Europe’s European Skills High-Level Board has called for tighter links between businesses and education providers to speed up adult reskilling and upskilling in the regions and sectors where jobs are available, according to its first set of conclusions.
The findings were handed to European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness Roxana Mînzatu by the board’s chair, Ylva Johansson, the Commission informed on Wednesday.
At the centre of the proposals is a model of “high-impact regional and sectoral skills ecosystems” referred to by the board as SPARKs — Skills Partnerships for Adult Reskilling — bringing together businesses, education and training providers, and regional authorities to train adults “faster” and “closer to where jobs actually are.”
The board said incentives would be needed to develop and scale up these ecosystems, including sustainable financing and more structured exchange and cooperation, alongside guidance and support to help different sectors connect with one another.
Training within these partnerships should be accessible and tailored to people’s needs, supported by new learning approaches, stronger involvement of social partners — organisations representing employers and workers — and wider use of microcredentials.
Board to advise on current and future skills challenges
The European Skills High-Level Board was set up in May 2026 to advise the Commission on current and future skills-related challenges and opportunities, and includes members from businesses, education and training providers and social partners, the Commission noted.
Its conclusions will inform the Commission’s work on education and skills within the European Semester — the EU’s annual cycle of economic and social policy coordination — including work on a Council Recommendation on human capital and country-specific recommendations.
“European businesses are struggling to find people with the right skills to help them grow and compete at global level, while education and training providers are being asked to keep up with shifting skills needs,” Mînzatu said.
