The new ‘Skills Partnership’ aims for up- and re-skilling of 5% of the workforce each year to tackle the industrial transition in the automotive ecosystem: ACEA

The aim of the Skills Partnership for the Automotive Ecosystem, launched in November 2020, is to put in place an up-/re-skilling framework which maximises industry competitiveness, job retention and new job opportunities – paving the way to a skills partnership for the whole automotive ecosystem. It will present a roadmap towards the transformation of skills, while also contributing to post-COVID recovery, ACEA says.

The ambition of the partnership – bringing together players from the industry, social partners, education and training institutes, and regions and municipalities – is to enable the up- and re-skilling of 5% of the workforce each year to tackle the industrial transition in the automotive ecosystem.

The EU auto industry is going through a major transformation because of the short-term impact of the COVID crisis, coupled with the long-term shift towards zero-emission and digital mobility. This transition is already significantly impacting the lives of the 14.6 million Europeans currently employed in the automotive value chain. The European automotive ecosystem – from small SMEs to big manufacturers, from suppliers and dealers up to maintenance and repair workshops – is facing disruption.

This transition and the foreseen structural change it will bring will significantly impact the workforce, with jobs being endangered in the short to medium-term. At the same time, the entire automotive chain is struggling to attract and recruit qualified people for new and emerging jobs. To remain competitive and to meet its economic and social responsibilities, the industry needs to invest significantly in the up-/re-skilling of its workforce.