Description
A Eurobarometer survey published on 12 September confirms that a skilled workforce is crucial to the success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe. The results come on the same day that the Commission unveils a series of initiatives to support SMEs in growing their skilled workforce through training actions under the European Skills Pact large-scale partnerships and other initiatives aimed at meeting the skills needs of SMEs. Ninety-five per cent of the SMEs that took part in the survey say that it is very (82%) or moderately (13%) important for their business model to have workers with the right skills.
This holds back the activities of almost two-thirds (63%) of companies. Almost half (45%) also say they are hindered in adopting or using digital technologies, and four in ten (39%) find it difficult to green their activities.
SMEs already apply a wide range of measures to find and retain workers, including efforts to make better use of talent within the company (e.g. staff mobility or task rotation), increased investment in training or improving the attractiveness of jobs in terms of (non)financial benefits.
To facilitate the recruitment of staff with the required skills, SMEs say they need better cooperation with public employment services (58%), better tools for assessing the skills of candidates (49%), better tools for assessing the skills needs of the enterprise (46%) and simpler procedures for recognising foreign qualifications (38%).
The EU supports skills development and lifelong learning through funding and policies. The European Year of Competences puts skills development centre stage and Member States have set a target that at least 60% of adults should participate in training activities each year by 2030. Some € 65 billion of EU funds are available to support education, training and skills. The Skills Agenda for Europe and the Skills Pact have helped companies and workers across Europe (currently 2 million people) to make progress in training.
Source and image: Press Office of the European Commission Representation in Italy