Pilot projects under European Commission’s Skills Guarantee to support workers at risk of unemployment

Six pilot projects were selected and launched under the new Skills Guarantee, one of the signature actions under the Union of Skills. The pilot projects have a budget of €14.5 million and will support almost 1,000 European workers at risk of unemployment in the car industry by offering them on-the-job training and new jobs in growing sectors. The six projects will be implemented by partners in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

The pilot projects will trial new models to make job transitions easier and more secure by bringing together training providers, public authorities and employers. The projects will test how skills needs can be identified, how personalised training can be better aligned with labour market needs, and how job-to-job transitions can be facilitated. Through re-skilling and upskilling, they will support transitions into strategic or growing sectors while generating practical evidence on what works, for whom and under which conditions. The projects will also build knowledge on how to deliver training that is accessible, relevant and tailored to different learners, and which removes barriers to participation, leading to real employment opportunities.

Moreover, they will provide practical experience and evidence to develop a European Skills Guarantee under the future European Competitiveness Fund, which has been proposed for the next EU budgetary period (2028-2034). The pilot call is managed by the European Social Fund Agency (ESFA), as entrusted entity, and will be implemented together with the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation, under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu said: “Skills open the door to jobs, stability and new opportunities. With the signature of these six pilot projects, we are starting concrete work to provide targeted support to people, so that they can build their future in a changing economy. This is an important step towards making the future European Skills Guarantee a reality, ensuring that Europe’s green and digital transitions are fair and inclusive.”

Source: European Commission