Jobs and Skills in the Local Economy

This year we are developing a series of capitalisation articles based on the 14 Partnerships of the Urban Agenda for the EU and urban initiatives of Cohesion Policy, structured around the three city dimensions of the New Leipzig Charter. It links Actions from the Digital Transition and Jobs and Skills Partnerships, and explores the impact of the pandemic on Jobs & Skills in Europe.

The Urban Agenda Partnership on jobs & skills in the local economy – the view of Rotterdam’s Hans Verdonk, Partnership Co-coordinator.

In an increasingly digital world, new and different skills and competencies are needed; labour and occupations are fundamentally changing. Likewise, vocational education and training will change as a result of the digital transformation. At the local level, strategies for dealing with digital skills are developed and tested - local actors in cities are of central importance. The Digital Skills Map provides results, insights and knowledge of diverse projects and models from European regions and cities for inspiration and adaption.

In an increasingly digital world, new and different skills and competencies are needed; labour and occupations are fundamentally changing. Likewise, vocational education and training will change as a result of the digital transformation. At the local level, strategies for dealing with digital skills are developed and tested - local actors in cities are of central importance. The Digital Skills Map provides results, insights and knowledge of diverse projects and models from European regions and cities for inspiration and adaption.

The Partnership on Jobs and Skills in the Local Economy is pleased to present its final Action Plan. The ten Actions aim to improve legislation, funding instruments and knowledge sharing to contribute towards the Union’s long-term objectives of sustainable growth and social, economic and territorial cohesion.

Hans Verdonk is the Co-coordinator of the Partnership on Jobs and Skills in the Local Economy (together with the city of Jelgava and Romania) and the EU representative for the city of Rotterdam. Veerle Smit from Ecorys Spain interviewed him on behalf of the Technical Secretariat of the Urban Agenda for the EU during the Partnership meeting in Porto in May 2018.

The first capitalisation and dissemination activities of the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative will kick-start with a workshop on the topic of Jobs and Skills in the local economy on 22 June 2018 in the Ateliers des Tanneurs, Brussels, Belgium.

The local framework is key when it comes to fostering jobs and skill in the local economy; however, it has some limits. Policy-makers must bear in mind both assets and limits if they want to carry out appropriate policies.