On 8 March 2022, EBC and 16 fellow associations signatories of the #Skills4Climate campaign supported a letter sent by EuropeON, the European Electrical Contractors’ Association, to the President of the European Commission Von der Leyen.
In the letter entitled “Who will make the green & digital transitions an everyday reality?”, the supporters of the #Skills4Climate campaign led by EuropeON together emphasise the need to address the lack of skilled professionals as a top priority. Indeed, while policymakers are increasingly aware of the need to up- and re-skill the European workforce for the green and digital transitions, the lack of candidates itself is too often overlooked, especially regarding technical careers which suffer from an image deficit in many countries.
The gap between available and needed professionals’ risks becoming even more prominent, in view of the ambitious targets put forward by the legislative files of the Fit-for-55 package, aiming to materialize the EU Green Deal. Given the geopolitical context and its implications on Europe’s energy mix, the above issues become even more pressing.
Therefore, signatories call on the Commission to take action urgently in three separate ways, which are detailed in the letter:
- The revision/recast of the Fit for 55 Package should require Member States to assess the gap between available and needed installation professionals to achieve EU climate and energy objectives.
- An ambitious EU campaign must be launched to change mindsets across Europe and enhance the attractiveness of technical/vocational education and careers in the twin transitions.
- Setting up a “Skills4Climate/Climate crafters Platform”, similar to the “Just Transition Platform”, to gather Member States, social partners, academia and all relevant EU and national stakeholders.
EBC has been supportive of the #Skills4Climate campaign, calling EU and national policy makers to strengthen the skills base in the electrical and construction sector, since it was launched in 2019.
 | To read the full letter “Who will make the green & digital transitions an everyday reality?” addressed to President Ursula von der Leyen, click here. |
To learn more about the #Skills4Climate campaign, click here.