European Classification of Skills/Competences, Qualifications and Occupations

The minor version of ESCO v1.1.2 will be released in February 2024, primarily focusing on updating the ESCO translation into Ukrainian. The focus is on high-quality updates, enhancing data related to the Ukrainian language. No other components of the ESCO database will be impacted, and no new occupations or skills will be included. To stay updated, follow the portal's News page for notifications when the minor version is released!

This is a kind reminder that the major version ESCO v1.2 will be published in May 2024! As one of the contributions to the European Year of Skills, this update integrates new data, introducing new occupations and skills concepts aligned with current labour market trends and education and training sector. Following the conclusion of the consultation period in October 2023, ESCO experts are actively advancing the next steps for this major version release. Follow ESCO portal for forthcoming details regarding the release of this major version!

Explore career opportunities across the EU with Europass' Job and Skills Trends tool. Powered by ESCO data and the Skills OVATE project (CEDEFOP), it provides insights into online demand for occupations and relevant skill sets. Discover the ten most in-demand occupational groups in EU countries and identify the countries with the highest demand for specific skill sets. This collaboration between ESCO and Europass enriches the tools, helping jobseekers understand market trends and effectively document skills.

In November 2023, a meeting of the ESCO MSWG was held, primarily aimed at updating participants on the latest ESCO developments. The ESCO Secretariat shared key outcomes from the consultation period on the new ESCO Major Version v1.2. Additionally, for the first time, ESCO introduced the MSWG to exploratory work on ontology relations within ESCO and highlighted the latest data science activities and developments. The meeting concluded with insightful best practice presentations from Denmark and Luxembourg, showcasing the use of ESCO and AI.

In collaboration with the European Labour Authority (ELA), the Commission hosted the fourth online training session, 'Enhancing Job Mobility Through a Common Language,' on November 30 and December 1, 2023. This session, focusing on both mapping and adoption, provided valuable insights into ESCO's role in job mobility. The training recordings are now accessible to explore and enhance your understanding of ESCO.

The ESCO team participated in the CreativeFLIP conference in Brussels, and contributed to a panel discussion on the categorisation of cultural and creative industries (CCIS) occupations. The conference discussed challenges of categorizing the dynamic cultural sector and the importance of keeping classification systems updated to reflect industry changes. The dialogue centered on how ESCO identifies change requirements, with the ESCO team highlighting the significance of input from stakeholders and implementers in specific sectors to identify emerging changes or updates.

EURES Italy for Employers' Day 2023 aimed to address professional needs of Italian companies in various sectors, aligning with the European Year of Skills. The ESCO team introduced its governance structure, design, maintenance process, use cases, and implementers, emphasizing its role within EURES and the introduction of Green and Digital skills labeling. The discussion highlighted how ESCO follows with the emerging labour market trends, emphasizing the introduction of Green and Digital skills labeling to improve the classification system's ability to address evolving skill needs in environmental sustainability and digital transformation.

In the context of the LLLWeek the SOLIDAR Foundation & Diesis Network organised a workshop on validation of competences acquired in the civil society sector. The discussion focused on the importance of a shared framework, ESCO's contribution to skills validation and recognition, and the significance of transversal skills for personal development. The event showcased ESCO's integral presence in diverse sectors and its active involvement in civil society discussions.

The International Council of Museums Italy webinar focused on the role of museum educators, and the ESCO team contributed by providing an introduction to the classification, its stakeholders, use cases, and the continuous improvement process. Emphasizing the significance of feedback received from professionals specialized in specific sectors, the following discussion once again highlighted ESCO's ability to connect those diverse sectors. The event generated interest among participants, fostering a desire to learn more about ESCO and its possible advantages for the museum sector.

The ESCO team participated in a workshop on opportunities in the European market for talent acquisition organised by the Andalusian Council of Chambers of Commerce. ESCO delivered a comprehensive overview of the classification, emphasizing its practical application, particularly in the context of EURES for job matching. The focused on the crucial role of skills among young individuals in establishing international careers and improving competitiveness. In this context, ESCO's significance was emphasized, pointing out that its data is freely accessible and available in 28 languages, facilitating smoother matching and career analysis services.

The article discusses the development of sustainable manufacturing models and the importance of ESCO in monitoring and mapping the evolution of green jobs. It proposes a methodological approach for a rating index to quantify the green vocation of each profession, focusing on the recurrence of knowledge, skills, and associated skills using ESCO Green Skills Labelling. The 299 navigable professions are ranked according to the Green Ranking value calculated by Anpal Servizi's Direzione Studi & Ricerche. The article and dashboard create a list of 299 occupations into four groups.

This research article addresses the imperative shift towards sustainable production and energy efficiency in the European process industry, driven by the European Commission's emphasis on industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency to achieve circular economy goals and CO2 neutrality. The article highlights the significance of aligning identified skills with ESCO to establish a common ground with existing frameworks and studies. By incorporating ESCO, the research aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of skill requirements, providing a foundation for well-developed training programs to address critical skill gaps in the European process industry.

This article details the development of the AI4Citizen pilot, a software suite designed to enhance the School-Work Alternation (SWA) program, which aims to strengthen the partnership between educational institutions and the job market. ESCO acts as the basis for matching students' skills with internship requirements in this pilot. The article emphasizes the importance of overcoming the language barrier in describing skills and competences by leveraging ESCO.