Division Guideline 6: Enhancing labour supply, skills and competences

Member States, in cooperation with social partners, should promote productivity and employability through an appropriate supply of relevant knowledge, skills and competences. Member States should make the necessary investment in all education and training systems in order to improve their effectiveness and efficiency in raising the skill and competences of the workforce, thereby allowing them to better anticipate and meet the rapidly changing needs of dynamic labour markets in an increasingly digital economy and in the context of technological, environmental and demographic change. Member States should step up efforts to improve access for all to quality lifelong learning and implement active-ageing strategies that enable longer working lives.

Structural weaknesses in education and training systems should be addressed to ensure quality learning outcomes and to reduce the number of young people leaving school early. Member States should increase educational attainment, encourage work-based learning systems such as dual learning, upgrade professional training and increase opportunities for recognising and validating skills and competences acquired outside formal education.

High unemployment and inactivity should be tackled. Long-term and structural unemployment should be significantly reduced and prevented by means of comprehensive and mutually reinforcing strategies that include individualised active support for a return to the labour market. Youth unemployment and the high number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), should be comprehensively addressed through a structural improvement in the school-to-work transition, including through the full implementation of the Youth Guarantee.

Barriers to employment should be reduced, especially for disadvantaged groups.

Female participation in the labour market should be increased and gender equality must be ensured, including through equal pay. The reconciliation between work and family life should be promoted, in particular access to affordable quality early childhood education, care services and long-term care.

Member States should make full use of the European Social Fund and other Union funds to foster employment, social inclusion, lifelong learning and education and to improve public administration.