strict procedures to assemble prefabricated parts so that subassemblies, products, and equipment are formed. This could be done along an assembly line where workers are one next to the other or not. Jobs within this group include…

European manufacturing accounted in 2021 for more than 16 per cent of gross value added in the EU economy. Machine and plant operators, who mainly work in the manufacturing sector, account for around 2.5 per cent of all employment in the EU. These workers frequently operate heavy machinery (e.g., excavators, drillers, and metal rolling mills) in various construction and manufacturing sites. This machinery is used, for example, in constructing metal…

European manufacturing accounted in 2021 for more than 16 per cent of gross value added in the EU economy. In the same year, other manufacturing workers, who mainly work in the manufacturing sector, accounted for around 2 per cent of the entire employment in the EU. These workers will be among those who will be called to achieve the European Green Deal’s ambitions on…