EU Projects: Tackling Skill Shortages and Mismatches with Artificial Intelligence

Recognizing skill mismatch as a multidimensional challenge which impacts productivity, social welfare, and overall cohesion in Europe becomes even more important these days. Today, our societies are facing fast-changing labor market demands caused by megatrends and external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the energy crisis. It becomes essential to relocate workers efficiently, minimize unemployment, and bridge the emerging skills gaps caused by the “Great Reshuffling.” 

Being aware of the challenge, SkillLab participates in TRAILS, a three-years project funded under the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme, Thematic Priority “Innovative research on social and economic transformations”. TRAILS, an acronym for Enabling data analytics for actions tackling skills shortages & mismatch, seeks to build on current data in skills mismatches and create novel tools and databases, harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence. It will empower Vocational and Adult Education training to match employers with educational opportunities to re-allocate workers efficiently. Among its results will be an innovative methodology to measure skills mismatches; an analysis framework of training in the area of artificial intelligence, as well as a selection of best practices for tackling skills shortages and mismatches in Europe. 

The TRAILS consortium consists of eight organizations from five countries. Democritus University of Thrace (D.U.Th, Greece), is leading the project in partnership with the University of Naples Federico II (UNINA, Italy), IPSOS NV (Belgium), the Economic and Social Research Institute LBG (ESRI, Ireland), SkillLab (the Netherlands), University of Tilburg (TiU, the Netherlands), European Association of Regional & Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning (EARLALL, Belgium), and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH, Greece). Partners will work on eight work packages and seven objectives to contribute to strengthening social and economic resilience and sustainability, boost inclusive growth and reduce vulnerabilities.

The official launch of the project took place on 21-22 January 2024 at EARLALL’s premises located at the Basque Delegation to the EU in Brussels (Belgium). This first partner meeting was also attended by the project officers for TRAILS, Simone Rosini (from the European Commission’s DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion) and Andrea Rotondo (from the European Research Executive Agency). In the launch meeting, all partner organizations orientated themselves to the ambitious three-year work plan of the project and started planning the working agenda for the upcoming months.

The work plan places SkillLab as leader for tasks under the Work Packages 4 and 6, which deal with technological empowerment of skills matching, business planning and market analysis, as well as assessing the economic models viability as part of the dissemination and business report.

Follow TRAILS website and LinkedIn to learn more about the project and follow our progress.

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132673

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.